Denmark/Norway/Sweden/Finland
Four Nordic Capitals
Program No. 3332RJ
Discover the secrets of Europe’s most northern cities, diving deep into culture, art and the traditions of Scandinavian design.
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800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
Activity Level:
Keep the Pace (20)
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Jul 7 - Jul 24, 2024
Starting at
9,449Jul 14 - Jul 31, 2024
Starting at
9,449Sep 8 - Sep 25, 2024
Starting at
9,549Activity Level:
Keep the Pace (20)
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Jun 2 - Jun 19, 2024
Starting at
12,069Jul 7 - Jul 24, 2024
Starting at
11,299Jul 14 - Jul 31, 2024
Starting at
11,299Jul 21 - Aug 7, 2024
Starting at
11,299Aug 4 - Aug 21, 2024
Starting at
11,299Sep 1 - Sep 18, 2024
Starting at
11,439Sep 8 - Sep 25, 2024
Starting at
11,439Activity Level:
On Your Feet (2)
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Aug 11 - Aug 28, 2024
Starting at
8,949Activity Level:
On Your Feet (2)
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Jun 16 - Jul 3, 2024
Starting at
10,739Aug 11 - Aug 28, 2024
Starting at
10,739Not seeing the date you're looking for?
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18 days
17 nights
44 meals
16B 14L 14D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
3
Rosenborg Castle, Christmas Dinner
Copenhagen
5
Denmark's Golden Age, Nyhavn
Copenhagen
6
Kronborg Castle
Cruise ship
9
Oslo Museums
Oslo
10
Transfer to Stockholm
Stockholm
11
Vasa Ship Museum
Stockholm
13
Drottningholm Palace
Stockholm
16
Musiikkitalo
Helsinki
At a Glance
With a midsummer sunrise at 3 a.m. and winter days lit by thousands of candles, Scandinavia keeps its own time and seasons. Experience the unique pace of the Nordic lifestyle in the four capital cities of Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm and Helsinki. Learn about their distinct histories, languages, cuisines and artistic traditions as you study alongside local experts in museums, palaces and energetic neighborhoods.
Activity Level
Varies by date
Walking up to 3 miles daily.
Please note that the Activity Level for this program varies by date. Please make sure that you are attending a departure date that best fits your activity level.
On Your Feet departures will include additional coach transfers to and from some meals and activities. Please see itinerary for details.
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
- Embark on two overnight voyages of Scandinavia.
- Taste a traditional Danish Christmas dinner of pork, potatoes, cabbage and rice pudding.
- Enjoy musicians playing the Finnish kantele.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Anette Florie Maman
A Copenhagen native, Anette Maman studied literature at Copenhagen University and went on to work at the Danish Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel. She returned to her home country to study at the Copenhagen Business School where she graduated as a bilingual correspondent in English and German. As a lifelong learner, Anette is constantly studying and learning – especially in Danish history – and she recently received her professional bachelor’s degree in communication and Danish history at the age of 50.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Anette Florie Maman
View biography
A Copenhagen native, Anette Maman studied literature at Copenhagen University and went on to work at the Danish Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel. She returned to her home country to study at the Copenhagen Business School where she graduated as a bilingual correspondent in English and German. As a lifelong learner, Anette is constantly studying and learning – especially in Danish history – and she recently received her professional bachelor’s degree in communication and Danish history at the age of 50.
Jan Hallstein Lie
View biography
Jan holds degrees in engineering, teaching, English and Friluftsliv – the Norwegian term for the nation’s outdoor way of life. He has been a folk school teacher since 1980, and, as an accomplished athlete and outdoorsman, Jan focuses his energies on teaching about the environment and Friluftsliv. Hallstein has been leading Road Scholar programs to Norway for over 20 years. Together with Mai-Evy, his partner for over 25 years, he has two children, Skjalg and Hanna. His enjoys sports, outdoor activities, politics, people, traveling and reading.
Suggested Reading List
(19 books)
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.
Four Nordic Capitals
Program Number: 3332
The Naked Shore, Of the North Sea
Journalist Blass travels by ferry, tram and airplane to the borderlands of the North Sea, seeking out the men and women who have devoted their lives to studying the mysteries of the inclement sea.
The Northmen, The Viking Saga
Viking historian John Haywood delves into the Vikings’ age of expansion (793 CE -1241 CE). His magisterial chronicle answers myriad questions about the Vikings, their technology, their society and why it went into decline.
Vikings, The North Atlantic Saga
An extensively illustrated volume of Viking culture, history and exploration that focuses especially on voyages to North America. Published in conjunction with a Smithsonian exhibit, it features essays and 400 color photographs.
The Nordic Theory of Everything: In Search of a Better Life
An emigrant to America from Finland, Anu Partanen compares and contrasts America with Scandinavia, debunking myths about socialism as she compellingly argues that the US would benefit from the Nordic approach.
Helsinki, A Cultural and Literary History
A literary guide to Helsinki, its history and culture, organized into three sections: city of architects and engineers; city of music and arts; and city of hospitality. With maps and black-and-white illustrations.
A History of Scandinavia: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland
The story of Scandinavia from prehistory to the present with chapters on the Viking and Lutheran kingdoms, medieval times, monarchies, the World Wars and modern period, emphasizing the common cultural, political and social backgrounds.
Letters on Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
Groundbreaking feminist Wollstonecraft records her observations of a late 18th-century journey through Scandinavia in this small masterpiece, rich in detail of people and place.
The Vikings, Lords of the Seas
An indispensable reference that fits in your pocket, this slim volume is packed with maps, archival photos and illustrations.
We Die Alone
Howarth's riveting account of determination and valor in Nazi-occupied Norway follows Jan Baalrud's extraordinary escape by ski across the Lyngen Alps.
Cross and Scepter
From the Vikings to the Reformation, Sverre Bagge spends little time with myths in his scholarly Scandinavian history, instead focusing on the development of northern European societies and their rise from the Dark Ages.
Growth of the Soil
The epic tale of a homesteader in the mountainous Norwegian interior, which helped win Hamsun a Nobel Prize in 1920.
Norwegian Folk Tales
This rich collection of stories, interpreted by a leading scholar on ancient traditions and tales, will delight both adults and children.
Insight Guide Scandinavia
From Denmark to Sweden, Norway and Finland, this guide introduces the region with outstanding color maps and photographs.
Scandinavia Map
With an index, area maps and a table of driving times and distances, this handy, frequently updated map covers all of Scandinavia, including Finland, at a scale of 1:1.5 million on one side of the sheet.
The Almost Nearly Perfect People, Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia
Guardian journalist Booth writes with laugh-out-loud humor and brutal candor about the Scandinavians, mixing history and his own experiences in Nordic regions in this searing cultural portrait.
The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living
Why are the Danes so happy? Some contribute it to the emphasis on the sense of comfort and community known as Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga). Wiking teaches readers about this national philosophy with practical, attainable suggestions of how to incorporate hygge into everyday life.
Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings
This history of the Vikings tells their story through a series of innovative maps and excellent photographs. It traces the routes of 9th-century Viking merchants and explorers throughout Europe and the New World.
Stockholm, A Cultural History
A literary, cultural guide to the art, architecture, traditions and history of Stockholm.
The Summer Book
A modern Scandinavian classic, Jansson's sweet, slender novel follows a young girl and her grandmother as they while away a summer on a tiny island in the Gulf of Finland.
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