Summer Escorted Tour: Grand Tour of Scandinavia and St Petersburg

Day 1: Arrive Copenhagen (D). Transfer to Admiral Hotel (if arriving on first day of tour only. Flight schedules/availability from Ireland may require you to travel to Denmark the day before in which case an extra hotel night and airport transfers will be required and added to the price). Your tour manager will meet you before dinner in the hotel lobby.

Day 2: Copenhagen (B). The day starts with a 3 hour guided tour of the city including the old harbour of Nyhavn and the famous Little Mermaid. Afternoon free for exploring this fairytale city.

Day 3: Copenhagen – Oslo (B,D). Morning free in Copenhagen. Afternoon transfer by coach from hotel for your overnight cruise by ferry to Oslo. Accommodation in 2-berth outside cabins with shower/WC. We recommend you to bring an overnight bag for this cruise, to avoid having to carry suitcases to and from your cabin.

Day 4: Oslo (B,D). Arrival in Oslo at 09.30 hrs, followed by 3 hour guided tour of the Norwegian capital, including the impressive Vigeland Sculpture Park.  Afternoon free in Oslo. Dinner and overnight at Thon Hotel Opera.

Day 5:  Oslo – Ulvik (B,L,D). After breakfast you will visit the world-famous Viking Ships. Departure from Oslo, driving to the tourist resort town of Geilo for a buffet lunch. After lunch cross the wild Hardanger Mountain Plateau to Fossli, stopping to view the thundering Vøringsfoss Waterfall. Dinner and accommodation at Brakanes Hotel, ideally located on the banks of the fjord.

Day 6: Ulvik – Bergen (B,L). After buffet breakfast  depart on a scenic tour along the beautiful Hardangerfjord arriving in Bergen around midday. In the afternoon enjoy a 2 hour tour of Bergen, including a ride on the funicular to Mt. Fløien, for the best views of the city and fjords below. Stay at First Hotel Marin. Dinner – own arrangements.

Day 7: Bergen – Flåm – Balestrand (B,D). After breakfast departure from Bergen and drive via Dale to the town of Voss. Board the train in Voss for a ride on the beautiful Bergen Railway to the mountain station of Myrdal. From Myrdal ride on the amazing Flåm Railway, a masterpiece of engineering descending 2,838 feet in less than one hour. From Flåm start an approximately 2 hour cruise by boat along the narrow Aurlands and Nærøy Fjords, both branches of the Sognefjord, the longest and deepest fjord in the world. Continue by coach through the amazing Stalheim Canyon and Nærøy Valley, across the Vika Mountains to Vangsnes, for the short ferry crossing to the beautiful resort of Balestrand where you stay at Kviknes Hotel.

Day 8: Balestrand – A Day in the Fjords (B,D). Day free in Balestrand, giving you the opportunity to enjoy the outstanding beauty and nature of the fjords.

Day 9: Balestrand – Geiranger (B,L,D). After breakfast departure from your hotel by ferry followed by a scenic tour including a visit the world-famous Briksdal Glacier. The journey up to the glacier will be made in open cars to give you the best views. In the afternoon the tour continues with a cruise along the spectacular Geirangerfjord, possibly the most impressive of all the Norwegian fjords. Dinner and overnight at Union Hotel.

Day 10: Geiranger – Oslo (B,L,D). Today you experience more spectacular scenery as you travel to Oslo, stopping for lunch in Lillehammer. After lunch the journey continues alongside Lake Mjøsa, Norway’s largest lake, back to Oslo where you stay at the Thon Hotel Opera.

Day 11: Oslo – Stockholm (B,L,D). Depart from Oslo, continuing by coach towards the Swedish border reaching the Swedish capital in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight at Clarion Hotel Sign.

Day 12: Stockholm (B). The day starts with a 4 hour guided tour of the city.  Afternoon free in Stockholm. (Please note that dinner today is not included in the programme).

Day 13: Stockholm – Helsinki (B,D). Morning free in Stockholm. Afternoon transfer from hotel to pier for embarkation on a delightful cruise ferry sailing slowly through the glorious archipelago past numerous small islands. Accommodation is in 2-berth outside cabins with shower/WC. We recommend bringing an overnight bag for this cruise, to avoid having to carry suitcases to and from the cabin.

Day 14: Helsinki (B,D). Enjoy your buffet breakfast as you sail into Helsinki. After disembarkation enjoy a 3 hour guided tour of Helsinki. Afternoon free in Helsinki. Dinner and overnight at the Haven Hotel.

Day 15: Helsinki – St Petersburg [breakfast, lunch, dinner]. Departure from Helsinki by train to St Petersburg. Packed lunch on train. Afternoon arrival in St Petersburg. Coach transfer from railway station to hotel combined with 1 hour guided boat cruise along the Neva River and visit to St Isaac’s Cathedral. Stay at Ambassador Hotel.

Day 16: St Petersburg [breakfast, lunch, dinner]. The day begins with a transfer to the Neva River cruise harbour for cruise by hydrofoil to Peterhof, including Grand Palace and Lower Parks with fountains. After lunch, tour of the world-famous Hermitage Art Museum and the State Rooms of the Winter Palace.

Day 17: St Petersburg [breakfast, lunch, dinner]. After breakfast at hotel transfer to town of Pushkin followed by a visit to Catherine’s Palace including the famous Amber room.  After lunch, a 3 hour tour of the city by coach with local English-speaking guide. This evening you will be taken to see a colourful Russian folklore show at the Nikolaevsky Palace.

Day 18: Depart St Petersburg [breakfast]. Your tour ends after breakfast at the hotel with transfers to St Petersburg Airport to connect with your flight home.

Additional details available in the print version of this itinerary.