Premium Sweden and Norway

Valkommen! Welcome to Sweden. When you arrive in Stockholm, you’ll be picked up from the airport and transferred to your accommodation. Often referred to as the 'Venice of the North' and arguably Scandinavia's most beautiful city, Stockholm is packed full of amazing architecture, parks and clear waters. Your adventure will begin with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, maybe stroll by the narrow cobblestone streets and colourful merchant houses and soak up the culture. Maybe grab a cinnamon roll in Stockholm’s oldest café – Sundbergs Konditori, on Jarntorget Aquare – dating back to 1785. Tonight, you’ll have a welcome dinner with your trip leader and group to toast to a new adventure.

This morning after breakfast, you’ll head out on a leader-led walking tour of Gamlastan (the Old Town of Stockholm) to get your bearings. Along the way, make a fika stop (for coffee and pastry) for morning tea and refuel for your free time this afternoon. Then, why not leave the city behind for a few hours and see the waterways of Stockholm on a cruise? Maybe take a self-guided millennium walking tour or visit the ABBA Museum. You can also take a trip to Drottningholm Palace – the residence of the Swedish royal family. Tonight, maybe head to Stockholm's Sodermalm district – the inner-city island with the best nightlife, full of great shops, bars and cafes. Or maybe sit down at one of the restaurants on the cobblestoned islet of Gamla Stan or in Kungsholmen.

Leave Stockholm this morning after breakfast and head for the town of Linkoping. When you arrive, you’ll take a tour of the town with a local guide and learn about Linkoping's fascinating history, which dates back to the 12th century. After, have lunch with your group at a local restaurant, and then continue to the shores of Lake Vattern – Sweden’s second largest and deepest lake. For the next two nights, you’ll stay at a medieval monastery at a family-run Klosterhotel. The hotel’s buildings are some of the oldest in the country, as they used to be the St Birgitta Monastery in the 14th century, the Palace of Prince Birger in the 13th century and a Royal Hall! Imagine how life once was among the thick walls, worn stone floors and high cross vaults and tonight, enjoy dinner at your Feature Stay with your group.

After breakfast this morning, join a local guide for a historical walk around Vadstena. The tour takes you from inside the mighty Renaissance castle through the city and ends at the monastery grounds. You’ll learn about the castle, the monastery's history from the Middle Ages to today, and other stories from the city’s long history. This afternoon, you’re free to relax on the lake. Or maybe visit one of Vadstena’s many museums before finding a cosy restaurant for dinner.

Leave Vadstena behind this morning and travel to Oslo, admiring the scenery of endless forests and lakes along the way (grab a window seat if you can!). On the way, you’ll stop in one of the local towns for lunch and say your farewells to Sweden. Arrive in Oslo in the late afternoon, take some time to unwind and check in to the hotel. The evening is free for you to explore on your own. Maybe head to a local rooftop bar for nighttime city views or head to Gamla – Oslo’s oldest performance venue – and catch a jazz or rock gig.

This morning after breakfast, discover a city changing for the better on a guided tour of Oslo’s centre. Learn about the city’s rapid urban development, sustainable efforts and modern architecture, before enjoying a free afternoon to explore how you wish. Maybe visit the Ski Museum, housed inside the famous monumental Holmenkollbakken (ski jump), which looks more like a work of art than a sports venue. Here, you can learn about Norwegian polar expeditions, the history of skiing over the past 4000 years and the Winter Olympics at Oslo and Lillehammer. At the top of the tower, soak in the 360-degree views of the city, with its fjords and forests. Maybe browse the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art on the harbour or taste local flavours at the Vulkan food hall. Perhaps explore the immense Akershus Castle and Fortress or check out some cool shops in the Grunerlokka district. In the evening, join your leader for a dinner of local flavours in the restaurant.

Have some breakfast this morning and then head out for one of Norway’s most beloved tourist attractions – a scenic train journey from Oslo to Flam. Regularly voted one of the world’s best train journeys, you’ll see Norwegian nature at its most magnificent. From the high mountain station of Myrdal, you’ll travel to the head of Aurlandsfjord on one of the world’s steepest stretches of train line, cutting through deep ravines, rivers, waterfalls, mountains and farms. Arrive in Flam, which sits right on the world's deepest and second-longest fjord – the 204-km-long and 1308-m-deep Sognefjord. Tonight, you’ll learn about Norway’s long history with beer in this region as you enjoy a tasting of three popular seasonal beers from the hotel's own Aegir Brewery.

Wake up to a scenic paradise this morning. After breakfast, you’ll hop on a fjord cruise along Aurlandsfjord, where you’ll have first-class views of the spectacular landscape dotted with old farms and idyllic villages that have stayed the same for centuries. These UNESCO World Heritage-listed West Norwegian Fjords are among the most scenically outstanding in the world. Mostly untouched in modern times, there are no road connections meaning the only way to properly explore this area is by boat! On your cruise, you’ll stop in picturesque Undredal and stretch your legs around this gorgeous village. Enjoy a cheese tasting here to sample some local favourites before boarding the cruise again and sailing along the narrow Naeroyfjord to Gudvangen, where you’ll have lunch with the group. Spend an afternoon in Gudvangen, soaking in the otherworldly views of mountains and the huge fjord lake (don’t forget your camera today!) and then take a private vehicle back to Flam.

Today, you’ll leave Flam behind and travel to Voss – the ‘adrenaline capital of Norway’ is known for its natural spring water and magical waterfall. When you arrive, visit the hilltop Voss Folk Museum for an insight into how people lived in rural western Norway from the 16th century to the early 20th century. After, continue to Bergen, surrounded by mountains and fjords and home to colourful wooden houses and hiking trails. When you arrive, take the Floibanen funicular on Mount Floyen for the incredible panoramic views of the city. Tonight, why not ask your leader for the best restaurants in the area (preferably with a gorgeous view) and toast to a trip well-travelled.

This morning after breakfast, your trip comes to an end. If you’d like to spend more time in Scandinavia (and why wouldn’t you?), just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.