ScandinaviaFavorite discoveries or tips: Spicy Kitchen in Christianshavn (Copenhagen) is cheap, filling, and good. Rex Hotel in Stockholm is a bit on the expensive side (for us, anyway, about $250/night), but it was a friendly, somewhat-upscale place that we really enjoyed. M. Nelson in Chicago, IL USA 06/29/2008 Flying into Stockholm Jim Asprinio in San Francisco, CA USA 05/11/2008 Don't walk to the Viking Terminal in Helsinki (our big mistake)--take tram 4T! Tram #12 in Oslo (from Vigeland sculptures back towards the train station) goes through a fountain! I was able to book my train ticket from Stockholm to Oslo online ("Just nu 2 kl") for 91 SEK ($13, even let me pick which type of seat I wanted) by doing it early enough. Make sure you have a good map of Helsinki if taking the Linda Line ferry round-trip from Helsinki to Tallinn; we took the Linda Line over, but it was too windy to take it back, so we were booked on the Tallink Star (a very nice ship), which docks at the Lansi terminal in Helsinki, and we arrived back at 10:30 pm. It was a scary walk back to the train station, and we didn't have any other maps but the ones in the Scandinavia guidebook! I thought it was easy to book our cabin on the Viking ship from Helsinki to Stockholm with the US travel agent Borton Overseas (B2P cabin for 2 persons $218 one-way, all booked on-line). We found Finnish supermarkets to be tough on us because so few of the product labels were decipherable. Kyla Gurganus in Ypsilanti, MI USA 01/10/2008 We discovered a most worthwhile brewery in Flam, Norway. It's called Aegir Bryggeri and the owner/brewmaster is Evan, a native New Yorker. The brewery is modeled after a Stave church and is an impressive structure, indeed. As for the beer... it's incredible. The IPA is the nectar of the gods --absolutely divine -- the best I've ever had. No other beer will ever compare. The next time you're in Flam, do yourself a favor and check out Aegir Bryggeri, meet Evan and drink the most yummy beer on the planet :) Jill Jeppesen in Salt Lake Ctiy, UT USA 09/25/2007 Clarion Collection Hotel Gabelhaus, Oslo, tel. 47 23 27 65 00. Located in a neighborhood with several embassies and convenient to public transportation. Great breakfast, afternoon waffles and complimentary light supper: soup, salad buffet w/chicken and tuna and homemade breads. Stayed in August at great rate. These "Clarion Collection" hotels are winners! Gene Field in Tampa, FL USA 09/09/2007 Oslo cheap eats: IMHO, even better than Gronland (described in Scandinavia 2007, page 185) is the area around Torggata (see map on page 171 of Scandinavia 2007) from Haussmanns Gate south to Youngstorget (not on map, about 2/3 of the way from Haussmanns Gate to the Oslo Cathedral). Our favorite is the Rice Bowl Thai Café, Youngsgata 4, between Torggata and Storgata. The place is always packed with locals, and for 90 NOK, you will get a very tasty filling meal. Don't forget the fried banana ice cream dessert for 60 NOK. This Torggata area is also a Wikitravel tip. http://wikitravel.org/en/Oslo#Budget vkw in Ann Arbor, MI USA 09/06/2007 Bergen operates a free P-bus that picks up at the Torget bus stop right outside the Bergen TI building by the Fish Market. It runs every 10 minutes during the day, and stops at Bryggen, the downtown area, the Bus/Train Station, etc. With some added information, this can easily be added to the Scandinavia guidebook as a self-guided tour of the city to get oriented. See visitbergen.com and the 85-page Produkt Manuel (pdf) has a wealth of detail information. www.visitbergen.com/pdf/ProduktManual.pdf vkw in Ann Arbor, MI USA 09/06/2007 The Oslo Pass offers 40% off at a fabulous buffet near Holmenkokken Ski Jump -- Voksenasen Hotel(Voksenkollen stop, 2nd from end). Call ahead to ensure they are serving -- they started at 11:45. For Nok 195 adult, Nok 100 for our children, it was a super treat, fish and desert were wonderful and with a fabulous view it was a highlight! A close 2nd was the acquarium in Balestrand, Norway. It's stocked by school children and comes with a 1-hr rental of a canoe or row boat. This was great fun...actually paddling around in one of the arms off the Sognefjord! I'd add the Pingvinen restaurant in Bergen. It's a Lonely Planet tip. Half-the-price for real Norwegian food. Very freindly (and cheaper beer). Mike McDonnell in Wroughton, UK 09/02/2007 Consider Goteburg, Sweden now that it has been cleaned up on the waterfront. Interesting city. Lots cheaper than Oslo or Stockholm. Good walking around the harbor and in the public parks. Elaine in Livingston, MT USA 08/28/2007 Lorry Restaurant, Oslo (right by Cochs Pensjonat) www.lorry.no Rhoda Barber in Ellesnburg, WA USA 08/27/2007 Do not forget it is ZERO tolerance for drinking and driving in Norway...first offense is jail and fine...and there isn't any negotiating. So please don't drink and drive there and yes Norway has a very low rate of drunk driving accidents. Maybe the US has a lesson to learn on this one. Laura Norway 08/22/2007 We found the most delightful B&B in Lillehammer that we feel would be a valued addition to your guidebook. It is an historical farm located in Lillehammer not too far from the train station. It is called Suttestad Gard. The owners, Jens and Jette Homb, are the 7th generation on that farm. They are the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. They insisted on picking us up and dropping us off at the train station because it was raining and would not accept any money for doing so. The farm is beautifully decorated in old scandinavian style, and is perfectly maintained and meticulously clean. The price was EXTREMELY reasonable. It was the nicest place we stayed at on our trip. Their address is: Suttestad Gard, Jette and Jens Homb, N-2613 Lillehammer. Telephone 47 61250444 E-mail: jenshomb@online.no This B&B is a gem!! Carol Ipsen carol Ipsen in Portland, OR USA 08/17/2007 We flew from Copenhagen out to Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland in the Baltic. Air fare on Cimber Air for a one way trip was cheap (about $100 each), we spent three days on the island exploring the wonderfully preserved walled Hanseatic city of Visby - a world heritage site - and hanging out on the sandy beaches and climbing the limestone rock formations. We then took the ferry to Stockholm. A nice out of the way addition to the trip and worth noting as an option between Stockholm and Copenhagen. Bob DenOuden in Eugene, OR USA 08/03/2007 Thon Hotel Cecil in Oslo is comfortable and has a great location. cecil@thonhotels.no Stortingsgt. 8 47 23 331 48 00 Lori in Minneapolis, MN USA 07/05/2007 If you are driving from Copenhagen to Stockholm we took the E-4 through Jonkoping, a modern four lane highway, rather than Rick's suggested route through Vaxjo. Either way it's a pretty long drive. Earl in Lockport, IL USA 07/03/2007 Hi - I'm a Seattle ex-pat living in Copenhagen for three years. I wanted to share a good alternative to Copenhagen hotels, which are very expensive. Marianne Guldbransen rents a furnished 3 bedroom apartment in the Osterbro neighborhood. It's a spacious apartment with a full private bathroom, private kitchen, and large kingsized bed. It is on the ground floor of four story building in a quiet neighborhood and a two minute walk to the train station. It rents for 700DKK per night, about 2/3 the price of a hotel room. I met Marianne this week when I went to check out the apartment for my paretnts visit in September. She was very gracious and welcoming and speaks English. Here is her contact info: Marianne Guldbrandsen Hjalmar Brantings Plads 4 2100 København Ø Tel: +45 3538 1122 email: marianneguldbrandsen@yahoo.dk Sharon Benton in Copenhagen, Denmark 06/23/2007 We are currently in Copenhagen and had a delicious lunch at a tiny cafe called Skildpadden Cafe & Sandwichbar, Grabrodretorv 9, tel. 33 13 05 06, www.skildpadden.dk. It is located down some steps on a small side street. You choose bread, meat, cheese all for a sandwich and then go to a salad bar and add whatever you want to finish your sandwich. All for 49 kroner! We were stuffed. This is a Rick place, he would love it. Very friendly staff, outside and inside seating, clean WCs. Dorothy McCullough in Stanwood, Wa USA 06/08/2007 If you plan on drinking in any of the scandanavian countries or Finland, be advised the restaurant and bar prices are very high. In Norway you must locate a vinomonopolet (they close at 6 p.m.) and are not easy to find. In Sweden the systembolaget sells wine and liquor but also has shortened hours. The money you will save by buying your own wine, beer or liquor at these stores or at grocery stores in Denmark, Finland and Estonia, is worth the extra effort. sandy winters in willis, te USA 06/03/2007 I had no problem finding public toilets in Stockholm or in any Scandinavian country. Make sure you have some change with you. But there are plenty of free WCs in many department stores and restaurants. Or in any church. Jude1349 in deptford, NJ USA 05/30/2007 In stockholm, my favorite museum is Hallwylska palaset. It is a mansion, built in 1895. It has the original furniture, and great collections of extravagant swords, a large collection of silver items, etched glass ware, porcelain, and other decorative items, and good oil paintings. I liked it more than the Nordic Museum in Stockholm. I walked to Hallwylkska Palaset from Stureparkens Gastvaning, and it is a short walk from Kungstradgarden and the Tourist information place in Sweden House. The English language tour is only on Sundays at 1 P.M. I went on a Swedish language tour, on a week day. (I do not know the Swedish language). I think walking through that mansion, not in a tour group, would be better, because in a tour group with 14 people, or more, with the tour guide talking, a person can not walk freely in each room and look at every thing. People can go in there at any time, not in a guided tour, and doing that is free. An English language discriptions of most of the rooms can be borrowed. People not in a guided tour can not go in the bedrooms, and they can not see the collection of silver items. But photographs of all the silver items are in a book, for sale in the gift store. Don't buy the book, look at the photographs in the book. If you want a guided tour there, sign up for it earlier in the day, at 8:30 a.m. when it opens. The first guided tours are at 1:00 p.m. Or sign up for the tour, an earlier day, if possible. Ronald Woodruff in Springfield, MO USA 05/21/2007 The Aero ferry does not take foreign credit cards for car or passenger tickets, only Danish cash (kroner). lonnie astona in boston, USA 05/08/2007 Seniors over 67 get 50% off on rail travel and on Oslo airport train when using credit card richard welsh in westfield ctr, oh USA 04/17/2007 The Danish Design Center in Copenhagen is free after 5pm on Wednesdays. The museum is small. It took us about 20 minutes to see it all. We were glad we did not pay to enter this museum. Tip: Copenhagen in February - I was so glad I had borrowed our son's Under Armour undershirt and worn thermal silk long underwear. The saying goes, "There is no bad weather, just inappropriate clothing." We were comfortable because we had dressed warmly, despite touring Copenhagen in a snow storm. Jan Wishau in Columbia, MO USA 02/24/2007 We were on a Scandinavia cruise and the guidebook was superior to any informaation provided by the cruise line. The information about the Knitters Market in Estonia was great. We bought hats and they are the best in the world according to my wife, the knitter. Robert Patterson in Colorado Srpings, CO USA 10/28/2006 We traveled Scandinavia Aug 23-Sep 9. While we read in your "Scandinavia 2006" that things quiet down Aug 20, we were surprised that reduced hotel rates declined, sights closed early or completely, trains ran less often. We had to really hustle to use the 24 hour city passes as museums closed early. B & V Broering in Austin, TX USA 10/01/2006 We have a tip on when to go to Denmark. We went in late August and it rained quite a bit. At least two Danes told us best time is in late-June through early August. After that, they said it's usually more unsettled. The rain was off and on the last ten days of August. Alex Harris in Walnut Creek, CA USA 09/28/2006 Sidewalk Express Internet sites in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo & other cities. Located in 7-11s, train stns, airports & elsewhere. Minimum 19 kr. for 1 hour, ticket good for 1 week. Sally D. in Bellingham, WA USA 09/15/2006 Lovely, welcoming, very reasonable Alkoven Guesthouse in Bergen, opened May '06. Short walk uphill from St. Mary's Church. Slideshow, more info at www.alkoven.no. Sally Davenport in Bellingham, WA USA 09/15/2006 Capri, Italian Restaurant Nybrogatan 15 114 39 Stockholm capri@swipenet.se 46(8)662 31 32 John USA 09/08/2006 Belgen & Moi restaurant at Kunstmuseum in Bergen--upscale, lunch & dinner, open after museum closes. Also, Potetkjelleren, Kong Oskars gt. 1A, very expensive but worth it, best meal of my 3-week trip. For splurge--outstanding in every way. Wallace Mersereau in San Mateo, CA USA 09/06/2006 In support of not sending forth unwitting ugly Americans it would be good to include a note on tipping wait staff. Service is included everywhere in Scandinavia except Estonia (Tallen). I just outright asked at resturants AND our hotel in each country. Rounding up is also correct. Marie in San Diego, CA USA 09/05/2006 Biking in copenhagen is easier than people may think. Best hotel in sweden: Maritim in Simrishamn. world-class loding, accomodations, & service eric daimler in san jose, ca USA 09/02/2006 A long but wonderful driving day from Stockholm is to Siljan Lake...seeing the Dala horse being made...enjoying the red houses and farms and beautiful landscape. Jaunita Eichman in Wirtz, VA USA 08/26/2006 Pam's Vash is a long hours laudromat within a half block of the recommended Ibsen's Hotel in Copenhagen. Tom Gilbert in Bryn Mawr, PA USA 08/25/2006 Belge Restaurant, Helsinki, Kluuvikatu 5. The best food we had on our whole trip in Oslo, Stockholm, Tallinn, and Helsinki. Great Belgian food. Kenneth Thomas in O'Fallon, MO USA 08/21/2006 Hotel Kamp in Helsinki. www.luxurycollection.com/kamp Pohjoisesplanadi 29, 00100 Helsinki tele 358 (0) 9 576 111. This is simply the best hotel in the city. Also for those going on to St. Petersburg, do take one of the "Peters Walking Tours"...see web site at "www.peterswalk.com" and try to get Alina, she gave us a very interesting and uncommon tour of the city including parts you would otherwise never see. Bill Young in San Leandro , CA USA 08/16/2006 Wagamama has opened a branch at Tivoli in Copenhagen. It's also accessible outside the park so you don't have to go to Tivoli to eat there. Holly in Belmont, MA USA 08/14/2006 Norway is on no one's budget with 200 percent markups on "luxury items" such as a burger and fries with water. Marie in San Diego, CA USA 08/09/2006 I highly recommend the Restaurant Don Corleone, located in the Kamppi centre, Helsinki. The food is very good. Jodean Berthume in Lake Worth, Fl USA 08/08/2006 The fjords north of Bergen are worth the visit and very easy to get to. The Train trip to Andalsnes was terrific, train ends rights in a fjord! Easiest quick hit on a fjord trip to gerainger i can think of. TAke train in, hop on the tour bus to gereainer the next morning and head out afterwards. TI is right at the train station. Jenna Stone in New York, NY USA 08/01/2006 Railpass cruise bargains: I got 4 free nights using my Eurailpass. On the Silja line, I went from Stockholm to Turko and back booking 2 one-way tickets, shared a 4 berth cabin with 3 other single women. You must book one way tickets or you will pay for a cabin one way. On Viking the passage for railpass holders is also free but you pay for a cabin. Again I shared with 3 other single women, paid 15 euros for a beneath the car deck cabin. The ships are very very stable, no motion whatsoever, wide twin bed berths, nice strong shower, private bathroom. I did not book a cabin going to Helsinki, Viking provides a sleeping room if you care to sleep on the floor with the backpackers. I am 50, had no problem sleeping there. Dark, quiet, and on the 8th deck, very high in the ship with panoramic windows. You can also reserve a reclining chair on Viking. So for 15 euros total, I had 4 nights of sleep and lots to do in an elegant environment. Rick is right, this is the most beautiful cruise in Europe, stunning scenery for the first 3 hours out of Stockholm, get on deck! jenna stone in new york, NY USA 07/26/2006 Even the 7-11 pastries are good. : - ) James in Commerce, ga USA 07/13/2006 Aero Bed and Breakfast. – We just returned from a visit to Aero Island. We had our car with us so we chose a B&B in the country, Kimberlys Minde just outside Marstal. It was absolutely delightful! Aslaug and Mogens were wonderful host and their home was so comfortable. I almost wished it was cold and rainy so we had an excuse to curl up by fire with a cat and a book. Instead we had perfect weather and were able to enjoy their beautiful garden with a bench perfectly placed to view the sea, enjoy the just picked fruits and veggies from the garden and had a cozy place to retreat to after a day of exploring and bicycling. http://www.aeroe.dk/kimberleysminde/default_uk.htm MaryThompson in Schroon Lake , NY USA 07/10/2006 Freitheim Hotel, Flam. Excellent accomodations and incredible smorgasbord dinner (I used the 2004 book. If it is in the 2006 book then consider it the best recommended accomodation).
Michael Feinberg in Silver Spring, MD USA 07/07/2006 Take the norway in a nutshell detour on the Bergen to Oslo route, I saw 300 kr discounts in this direction, minus the crowds. The Train was so crowded from Oslo to Bergen in mid june, I got off the train, went to Stavanger instead and took the fast boat to Bergen, 4 hours of scenery, minimal tourists. DO not get a sleeper from Bergen to Oslo on the night train, the scenery is not to be missed! It kept me wide eyed and awake the whole trip, a sleepr would have been wasted on me. Jenna Stone in New York, NY USA 07/03/2006 If you want to take the night train between Stockholm and Copenhagen, be sure to have a back-up plan. We were in Stockholm mid-June and missed the last night train by one day--we had to take a regular day train and find another night's accomodations at the last minute. It worked out fine, but it's something to keep in mind. Also, we were surprised at how absolutely dead Stockholm was during Midsommer. We made the best of it and had fun doing lots of sightseeing, but many businesses are closed over the weekend. Plan to be in the country during this weekend instead. Kaijsa in Laramie, WY USA 06/12/2006 At the bottom of the funicular in Bergen, Norway, ask for the “Fløyen Hiking Map”. Same Dude in Seattle, WA USA 06/09/2006 From the Copenhagen airport, get train tickets to downtown from the DSB (Danish State Railways) counter or from the DSB ticket machine nearby. [Rick mentions the "slick and easy Air Rail train" (p. 45) but it ain't so slick and easy when you're jetlagged out of your mind wandering the Copenhagen airport looking for the words "Air Rail" in English. Ok. It wasn't really that hard to figure things out, but it'd be great if the 2007 guidebook mentioned DSB.] -------------------- The trails at the top of the funicular in Bergen (p. 214) are spectacular, but the map posted at the foot of the trails is inadequate. If possible, find a paper map before heading out. (Does anyone know where you can get one?) Close To Vest in Seattle, WA USA 06/09/2006 My husband and I will be in Scandinavia the month of July and plan to visit both Helsinki and Tallinn. We checked out the ferry boats (Stockholm to Helsinki and Stockholm to Tallinn). Air fare was MUCH cheaper on SAS than either ferry. Consequently we will be flying from Stockholm to Helsinki and taking a high speed ferry to/from Helsinki to Tallinn. The ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki sounded like alot more fun but the cost was off-putting. Separately we follow Rick's guidance regarding picnics during all our trips and it's a real cost saver plus we get to try lots of new foods that appear to be regional favorites at the supermarkets and open air markets. Marie Thayer in San Diego, CA USA 05/15/2006 Copenhagen, Denmark a lovely Bed and Breakfast called Royal Bed on Badensgade 39, same street as Gitte Knogstad's. Tel. 45 63 21 05 85 E-ail:mail@royalbed.dk Web:www.royalbed.dk She served a beautiful breakfast on a try with a fresh rose. Sandra Larsen in Eugene, Or USA 01/04/2006 |
