Tailormade tour Three Scandinavian capitals by rail holiday Scandinavia

Highlights of Germany

Berlin’s world-class museums, bustling bars, galleries and monuments; Rugen Island, with its rugged chalk cliffs, windswept beaches, Romantic-era spa architecture and tree-lined country roads; Dresden, with its baroque beauty on the banks of the majestic Elbe; Cologne’s magnificent cathedral; the UNESCO World Heritage city of Bamberg; the sandy dunes of Sylt, a North Sea island with fabulous beaches and surf; the beer halls of Munich, ideally in September during the Oktoberfest; Lubeck, a Hanseatic gem; Muritz National Park, where you can go paddling and camping in a paradise teeming with birds; Bremen, a metropolis in miniature, with lovely red-brick and Art Nouveau architecture; the Alpine resorts of Bavaria, including Berchtesgaden, with dramatic peaks, dreamy lakes and superb walking trails; drive or cruise along the Rhine or Mosel, visiting castles, medieval villages and superb vineyards along the way; the walled medieval towns of Rothenburg and Trier, both with wonderful Christmas markets; the Christmas market at Nuremberg, oldest – and still most picturesque – in the world.

Highlights of Norway

The numerous fjords: Eidfjord – branch of the Hardangerfjord, Geirangerfjord – precipitous, one of Norway’s signature images, Hardangerfjord – rolling hills and pretty villages, Jossingfjord – vertiginous fjord in the flatlands of the south, Lysefjord – plunging cliffs, cruises and look out points, Naeroyfjord – narrow and very pretty, Sognefjord – Norway’s longest and one of the most beautiful, Trollfjord – very steep fjord on Lofoten, Vestfjord – sheltered bays and pretty villages separating Lofoten from the mainland. The Hurtigruten ferry that covers over 2500 km from Bergen to Kirkenes with over 30 stops. The Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights. Stave churches, beautifully preserved in wood, dating from Viking times, for example at Borgund, Lom, Ringebu and Urnes. Viking ships and artefacts, burial mounds and trinkets in museums throughout the country. The red, wooden houses perched stilts over the sea on the Lofoten Islands. The modern architecture of Oslo. Picking wild blueberries, sampling aquavit made from potatoes and caraway, and tasting reindeer steak with cranberries. The charm of Oslofjorden with its pretty, arty village and towns, harbours with sailing boats, islands offshore and beaches. Hike over the Jotunheimen and relish the natural landscape of this stunning National Park.

Cultural highlights of Norway

The architecture of stave churches dating from the Viking era and Viking treasure in museums around the country. The literature of Henrik Ibsen and Knut Hamsun. Folk tales and mythology. The music of Edvard Grieg and the art of Edvard Munch. Contemporary jazz and folk music.

Gastronomy of Norway

Norway’s gastronomy is a clear reflection of its land and sea. From the land come reindeer, venison, lamb, cured meats and potatoes of all types: boiled, roasted and fried. From the freshwater lakes and streams come salmon served grilled and smoked, and freshwater fish. Sea fish is a vast array of cod, haddock, shrimps, mackerel, fish soup, fish balls, salt cod. From the orchards particularly around the Hardangerfjord come apples, cherries and plums as well as berries of all sorts including blueberries, cranberries, bilberries and, a great delicacy, cloudberries. Cheeses include Jarlsberg and brown cheese. Coffee is almost certainly the national drink, followed by beer, of which there are all sorts of craft beers brewed locally, and Aquavit is the national spirit made from potatoes and caraway.

Highlights of Denmark

The rugged landscape of Skagen’s beaches are the perfect location to revel in the other-worldly beauty of Denmark’s northernmost region, seeing first-hand the inspiration for painters throughout history. Explore the ancient monuments and stories from the Viking Age, in particular at Fyrkat and Lindholm Hoje. South of here you will find the port city of Aalborg, which marks the start of fjord country and has a historic town centre. For a more immersive experience, the town of Ribe in Southern Jutland is Denmark’s oldest and harks back to the Viking Ages with its mediaeval architecture and 1300-year history. Southern Jutland is also a popular spot for families with Legoland offering colourful characters, rides and shows. To experience more of the natural beauty of Denmark, Southern Zealand to the east of Jutland is home to imposing cliffs and beautiful beaches, interposed with majestic castles and ruins such as those in Koge and Vordingborg, the latter of which was the capital of the Valdemar dynasty during the 12th century and was an important staging post for military expeditions during this period. For relatively untouched areas head to the islands of Lolland and Falster to the south which are more rural in character and offer miles of beaches and woodland. To the north, some of the most impressive royal castles in the country can be found amongst port towns with remnants of the Viking empire: Kronborg was the setting for Hamlet and has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. On the east coast of Zealand is the capital of Copenhagen. This modern and progressive city is known for being one of the most cycle-friendly cities in the world, and this provides a wonderfully relaxed way of nagivating the green spaces, art galleries and designer stores that line the streets. The Amalienborg Palace has been the residence of the Danish royal family for centuries, and today houses a museum featuring exhibits on the lives of the monarchy and their traditions. Other popular museums include the SMK National Gallery and the National Museum, whose exhibits stretch back to the Stone Age.

Cultural highlights of Denmark

Denmark’s capital of Copenhagen is home to a plethora of world-class art galleries and museums. The Statens Museum for Kunst (National Gallery) is Denmark’s largest art gallery and features works from Danish artists such as Constantin Hansen, as well as foreign art from well-known names such as Picasso. The Design Museum celebrates the history of applied arts and industrial design, while the Glyptoteket art museum displays ancient and modern artwork in unique surroundings, in particular the central conservatory, which contains exotic flora, towering palms and bewitching sculptures. The National Museum meanwhile provides an insight into Denmark’s rich history and culture, ranging from the Stone Age to Viking treasures to mediaeval art. The botanical gardens in the centre of the city display more than 13,000 species of plants, and the popular Tivoli Gardens is adored by the Danes, comprising part theme park, part cultural venue with extensive gardens and many dining options. Out of the capital city, there are a number of equally worthy museums and art galleries, in particular the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, which features modern masterpieces all set against the backdrop of the Øresund Sound. The city of Aarhus is known for its vibrant cultural attractions and contains a multitude of museums, not least the Vikings Museum and the ARoS Art Museum, whose collection ranges from the Golden Age to the present day.

Highlights of Sweden

Sweden contains over 100,000 lakes, ranging from forest ponds to vast expanses of water such as Vänern, the third largest lake in Europe. Lake swimming is popular activity and there are many opportunities for water sports on some of the smaller lakes. Sweden’s freedom to roam means anyone has the right to explore freely in nature, and there are a great number of hiking trails which will allow you to take full advantage of this. Kungsleden Trail (King’s Trail) is Sweden’s longest and most famous walking trail and will take you through a varied mountain landscape and the Vindelfjällen Nature Reserve, one of the largest protected areas in Europe. Sweden is also known for its wildlife: reindeer live in the northern forests and mountains, whilst moose, wolves and bears can also be spotted in the more remote regions. Further south the landscape is interspersed with glorious castles, the most impressive of which is arguably Drottningholm just outside Stockholm, which dates from the 17th century and was one of the most lavish buildings of its era. Above the Arctic Circle the Northern Lights illuminate the night sky during winter, in stark contrast to the Midnight Sun which keeps night-time at bay during the summer months. Sweden has a strong Viking heritage which can still be seen at archaeological sites of burial mounds, wood huts and museums. Some of the best of these can be seen in the capital of Stockholm, in particular the Viking Museum and the Birka Museum, the latter of which was an important Viking Age trading centre during the 9th century. Stockholm’s Gamla Stan (Old Town) is where the city was founded in 1252 and is home to the city’s cathedral, which has been at the heart of religious and political life in Sweden since its construction in the 13th century. The Royal Palace is the official residence of the King and Queen of Sweden and was built largely during the 18th century in the Italian Baroque style. New Nordic restaurants line the streets and squares, where you can try everything from local game to seafood classics.

Cultural highlights of Sweden

Viking treasure and artefacts in museums around the country. Folk tales and mythology. A wide variety of museums in Stockholm, including the ABBA Museum and the Vasa Museum. Midsummer celebrations in late June. Buffet-style Smögåsbord meals and specialities such as kroppkakor (potato dumplings).