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Post by Libby on Jul 27, 2009 18:34:12 GMT -5
Well, I'm planning my next trip and I'm thinking of visiting my roots a bit and doing Scandinavia.
I'm thinking 14-16 days and doing Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo.
Too much time for the three? not enough?
Suggestions? cost expectations?
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Post by WillTravel on Jul 27, 2009 20:48:23 GMT -5
I think that is pretty good timing. I did Copenhagen (and daytrips), Gothenburg (but probably should have done Stockholm), and Oslo in 2003 with a little less time.
Cost expectations - it will surpass everywhere you have traveled so far. These are definitely locations where you will want to avoid all restaurants and alcohol (not to mention cigarettes and gasoline, but I doubt you would be interested in those either).
The Norway in a Nutshell ride is supposed to be fabulous. I have slight regrets about not doing it, but I did not feel I wanted to take the time to do such a whirlwind tour. But you have a few more days so it would be worth it.
The towns around Copenhagen are really interesting. I visited Roskilde, Malmo, and Helsingor/Helsingborg on three separate daytrips, and there are several more I would like to make.
For Norway, people always say you have to get into the countryside to really appreciate it.
I have posted this before, but the hostel breakfasts are almost always worth it, considering the volume of food for the price, and the cost to buy the food yourself, even if the price looks offputting.
I suggest Anker Hostel in Oslo, as it has kitchen facilities, and it was one of the cheaper options. I have read the neighborhood can be a bit rough, but I didn't see anything disturbing (6 years ago, though). It is a student dormitory residence most of the time.
For Stockholm, I know people like the hostel that is on a boat.
For Copenhagen, I did not stay in a hostel, but there are a couple of HI hostels that are very central. This is a city where it is quite possible to get really crummy hostels, so beware.
The summer is a great time to visit Scandinavia - during the time of the midnight sun!
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Post by herrbert on Jul 28, 2009 13:32:09 GMT -5
I think that for these three you have more than enough time to make daytrips. (think Roskilde and Mon (an island south of Kopenhaven.) For me Copenhagen itself is only two days. Another daytrip can be adding Malmö.
Stockholm is a good place, and in my opinion needs a bit more time than Copenhagen. (Skansen and Grönaland, might be opened, but a bit limited in staff, outside of the summerseason). the Vasa museum is amazing! If you like palaces, check out a (half) day trip to Drottningholm, and at least go one way by boat (a bit more expensive than by metro and bus, but worth it.) From here you have possible daytrips to Uppsala, but also boatrides into the archipel in front of stockholm towards the sea.
From Stockholm you can take the boat to Helsinki. (or Turku), for me both very nice cities to visit.
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Post by herrbert on Jul 28, 2009 13:37:38 GMT -5
For Stockholm, I know people like the hostel that is on a boat. Is it Stockholm where you can now sleep in a Boeing 747 turned into Hostel? |
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Post by WillTravel on Jul 28, 2009 13:40:58 GMT -5
Yes, but appropriately enough, it is located near the airport, so not the best location for sightseeing!
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Post by Libby on Jul 28, 2009 15:08:33 GMT -5
Thanks for all the information. This is going to be a really challenging trip to put together I expect. Money is my biggest concern.
Just how expensive are we talking? I've heard I can expect to pay double what it costs to do London and that's scaring me quite a bit. What about food, etc.
And I keep seeing prices in Euros, but they all still use their own currency don't they?
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Post by Libby on Jul 28, 2009 15:09:09 GMT -5
btw...Will, where did you stay in Copenhagen? From what i've been reading, even the HI there is iffy.
Also, what is Norway in a Nutshell?
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Post by WillTravel on Jul 28, 2009 15:42:52 GMT -5
If you buy food at a grocery store, it is not TOO ridiculous, although still somewhat ridiculous, if I recall. And I should qualify there are some deals at buffet restaurants, like Turkish buffets on Vesterbrogade, etc. That is in Denmark. In Oslo, there are extremely few deals. I think that at Anker Hostel, you can arrange to pay to take items for lunch from the breakfast buffet, and that would help too. (BTW, I am not saying you should not use HI Hostels in Oslo, but I seem to recall the location was not as convenient or it was more expensive or something, but I really do not recall.) In Copenhagen, we stayed at a hotel that no longer exists, the Mermaid hotel, for which I got a great deal through Priceline (cheaper than a hostel for two, I think). But it has been converted to a boutique hotel called Hotel 27. Copenhagen does have some B and Bs that you can book through www.woco.dk, and no doubt other sources. Also, there is this site www.citybed.dk/ . Personally I have to admit I am not so keen on such places, because most often they are not reviewed and you do not really know who or what you are dealing with. So it is a matter of your comfort level. HI Copenhagen City is a few years old, but I think HI Copenhagen Downtown is very new. Maybe its reviews are better? www.copenhagendowntown.com/uk/For prices, I seem to recall that if you just wanted takeout Indian food from a not too nice looking place in a rundown neighborhood in Copenhagen, you would more or less have to spend $20 CAD for one person. I know this sounds ridiculous, so I hope I am remembering wrong. In Norway, it was worse. The Danish currency is the krone (plural kroner), but they always translate 'crowns' when speaking to you. |
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Post by WillTravel on Jul 28, 2009 15:43:14 GMT -5
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Post by Libby on Jul 28, 2009 19:46:23 GMT -5
I'm not sure I get the nutshell thing. Is it a tour? self exploration? I usually eat at grocery stores because I"m CHEAP. I ate one sit down meal (and it was McD's) while I was in the netherlands. Just too expensive. Same with Brugges. I just ate from the stores. I just wonder if it's too expensive  |
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Post by WillTravel on Jul 29, 2009 10:53:59 GMT -5
I think it's a train ride and a ferry ride and a train ride. The second post here seems to describe it: boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=252984I think in respect to whether it's worth it, the scenery is widely considered to be spectacular. I think the part that would drive me crazy would be taking the long train ride and then just heading back. I would probably want to stay overnight somewhere. Like I mentioned before, I did not have enough days left for Norway to do this properly, in my opinion, so I didn't. I personally am a little hesitant to go back to Scandinavia, considering my travel dollar just goes so much further elsewhere. I don't personally feel it's a great 'bang for the buck' destination, and I had personal family reasons for wanting to visit too. But if you are going to go, you might as well see the places that make it spectacular. |
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Post by Libby on Jul 30, 2009 18:53:50 GMT -5
It does look interesting, but I'm not good with heights and that train ride and bus tour sound like hell to me. I also have seen fjords in Newfoundland and while amazing, wouldn't be something I want to see again (see heights problem!)  I've heard great things about Scandinavia and not so great things. I think much depends on what you want out of it. I'm really big into viking history so I'd like to explore that as well. Even found a viking day trip out of Stockholm Looks like October of next year will be the date. I wonder how that will be. |
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Post by Eagle on Jul 30, 2009 23:37:38 GMT -5
Libby,
Just curious, are you using any Guidebooks to plan your trip to Scandinavia?
My favourite travel writer is there now researching his Guidebooks, so there should be lots of updated information on that area available shortly.
I haven't been to that part of Europe yet, but it's on my list. I'll be interested to read your "Just Back Report".
Cheers!
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Post by mslibrarian on Jul 31, 2009 7:24:47 GMT -5
I've been using Lonely Planet but mostly I've been doing things on my own using the internet.
I do medieval re-enacting and have some specific thing I want to do (like the viking tour above), so I"m using guide books that mention ruins,etc.
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Post by Eagle on Jul 31, 2009 23:27:34 GMT -5
Could you clarify what type of "medieval re-enacting" you do?
There's a chapter (or whatever they're called?) of the Society for Creative Anachronism in this area, so I was wondering if it was something like that? I've never seen any of their "performances", but have seen pictures in the local papers.
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