Northern Europe - Baltic, Scandinavia, North Cape, Germany, Iceland
Oslo, Norway’s capital, lies on the country’s southern coast at the head of the Oslofjord. It is at this headland that you’ll find the famous Oslo Opera House, its roof sloping toward the waterfront. Two parks not to be missed are Vigeland Park, the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist, and Ekebergparken, a sculpture and heritage park surrounded by beautiful scenery and spectacular lookout points.
Reykjavik is Europe’s most northern capital and a delight to visit. Modern public buildings of steel and glass contrast with the preserved colorful wooden houses of the old quarter. However, it is outside of Reykjavik that the rugged beauty of the country reveals itself. The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa where the mineral-rich water is believed to have therapeutic benefits.
To get an overview of this charming town on Norway’s southern coast, make the trek up to Risørflekken, the famous landmark used by sailors to navigate their way into the harbor. It can be seen 12 nautical miles from land. Risør is known as a town of wooden houses thanks to its preservation of these quaint and historic structures. Wood also figures prominently in the town’s main industry, the building of wooden boats, which you can learn about on a visit to their cultural center.
Picturesque half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets, Denmark’s highest waterfall and third largest forest, historic round churches, castle ruins and photo ops everywhere you go – welcome to Bornholm, a Danish treasure that lies closer to Sweden than Denmark. With the island’s comparatively mild climate, beaches are the main attraction for the hardy Swedes, but visitors from everywhere are enchanted by medieval Rønne and the unique round churches that were used as fortresses as well as places of worship during the Middle Ages.
The yacht docks in Warnemünde, a charming resort town with a popular beach, a pretty promenade and gabled fishermen’s houses. Nearby Rostock enchants with its university established in 1419, St. Mary’s Church with its famous astronomical clock, the 13th-century Town Hall and the quaint Old Town. You might also travel inland to the quintessential fairy-tale castle of Schwerin Palace.
The approach to Sweden’s capital city of Stockholm, through the untouched nature of the archipelago, is breathtaking. Spread over 14 islands, Stockholm is called “The City That Floats on Water.” Not surprisingly, 57 bridges traverse the city. Start your tour at Djurgården, an island that was once the hunting grounds of the king and is now home to the fascinating Vasa Museum, housing the world’s only preserved 17th-century warship. Stockholm has 70 museums, including the world’s oldest open-air museum, the Skansen.
This small town of well-preserved, 150-year-old wooden warehouses, shops and homes clustered around a deep natural harbor is the jumping off point for touring and hiking the picturesque peninsula of Snæfellsnes. The town seems frozen in time, as it is home to few people and has no traffic or pollution. Visit the Volcano Museum, a tribute to native son and volcanologist Haraldur Sigurdsson, who studied volcanoes around the world for forty years. The unique Library of Water Museum features melted glaciers from the island’s five largest icecaps.
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Old Town of Tallinn is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Europe. An entire day can easily be spent exploring the churches, homes and public buildings constructed from the 13th to 16th centuries by wealthy German merchants of the Hanseatic League. Other periods of history are represented by the soaring spire of St. Olaf’s Church, dating to the 12th century and dedicated to the King of Norway, and the distinctive onion domes of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, built in the late 19th century under the reign of the Russian Empire.
Sheer cliffs and waterfalls carve Streymoy, the largest of the 18 Faroe Islands and home of Tórshavn, the capital and largest town of the archipelago. The old town of Tinganes was the home of the Faroese parliament for over a thousand years; the prime minister’s office is still located here. Stroll along narrow alleyways lined with black-tarred houses with grass roofs, some dating to the 14th century, and look for mysterious rock carvings believed to relate to ancient council meetings. But most of the pleasures involve the natural landscape.
