Denmark/Sweden

The Beat of the Nordic Heart: Vibrant Copenhagen and Stockholm

Program No. 21898RJ
Lose yourself in the artistry, architecture, medieval charm and gourmet cuisine of these two magical Scandinavian cities as you explore with the experts and during plenty of free time.

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At a Glance

Copenhagen is the capital of the “Happiest Nation in the World,” shelters the planet’s most bicycle-crazed residents and claims author Hans Christian Andersen and “The Little Mermaid.” Stockholm is home to the 17th-century “Vasa” warship, 70 miles of kaleidoscopic art in a subway system called Europe’s most beautiful, and Alfred Nobel, founder of the prestigious prize. Join us in Denmark and Sweden on a discovery of these Scandinavian sister capitals, from vibrant neighborhoods and nautical history to modern politics, gleaning insight from local experts while enjoying plenty of time for adventures on your own.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to 4 miles daily, paved city streets with many cobbled areas; taking public transportation.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

What You'll Learn

  • Discover Copenhagen’s bookstores, university-driven energy and cozy public square.
  • Learn about the founder of the prestigious Nobel Prize, Alfred Nobel, and join an expert for an exploration of Stockholm's City Hall, home to the Nobel ceremony.
  • Explore the proud warship of Vasa which was restored in the 1960s, and hear a lecture at the Vasa Museum.

General Notes

Program includes independent time to explore the city and several meals on your own. Group Leaders will provide directions for self-directed excursions. Suggestions for free-time activities provided in preparatory materials.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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10 days
9 nights
17 meals
8 B 3 L 6 D
DAY
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
DAY
2
Arrive Denmark, Check-in, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Copenhagen
D
Phoenix Hotel Copenhagen

Activity note: Hotel check-in available from 3:00 p.m. Transfer to the hotel is approximately 20 minutes, about 5 miles.

Afternoon: Hotel check-in is available at 3:00 p.m. The hotel is happy to store luggage if you wish to explore the area while you wait for your room to become available. Upon check-in, take some time to freshen up and relax before we gather for our orientation session. Orientation: 5:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: Welcome dinner at the hotel

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
3
Origins of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
B
Phoenix Hotel Copenhagen

Activity note: Walking up to 2.5 miles, approximately 1.5 hours, over cobblestones, gravel, and flat areas; Christiansborg Palace- getting on/off metro, minimal unavoidable stairs, standing up to 30 minutes. The Glyptotek- minimal unavoidable stairs, standing up to 1 hour.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: At the hotel, we’ll gather for a lecture on the history of Copenhagen and Denmark. We’ll then set out on an expert-led walk through Copenhagen’s Latin Quarter — named for the once-widespread use of the Latin language in this area close to the University’s historic site.

Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The area near the Cathedral and the pedestrian street, Strøget, offers plenty of dining choices.

Afternoon: After lunch we’ll have a choice of two field trips, exploring either the Christiansborg Palace and the Royal representation rooms or The New Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum. Christiansborg Palace is the home of Denmark's three supreme powers: the executive power, the legislative power and the judicial power. Christiansborg Palace is the only building in the world which is the home of all the supreme powers of a nation. The Glyptotek Museum is an art collection, an architectural monument and a cultural institute. One of the most popular art museums in Denmark, Glyptotek houses a vast collection of Danish art from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like in the city center.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
4
The Danes: the Happiest People in the World
Copenhagen
B,D
Phoenix Hotel Copenhagen

Activity note: Getting on/off metro, walking up to 2 miles, approximately 1 hour, some unavoidable stairs. Extent/duration of walking and other activities during independent time according to personal choice.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Denmark has been ranked as the Happiest Nation in the World by the UN Conference on Happiness. Today’s lecture will introduce us to the Danes, their democracy, their daily life including the social welfare system, and Copenhagen’s ambition of being carbon neutral in 2025. After the lecture we’ll meet a local who will take us on a walk through their daily life as an urban parent, showing and telling about the life of a Danish family. We’ll stop at a local cafe for a light snack and coffee.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Free time. This block of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: This evening we’ll join local families at their homes, where we’ll gain some personal insights into life in Denmark over coffee.

DAY
5
Danish Architecture
Copenhagen
B,L,D
Phoenix Hotel Copenhagen

Activity note: Getting on/off metro, riding up to 2 hours; getting on/off waterbus, riding up to 1 hour; walking up to 4 miles, approximately 4 hours, mostly flat terrain with some cobblestones, some unavoidable stairs.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: This morning's expert-led field trip will take us by canal boat to the new urban areas of Copenhagen: Sydhavnen and Islands Brygge. Hear a field lecture about new Danish architecture and trends. Your morning continues by bus or metro (elected the best Metro in the World) to the new quarters of Copenhagen: Ørestaden, where the ambitious and internationally famous Danish architect, Bjarke Ingels (BIG) has designed the controversial dwellings named “The Mountain,” “WM house,” and “8-tallet.” Enjoy a guided walk through the area.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We’ll take an informal field trip to the free city of Christiania, also known as "the hippie city," founded by hippies who occupied the old, empty military buildings in the mid-1970s. Today, the occupiers have turned less militant, but Christiania still has its own rules and democracy. We’ll see the creative architecture of the commune's buildings during an expert-led visit through the area by one of the inhabitants.

Dinner: We’ll have a farewell to Copenhagen dinner at a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure to prepare for check-out and transfer tomorrow.

DAY
6
Transfer to Stockholm
Stockholm
B,L,D
Hilton Stockholm Slussen

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach, riding approximately 30 minutes; getting on/off train, riding approximately 5.5 hours, unavoidable stairs getting on and off train. NOTE: During this train transfer, you will need to carry your own luggage and it will be stored close to you in your train compartment.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we’ll board a motorcoach and ride to the railway station where we’ll begin our transfer by train to Stockholm.

Lunch: On the train.

Afternoon: Upon arrival in Stockholm we’ll transfer by motorcoach to the hotel, where we’ll check in and have some time to relax and unpack before dinner.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: After dinner we’ll have a welcome briefing introducing us to Stockholm.

DAY
7
Stockholm
Stockholm
B,L,D
Hilton Stockholm Slussen

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach, riding up to 2 hours; walking up to 1 hour, standing up to 1 hour, some unavoidable stairs.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: At the hotel we’ll attend a lecture on Swedish history and the trends and challenges of today. Following the lecture, we’ll board a motorcoach for a panoramic field trip through central Stockholm and a trip to the Allotment gardens.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: After lunch we’ll explore one of Stockholm’s museums to learn about the fascinating history of Sweden, both ancient and modern. Our Group Leader will inform us of the specific museum during the program.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
8
Vasa Ship and the Island of Djurgården
Stockholm
B
Hilton Stockholm Slussen

Activity note: Getting on/off ferry; Walking up to 1.5 miles, approximately 1 hour, standing up to 1 hour, terrain includes hills and cobblestones. Extent/duration of walking and other activities during independent time according to personal choice.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We’ll begin the morning with an expert-led walk around Stockholm's Old Town, Gamla Stan, then encounter the proud warship of Vasa at its dedicated museum on the island of Djurgården. On its maiden voyage in 1628 it sunk, but was raised and restored in the 1960s.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like on the island of Djurgården.

Afternoon: Free time to explore the many museums on Djurgården, including Nordiska Museum, Prince Eugen’s Waldemarsudde, Skansen Open Air Museum, Liljevalchs Gallery, and the Abba Museum. We’ll return independently to the hotel. You may opt in to joining the group leader in a traditional Sweden custom, Fika, and enjoy a cup of coffee and cinnamon bun.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
9
The Nobel Prize, Sweden Today
Stockholm
B,D
Hilton Stockholm Slussen

Activity note: Getting on/off public transportation; walking and standing up to 1 hour. Extent/duration of walking and other activities during independent time according to personal choice.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: The prestigious Nobel Prize is well known throughout the world, and the founder of the prize, Alfred Nobel, was Swedish. This morning, we’ll learn about Alfred Nobel and Swedish political life during a lecture. We’ll continue the morning with an expert-led field trip to City Hall, which is home to the Nobel ceremony.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Free time for independent exploration.

Dinner: We'll have a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure tomorrow.

DAY
10
Departures
In Flight
B

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon. Depending on flight times, some participants may depart prior to breakfast. See your program's "Getting There" information regarding transfers.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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