Ultimate Norway, Sweden & the Arctic Circle

Our Scandinavian holidays starts when we meet our Tour Manager and fellow travellers at London Heathrow, before boarding our direct flight to the beautiful city of Stockholm*. Our flight arrives in the late afternoon and we are met and transferred to our central hotel for two nights.

Stockholm is one of Europe's most attractive and unusual capital cities, built across 14 islands which are connected by no fewer than 57 bridges. Much of the city's charm is, wherever you wander, you are always close to water. There's time to get to know the local neighbourhood before we regroup to dine at our hotel this evening.

* Regional departures are also available on this tour, in which case you would be met on arrival in Stockholm and taken to the hotel.

• Dinner

Stockholm has over 750 years of history and culture which we set out to explore on a guided sightseeing tour. We stop to enjoy the view of City Hall, the building where the esteemed Nobel Prizes are awarded, and admire the Baroque official residence of the Swedish monarch. Afterwards, we tour elegant Östermalm, verdant Långholm, and the parkland island of Djurgården. We continue to Stockholm's charming Old Town, called Gamla Stan, a small area of the city which is one of the best-preserved medieval centres in the world.

During our tour we stop for 'fika', a Swedish-style coffee break, where friends relax over a hot drink and slice of home-made cake. The rest of your afternoon is free, and you may wish to wander round old buildings or modern shops. You could also choose to visit Museum Island where you can view the Vasa Museum with its fully intact 17th-century ship.

This evening you are free to explore and to dine independently; the city has an excellent range of dining options, from traditional Swedish dishes to Mediterranean and Asian cuisine.

• Breakfast

We board an InterCity train to Östersund today, a city set on the shores of Storsjön Lake, Sweden's fifth largest lake. As the largest town in the vicinity, Östersund is a major cultural and transportation centre, and flaunts the title of Sweden's only UNESCO City of Gastronomy.

The town also nurtures an enduring legend about the lake's rarely sighted monster. Storsjöodjuret ('the great lake monster') reportedly emerged from the chilly waters into the town in 1635 and has been spotted infrequently ever since. Generally described as a serpent with multiple humps, it's yet to be caught on camera, but for a time had a law ensuring its protection!

This is a scenic place to admire the waterside attractions and spend the night before we continue our journey north. You might like to visit Jamtli Museum - a collection of three museums showcasing the art and history of the local area. Tonight, you are free to dine independently, and you may like to check out the local specialities and discover the town's celebrated cuisine.

• Breakfast

After an early breakfast we make an early start today - to begin our slow train journey towards the untamed wilderness of Swedish Lapland. The Inlandsbanan* snakes northward, through a landscape of pine and birch forests. As we travel into this magical landscape, look out for local wildlife, including moose and reindeer, hearing commentary about the sights passing by our window.

We arrive in Sorsele, where we visit the Inlandsbanan Museum before making our way by coach to a nearby Sámi village to learn about the lives of Scandinavia's indigenous people. We view the traditional buildings, hear about their culture, and are introduced to their reindeer. We continue to spend the night in Arjeplog, where we enjoy a traditional dinner, served around a campfire.

*Please note: Departures before the end of June and after August will travel by coach to the Sorsele, rather than on the Inlandsbanan train.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today we experience one of the best but busiest days of our tour - a special excursion to the remote Sámi town of Jokkmokk. Driving even further north, we travel along long straight roads, passing dense forests and glassy lakes. On our approach into the 'Land of the Midnight Sun', we cross the Arctic Circle and take part in a small ceremony.

On arrival in Jokkmokk we enjoy a visit to the local Sámi Museum, seeing historic artefacts including silver-work and traditional dress, of the indigenous Sámi people and learn more about their semi-nomadic way of life and traditions of fishing, reindeer herding, agriculture. We make our way back to Arjeplog, a long but scenic journey, where we dine together at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Our journey continues by coach towards the Norwegian town of Bodø, as we set off along the Silver Road - once a trading route where silver was transported to the Norwegian coast.

Passing deep forests, rolling hills, and crystalline lakes, we travel through beautiful river valleys and pass the spectacular Saltdal Fjord. On arrival in Bodø, Europe's Cultural Capital in 2024, we visit the Norwegian Jekt Trade Museum. A jekt is a type of historic boat which was used to transport dried fish along the Norwegian coast, over centuries of trade. There are only three surviving jekts in Norway and we see one of them: the Anna Karoline. We spend the night in Bodø where we enjoy dinner together at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After a leisurely morning in Bodø we transfer to the station to begin our epic journey along the Nordlandsbanan, also known as the 'Polar Express', to Verdal. Known as Norway's longest train journey, we travel along a vast stretch of this dramatic route, experiencing Norway's sensational landscapes. As our train glides past immense fjords, rugged mountains and deep valleys, we marvel at the ever-changing scenery, witnessing many natural wonders including the spectacular Svartisen Glacier.

We disembark the Nordland Railway at Verdal, where we are transferred to the small village of Stiklestad for the night. Our contemporary hotel is located inside the Stiklestad National Culture Centre and, once we have checked in, we take our seats for dinner at the hotel's on-site restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we get to know the ancient landscape of Stiklestad on an hour-long guided tour. This historic village is an important site of Norwegian culture and is best known for the Battle of Stiklestad, which occurred in 1030. It was here the Norwegian King Olaf II Haraldsson fell in battle. Olaf II is considered to be the first king of all Norway and was also responsible for the shift towards Christianity. Our guided tour takes us to the site of the king's death, during one of Norway's most famous and hard-fought battles.

After our tour we return to our hotel for lunch, before setting out by coach to the popular Viking city of Trondheim, our base for the next two nights. We arrive in this fascinating city mid-afternoon and there's time to look around or to relax at our waterside hotel before dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After a generous breakfast we meet an expert local guide who shares some of their knowledge of Trondheim's history. On our guided tour, we explore the Old Quarter and the colourful waterfront houses of Bakklandet. We continue to the Royal Residence, the largest wooden building in Northern Europe with up to 140 different rooms.

The rest of your day is free to continue sightseeing at your own pace and to dine independently. Amongst the city's broad avenues, old warehouses and pretty timber dwellings, there are a number of attractions waiting to be explored, such as the Ringve Music Museum and the Archbishop's Palace Museum - a treasure trove of archaeological discoveries. The Nidaros Cathedral is the world's northernmost Gothic cathedral, and has a glorious rose window depicting the day of judgement. Trondheim has an inviting array of eateries to try this evening.

• Breakfast

Ahead of us today is a superb journey by rail, road and ferry to beautiful Geiranger. Leaving Trondheim by train we wind past pretty villages and hamlets to Dombås where we change trains for a wonderful journey along the stunning Rauma Railway.

Considered one of Norway's most beautiful train lines, this amazing route glides beside azure rivers and emerald forests before the vistas become even more spectacular. After crossing the 100-year-old Kylling Bridge, we pause to admire the Verma waterfall before entering the jaw-dropping Romsdalen Valley. Here we marvel at the majesty of nature, including the Trollveggen, or Troll Wall, Europe's tallest vertical rock face.

Arriving at Åndalsnes on Romsdalfjord, we travel by coach up the twisting Trolls Ladder, revealing breathtaking glimpses of some of Norway's most incredible scenery at each turn. This spellbinding trip continues as we cross serene Norddalsfjord by ferry. Stepping off the train into fresh, crisp air, we continue by coach to Geiranger and our hotel, where we can bask in astounding views of the iconic fjord. We enjoy a buffet dinner at our hotel this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We wake to the glorious panorama of pristine Norwegian scenery, with an unforgettable day ahead of us. After breakfast we transfer to the nearby port and embark on a relaxing fjord cruise across beautiful Geirangerfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Acclaimed for its unique landscape, this nine-mile-long branch of Storfjord (meaning 'Great Fjord') boasts towering cliff walls while, along its shores, a number of waterfalls plunge from mountainous forests. As we cruise, the scenery envelops us in a hyperreal world of colour - the lush green of the trees contrasting with the blue water and brilliant white of distant snow-capped peaks. When it rains, waterfalls appear as if from nowhere, cascading majestically into the water below.

Disembarking in Hellesylt, we take a scenic drive to Hornindalsvatn - Europe's deepest lake at more than 1,600 feet. Keep an eye out for the lake's mythical monster lurking beneath the crystal-clear surface. Returning to Geiranger, there is a free afternoon at leisure, to relax or soak up the incredible views, before dinner at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We leave the gorgeous setting of the Geirangerfjord after breakfast this morning, to continue through Norway's incredible fjord country by coach to Flåm. However, there's a second chance to look back on the fjord when we stop enroute at the Dalsnibba viewing point, which provides panoramic views over Geirangerfjord and its village.

We continue through dazzling scenes of awe-inspiring beauty. Tranquil fjords snake between rolling mountains wrapped in verdant forests. Glacier-lined valleys carve glittering paths between spectacular mountain peaks often still topped by snow in late spring. We stop enroute at the ancient Kaupanger Stave Church, built in the 12th century, with distinctive wooden architecture*.

Around mid-afternoon we reach Mannheller where our coach boards a ferry for a short trip across the Sognefjord. Back on land, we enter the world's longest road tunnel - with a length of over 15 miles - which takes us almost all the way to Flåm at the head of Aurlandsfjord. Here we check in to our 4-Star hotel where we have dinner this evening.

*For tours departing up to mid-June and after mid-August, the Kaupanger Stave Church is closed so we visit the Hopperstaf Stave Church.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today is yet another highlight of our Scandinavian holiday, starting with a fjord cruise aboard a luxury eco boat, across the serene waters of Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord, sailing through a monumental landscape of giant peaks and quaint villages, dwarfed by nature. Arriving in the charming village of Gudvangen, we return to Flåm by coach for the second instalment of today's great adventure.

Described as one of the most beautiful, and steepest, rail journeys in the world, we board the iconic Flåm Railway for a superb trip to remote Myrdal. Our route cuts a path through Norway's craggy mountains, entering tunnels and trailing the edge of Tyrifjorden lakeside. The train takes us ever higher, up to the cascading Kjosfossen Falls which we stop to admire, before reaching the high-altitude station at Myrdal where we change trains for our return journey to Flåm. Here, a coach transfers us to beautiful Bergen for the next two nights.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We set off on a guided tour of Bergen this morning, by coach and on foot. This attractive harbour city, once Norway's capital, is surrounded by seven striking mountains and renowned for the colourful buildings of its waterfront area, known as the Bryggen. Its picturesque wharf of bright wooden buildings was once the centre of the old Hanseatic port, a key hub in trade between Norway and the rest of Europe. The evocative streets of this UNESCO-listed area transport visitors back in time. Opposite the harbour is the Klosteret area, which has beautiful 18th-century wooden houses and charming alleys, where you can take a stroll out to the Nordnes peninsula.

Our tour ends at the picturesque fish market where, with a free afternoon and evening ahead, you might like to find lunch. You could visit the Bryggens Museum to view the world's largest collection of runic inscriptions or take a ride on the Fløibanen funicular to enjoy spectacular views across countless scenic islands. Bergen offers a good choice of cuisine, from pizza to seafood, Japanese to African.

• Breakfast

This morning we board the train to Oslo, travelling aboard Northern Europe's highest railway line, the Bergen Railway. Sights to look out for on our journey include the pretty Hallingdal Valley, through which the Hallingdalselva River flows to Lake Krøderen, the mountain of Norefjell and the awe-inspiring Hardangerjøkule Glacier.

After passing through picturesque resort towns and villages such as Geilo, Gol and Flå, the backdrop to our journey on the Bergen Railway becomes more urban as we make the final approach into Norway's modern capital city. On arrival, we check in to our stylish, central hotel then regroup for a three-course dinner at a local restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast this morning we set out on a guided coach tour of the Norwegian capital, beginning at the modern Opera House. Appearing as if it is rising from the water, the angled surfaces of this auditorium's exterior are covered with marble and white granite. People are encouraged to walk on the building's slopes when the weather is appropriate, for some of the best views across Oslofjord.

We also view the Royal Palace. This grand 19th-century neoclassical palace is the official residence of Norway's monarch with acres of parkland. With a free afternoon, you could visit one of the city's many impressive galleries or museums such as the Munch Museum and the National Museum, containing works by celebrated expressionist painter Edvard Munch, renowned for 'The Scream'. You could also take a gentle cruise around idyllic Oslofjord, perhaps stopping at the Fram Museum to view a 19th-century ship used for polar exploration, or visit the Norsk Folk Museum, which contains historic Norwegian buildings.

Dinner is independent tonight, and you might like to try some new Nordic cuisine, fresh seafood, or possibly opt for a traditional Norwegian dinner at the oldest restaurant in Oslo, the elegant Engebret Café near Christiana Torv.

• Breakfast

After a leisurely morning in Oslo to revisit a favourite café, do some last-minute sightseeing or shopping, we head to the airport for our flight back to London Heathrow or to our regional airport.

After bidding farewell to fellow travellers and our Tour Manager, on our journey home there's time to reflect on our special Scandinavian holiday, and to remember the breathtaking glaciers, azure fjords and the untamed wilderness of the Arctic Circle, as well as unforgettable journeys on northern Europe's steepest and most spectacular railways and guided tours of fascinating Nordic cities.

• Breakfast