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Rick Steves' Scandinavia

Updates since the 12th edition:

Denmark

Copenhagen

The City Safari bike tour company no longer offers regular tours at 10:00 and 13:30, but rather only by request.

Richard Karpen's walking tours leave from the "Wonderful Copenhagen" office, across from train station at Vesterbrogade 4A.

Christian of Copenhagen History Tours is now only giving tours on Saturdays (April–Sept). Tours meet at 10:00 and last 1.5 hours. In April and May, tours cover Reformed Copenhagen (the city in the years 1400–1600). In June and July, tours cover "The King's Copenhagen" (1600–1800), and in August and September the tours cover Hans Christian Andersen's Copenhagen, from 1800 to the present. Tours Meet on Højbro Plads, at the equestrian statue of Bishop Absalon. Tickets are 80 kr, and you don't need to reserve — just show up.

Internet café Boom Town Netcafé has closed.

Bike rental shop Københavns Cykler has closed.

The Little Mermaid statue is back in Copenhagen after a six-month visit to China for the World Expo in Shanghai.

In the 12th edition of our book, one of the cruise ship terminals is misidentified as "Marmorkai." Its correct name is the Copenhagen Ferry Terminal (a.k.a. DFDS Terminalen), a short walk north of The Little Mermaid site. 

Ærø

A new hostel has opened in Ærøskobing; see http://villablomberg.dk.

Toldbodhus B&B has new prices for 2011: Jan–April and Oct–Dec S-650 kr, Db-790 kr; May–Sept S-750 kr, Db-890 kr, includes breakfast.

Jutland

Århus

Budget cuts have forced the tourist information office to close.

Norway

To minimize your highway tolls, register as a visitor at www.autopass.no. By registering your credit card and specifying when you'll be on the road, you won't need to buy a sticker or pay manually at toll plazas; you can even register up to 14 days after you've driven through your first toll point. Whatever amount extra you've paid will be credited to your card three months later.

Oslo

The Use It information center has a new website: www.use-it.no.

Portions of our self-guided walk to Grünerløkka are currently closed off, as work continues in the wake of the July 2011 bombing. Here's how to re-route yourself around these areas: Begin the walk as described on Akersgata. When you reach the busy commercial street called Grensen, turn right, walk two blocks to the square in front of Oslo Cathedral, and turn left on Møllergata. Walk for about 10 minutes along Møllergata, crossing over a freeway. At the next intersection, you'll see a church on the right. Turn left on Hammersborg Torg, jog slightly to your left at the next street, and then go right along the pedestrian walkway in front of the Diechmanske Library. The next street is Akersgata. Turn right and continue the walk as described in the book. You are next to the massive brick Trefolighets Church — and you may notice that some of its windows were damaged in the blast.

The National Gallery now charges a 50-kr admission fee, except for Sundays, when it's free. Several paintings described in the self-guided tour have been moved and others are no longer on view. Edvard Munch's Self-Portrait After the Spanish Influenza, Johan Christian Dahl's Stalheim, and Erik Werenskiold's A Peasant Burial are not currently displayed.

The National Historical Museum now charges a 50-kr admission fee.

Herben Marina restaurant, in Aker Brygge, has closed.

Südøst restaurant, in Grünerløkka, has closed temporarily after a fire; check its site for news of reopening.

Eidsvoll Manor — the Norwegian equivalent of Independence Hall — is closed until 2014 while it undergoes a complete restoration. However, the Norwegian government has built a new visitors center — Wergeland House — on the site that tells the heroic story of Norway's march toward independence, and has audioguides in English.

Thon Hotels' Membership Card now offers a 10 percent discount only after you stay five nights in one year. But you can still save 10 percent by booking ahead and prepaying via their website (no changes/cancellations possible).

Norway in a Nutshell

On the Oslo–Bergen train, the 90-kr fee to upgrade to "Komfort" class includes the 50-kr seat-reservation fee.

While Flåm–Gudvangen boats rarely fill up, if you want to reserve a spot you can do so online, via email, or by phone — by 14:00 one business day in advance (55 90 70 70).

The Flåm–Gudvangen boat doesn't always stop in Aurland — if you want to get off there, let the boat crew know.

The Borgund Stave Church is currently closed for renovation, but should reopen before Summer 2012 (www.stavechurch.com).

More on the Sognefjord
Balestrand

The Glacier Bus, which goes from the nearby town of Sogndal to the Nigard Glacier, no longer offers departures from Balestrand. In July and August, the bus leaves Sogndal at 8:35, passes through Solvorn, and arrives at the glacier around 10:00. It departs the glacier at 15:15, and arrives back in Sogndal around 17:05.

The Lustrafjord

The Breheimsenteret Glacier Information Center burned down in July 2011. The park office is currently operating out in temporary space at the nearby Nigardsbreen Guesthouse. Temporary WCs and an info desk/gift shop should be open by 2012; a new center with a cafeteria and museum is scheduled to be complete by the summer of 2013.

Loftesnes Pensjonat, near Sogndal, has a new email address: loftesnes.pensjonat@gmail.com.

The Kaupanger-to-Gudvangen ferry has a new web address: www.fjord1.no.

Gudbrandsal Valley and Jotunheimen Mountains
Lom

Strind Gård farmhouse has a new email address: post@strind-gard.no.

Bergen

The TI be moving to temporary offices across the street from its current location later this year. In Spring 2012 it reopens in a new building just to the left of the Fish Market, on Strandkaien. Also, the TI no longer offers a 1.5-hour bus tour of the city, but the three-hour version, which includes a visit to Edvard Grieg's Home, still runs in the summer.

A new light-rail line is a convenient way to visit Edvard Grieg's Home or the Fantoft Stave Church. Buy your 25-kr ticket from the machine prior to boarding (to use a US credit card, you'll need to know your PIN code). You'll get both a paper ticket and a gray minikort pass. Validate the pass when you board by holding it next to the card reader (watch how other passengers do it).

The free "Sentrum-VilVite bus" is no longer running.

The Bryggens Museum closes one hour earlier in summer than stated in the book (mid-May–Aug daily 10:00–16:00).

Admission to the Edvard Grieg Home in Troldhaugen is now 80 kr. The sight no longer offers summer concerts on Saturdays at 14:00, but it does continue to hold music concerts in the summer on Sundays and Wednesdays at 18:00. It also has 30-minute lunchtime piano concerts Monday–Fridays in the summer.

The Skansen Pensjonat has new prices for 2011: S-450–500 kr, D-700 kr, D with balcony-800 kr, Db apartment-850 kr, double prices are for two people and include breakfast.

South Norway

Stavanger

Ferry-and-bus combo-tickets to Pulpit Rock are no longer sold; it's still possible to get there by purchasing separate ferry and bus tickets.

Kristiansand

The tourist information office has a new web address: www.visitkrs.no.

Sweden

Stockholm

The tourist information office has moved to Vasagatan 14, across the street from the main entrance to Stockholm Central Train Station.

You do not have to take a guided tour to enter Drottningholm Palace, but since there are no informational signs in the rooms and no audioguide, it's smart to wait for the included tours (offered at the top of the hour).

Stureparkens Gästvåning has new, lower prices: S-660 kr, D-750–890 kr, Db- 1,250 kr, Db apartment-1,650 kr. They now offer free Wi-Fi but no longer have a fax machine.

Stockholm's Archipelago
Svartsö

The Herrgårdspensionat, the only accommodation on the island, has closed.

Southeast Sweden
Växjö

The tourist information office has moved inside the municipal building facing the main market square (Stortorget), at Kronobergsgatan 7.

The House of Emigrants' "Dream of America" exhibit and genealogical research center has reopened and has new hours (Sept–May Tue–Fri 9:00–1700, Sat–Sun 11:00–17:00, closed Mon; longer hours and open Mon in summer). A new 50-kr combo-ticket covers both the House of Emigrants and the nearby Swedish Glass Museum.

Öland

The "Cykelbuss," which transports bikes between Kalmar and the island, is no longer free (20-kr fare), and now runs in April–June and Sept only. Check the schedule (line #408) at www.klt.se.

Finland

Finland still has international phone cards, contrary to what is printed in the book. These cards are available at the yellow-and-blue R-Kioski convenience stores — ask for the "Turbocard."

Helsinki

With Cozy Finland's "Meet the Finns" program, you can match your hobbies with a local — and suddenly, you're searching out classic comics at the flea market with a new local friend. Their most popular service involves arranging dinner at a local host's home (around €55); contact Cozy Finland for exact prices.

Hotel Anna has new prices for 2011: Sb-€130/€75, superior Sb-€145/€90, Db-€170/€115, superior Db-€185/€130, Tb-€185/€130, Qb-€200/€140. The hotel now offers a 10 percent discount to Rick Steves readers.

Eurohostel now changed its prices a bit: S-€43–47, D-€51–58, T-€69–87, family room with up to 4 kids under age 15-€62–69, shared twins-€26–29 per person, includes sheets, extra bed-€15–17, breakfast-€7.70. All rooms are now non-smoking. Their new fax number is 09/6220-4747.

The Tallink and Silja ferry lines have now merged. Viking and Tallink Silja both sail between Stockholm and Helsinki. While their Swedish phone numbers remain the same, their Finnish phones are now toll numbers: 0600-41577 for Viking, and 0600-15700 for Tallink Silja.

Estonia

As of Jan. 1, 2011, the euro is now the official currency of Estonia. The minimum purchase to qualify for a VAT refund is now €38.

Both international phone cards and insertable phone cards for pay phones still exist in Estonia. These cards are available at the yellow-and-blue R-Kiosk convenience stores. For an international phone card, ask for the "Turbocard." The insertable phone cards are issued by Elion.

Kadriorg Art Museum(Kadrioru Kunstimuuseum) is closed for renovation until December 2012.

New listing: Museum of Occupations (Okupatsioonide Muuseum) — With funding from a wealthy Estonian-American, this compact museum tells the history of Estonia under Nazi and Soviet occupation from 1939 to 1991. Opened in 2003, it's organized around seven TV monitors screening documentary films in English and Estonian, each focusing on a different time period. In the basement by the WCs is a collection of Soviet-era statues of communist leaders (20 kr, skip the amateurish and overpriced audioguide, Tue–Sun 11:00–18:00, closed Mon, Toompea 8, at corner of Kaarli puiestee, tel. 668-0250, www.okupatsioon.ee).

The owner of Rasastra Bed & Breakfast agency has retired and closed her business.