ScandinaviaBest ways to improve this book: ditch the gray text on the maps...impossible to read. Susan Bowman in Phoenixville, PA USA 10/11/2009 love it, especially the walking tours. great way to orient ourself with the city. Jenna Close in Oceanside, CA USA 10/03/2009 It would sure be nice to include Riga & Vilnius, and change the name of the book to "Scandinavia & The Baltics" Ash Morris in Tulsa, OK USA 10/03/2009 Include the Adina Apartments in your Susan in Kalispell, MT USA 09/21/2009 The book needs to be updated. Many of the opening times, and prices are out of date. Mike Lincicum in Hillsboro, OR USA 09/13/2009 You should include information on the Danish Railway Museum in Odense, Denmark. It is very nice and is right behind the train station for those traveling by train. Mike Lincicum in Hillsboro, OR USA 09/06/2009 Great book and very helpful with all the boat transportation connections! Only suggestion would be to remove Chicken's Private Pension from the book. Dave in Seattle, WA USA 08/31/2009 The book was invaluable and really made the trip great (as usual with Rick's guide book). J. Perschbacher in Atlanta, GA USA 08/02/2009 Update the restaurant information and provide more economical alternatives. Chris Peter in El Cajon, CA USA 07/29/2009 It was a great book, thanks for all of your tips! If you ever need an extra writer, I'd love to participate! Lori K in Chicago, IL USA 06/02/2009 Spend a few pages on suggestions for people who AREN'T there during June, July or August. I went in January and e.g. the lodging section said nothing about whether it's crowded or cheap in January. Harald Chess in San Francisco, ca USA 01/04/2009 You are doing a great job: keep it up! Jan Manselle in Portland, OR USA 09/12/2008 Note to folks - in Norway most places require a PIN when you use your credit card. My wife and I had forgotten ours since we never use it in the US (and I would never be crazy enough to use it for a cash advance). Also for the city hall in Stockhom, it would be helpful to note that to go up the tower has a long line always since they only allow a few people in at a time. Eriol in Houston, TX USA 09/08/2008 We were on a 12 day Cruise of the Baltics. Most of the ports we went to were covered in your book. We saw things that we would have surely missed without your guidebook. Not to mention the money We saved by doing your walking tours. We did them in the following cities Tallinn, Helsinki, Aarhus, Stockholm. If I can make the following recommendation. Update all the maps to make them like Stolckholm. (path to follow on map & numbers in the description). This made it "idiot proof". Tallinn on the other hand was the total opposite. It made it hard to know if you were on the right track and we did get lost a few times. ps - I bought your book because it was recommended on "cruisecrtic.com" web site to anyone that is planning a cruise in this area. And I was glad I did CG in Laval, Qc Canada 08/24/2008 I just want to say that in general this book was a fabulous resource and I am very happy I had it with me! Diana Brooking in Kenmore, WA USA 08/14/2008 We love the walking tours. Keep adding them! Jane and Gerry Grunau in Abbotsford,, BC Canada 07/29/2008 I followed the three-week train trip recommendations with only two variations, and stayed at listed hotels with satisfaction. Thanks again. Connie Chaplin in Seattle, Wa USA 07/24/2008 Could you provide locations of post offices under the Helpful Hints section? You listed one for Oslo, Norway, but didn't for Stockholm, Sweden or Helsinki, Finland. In Tallinn, recommend places to find breakfast besides the Pegasus. Heather Kandoll in Vancouver, WA USA 07/11/2008 Too much museum coverage overall -- reduce it and add more nightlife/outdoor activity. M. Nelson in Chicago, IL USA 06/29/2008 When flying into Stockholm about 1 1/2 weeks ago (5/1/08), we took Ryan Air from Rome which was great, however, the book doesn't mention that there is another airport located 1 1/2 hours outside Stockholm and thats where we landed! The airport is called Skavsta and is located about 60 Miles southwest of Stockholm. It was no trouble at all, in fact beautiful countryside, but would be good to add to the book that if you land at this airport you will need to take a bus to Stockholm for about $25 or 150 Swedish Krona and it will take about 1 1/2 hours. The bus runs every 30 minutes and it is a very very nice bus. The bus goes from the airport to the Central Train Station in Stockholm. All we took and used for our planning was the Rick Steves book and it was just fantastic and we met many other Rick Steves travelers on the way! Thank you! Jim Asprinio in San Francisco, CA USA 05/11/2008 Clearer, detailed map that includes how to walk from the Helsinki city center to the Lansi ferry terminal. Kyla Gurganus in Ypsilanti, MI USA 01/10/2008 Not much. We're from Oregon, living in England for a few years and we have all the DVDs and most of the books. We love them!! Together, the shows and guides bring us great confidence to be able to venture out. Going to use Eastern Europe book and shows next for several more trips. We're huge fans! Mike McDonnell in Wroughton, UK 09/02/2007 Very useful! I always buy your books before a trip. I was disappointed that more of Sweden and Norway were not covered since I was only going to those two countries--but I guess you have to cover the other countries, too. Maybe you are going to have to make two books, one for Sweden-Norway-Finland, and another for the Baltic countries and Denmark. Just a thought. Elaine in Livingston, MT USA 08/28/2007 The cars marked "M" on Oslo commuter trains are for pass holders. If you buy a ticket for the day, you must find a car with a conductor. Ask ahead of time for directions to return a rental car to Bergen airport -- there aren't many signs Lori in Minneapolis, MN USA 07/05/2007 Travelers should always check and double check with the locals about the bus or trains' destination prior to taking off. The bus we took in Stockholm to the Silja port took us to a Silja ship going to a different country. There are several ships at the Silja port at the same time and it is not a short walk with your luggage from one ship to another. Also trains have a tricky habit of sometimes dropping cars so make sure the train car you are in, is going to your final destination. sandy winters in willis, te USA 06/03/2007 I was in Scandinavia for 14 days in May 07 and the best part of that trip was the Norway in a Nutshell fjord trip. In "Sightseeing Priorities" Norway in a Nutshell is not recommended if you are in Scandinavia for fewer than 8 days. Norway in a Nutshell could be included in a Scandinavia trip of 7-8 days, if you do not go to Denmark. Even if you had only 4 days, I recommend just doing the Norway in a Nutshell Fjord trip. Here's one possible schedule: Day Zero: Fly to Stockholm. Days One and Two: Stockholm. Day Three : Train from Stockholm to Oslo. Day Four : Train from Oslo to Aurland (Norway in a Nutshell trip). Sleep in Aurland, at the Aabelheim Pension. Day Five : Boat from Aurland to Gudvangen, bus to Voss. Sleep in Voss.
Day Six : Train from Voss to Oslo. Sleep in Oslo. I recommend Coch's Pensjonat. Its rooms are not charming, but the bathrooms are clean, it has an elevator, it costs less than other hotels in Oslo, and it is conveniently located. Walk through the beautiful park to the harbor or pedestrian street. Day Seven: Fly home. By staying along the Nutshell route, you do not have to wake up so early in the morning to do it all in one day and you don't feel as hurried. Another day in Oslo before flying home would have been nice. Other observations: Museums in Oslo are not a high priority if you have seen museums in Stockholm. A tourist does not need to be in Oslo for a whole day. I was NOT interested in seeing the strange sculptures made by Vigeland that are in Oslo's Frogner Park. For Oslo, my priorities were a walk to the harbor and a walk down the main pedestrian street of Karl Johans Gate. I think it is slightly more pleasant than the Stroget street in Copenhagen. Good souvenir store on Karl Johans, east of the Parliament. Bergen: I don't think going there is important; it's rainy and dreary much of the year. I recommend beginning your trip by flying to Stockholm, which I found to be the most enjoyable big city in Scandinavia, with lots to see. Flying to Stockholm from the US might cost more money than flying to Copenhagen but you would incur extra hotel and transport expenses getting from Copenhagen to Stockholm and back. Copenhagen is not a high priority if people go to Stockholm or Oslo.
I stayed at the Stureparkens Gastvaning in Stockholm and liked it a lot. A good breakfast is included. It is quiet, peaceful, and the receptionist (Sofie) was very helpful. Sharing the bathrooms with other guests was not a problem. And it is conveniently located.
I highy recommend that people going on a night flight to Europe stay at their first destination for three nights (two whole days, after the day of arrival), so you can rest and get over jet lag. Don't plan on any major sightseeing the first day.
Ron Woodruff in Springfield, MO USA 05/21/2007 Include some about Helsingborg too... Ann-Louise Blixt in Helsingborg, Sweden 05/17/2007 |
