Viking Route Through Denmark and Sweden

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrival, Copenhagen

  Welcome to Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, the first stop of your journey. Upon arrival, take a taxi or shuttle bus to your hotel on your own (private transfer can be pre-booked in advance). During the remaining time of the day, you may like to walk along Europe's longest pedestrian street - Stroget to admire the ancient architecture, rest in a cafe or a bar.

  Copenhagen

• Day 2: Copenhagen

  After breakfast, enjoy a 3-hour city tour with a local guide to take in its past and present.

  First, marvel at the statue of Little Mermaid, built from Andersen's Fairy Tales and telling a sad love story. Next, walk towards the rococo Amalienborg, the home to the Danish royal family still in use today. Stroll around the busy port of Nyhavn lined by brightly colored townhouses, bars, cafes and restaurants. Surely, you won't miss out on the house NR. 20, which was home to the famous writer Andersen.

  Cycling is a special way of life in Copenhagen. If time permits, bike around the city to visit the Tivoli Gardens or join in a canal tour to see Copenhagen from a different perspective on your own.

  B D Copenhagen

• Day 3: Copenhagen - Roskilde - Odense

  Today, depart for Odense with a stopover to visit Roskilde, the former capital of Denmark with a thousand-year history and the major religious center in northern Europe.

  You will observe the maritime crafts and the five original Viking ships at Viking Ship Museum, trace Danish royal history at the redbrick Roskilde Cathedral. Continue your journey and cross the Great Belt Bridge, which connects the eastern and western parts of Denmark. Arrival and an overnight stay in Odense.

  B D Odense

• Day 4: Odense - Kolding - Ribe

  In Odense, the birthplace and childhood home of the Hans Christian Andersen, you can see the characters from his fairy tales coming to life everywhere and sculptures from other authors' writings. You will get closer to and know about Andersen's life at H.C Andersen's Museum, admire the former royal Koldinghus Castle that has been used as a museum, and then head towards Ribe.

  If you still have the energy, why not join in the Night Watchman at 20:00 to walk along Ribe's historic streets and listen to his stories and songs?

  B D Ribe

• Day 5: Ribe - Aarhus

  Ribe, founded as a Viking market, is Denmark's oldest extant town remaining original buildings and streets. Follow your guide for 2 hours sightseeing of Ribe Vikingecenter, where you will take a journey back to 1300 years ago. The center offers drama and activities every single day and the people there wear Viking traditional clothing to recreate the life of Vikings age.

  After the tour, set off to Arhus by coach with a stop at its suburbs to visit the Moesgaard Museum, dedicated to archaeology and ethnography.

  B Aarhus

• Day 6: Aarhus - Skagen - Alborg

  Start a 3-hour city tour of Aarhus with a local guide including the pedestrian streets, cathedral, Latin Quarter, the lively Vadestrædet and the open-air "Den Gamle By" Museum (Old Town), where you will have a deeper understanding of Denmark's past by the rebuilt Danish-style houses and the staffs dressed in folk costumes.

  Later in the day, travel toward North Jutland to visit Skagen, and witness a unique natural phenomenon of two seas meeting at Grenen - a long sandbar spit north of the town, Denmark's northernmost point as well. After that, drive south to Alborg for overnight.

  B Aalborg

• Day 7: Alborg - Gothenburg

  Today, take a ferry from Frederikshavn town in Denmark across Kattegat Strait to Gothenburg in Sweden. Hotel check-in and the rest of the day at leisure. You can enjoy Swedish dishes in one of the numerous restaurants; take a walk through the city along the famous Avenyn Avenue to admire the ancient architecture.

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• Day 8: Gothenburg

  Together with a local guide, you will spend 2 hours exploring the city of Gothenburg encircled by the rocky shoreline, deep forests, tranquil lakes, and the surging sea to the west. In the afternoon, enjoy a 1-hour Carpe Diem tour for Seal Safari around an archipelago. During which, you can watch the cute seals playing in the water or basking on the rocks and observe their habits.

  B Gothenburg

• Day 9: Gothenburg - Copenhagen

  Take a ferry from Helsingborg to Helsingor, back to Denmark. Explore the old town of Helsingør and Kronborg Castle. On the way driving to Copenhagen, stop to visit Fredensborg Palace in the railway town of Fredensborg, and Frederiksborg Castle in Hillerod. The three castles are in sequence the prototype of Elsinore in William Shakespeare's play Hamlet, the spring and autumn residence of Queen Margrethe, a royal residence for King Christian IV.

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• Day 10: Copenhagen, Departure

  Enjoy some free time before transferring to the airport for your return flight on your own (pre-booked private car is available).

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