Explore Denmark, Sweden & Norway

• Meet an EF representative and fellow travelers as they arrive at the airport. 
• Transfer to your hotel to check in and check out your room.
• Enjoy your Welcome Dinner! Hosted by your Tour Director, this kickoff dinner is all about getting to know the others in your group and easing into the rest of the trip ahead.

• Join a local guide for a walking tour of Copenhagen, which began as a humble Viking fishing settlement before becoming Denmark’s royal capital. Sailors once packed taverns along the canals, the Round Tower lets horses climb to the top, and Christiansborg Palace sits atop three former castles. History here comes with lots of charm—and a few surprises.
• Step inside Christiansborg Palace, the only building in the world housing all three branches of a country’s government—the Parliament, Supreme Court, and Prime Minister’s office. Once home to Danish kings and queens, it still hosts royal events today. Don’t miss the ruins beneath the palace, where Copenhagen’s medieval castle foundations are still on display.
• Stroll through Nyhavn, the most iconic of Copenhagen’s neighborhoods. Once a busy 17th-century port filled with sailors (and a lot of rowdy taverns), today it’s lined with bright townhouses, cozy cafés, and old wooden ships bobbing in the canal. Fun fact: Hans Christian Andersen lived here while writing some of his famous fairy tales like The Little Mermaid. It’s the perfect spot to pause for a drink and soak in the view.

Pastries: Wienerbrød, or “Vienna bread” is the term for all sweet, flaky Danish confections and are a must-eat. Hit the cafes for frøsnapper, hindbærsnitte, spandauer, and more.

Botanical Garden: The lush oasis that is Copenhagen’s botanical gardens has over 13,000 plant species set in 19th-century greenhouses. It’s free, and there’s beer. Skål to that.

Church of Our Savior: For the best views of Copenhagen, head to Church of Our Savior. But you’re going to have to work for it—there are 400 steps between you and the top of the tower.

Ask your Tour Director:

• -About the many fires throughout Copenhagen’s history that reshaped the look of the city.
• Which king built the grand Renaissance palaces—while bankrupting the entire kingdom.
• Where to get the best coffee (Denmark ranks in the top five countries in the world for coffee intake) and how the Danes prefer to drink it.
• The real story of The Little Mermaid. Spoiler alert, it’s a lot darker than the animated movie led us to believe.
• Where to shop! Copenhagen style inspires the fashion-obsessed all over the world, and the city is also known for its unique ceramics and interior design.

Tivoli Gardens: Gorgeous gardens AND a rollercoaster?! This park has attracted and inspired visitors since the 19th century, including Walt Disney. Go at night for the twinkle lights.

Designmuseum Danmark: You may have heard, but Danish design is kind of a big deal. The Rococo-style building houses arts, crafts, industrial design, fashion, and more from Scandinavia and around the world.

Little Mermaid: Walk along the Langelinie waterfront promenade to snap pics of the tiny and serene Little Mermaid statue, inspired by the author of the tale, Hans Christian Andersen.

• Board your morning train in Copenhagen and watch the countryside (and some of Sweden's nearly 100,000 lakes) zoom by on the way to Stockholm.
• Check into your accommodation and enjoy a free afternoon and evening.

Swedish candy: The average Swedish person eats about 35 pounds of candy every year, and many markets and stores feature candy walls where you can pick and mix your treats (amazing souvenirs, btw).

**Ask your Tour Director: **

• How to navigate public transit (it’s super easy). Your metro pass includes ferry access, so bopping around Stockholm’s islands and waterways is a breeze.
• Where locals go for the best fika and Swedish treats like the delicious (and green) princess cake.
• Where to find the best viewpoints and photo ops.
  -Which islands to hit based on your interests. Food? Shopping? Museums? Stockholm’s got it all.
• Where to buy the best candy, of course.

• Visit Stockholm City Hall, a red-brick, Romantic-era building famous for its tower and golden spire. Wander grand halls adorned with murals, statues, and intricate mosaics, and peek into the Blue Hall, where the annual Nobel Prize banquet is held.
• Stop at the Vasa Museum, home to the recovered wreckage of Vasa, a Swedish warship that sunk 20 minutes into its first, and last, voyage. Walk around the ship on multiple levels, getting a close-up of its intricate carvings and massive hull. Exhibits explain the ship’s construction, maiden voyage disaster, salvage, and preservation, while artifacts, models, and interactive displays bring 1600s Sweden to life.
• Walk through Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s charming and iconic old town founded in the 13th century. Wander its cobblestone streets past Stortorget, the oldest square, colorful merchant houses, and the Royal Palace, home to the Swedish monarch. Don’t miss Storkyrkan Cathedral, where kings are crowned, and peek into hidden alleyways like Mårten Trotzigs Gränd, the city’s narrowest street.

Skansen: Explore 150 houses and exhibits in an open-air museum, some of which are inhabited by staff in traditional clothing. There’s also an open-air zoo with Nordic fauna like brown bears and reindeer.

ABBA Museum: If you’re a fan of the 1970’s Swedish pop group, ABBA (or the early-aughts musical Mamma Mia!) then you can’t miss the interactive museum dedicated to their legacy.

Fantoft stave church: This reconstructed 12th-century wooden church was burned and rebuilt (a theme in Scandinavia), showcasing the medieval architecture and striking stave design.

Pastries: Follow your nose to any one of Bergen’s bakeries for a traditional Norwegian pastry: the cinnamon-y skillingsboller. Baker Brun has been baking these beautiful buns since 1893.

**Ask your Tour Director: **

• About kos, Norway’s own version of Denmark’s hygge, which embraces simple pleasures and mindfulness, whether at home or out in the world.
• About the mythical history of the creations of Norway’s world-famous fjords.
• Why trolls are so significant. Yes, trolls.
• Where to get the best seafood that’s not a total tourist trap (a looot of cruise ships come through Bergen).
• Is Bergen really the rainiest city in Europe? All that coffee is starting to make a lot more sense...

• Join a local guide for a walking tour of Bergen's highlights.
• See the statue of Edvard Grieg, Norway’s most famous composer and sort of a rock star the 1800s.
• Walk through Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the oldest part of the city, where 62 traditional waterfront wooden houses give you a glimpse into the city’s past.
• Check out Custom House Pier, part of Bergen’s historic harbor where merchants once processed goods and paid customs duties. The pier’s wooden buildings and waterfront views echo the city’s maritime past, giving you a look at quieter life along the harbor.

• Depart from the harbor and cruise through jaw-dropping scenery from Bergen through the Mostraumen fjord, a dramatic gorge with sheer cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and quaint homes dotting the green hills. Keep your eyes peeled for eagles, seals, and other wildlife, and soak in some of Norway’s most jaw-dropping scenery.
• Share some laughs (and maybe shed a few tears) at an included Farewell Dinner with your group.