Rick Steves' Scandinavia: More Feedback
If you've traveled with this guidebook, please help us improve it for future travelers. How can it be more helpful and accurate? Did any recommended hotels, eateries, or sights disappoint you? Do you have any new experiences or new places we should consider? Any warnings or tips for people traveling with existing edition?
Air Fare
Any suggestions for better (lower) airfares than I am finding at regular travel websites. Going to Copenhagen and a cruise August. Thought of traveling to Germany and taking a train up to Copenhagen. Anyone done that? Thanks
D Preston <email>
LaGrange, IL USA Mon 05/30/2005
More than Stockholm and the south
I'm from Northern Sweden and hadn't heard of Rick Steves until I got to America this spring.
After a quick look through some of the guides I can only agree with those praise Rick Steves, however I was a bit disapointed to find nothing about my part of Sweden. Certainly Stockholm and Gothenburg attract most tourists as big cities. The adorer of nature and spectacular wildlife experiences should definitely head north.
Sweden is more than Stockholm even though its residents sometimes refuse to admit that...
-Klas
Klas Eriksson <email>
Sacramento, CA USA Thu 05/26/2005
Scandinavia Episodes
Rick did film show's in Scananavia. But for some reason they never made it to DVD.
Michael Schneider <email>
New Paltz , NY USA Thu 05/12/2005
Scandinavia Question for Rick/ETBD
A question I've been dying to ask Rick (or the whole ETBD folks):Why have there been so few trips to Scandinavia? I've purchased all of Rick's latest DVD shows, and there are NO shows about any place in Scandinavia, not even Denmark? Just wondering why.
To expand this question, I'm wondering what criteria Rick uses to exclude certain parts of Europe from his "regular circuit" of travels, shows, and guidebooks. For example, Rick has never (to my knowledge) covered Iceland, Malta, Cyprus, Ukraine, the Balkans, Romania, Albania, Macedonia, or especially Russia. Is Russia any more difficult to travel in than Turkey?
Allen Nyhuis <email>
Indianapolis, IN USA Mon 05/09/2005
great 3-star Stockholm hotel!
Hey folks,
Took a trip up to Stockholm with a few of my friends this past February, and would like to share a great hotel with y'all.
We stayed in the Hotel Arcadia, in Ostermalm. It was about 500 meters from the Tekniska Hogskolan train station, and was a 5-10 minute train ride into the center of town, or about a 20 minute walk. It was located in a nice area of town, a very quiet and safe area. There was a fantastic Indian food place right around the corner too, called Indian Town; some of the best Indian food I'ver ever had, including in England. The hotel was nice, clean, fairly big rooms, for Europe, and the free breakfast was great - nice big spread! The price was the best part - the cheapest deal we could find in the city, that had private bathrooms/WC/shower. The rate was around $150 for a double for the night. That's literally the cheapest we found anywhere in town. I tried the Rick Steve's listings in his guidebook, but they were all much more expensive. They do accept credit cards, and don't charge extra for that.
The staff was friendly ahd helpful. They sell different city attraction tickets, as well as the Stockholm Card. They can tell you about tourist attractions, and are very helpful with advice. Great place to stay! I'd definitely go back there. We all liked the hotel. They DO have a luggage room also, if you need to store luggage there on the day you check out. Also, there's a restaurant in the hotel for other meals, if you choose to dine there other than just at breakfast. So, if you want an inexpensive 3-star hotel in Stockholm, fairly close to the downtown area, with a nice, provided breakfast, check out the Arcadia Hotel.
Mark Craig <email>
Stockholm, Sweden, Sweden Mon 05/09/2005
Copenhagen
Just got back from Copenhagen with my teenage son and 85 year old mother. Thanks for recommending the Scandic Weber Hotel. I loved its 19th Century brick facade and the way that we were the only Americans staying there. It was filled with Scandinavians and Europeans who clearly know a good thing when they see it.
The hotel was very well located near Tivoli, City Hall, and the Stroget. The rugs were a bit worn and the rooms not large but they were very comfortable with beds made up in the Danish fashion with fluffy duvets. The staff speaks English and is very helpful. The hotel includes a fabulous Scandinavian breakfast buffet that filled us so well that we never ate lunch. Instead, we made late afternoon pastry stops.
A splurge at the fancy La Glace just off the Stroget was costly, and to my surprise they only took cash, but its old world atmosphere and gorgeous cream cakes were certainly worth it.
TIP - We discovered that all of the taxis take charge cards and tips are not necessary - I wish New York would copy them. Most of the cabs are E320 Mercedes Benz of all things! A cab from the airport for us ran about the same as the train would have, and with my mom having problems walking distances, a cab made more sense for us.
TIP - The Scandic chain is a partner of Hiltons, so Hilton points can be used with them. That also means you can transfer AmEx Reward points over to Hilton and onward to Scandic as I did. It worked like a charm, so our hotel rooms did not cost me a penny.
sunny <email>
ny USA Sun 03/20/2005
Free Stockholm Museums
From the Stockholm à la Carte website: The following museums offer free admission from Jan 1, 2005. The Army Museum, The National Museum of Ethnography, The Museum of National Antiquities, The Royal Armoury Museum, The Museum of Mediterranean Antiquities, The Museum of Modern Art , The Museum of Music, The Royal Coin Cabinet Museum, The Nordic museum, The Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, The Swedish Museum of Natural History, The Maritime Museum
Karen
Fargo, ND USA Thu 03/17/2005
Turku??
actually I suggest you add Turku in the future to this book. It's a nicer Finnish city accessible by ferry and it will probably please more folks than Helsinki.Also - do not miss the variety of bars that are on the ships in Turku's canal.A GREAT place.
Turkulover
USA Thu 03/17/2005
Frognerseteren candy
Can someone help me find out where to order more of this doughy, eyeball-looking candy labeled Frognersetern. My husband either bought it in Norway or Switzerland. I love it!
C. Linhard <email>
USA Thu 02/24/2005
hotel in copenhagen
RE: Scandinavia 2005, page 68 (copenhagen)
Hotel Bethel Somandshjem
website: http://hotel-bethel.dk
email: info@hotel-bethel.dk
rick m.
new york, NY USA Tue 02/22/2005
Scandinavia Feedback
My wife and I went to Scandinavia in early Sept. 2004 to vacation and to take delivery of her new Volvo in Gothenberg, Sweden. For those of you unfimiliar with Volvo's program, they offer you an 8-9% discount off of the U.S. MSRP and include 2 free round trip airline tickets to anywhere in Europe on Scandinavian. We flew from Jacksonville, FL to Copenhagen, and back leaving from Stockholm. Some thoughts:
Copenhagen - a lot dirtier than we expected (reminded us of pre-Guiliani NYC). Rick is correct that the area around the train station is a bit shady. Tivoli was the highlight of our two days in Copenhagen. Most of the free shows end at 6-7pm, so if you plan on seeing them arrive earlier in the afternoon. I looked up showtimes on Tivoli's website before leaving the US, and those times proved to be incorrect. The old-town is very enjoyable, as is the 1- hour tourist boat. There was a short 15 minute line for the cheaper Netto-Badene tour, and no wait for the more expensice DFDS tours, which also had twice the number of boats. I'd recommend the cheaper of the two, even with the wait.
Gothenberg - the Volvo pick-up and factory tour were the highlight of our trip. Definetly look into this if you are buying a Volvo. Volvo paid for 1 night at the Scandinavia/Radisson, which was first rate.
Oslo - the lowlight of our trip, primary due to the high cost. Oslo makes NYC look like a bargain. The Rainbow Hotel Astoria was a hole, and a $100+/night hole at that. Rick does say its the least "charming" of the Rainbow hotels, but we were not prepared for a room this small, this spartan, and this uncharming. The other Rainbow hotels looked nicer. Be prepared to spend an arm and a leg. After visiting Stockholm, we couldn't believe we spent so much money and time in Oslo when it would have been time ane money better spent in Stockholm. We did the Norway in a Nutshell in one day from Oslo, leaving on a 6:30AM train and arriving back in Oslo at 11PM. Very exhausting, but the highlight of our time in Norway. Pack snacks and water if you try this in one day, because your options on the train are limited. The ferry to and the attractions in Bygdoy are great, as was the ski jump. NOTE, the walk from the train to the skijump is not well marked, and it is straight uphill. If you plan to visit the ski jump, there are a ton of stairs and an elevator only takes you partially up. Not recommended for elderly or disabled travelers.
Stockholm - we stayed at the Scandic Park hotel and LOVED it. The neighborhood is fantastic, there are a lot of nice shops and restaurants nearby, and public transportation makes it a breeze to get to the sites. When we next visit Stockholm we will definetly stay here again. The changing of the guard at the royal palace was lllooonggg and we became bored after thirty minutes. There's a great vegetarian restaurant in Gamla Stan that Rick mentioned, a real bargain and fantastic homemade food to boot.
Erik Habres <email>
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL USA Mon 11/01/2004
Stavanger back door experience
I visited family in Norway in June, and visited, Oslo, Bergen & Stavanger, and everything in between. I was glad to see Rick add Stavanger to his 2004 book, because that was my number one complaint about last year's book. While in Stavanger, we visited Utstein Abbey in Rogaland, which is an easy afternoon road trip north of Stavanger. Having traveled all over Europe with Rick's books, I immediately identified the 800-year old abbey as a "quintessential back door experience". It's spooky, far away from the tourist crowds, but the tour was very interesting and informative. Rick, if you're reading, you have to check it out!
Sonja
Memphis, TN USA Sat 10/09/2004
Sweden and outskirts
Just returned from Sweden after short business trip and shared Rick's opinion that this is the real secret heart of Scandinavia. Gamla Stan and the Vasa are don't miss locations, but so is the countryside beyond Stockholm.-
Accome hotels are a backdoor place to stay near Stockholm. Three locations near business centers, but all near T-bahn stations for fast access to downtown. They cater to business travelers, but are roomy, have kitchenettes, and rooms around $100 per night-less if you stay a week. -
Restaurang Michaelangelo in Gamla Stan is a pizza place-felt a little funny eating pizza in Sweden, but it was the best pizza I've had in years-at least since visiting Naples. Fem Sma Hus (Five Small Houses) was also fun-pricey, but cool to tell people you ate in a place that was in business when there were more people in Stockholm than white settlers in the entire Americas-
The Ǻland islands between Sweden and Finland aren't mentioned in Rick's book, but I'd recommend he add them: 6,500 islands with only 25,000 persons, this is the secret getaway for most Swedes (They call them "the summer islands"). Need to take a ferry from Stockholm (6 hours), Kapellskar or Grisselhamn (2 hours), but the boat ride is cheap and a blast. Lots of country roads to bicycle, lakes to sail on, small cottages to rent, and casinos and nightlife if you want it. Hotel Arkipelag (run by the Ǻland government) is one of the nicer places to stay, but lots of other (less expensive) options. Slower in the fall, winter, and spring, it's still a great place to visit.
John Hearing <email>
Maple Valley, WA USA Tue 09/28/2004
Student Discounts
I forgot to say, if you are a student, bring your card along. I am studying Swedish and forgot my card. Big mistake. The bookstore give discount, I mean huge discounts to student. A book that costs SEK 280.00 was discounted to SEK 180.00. And that seems to be the norm/percentage! For the best selection in Stockholm, go to the AkademiBokhandel ( Like B&N ) on SergelsTorg. It is huge with very helpful staff.
JL <email>
Miami Beach, FL USA Tue 09/28/2004
Scandinavia
I spend time in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Helsinki. Norway: I found Oslo charming but rather small. A day will be OK. Stick to the country side. Beautiful. Rick was right, a reservation at the station got me a 4 star room for the price of 3 star. I stayed at Clarion Cristiania. Excellent!
Denmark: Copenhague is beautiful and the sidetrip to Malmo is well worth 2 days. I stayed at the Hotel Maritim. It was OK. Has a Launderete next block (Peder Skram Veg). So that was helpful.
Helsinki, and Viking Line were below my expectation. The ship was dirty and old (Mariella), but full of yound and drinking crowd. I'd rather spend more time in Sweden than in Helsinki. But if you have extra time, I guess it is OK.
Sweden: I disagree with Rick here. Sweden blew my mind. The country side was beautiful, the cities were amazing. Stockholm exceeded my expectations. Again, I contacted the train station service and I stayed at the Clarion in Sodermalm. Way Excellent! I will go back to Sweden definitely.
Sverigeshuset is handle at Sergels Torg. The Kunstradgarden is still being renovated.
JL <email>
Miami Beach, FL USA Tue 09/28/2004
Errors in Rick's book
Wanted to post some corrections to Errors in Rick's Scandinavia book and add some comments after 3 weeks in God's country...
(1) In Helsinki, Strindbergs's restaurant is a great place for lunch but is NOT on the corner he says it is (the map is inaccurate as well.) It is actually 2-3 blocks closer to the water down the Esplanade.
(2) Staying in Oslo, Arve Næss has rooms in the cool Grunerløkka neighborhood but Rick lists the address incorrectly. It is actually Toftes Gate 45 and NOT 25. I spent 2 hours walking city blocks trying to find this place/ trying to find (and waiting for) a telephone to call Mr. Næss because of this typo. Pretty much ruined what should have been a great evening. Mr. Næss says he has called Rick about this several times but it still came out incorrectly in the 2004 edition.
Some general thoughts after doing Rick's itinerary through Scandinavia:
(1) Rick's books are gospel (with the exceptions of the errors above.) Everything he recommended doing was great. The open-air museums (Skansen in Stockholm, the Folk Museums in Bygdøy Oslo and Lillehammer) ARE NOT TO BE MISSED. Exceptionally good. Ditto the Vasa museum (Stockholm).
(2) I agree with another post - Uppsala is VERY cool. As good or better than the best college towns in the US (Athens, Boulder, Madison, Austin, etc.) Definitely worth a day. Great town.
(3) Lillehammer is in a beautiful valley and is well worth a day. The folk museum is exceptional.
(4) I agree with most that I have met along the way: Stockholm and Oslo are much better investments of your time than Copenhagen. Don't stay too long in Copenhagen at the beginning of your trip if it means rushing through the others.
(5) Norway is freakin' beautiful, man. Unbelieveable. Don't just see Denmark and say you've seen Scandinavia.
(6) Talinn, Estonia is GREAT. Definitely worth getting over to on the party boat (Go Silja). A really neat, beautiful medievil town. I liked it much better than Helsinki.
David <email>
Orlando, FL USA Sat 09/25/2004
Norway Trip Jul/Aug 2004
My wife and I just returned from 2 weeks in Norway on August 7th, 2004. Great weather the whole way! Enjoyed Oslo, but would not stay at Hotel Spectrum again since much noise from cafe next door throughout the night. Even with windows closed, still had to wear earplugs.
"Norway in a Nutshell" was just as nice as we hoped it would be. Enjoyed and would highly recommend Hotel Fretheim in Flam. We took 9 AM fjord cruise to Gudvangen and not crowded at all. Bus trip,via the Stalheim Hotel, from Gudvangen to Voss was incredibly steep, but gave great view of valley! Don't miss it! Bergen is magical - don't miss it! Enjoyed especially the open air/fish market, great view from Mt. Floyen especially in late afternoon, and our visit to Grieg's home. Wasn't impressed with aquarium!
Don't go to Norway without doing the Norwegian Coastal Voyage. We caught it in Bergen and did it one way only going north and loved it. Great ship (MS Trollfjord) with delicious food,comfortable cabin,wonderful buffet breakfasts and lunches, spectacular scenery, and several nice land excursions, especially the Geiranger Fjord excursion. No rough water in summer, maybe in winter - it does run year round since Gulf Stream keeps ocean from freezing! See www.norwegiancoastalvoyage.com for details.
Important tip - if your morning return flight to States leaves very early, don't stay in Oslo. Instead, stay at the very pleasant Oslo Airport Norlandia Hotel and catch the shuttle bus which runs about every 15 minutes and stops right outside hotel. First bus leaves hotel at 4:30 AM. After getting luggage on arrival at Gardermoen, just go outside and look for bus stand B25. Bus is marked for Norlandia Hotel, one other hotel,and Gardermoen parking lot! It's a ten minute ride between terminal and hotel which is just past the Gardermoen "outlying parking lot"whre most people get off!
Don't forget to keep all VAT receipts - we got $72.00 back in US currency right after going through security!
Fred and Marti Sands <email>
Aurora, CO USA Fri 08/13/2004
Uppsala, Sweden
Uppsala is a better day trip than Rick's book states. The cathedral, gardens, and burial mounds are all wonderful sites. Plus Gamla Uppsala and the gardens are great places to let restless kids run without annoying anyone else. The Uppsala Card is worth buying and makes riding the bus easier. The historical center in Gamla Uppsala is first rate and the nearby Odinsborg Inn offered some of the best food we had in Scandinavia. Skip the expensive smorgasbord upstairs and just stand in line on the main floor to order a la carte. Swedish meatballs and fish pie, yum!
KW <email>
Minneapolis, MN USA Sat 08/07/2004
summer hotel deals in Scandinavia
As Rick mentions in his book, there are some great summer hotel deals in Scandinavia. We used tourist information counters and found excellent hotels with expansive breakfast buffets for the equivalent of a little over $100 a night in Oslo and Stockholm. Two hotels we stayed at in Stockholm were particularly noteworthy. The Hotel Riddergatan ($100/night for two) is a small, recently renovated hotel near the water at the edge of the Ostermalm. It is one subway stop from the train station. The rooms were small but comfortable, sporting Bang and Olufsen televisions with DVD players. Even more hip is the Nordic Light hotel two blocks north of the train station ($125/night for two). Our room was large and very comfortable - luxurious even - with great beds swathed with comfy linens and lots of pillows.
While you can find even less expensive accomodations, summer hotel sales like these let you experience some of Scandinavia's world-class design at budget prices. For those who appreciate contemporary hotels, I would highly recommend these for your next stay in Stockholm.
In Oslo we stayed at the Clarion Royal Christiania close to the train station. The hotel is nice but the breakfast buffet is what really stood out at this hotel. A huge assortment of fish, cheese, meat, breads, yogurts, etc. Considering how expensive eating out in Oslo is, the inclusion of this in a $125 per night room (for two) was a great bonus.
Jon <email>
Houston, TX USA Sun 08/01/2004
Bergen Airport Bus
There is a bus run by SAS from the Bergen airport to Bergen, Norway. It runs about every 15 minutes and makes three stops in downtown Bergen.
Elaine <email>
Cranford, NJ USA Sun 08/01/2004
Scandinavia Tips
My husband and I just completed a 10-day tour of Denmark and Sweden with Rick Steve's Scandinavia 2004 and Lonely Planet City Guides as our bibles. Copenhagen and Stockholm are expensive, but with the help of these tour books, you can have a fun and affordable vacation.
In Copenhagen, the Cafe Sorgenfri is a wonderful corner pub serving traditional Danish food. The Hacinda in Orsterds Park is also very charming.
In Stockholm, Hotel Gustav Vasa is a wonderful place to stay. The discounted room rates are very reasonable and includes breakfast. The hotel is in a great neighborhood, across from a beautiful church, next door to a small laundrymat, and down the street from a grocery store/deli.
The SL Tourist card (one-day or three-day) is an absolute must since the city is spread out over several islands. The city's transportation system (called the SL) is fantastic, especially the metro. The SL Tourist Card (not the Stockholm card) includes all area transportation including the ferry to Djurgarden (only out of Slussan harbor in Gamla Stan) and discounted admissions to a few sights. You buy them at the Pressbyran stores or SL centers.
Be sure to wear heavy-soled walking shoes since the streets in both cities are cobblestoned. And bring rain gear - northern Europe weather is rainy.
If you can get out of the cities, you will really get a flavor for the country and the prices for everything drops dramatically!
Finally, the locals really liked it when we spoke Danish or Swedish phases for Hello, Goodbye, Thank you, and so on. Many memorable conversations were initiated by the locals when they heard us speak their language. Lonely Planet has a great Scandinavian phrasebook.
Enjoy your trip to Scandinavia.
Judith <email>
Mount Pleasant, SC USA Fri 07/30/2004
Aero, Denmark
I recently visited Denmark's Aero island. Though Rick recommends a couple days there, we found it a manageable day trip from Copenhagen. As promised, the island was beautiful, especially when the clouds cleared and a bright blue sky emerged. We rented bikes and rode to the cliffs on the coast opposite Aeroskobing. The beaches there are rocky but blessed with clear blue water. Indeed, Aero should be high on your list of priorities if headed to Denmark, especially if the weather is good.
Jon <email>
Houston, TX USA Fri 07/30/2004
Editor's Note: Rick Steves' Scandinavia guidebook absorbed the Finland and Estonia sections after Rick Steves' Russia and the Baltics guidebook went out of print. While these countries are not "Scandinavian," as Denmark, Norway and Sweden are, many Americans enjoy a jaunt across the Baltic.
Finland and Estonia??
Just a small correction: Finland and Estonia are not Scandinavian countries, even though they appear to be in the information about this title on this website. And when you write "While Scandinavia is home to the famed Tivoli Gardens, Hans Christian Andersen's house and The Little Mermaid..." - why not write Copenhagen instead of Scandinavia? This might seem picky, but the easiest ways to judge guidebooks are usually to see what they write about your own country, and being Norwegian I'm not too impressed with what I found on your website. The books themselves may look entirely different, but I may never find out...
Kat
Norway Fri 07/30/2004
Tallinn
Some notes on Tallinn -
There are Internet cafe's in the Apollo Raamatumaja (book shop) right in the downtown area near the McDonalds on the second floor. They are also available in several of the shopping centers nearby on the second floor (the one behind De La Gardie for sure)
Also, there is one called Matrix across from Stockmann's, and one open to the public at the Liivalaia library across from Olympia Hotel on Liivalaia street.
I lived there for a long time, I guess I know these things.
Also, Rick, thanks for putting Estonia in this book. Most people get to Estonia by ship from Finland or Sweden, few I would say brave the 9 hour bus ride from Riga (God knows how long it is from Warsaw).
Hopefully other travel guides will follow your lead.
Carlo Justín
Tallinn, Estonia Mon 07/26/2004
Lillehammer
The Scandinavia guide says that Lillehammer, Norway was the smallest town to ever host the winter olympics at a population of 23,000.
Lake Placid, NY which hosted the 1980 games only has a population of 2600.
Michael Schneider
New Paltz, NY USA Mon 07/26/2004
Stockholm Fish Soup
In Stockholm's Hotogret market we had a lunch of Fish Soup at Kajsas Fisk Restaurang, recommended by Rick Steves - WONDERFUL ! It was probably the best (and cheapest) meal that we had in Stockholm. Don't miss it!
Edward Comer <email>
Brevard, NC USA Sat 07/24/2004
Copenhagen Restaurant
In Copenhagen, Denmark we ate dinner at a restaurant near the station and Tivoli that was recommended by Rick Steves, the Bryggeriet Apollo, which is also a micro-brewery. My wife had rump of lamb (Lammeculotte) and I had Plaice, a flat "Danish Plaice" fish (Ovnbagt rødspætte) that tastes more like lobster than fish. Wonderful!
Edward Comer <email>
Brevard, NC USA Sat 07/24/2004
Correction to Rick's Book
Correction for Scandinavia book page 136. The sweater shop Husfliden has moved to Lille Grensen 7. However, "The Oslo Sweater Shop" (same page) has a much larger selection and, to me, the prices were better.
Edward Comer <email>
Brevard, NC USA Sat 07/24/2004
Bergen, Norway
While in Bergen we took the cities 90 minute walking tour leaving from Bryggens Museum. They have 2 tours daily at 11:00 and 13:00. We arrived at 10:45 for the 11:00 tour and it was already full. They limit the size of the tour to 25-30 people and we had to sign up for the 13:00 tour. If you want to take the 11:00 tour, I'd recommend signing up for it at 10 a.m.
We also went to Old Bergen, taking the public bus. When we bought our bus ticket the driver told us it was only a one way ticket and we would have to buy a seperate ticket for our return ride. This in incorrect. The bus tickets are good for a certain amount of time, around 1 1/2 hours. If you return in this time period, you don't need to buy a return ticket.
Lorrie
Lorrie <email>
Cincinnati, Ohio USA Thu 07/22/2004
Legoland
Just back from a fun trip to LegoLand in Billund, Denmark. We met my daughter, husband and grandson (7) for a few days there.
Stayed at the Legoland Hostel. Just outside the gates. The Legoland hotel looked very nice, but$$. We went local with lots of families. Made up our own beds in nice, simple room. Lots for kids to do around hostel. Legoland was really fun and their lego creations are amazing. We took train from Hamburg, then in Vejle you can take a bus, or taxi. We were tired so we did that, but it was more expensive. Then we flew out of Billund. They have an international airport there. Do not stay at Billund Kro hotel in town.(Our flight got cancelled, so we had to scramble for 1 night) Yuck! There is a little pizza place (only one in town) very good.
Fiona <email>
MI USA Tue 07/20/2004
Correction
In my last post I mentioned the wonderful waffles and jam at the cafeteria in the train station in Flam... this was an error. I meant to say Myrdal. Sorry about that.
Beth <email>
Detroit, MI USA Thu 07/15/2004
eating in Stockholm
eating in Stockholm - I recommend taking the subway-metro to the Hornstull Station (Södermalm)- five stops past Gamla Stan (no more than 10 min.).
A plethora of choices, prices are reasonable, cross the street from the station and walk along the water to the right, and look for the locals...
and there is a grocery store in the station, so quick pickup for a picnic is possible!
Also, there is an internet cafe in the 7/11 store to catch up!
heidi peterson <email>
san jose, ca USA Fri 07/09/2004
Norway Accomodations
Just returned from three weeks in Scandinavia, and need to point out two hotels in Norway. I must agree with the previous comment on Bergen's Hotel Charme, It is beautifully run by a coterie of very nice, very attentive, very helpful young people. Our room was spotless.
At the other end of the spectrum is the Villa Froger in Oslo. Although it has a wonderful location, there is really nothing else to recommend it. Dirty - (bath was not cleaned during our two days there, and this was a shared bath - as opposed to its own website stating "private bathrooms"). Numerous other issues, but this should be enough to steer you elsewhere, lest you also be disappointed.
Jack <email>
Pinole, CA USA Thu 07/01/2004
Weekend trip to Norway
My husband and I live in Germany right now and along with a friend of ours, took a weekend trip to Norway using Rick's book. It was WONDERFUL!
We started off the trip in Oslo and stayed at the Cite Hotel. This place is okay, but nothing to write home about.
The Norway in a Nutshell tour was absolutely amazing and I'm still trying to go through all the pictures we took to find ONE that captured how absolutely beautiful and dramatic the scenery was.
Bergen is a wonderfully quaint city. What we loved about it is that it's a big city with a small town feel. Just a great place to wander. One thing I wanted to mention about Bergen (and forgive me if someone already mentioned this) is that according to Rick's guide, the fish market is closed on Sunday. This is NOT true. We were there on a Sunday and I can assure you that it's open and bustling with tourists trying to capture on film the disgustingly smelly fun. :) The TI in Bergen is extremely friendly and helpful. Despite having quite a large line of people, the guy that helped us worked with us for about 10 minutes and answered all our questions. We never once felt like he was rushing us and he was extremely helpful.
I highly recommend the Hotel Charme in Bergen. Not only is it a nice hotel, but the staff is extremely friendly and helpful. When we checked in, the computer didn't have on record that we needed a third bed in the room and instead of charging us extra for the bed, they just said, "Well that was our mistake so you won't have to pay for it." Wow!! Talk about a surprise! So not only did we pay less for the room with Rick's discount, but we also payed less than expected even though we had a third bed in the room.
One thing you have to try while in Norway is the jam! It is SO good! Every morning our hotels would have a wonderfully hearty breakfast set out with different kinds of jam. I've never tasted such good jam in all my life! Especially at the cafeteria at the train station in Flam. You can order dessert waffles there and put cherry jam and some kind of cream on top (it was somewhat like whipped cream but not as thick) and it is heaven in the form of a waffle! I'm still disappointed that I never bought any jam to take home while I was there.
Norway (and I'm assuming Scandiavia in general) is a very friendly country. The people are so nice and willing to help you. More than once we asked someone where something was and not only would they point us in the right direction, but they would actually walk us there personally! I felt absolutely no feelings of resentment being an American there. I truly felt like they were all genuine and always happy to help.
One thing I think Rick needs to mention more in his book is the sunrise and sunset times (if at all) for this guidebook. He hardly mentions anything about this and I think this is a very important part of your vacation. In the summer, which is when we were there, we were extremely excited to realize that even as far south as Oslo and Bergen the sun never really goes down. More should definitely be mentioned about the "midnight sun" especially because that was the main reason we wanted to go to Scandinavia in the first place.
Beth <email>
Detroit, MI USA Wed 06/30/2004
Århus and Kalmar
Mostly great advice in the book - I kept it handy in my daypack. I would add a couple of things. Another good place to eat in Arhus is Italia (yes, not Danish food but reasonable and good. Can be crowded but they take reservations) We stayed at the Marselis Hotel ($$$)which is a ways from the center (bus #19 or #6) but quiet and with wonderful parks and trails right there. We enjoyed it and got away from the noise of the station area. We went to Aero as a daytrip from Svendborg where we stayed in a B&B - be sure to ask for the senior price on the ferry if you are 65 like me. Getting to Svendborg we took a train to Nyborg and then a bus from Nyborg to Svendborg. That was the route suggested by the ticket agent who validated our passes at the airport train ticket booth. (I wish we had train stations in all our US airports. )
In Kalmar we loved the castle and the Frimurare Hotel. I did use my earplugs the first night as it was prom night and the Frimurare is on the square. (Would have needed them the night Sweden won a Euro 2004 game too but we were in Copenhagen by then) The people in the hotel were great, though, and the breakfast was ample. They also have a lovely coffee room open all day with coffee, tea and goodies for the hotel guests. We found a great bakery across from the main church and got sandwiches for the return train. (They have a food cart on the IC train for coffee etc but the bakery had much better sandwiches and other goodies).
We got a ScanRail pass with 5 days rail and two days car and used it all. We used one day car in Denmark to go to an old Viking area round fort and one day in Sweden to go to the glass works . It worked well and in both cases it wasn't necessary to go out to the airport as the rental company had small offices in town as well. We did get reservations on the IC trains for long trips and were glad we did.
We couldn't find the bakery on "Pistol Street" that you described and ended up getting tasty individual quiches and coffee from a small bakery along the Stroget. Not much is open there before 10 am but the bakeries are an exception.
We had a great time -- Thanks for the practical advice.
Judy Turpin <email>
Federal Way, WA USA Thu 06/17/2004
Gotland and Visby
A few people have mentioned Gotland, Sweden. If you are interested in fossils and beautiful coastline, Gotland is a great place to go. Everything there is made of marble that has tropical fossils (yes, supposedly Gotland was once on the equator) in it--floors, table tops,etc. If you can, rent a car and hire a geologist from the museum to take you around the island seeing the sights. Visby has good hotels and restaurants!
A. Myron Johnson <email>
Greensboro, NC USA Fri 06/04/2004
Hotel reviews, Norway
City Hotel, Skippergaten 19, OSLO, Norway
Booked through: FjordPass.no
Cost: 520 NOK (US$76.91) This is the FjordPass price. I joined FjordPass for 125 kroners.
Location
About 8 minute walk to Oslo's central station. A strange neighborhood with prostitutes and drug dealers at night and the nearest shop is a 7-11 one block away. It is safe, I think. The girls help me find the entrance to the hotel, which is not on Skippergaten but Prinsengate.
Facilities
Minimalist. I understand the building is over 100 years old. No tub or shower enclosure, only a shower curtain. Instead of a top sheet and blankets, there is a quilt in its own bag.
Food
Breakfast is a buffet with 2 kinds of cold cut and three kinds of cheese, several kinds of bread, juice, yogurt and coffee from a machine.
Nearby
A small city, one can walk to most places in Oslo from the City Hotel.
****
Grand Hotel Terminus, Zander Kaaesgt. 6, Bergen, Norway Booked through: FjordPass.no Cost: 525 NOK (US$79.23) This is the FjordPass price. I joined FjordPass for 125 kroners.
Location
About 8 meters from a side entrance of Bergen's railway station.
Facilities
Rooms are small but extremely well designed and clean. Bathroom floor is heated. TV has BBC.
Food
Huge breakfast buffet with hot and cold dishes, including smoked fish, pate, eggs, fruit, cereal, several kinds of spreads with flavors. Strong coffee.
Nearby
On the other side of the station is a multi-story shopping mall with supermarkets and restaurants. Most of Bergen is within easy walking distance.
Bill
South Pasadena, CA USA 04/18/04
Balestrand
Hei!
Liked the format and the information contained, especially the Norwegian section. Apropos the Norwegian, just one small carp: m.o.h. is meter over havet, (metres above sea level) not metres over the harbour
Keep up the good work!
David Siebert <email>
Oslo, Norway 02/05/04
Credit card PIN needed
Loved Rick's book and found it to be very useful this past summer for 2
weeks in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Just one thing to add, though: when
we tried to use our VISA card for museum entrances and at least one other
place (I can't remember where), we had to have a PIN to key in. Luckily,
I did. Anyone can get a PIN set up for his/her regular credit card. Check
with your your card's customer service folks before you leave. This is NOT
considered as a cash advance in case you're worried about interest rates!
This made things really easy for us. Looking forward to going back to Scandinavia
soon!
Lisa E. <email>
San Mateo, CA USA 02/03/04
Upsalla, Sweden
I visited Upsalla in 1991. It seems like a great place to study abroad for one year. Nice small town with a great university. There is also convenient trains to Stockholm.
Kevin Hart <email>
Pearland, TX USA 12/09/03
Norway's Bus Route 55
We visited Scandinavia for 2 weeks this June, following all the instructions
in Rick's guidebook. (Pictures are at: http://www.eecs.berkeley.edu/~sunil/pictures/europe2003/index.htm
)
In the chapter "Valleys, Mountains, and Fjords", Rick mentions that if you have access to a car, its worth visiting Lom and Jotunheimen and traveling on Route 55. We found that Norway bus service is magnificent and if you plan it correctly (start from Oslo the day after the big Summer Day holiday), this journey can be made with public transport. The bus-drivers even stop at some of the most scenic view spots along Route 55. The Buses are:
1. Oslo - Lom : Nordfjordekspressen: http://www.ruteinfo.net/Ruter/t/22-147.htm
2. Lom - Sogndal : http://www.ruteinfo.net/Ruter/t/23-190.htm
The Sogndal bus will not leave until the Nordfjordekspressen arrives at Otta and/or Lom.
We stayed at the Quality Inn, right opposite to the bus-station at Sogndal. The next day we took "Blue Ice Bus" to the Nigardsbreen arm of the Jostedal Glacier. The 3 and 4 hour glacier walks are synced with the timings of this bus: http://www.sognefjorden.no
The following day we took the bus from Sogndal to Kaupanger: http://www.ruteinfo.net/Ruter/t/14-151.htm
Then the ferry from Kaupanger to Gudvangen, (which takes you into the amazing Naeroyfjord): http://www.ruteinfo.net/Ruter/r/14-155.htm
Then after eating lunch in Gudvangen, go to Flam again on the ferry: http://www.ruteinfo.net/Ruter/r/14-145.htm (a second majestic view of the fjords)
This connects with the Flam train to Myrdal. At Myrdal we transferred to an express train coming from Oslo, and arrived at Bergen in the evening.
The ScanPlus (Rainbow group) and the Quality/Comfort group both offer nice hotel room deals, where every 5th night is free. I also recommend getting the ScanRail Pass. It easily pays for itself for the Lynx train ride from Stockholm to Oslo, the Nordfjordekspressen from Oslo to Lom, from Myrdal to Bergen and airport transit at Stockholm and Copenhagen. In addition it gives 50% off on the Flambana and the Sogn Billag.
The funniest moment was at Jostedal, where a local beat reporter interviewed
my parents and wrote a story about us in the newspaper: they were shocked
to see Indians visit their country.
Sunil Bhave <email>
Berkeley, CA USA 09/27/03
Copenhagen by cruise ship
Our first impression of Copenhagen is that it is much larger than we expected.
Still, you can do the major sites walking and using the public bus. You
need to be very organized and have a good map, lonely planets is great.
Use Rick Steves book to choose the most important sights.
It's wonderful that most cruise ships arrive around 7 p.m. on one day and leave at 6 p.m. the next. This gives you a magical evening at Tivoli if you want! We had thought about walking to Tivoli that evening, but it was raining so we hopped onto the public bus at the pier, bus #26. This is a much smarter option. If you walk it'll take al ot of time and you'd miss the great nightly entertainment. Rick's hint about getting the entertainment schedule in the office to the left after you enter the main gate is excellent. There is no sign telling you this and you need the schedule. Magic shows, bands, pantomime, acrobats, rides and food. It was all lit up with tiny lights when darkness fell. We loved this park! We took bus #26 back to the ship.
The next day we walked into town. The ship docks close to the Little Mermaid statue. We left the ship at 7:30 a.m. and walked to the Little Mermaid. No one else was there. We walked on to Nyhavn, which is only a small port area with lots of bars and restaurants. It was closed down in the morning. We didn't buy a Copenhagen Card as we didn't think it was an advantage. The Old market area had little going on, so walked down the Stroget pedestrian shopping street. This has an excellent mix of shops, including Ecco shoes at a great price! We walked by the stork fountain and the old phone booth, stopped by the railroad station then to City Hall, seeing it and the Hans Christian Anderson statue. We peeked at the clock inside through the sheer curtains! Nothing opens until 10 am so it's good to do a quick city walking tour in the morning.
At 10 am we went to the Ny Carlsberg Glyptoteket museum which is excellent, don't miss the Gaugin collection! Next we walked to the National Museum, which is also excellent. Don't miss the prehistoric section on the ground floor. It's easy to miss since the entrance is by the lockers, not where it's easily seen. We thought this was the best part of the museum.
Rosenburg Castle was next on our list, and you can easily walk to it. This looks far away on the map but it isn't. We toured the castle, the 3rd floor is the highlight, and the crown jewels. There is a nice, large lawn here you can relax on. Don't miss having a glass of Carlsberg Beer in Copenhagen!
Lastly, we walked back to the fort and went to the Resistence Museum.
This is in a dark wooden building. They won't take credit cards here without
a European pin # so don't run out of local currency! We enjoyed this museum
much more than the one in Oslo. It's close to the cruise ships and they
will return your VAT in the shops across from the ship. This was another
sucessful cruise ship stop with the help of Rick Steves book!
Lorrie <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA 09/14/03
Helsinki by cruise ship
Many people don't think Helsinki has much to offer as a cruise stop, but
we enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the town. Again, using Rick Steves
book we planned out a full day, touring on our own using public transportation.
We docked at the West Harbor where the city had shuttles for $4 each, l way into town. There is a public bus which also has stops at the port so we chose to use it. There is no TI at the port so we couldn't get a transportation pass until we were in the city. Bus #16 runs to the Esplanade for 1 Euro each so we chose to ride that, no one else was on the bus at 7:30 a.m. when we started our day. We were in Helsinki on a Sunday so it was very quiet.
We walked to Senate Square seeing the Lutheran Cathedral. It's a very small city and you can walk it easily. We stopped at the Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Cafe Kappeli, shopped at the market at the harbor, which was open on Sunday morning. They had a very nice selection of things to buy, from small fruits to reindeer skins, wool yarn, mink ear muffs, it was a lot of fun!
We then bought an all day transportation pass for $4.80 Euros from a machine at the ferry dock and took the ferry to Suomenlinna island and the fortress. This was very quiet on Sunday morning, not much open. We walked past several buildings and up the hill to the cannons.
We hopped the next ferry back to the harbor and walked up the Esplanade to the Swedish Theater where bus #24 leaves from. This bus line ends at a wonderful wooden bridge that crosses over to the Seurasaari open air folk museum. Many Finnish families were here taking walks with their children. It was delightful, and all the houses were open. It's small enough to see completely in the l hour we had.
We then walked to a connecting island for an Ancient Viking Festival.
This was poor. We took bus #24 back, passing by the Sibelius Monument.
We decided we didn't have time to hop off the bus, but saw it quickly
from the window! We got off the bus and walked to the Railroad station
to take a picture and then walked to Temppeliaukio Church. We needed help
in finding it, but the local people are very helpful when you ask for
directions! This church has very limited hours on Sundays so we were thrilled
we could sit inside for awhile and enjoy it's peaceful atmosphere. We
walked back to the Esplanade and caught bus #16 back to the port. We had
to be on the ship at 2:30, so we were very happy with what we accomplished
in this short time.
Lorrie <email>
Cincinnati, OH USA 09/14/03
Tallinn by cruise ship
Tallinn is a delightful medival city. It can easily be toured on foot, but
it's easy to get lost when you're looking for a specific sight. It is an
easy walk to the city from the cruise ship dock. Rick Steves' map is hard
to follow so get one from the TI. The TI is inside Terminal A where ferries
dock. It's a 5 minute walk from where the cruise ships dock. There is also
a money exchange desk here and they give very fair rates, only a 3% mark
up. The 6 hour Tallinn card is an excellent buy, costing 60 EEK or $4 U.S.
This doesn't include the walking tour, but the meeting point for this is
very hard to find. A friend on the ship tried to do this but never found
it.
Walked into town, past Fat Margaret, then through the Old Town to Toompea. The view is supurb! There are many delightful postcard girls everywhere, selling postcards. We bought some, they are much cheaper than in the Scandinavian countries.
Expect to get lost in the Old Town, but people speak English and will help direct you. We visited a lot of sights: Kiek in de Kok, St. Nicholas Church, Dome Church, Russian Orthodox Church, Holy Ghost Church, Estonian History Museum, and the Tallinn Town Museum, among others. At each sight they wrote down the # of our Tallinn card. Great shopping here also.
We found the internet in a tall building that looks like an old Russian
apt. building. It was on the 4th floor down a long hallway. $1.50 for
30 minutes and it was high speed. It's next door to a beauty salon and
hard to find. No one on the street or in the shops even knew it was there.
The shop selling Estonia Music is now an empty shop. There is nowhere
in the old town that sells them. We asked and were told to go to the new
town, or a black market shop under the bridge to the new town! This is
a good town to enjoy sugared almonds or a great relaxing lunch!
Lorrie <email>
Cincinnati, Oh USA 09/13/03
Stockholm from a cruise ship
We decided to tour Scandinavia from a cruise ship since the cost of touring
these countries is so high and the cities so far apart. We usually do land
vacations, but we had a very successful trip, planning very carefully using
Rick Steves book.
Sailing into and out of Stockholm is a real treat. Try not to miss it, seeing many, many islands which are heavily wooded and have summer homes on them. We arrived in port at 9 a.m. There is a tourist info office right at the dock in a small red building. You can buy a Stockholm card here for 220 crown. Do it, it's well worth the money even in the short time you are here. We walked from the ship to Slussen Ferry Dock for the ferry to Djurgarden where the Vasa museum is located. It is an easy, but 25 minute walk to the ferry. We were dropped off at Tivoli and walked 5 minutes to the Vasa. It opens at 10:00 a.m. and we arrived at 10 sharp! We spent 50 minutes at this excellent museum. We then walked to the Nordic Museum which is across the street from the Vasa in a large brick building. This is an excellent museum, different from others with a Christmas exhibit, shoes, china, clothing. Quite interesting and worth the time.
Next we walked a short way, 6-7 minutes to Skansen Outdoor museum. Again, this is excellent, but quite large. You can't possibly see everything in a short time but it's worth seeing what you have time for. We did find the reindeer! We spent 45 minutes here.
From Skansen we took bus 47 (bus stop right in front of Skansen) to the City Hall at the city center. We asked the driver to tell us when to get off. You must go on a guided tour here, you can't view it alone. The next tour wasn't until 2 p.m. so we left and walked to Gamla Stan and the Royal Palace where we saw the changing of the guard. We went to the Armory to see the large coaches and wooden sleds. We shopped a bit in Gamla Stan then walked the long way back to City Hall. The tour was good, seeing the Nobel Prize Banque hall and City hall council meeting room, but it was a bit long.
After the tour we walked back to Royal Palace again and toured the Treasury,
walked Gamla Stan again and then walked back to the ship. This was a great
deal of walking but we saw so much again, and it's only possible by being
organized and using Rick Steves book and Lonely Planet book for great
maps!
Lorrie <email>
Cincinnati, Oh USA 09/13/03
Oslo from a cruise ship
You have very limited time to see Oslo when on a cruise. Using Rick Steves
book is a tremendous help. Here's how we did it.
First I'd recommend getting an Oslo Card online before you arrive. We didn't, I thought we could get it when we arrived, but we docked in an unusual spot and I couldn't find one. We were off the ship at 7:10 am and walked into town. Found tram #12 and rode it to Frogner (Vigeland) Park & Sculpture garden. The tickets for trams and buses are expensive $4.30 for l hour. With the Olso Card this is included. We were at the park by 8 am. It was very quiet and peaceful, an excellent early morning sight.
We caught bus #20 from the front of the park and rode it to bus #30 line. Took bus #30 to the Fram Museum on the Bygdoy peninsula. The Fram opened at 9 a.m so it's important to go there first. Other museums open later. At 9:30 we walked next door to the Kon Tiki museum. Both these museums are worth seeing. A 15 minute walk from here brings you to the Viking Ship museum, which I thought was the least impressive of the three. It has a huge parking lot so many ship tour buses go here. We then walked to the Outdoor Norwegian Folk museum. This is only a 5-6 minute walk from the Viking museum. Many exhibits were closed since it was a Monday in late August, but we still enjoyed it.
We then ferried across the bay to the main harbor and walked to the City Hall and visited it. Then walked to the National Museum where we saw "The Scream" and Munch's other paintings. This is a free museum. We then walked along Karl Johan's Gate (the main boulevard), not too attractive, but we did a bit of shopping and I bought a troll that I "needed".
Save your paperwork to get your VAT back. They are very good about returning it on the cruise ship just before sailing, in US $.
We then went to the Cathedral, then to the Akershus Fortress where the Norwegian Resistance Museum is. It is a good museum, but the English is written in small letters and it's dark inside, making it difficult to read. I liked the resistance museum in Copenhagen better.
We had walked for 8 hours but had seen so much. This is a very expensive
city. If you start early it is possible to see a lot in you time in port
as long as you are very organized. We packed lunch with food from the
ship and ate it along the way.
Lorrie <email>
cincinnati, Oh USA 09/13/03
Scandanavia correction for Stockholm restaurant
In Stockholm's Gamla Stan,we dined at Christina's, a Rick recommendation.
Totally different surroundings. The owners fell in love with Scotland and
since the restaurant needed infrastructure repairs, they changed everything
but the Chef and the menu. Now called the Ardbeg Room (Ardbeg being a scotch
whiskey). It is brighter and modern looking. No jazz anymore. And we learned
the ceiling is not leather but just appears to be. Excellent meal and service.
Dick Johnson <email>
Santa Ana, ca USA 09/13/03
Travel in Sweden including Gotland
Just came back from visiting Stockholm and Gotland, Sweden. Info. from other
posters helped me, so I just wanted to add some new info. The Stockholm
Card does get you free entrance to everything, but consider what you will
actually have time for. We found that it made more sense for our simple
itinerary to get an SL Card (good just for public trasnportation) and pay
the few admission fares. The SL card includes a 50% discount on Skansen
too. SL Cards are sold at any of the Pressbyra newspaper stands, plus other
locations. You can compare prices at www.sl.se, click on English, then Fares
on the left and Assortment and Prices at the top. Stockholm Card with individual
admission prices is at www.stockholmtown.com, click on Stockholm Card. Also
note that if you get a hotel package with the Stockholm A La Carte card,
this card doesn't include admission to Skansen, Vasa Museum, or the City
Hall (the three most popular sites).
If you are covering some serious distances in Sweden, there are some good deals on domestic airlines, and some have limited international routes too (i.e. Malmo Aviation and Virgin Express). Many of these domestic airlines (Gotlandflygg, Skyways, Golden Air, Malmo Aviation) offer budget fares through their websites. Not all features of the websites are in English, so you may be better off guessing at the Swedish sites. For example, for budget fares on Skyways, go to www.skyways.com, click on Reseinformation at the top of the page, then Skyways Klick. For a trip to Gotland in the Baltic Sea, we took the 3 hour ferry there one way and flew back to Stockholm in a 35 minute flight. The plane was a little more expensive, but the time savings were worth it for our itinerary. Also, we learned that Malmo Aviation is just starting a budget fare website at www.snalskjutsen.com. They fly to a few cities in Sweden, plus Brussels, Nice, Glasgow, and Dublin.
Finally, have no qualms about flying into Stockholm Bromma airport, which is about 25 minutes west of Stockholm. It is small, but efficient and not far from downtown. You can take a charter bus leaving every 15 minutes for about $10 into the city center,or you can take the public SL bus to the red or green subway. Bus 110 leaves from the airport twice an hour (bus stop is on the right as you exit the building) to the Alvik subway stop on the green line. Maybe with baggage the charter bus is worth it, but since I saw the public bus come and go while we waited on the charter bus, I want to try the public bus next time.
Also, I can recommend the A&Be Hotel in Stockholm, and the Jernvaghotel/hostel
in Visby, Gotland.
Karen <email>
Washington DC, now Belgium, USA 09/03/03
Scandinavian Pointers
Balestrand is wonderful -- I agree with other posters that it warrents some
attention in the R.S. guide. We stayed in the Balestrand Hotel and agree
that this is the place to stay (request the 2nd floor, which has been recently
renovated). And Gekken's is where you should eat lunch AND dinner - it looks
like a snack bar, but the food is really perfectly executed and cheap. The
weiner schnitzel and norwegian meatballs were my favorites, but everything
we ate, including a steak, was very good. If you go hiking in Balestrand,
prepare for a very serious, but rewarding hike.
In Bergen, the Fish Market is not all its cracked up to be. Tasty cured salmon or a smoked herring makes a great breakfast, but this is not an authentic or bustling market by any means. Do the Hanseatic tour of the Bryggen area -- this is great. Skip the aquarium. I repeat - skip the aquarium - heavy on info about aquaculture, light on fish. No information about the habitats afforded by fjords either, which was disapointing.
In Stockholm, the Vasa museum is wonderful, but the Norske Museet (?)
nearby should be skipped (unless you are a big fan of fashion), despite
the 3 stars in the R.S. guide.
Brendan T.
New York, NY USA 09/03/03
Scandinavian Tips
Just returned from 3 weeks traveling Sweden, Norway and overnight ferry
to Helsinki. All was great except the accommodations at the Queen's Hotel
in Stockholm. They do not have central ventilation, thus you must open the
windows at night or suffocate. But then you can't sleep for all the noise
on the streets, both vehicle and foot traffic at all hours of the night.
Also the WC is ridiculously small in the room (closet size). Great Italian
restaurant in Stockholm: Serwito at Regeringsgatan 77.
Robert Murray <email>
Des Plaines, IL USA 08/29/03
Thumbs Up & Down
We just got back from a 2 week Norway/Sweden trip, and wanted to post our
thumbs up/down on various parts of it.
Everything costs a bomb! We found we had to increase our food budget to avoid eating sandwiches every meal! We got a Scan RailnDrive Pass for 5 days train and 2 days car rental, and used 4 of the train days and both car days. Remember that you have to pay extra for reservations on most trains, so budget it in! Also, the pass works on the Stockholm Airport Express Train.
Oslo: Golden Tulip Rainbow Opera Hotel: Excellent, right next to train station. Oslo is worth a day, but make sure you get off the main drag and explore by the water and the old fortress.
Balestrand, Norway: One of the 2 best places we visited. I cannot recommend the Balestrand Hotel (also sometimes called the Balestrand Pension, I think) highly enough. Someone below on this board talks about it. Eric and his wife are super friendly, know more about the area than the tourist office, and happily lend maps and bikes. For half the price of Kvickne's you get a better view of the fjord, too. A very low key place, not much "touristy" to do, but the bicycling, hiking and fjord viewing are great. The best restaurant is Geckens, which has really fresh seafood for reasonable prices. The ferry to get there extends the Nutshell tour and is an event by itself.
Took the ferry to Bergen, stayed only the day (probably worth have been worth staying overnight), and took the night train to Oslo, then Karlstad, Sweden. Night train is fun, but you need to buy reservations, so it may not be all that much less expensive than a hotel and a day train.
Karlstad, Sweden: On Lake Vanern, it's a nice small city, but we just used it as a base for driving around the countryside. Radisson SAS Plaza Hotel was awful. Supposedly a 4 star hotel (they had a summer special that made it quite inexpensive) the actual room did not resemble their website or brochures, plus they had a live band playing in the courtyard until 2 a.m.! Drove to Mora on Lake Siljan. Very pretty, nice market street with cafes. Visited the Dala Horse workshops in Nusnas nearby. Worth a visit--I was afraid it would be full of tour busses, but there were very few people, and you could see people making the horses by hand--great gift shop, too. 200 kilometers from Karlstad, so a bit of a hike, but worth it.
Stockholm: The other top place on our trip. We stayed 3 nights (2 full days) but recommend 3 full days there. Stay in Gamla Stan if possible. We stayed at the First Hotel Reisen (another summer deal) which was excellent. Even though the room faced a side street it got sun, because the windows all have mirrors outside to reflect light in!
Note about Rick's book: The Stockholm card is NOT accepted at the Vasa museum or Skansen (in our edition, he says it is). The Vasa ship is worth paying to see--truly amazing. Didn't go into Skansen Park. The card does get you into the Royal Palace, which is beautiful! Check out the changing of the guard at 12:15, with full military band and parade every day. Restaurants are less expensive than in Norway, but still not cheap. Jarnet was an excellent restaurant in Gamla Stan on Osterlangatan.
Took ferry to Visby, Gotland: A medieval walled city with many churches,
usually in ruins. Spent 2 nights there at the Hotel Villa Borgen. Make
reservations far in advance for Visby. This hotel was all we could get.
Not very cheap, with adequate rooms, but in a good location. If you visit
the ruined Saint Katerina chuch in the main square (Stora Torget), be
sure to go up the stairs that are in the walls--very cool. We rented bicycles
and rode to a beach 20 k away (farther than we thought--we misread the
map). Very nice, but icy cold water. The Gotlands Forsnal (historical
museum) has a wide variety of exhibits and would be great for kids, too.
Final note: In retrospect, we would probably eliminate the Karlstad stop,
and extend our stay in Sweden, flying to Stockholm from Bergen (check
out Ryanair--super cheap flights). Hope this helps anyone who is planning
a trip to Scandanavia!
J.A. <email>
Reston, VA USA 08/15/03
Scan Highlights
Stayed in Nordic Hotel-Weber in Copenhagen. Very clean, friendly, walking
distance to station and good breakfast but, very noisy.
Stayed in the Grand Hotel for not much more in Oslo and was upgraded to junior suite overlooking Karl Johans Gate. Close to everything and a great breakfast! Make sure you book train travel early if traveling over a weekend - I wasn't able to book a train to Stockholm on Saturday or Sunday.
Norway in a Nutshell with Bergen added on was the highlight - a don't
miss!
David Spearman <email>
Suwanee, GA USA 08/11/03
Stockholm: Jon's Bike Tour
Worth every krona. I think Rick missed this bike tour, as he left Stockholm
a few days before Jon's opening. Jon provides great bikes (no helmets though),
great scenic routes (as he is from Stockholm), and an easy pace ; Not strenuous
(two slight hills). His biking outfit is in front of the Grand Hotel. This
is a must for anyone visiting Stockholm and is able to ride a bicycle---
oh by the way, Jon is very handsome!!
S
SF, CA USA 08/08/03
Denmark
I just finished the Scandinavian part of my two month journey. Rick's "Scandinavian"
book was most helpful and very thorough! I'll add: must visit Mon Klint,
and island in Denmark, which houses the white chalk cliffs. There are plenty
of pensions and b&b's.
stacey
SF, CA USA 08/08/03
Oslo Hostel
Anker Hostel is described in Rick's book as looking like a bomb shelter.
Perhaps the entrance does, and the hallways, but the rooms are quite pleasant.
We had a double room with its own bath, and it also included a fridge and
a stove. If my son had remembered to show his ISIC card, we would have gotten
it for 378 NOK per night, but we paid 420 NOK. Sheets, towels, and breakfast
are extra. I do recommend paying for the breakfast, though, even if 60 NOK
sounds pricey. The buffet is located in the hotel next door, and the selection
and abundance are very good. Breakfast will last you through until dinner.
Traveler <email>
Canada 08/04/03
Indian Restaurant in Oslo
There is a very nice Bengali restaurant on Storgata (intersection with Hausman's
Gate). It's across from the Anker Hostel. We were able to get a filling
dinner for about 50-70 NOK per person, which visitors to Oslo know is quite
cheap for that city. The proprietor is very friendly!
Traveler <email>
Canada 08/04/03
Norway
Bergen is a great place to start one's holiday! Bryggen walking tours using
the local guides are 3 star! The fish market is a great place to sample
smoked whale and raindeer meat. Also so good sweater bargains can be found.
Near the Aquarium is a great place to stroll (wooded) with harbor views
Takeout Pizza at Petes and going up the Floibanen in the evening was a hoot!
The trails were a bit confusing to us so we skipped it
Norway in a Nutshell trip was simply a must-do! The weather does not matter Stalheim hotel has a million dollar view out back! Don't miss it! Te bus ride down to the ferry was one to remember for a long time. Flam train when it stops now puts on a production at the waterfall. Make sure one gets out to see the ladies in red attempting to capture the hearts of the men. We would have enjoyed staying in the area but completed our journey in Oslo that evening.
We were surprised how much we enjoyed Oslo. Frogner (Vigeland) Park in the evening is wonderful! Bygdoy area I would only give a 2 star. Just because all the museums are also 2 star rated. Evening at the Frognerseteren restaurant, with views of the city. The tram up the hill was lots of fun: lots of bikers make the trip up in order to experience the ride down. And the ski jump in the evening was also wonderful. I greatly appreciate those jumpers now that I have seen the ski jump! City Hall should be 3 stars! Each Scandinavian city hall is the backbone of the city. What a thrill to stand where so many Nobel Peace Prize winners have stood.
All of Rick's walking tours are 4 star! I felt like you were next to us telling us what not to miss! The Norway Resistance Museum at Akershus Fortress was great. We caught up on our WWII history there; 2 stars! Good value on the tourist card. Vegeta Verthus restaurant was closed and appeared to be closed for the summer
Stockholm was another 4 star walking tour. Even found the 4 cm statue and all the Rick Steve fans posing at the phone booth. The City Hall was again a must see. Another world-class sight associated with the Nobel Prize. Changing of the guard and concert ranks a 2 star: fun to do if you catch it at the right time! Royal Armory: you got it right giving it a 3 star. Who would have guessed it to be so cool? Skansen Park, I consider a 2 star even though we were there with 40,000 Swedes singing in one of their "Al Sangs" (I didn't know the words, but it didn't seem to matter). The Vasa was a great place to see a ship (3 stars).
Cruise on Viking ferry to Helsinki was 3 stars! Great view, even better food and free wine! Great place to buy some duty-free wine. Since wine is a little more difficult and expensive to purchase in stores, this is a great place to buy some. It is worth the weight to buy a 4-5 dollar bottle of nice French wine
Helsinki: Another 4 star walking tour! Bus tour is over rated should be a 2 star. Most of the sights are in walking distance. Not sure it's worth $22. Both the Russian and Lutheran Cathedrals worth a visit. Rock Church! WOW, should have lingered there. Sibelius Monument: should have skipped; it was a nice day to spend in the park. Open Air Folk Museum: We thought this was one of the best ones. 2 stars! Even better with an English guided tour (3 stars). Sitting in a house smelling the smoke and hearing the guide explain what it was like &. A nice memory.
Great jet boat to Estonia. Estonia walking tour was maybe even a 5 star! We got a great deal at the Hotel Viru. This is now a classy (ugly) hotel in a great location. This is the place to purchase souvenirs. Tallinn was a great walled city to get lost in- one day works well here.
Aero Island, Denmark: 5 STARS! WOW! You got this completely right; thanks. You have to be lucky to catch the ferry after the train in Swendborg. If the train is late or the ferry is late you will not make it. No matter, it's a great town to spend some hours in; great pizza right next to the ferry dock. One can also leave luggage at the museum near the ferry. Aeroskobing on Aero Island: What a town! What a walking tour! What a biking tour! 4 stars! Great sunset view at 8:30 from the Bungalow Beach Hotel. Very relaxing with our wine bought on the Viking line ferry to Finland! This place is a jewel.
Copenhagen: City Hall should be 2 stars. It's free and a great place to wander around. Another great walking tour! Gefion fountain will be fully restored in the spring of 2004. The "Black Diamond" (Royal Library) should be 2 stars. Great view! At 1300 every day there is 3 min of music in the atrium. One flight up on the left is a place to discreetly check your email. Also there are some nice gardens out back. Tivoli Park on a Saturday: WOW! 3 stars, maybe 4! Christiania alternative community: you've got to see it to believe it!
All Scandinavian train stations are connected to airports via public
transportation and all train stations are in the heart of the old part
of the city! People are very friendly and love their summer sunlight.
It was wonderful being out in the long twilight evenings. It was a great
trip and we would do it again!
Stewart Callahan <email>
Mechanicsville, VA USA 07/27/03
Scandinavia Guidebook comments
We just returned from three weeks in Norway and Denmark. Lonely Planet and
Rick Steves' Scandinavia books were our principal resources. Overall Rick's
recommendations in Bergen, Oslo, Lillehammer, Aero and Copenhagen were great.
In Bergen the Vagsbunnen restaurant was an outstanding find in an otherwise expensive restaurant town.
In Oslo, just a few doors down the street, toward Storgata, from the Rainbow Spectrum Hotel is a restaurant "Kokker" which we found to be an excellent value. Incidentally, the Spectrum was a very nice place. Our six night stay was great since the sixth night is free with their card. Also, Rick's instructions on getting to Spectrum hotel are difficult unless you have a good map. Lilletorget doesn't exist until you are basically at the hotel. There is a much easier way to get there: leave the train station out the North entrance toward the bus terminal; go in front of the Radisson, keep left walking through the parking lot next to a small park, and you are there on Lilletorget. The hotel is just across the street.
At Mary's Bed & Breakfast in Lillehammer they told us that they are switching over to a B & B only and will no longer be a hostel. We didn't ask about their timetable since it didn't affect us.
In Arhus, Denmark we stayed at the Cab-Inn which we found to be clean and a good value at 730 DKK. In addition, you can get free internet access there. It is about a 10-12 minute walk from the train station. In Copenhagen we stayed with Puk and Holger De La Cour. They are very nice people but Risk's description is a bit misleading. First, it is really Holger, not Puk, that appears to run the place. Second, breakfast included with kitchen available in misleading. Food for breakfast is included for a DIY breakfast in their kitchen is actually correct.
The bus situation in Copenhagen right now is a real mess! They have changed
the bus numbers so that most guides and maps are wrong. Even with a "new"
bus route map, we found that many buses don't run where the map shows.
The good side is that the drivers are very friendly and helpful! In Denmark
we found that on trains where reservations were recommended, they were
usually a good idea. On the three hour IC train run from Bramming, north
of Ribe, to Copenhagen there were many people occupying the aisles because
they hadn't made a seat reservation.
Russ & Barb Crum <email>
Canton, MI USA 07/25/03
Park Hotel Vossevangen, Norway
My wife and I booked a weekend at Park Hotel Vossevangen in early June 2003.
The bathroom was dirty when we arrived, so we complained about this to the
manager. When the girl was fixing our room, we went down to the hotel cafeteria
for a quick lunch. The prices were horrible, the tables had remains after
the last 10 guests, and they started to play metal hard rock music while
we were trying to consume our ordered food (supposedly beef but it had more
similarities with a rubber shoe). Anyhow, we went for a walk to enjoy the
scenery of Voss. Voss is a small town in western Norway.The people are friendly
and the town is very beautiful. We went back to the hotel at 11.00 pm to
go to bed. When we tried to get into the hotel, we was stopped at the entrance
by a "doorkeeper" who demanded to know "Where we were going?" I tried to
explain to him that we were guests at the hotel and wanted to go to our
room. He said "wait here" and put his hand flat on my chest. So we had to
wait in a crowd with drunk, noisy and giggling youths until he come back
and we were deemed "acceptable." The following day we left this hotel and
had our last night at Fleiscers Hotel, a superb place compared to the Park
Hotel Vossevangen.
Edwin Hankø <email>
Oslo, Norway 07/23/03
Oslo Transport Mystery
We took a streetcar to (Frogner) Vigeland Park in Oslo. Due to construction
we had to transfer to Bus 20. Your book lists this bus but doesn't say that
it is necessary to take Bus 37 back to the city centre. We were out in the
suburbs before we managed to get this information from another passenger.
Also buying a bus or tram ticket is a bit of an enigma, and it is probably
possible to ride for free as there is no one to collect the tickets!
E. Larson <email>
Evergreen, CO USA 07/13/03
[Editor's note: Oslo, like many European cities, uses the "honor system" for validating your transit ticket. Look for a machine onboard that stamps the day and time on your ticket. If you are caught without a correctly validated ticket, be prepared to pay a fine of around $100. Also, individual rides are cheaper when you buy multi-ticket "klip korts" at convenience stores.]
Norway
A fee is charged for each travelers' check no matter the amount of the check.
We stayed in Balestrand on the Sognefjord which isn't covered in your book
but is a very special place. Kvikne Hotel is beautiful with good food. Charming
village.
E. Larson <email>
Evergreen, CO USA 07/12/03
Norway in a Nutshell
Rick mentions the Stalheim Hotel that the buses stop at on the Norway in
a Nutshell tour. It is presented as just a scenic stop. Rick does not mention
that the hotel is very reasonable and commanded one of the most beautiful
views I had ever seen. We tried to get a reservation on the spot but it
was booked, of course. Had I known that it was that reasonable and that
beautiful, I would have added an overnight on the Nutshell tour.
LE Hartmann-Ting <email>
Medford, MA USA 07/07/03
Stockholm versus Oslo
We used Rick's book for our trip to Scandinavia last year (Summer 2002).
The guidebook was wonderful, as usual, but we have a few comments: Rick
really underrates Stockholm, especially relative to Oslo. Oslo is a nice
city, but there is more to do in Stockholm and Stockholm is much more beautiful.
Plus Oslo (all of Norway really) is out of control expensive. One great
tip we would like to pass on for an inexpensive hot meal is to try the cafeteria
on Oslo's city hall. Our City Hall tour guide told us it is open to the
public after 12 or 1. We had lasagne, salad, bread and coffee for $3 a person!
L.E. Hartmann-Ting <email>
Medford , MA USA 07/07/03
Recent Norway Trip
Bergen: Arrived there by ferry from Newcastle, England & boy was that fun!
Ferry mainly full of English and Norwegians shuttling across the North Sea.
Bergen was nice and an eye-opening exposure to the dining costs of Norway.
Nothing prepares one for pizza for four and water (not bottled either) at
$50. Or Chinese food for $60. Holy cow! Bryggen is cool but the Hanseatic
Museum and Bryggens Museum is so-so for kids. Trip up to Mt. Floien is really
neat, with great views. We stayed at the Rainbow Bristol Bergen which was
a fair deal but their roll-away beds were a joke. They were made of wooden
slats that my skinny 9 and 11 year old daughters crashed through. Useless.
Speedboat to Flam was fantastic fun with a nice foreshadowing of the more intimate and slower fjord cruises that would await. Flam - stayed at the Heimly Pensionjate which was perfectly fine but hard to see why it was the most expensive place we stayed at on a three week trip. Flam is very quiet and relaxing but I'd say that Aurland is a better bet. It is still quiet but has some better options for eating, groceries, etc. Plus, Flam has those blasted big cruise ships that dominate the skyline.
The day cruise from Flam to Gudvagen and back is outstanding. My daughters met up with these other Norwegian girls and made some pen-pal friends. The sights are fantastic. Fjord cruising at its best.
Train ride from Flam to Myrdal to Oslo: yes, it was beautiful but Swiss train rides are just as nice. Interesting to see where all that water that fuels the fjord's waterfalls comes from. Answer: from extensive icefields that are seen along this trainride.
Oslo: a surprisingly pleasant city. Plenty to do and easy to get around
in. Bygdoy is great what with the Viking Ship Museum, the open air folk
museum and the Kon-Tiki Museum. Stayed in the Rainbow Terminus and you've
got a tough choice: open the window and put up with the noise, noise,
noise or keep them closed and feel the heat rise. Convenient to the train
station though. Best advice: eat well at the breakfast buffet, picnic
for lunch and pray for something affordable for dinner. If you're a vegetarian,
good luck! Takk Oslo!
Shonn
HdG, MD USA 07/01/03
Flåm, Norway
I work on a cruise ship, and have happily used Rick's advice to make all
of our day plans. His greatest tip: in Flåm Norway, if you are lucky enough
to get there and have a bit of adventure in you, take the train to Myrdål
and bike back down to the town. The most amazing experience we've had yet!
Thanks Rick, your books are making this job an adventure.
Coop
Boston, MA USA 06/29/03
Hotel in Kalmar, Sweden
The Frimurare in Kalmar, Sweden, is even better than Rick says. We had a
great view of the castle, the solarium was charming, etc. We liked it so
much that we added another night.
marit & barbara <email>
ames, ia USA 05/27/03
Stockholm hotels
In hard-to-find-a-room Stockholm, we enjoyed the Columbus Hotel on Sodermalm.
The staff were friendly & attentive, the courtyard was charming, and the
room was well-lit & basic, but charming. The Queen's Hotel no longer has
temperamental plumbing--in fact, it's brand new--but the staff is inattentive
to the point of refusing to make eye contact.
barbara & marit <email>
ames, ia USA 05/27/03
Visiting Scandinavia during Easter
The only disappointment on our recent trip to Sweden and Norway was that
almost everything was closed over Easter - and this means Thursday through
Monday! Even in the larger cities such as Bergen, Oslo, and Trondheim, almost
every store, most museums, and most restaurants were closed during these
five days. If you plan to visit Scandinavian countries over Easter, I would
suggest taking this into consideration. Although we ended up having a wonderful
time anyway, it was disappointing to have to miss many of the museums that
we had planned on seeing.
Jan
MT USA 04/27/03
Aarhus
We stayed a weekend in Aarhus in fall 2000. Loved it. We are aficionados
of eco-museums (Farm Museums) but the town museum in Aarhus was unique.
The only thing missing was the cobbler Gepetto sitting in the doorway with
Pinnochio on his lap. It's that kind of place.
If you are into archaeology as much as we are you will love the other local museum where the bog man is. Wonderful.
The third thing which stood out (literally) in my mind was the contents
of a store window. There, in full, flesh-colored, plastic splendor, were
reproductions of human genitalia, ready for purchase and display or whatever
alternate use one may have. I couldn't stop laughing for about 2 minutes.
Delightful.
Don S <email>
London, UK 01/07/03
Norway
We visited Norway this summer and I have a few comments. Bergen was the
place that most stands out in my mind. A small jewel of a city perched on
the sides of a small mountain. Jewel-tone painted clapboarded buildings
in the middle of beautiful fjords, woods, and hills. Eye candy. Forget the
old town and it's sweater shops. Go to Bergen for the views. The closest
thing I've seen in the US is parts of San Francisco and maybe Sausalito.
Oslo was a worthy but dull city in most respects, but the museums were fantastic. The old town museum was marvelous. Study up on Roald Amundsen and read all of Thor Heyerdahl's books and voyages before visiting Oslo and by ALL means see all three museums! For some reason the Heyerdahl museum, though the newest, was a blast from the past! Perhaps because it isn't smooth in the best-approved fashion(s) of current curators. This is the very personal vision of one man, a genius of his kind. Idiosyncratic.
The fjords were great, some of Europe's greatest natural beauties. Still
and all I'd advise people in the US not to come for the fjords alone.
Norway costs a bomb both to get to and to stay in. The US offers natural
wonders which at least equal anything Norway has to offer and for much
less dosh. Norway is inconvenient in some ways. It was almost impossible
to set up a tour to make good use of a car and the trains and ferries
on the same trip. Basically either-or. So to see the great stavekirks
I'll have to do another trip with a car. I'd also love to do the boat
trip up the coast to the Arctic circle. Fiercely expensive, especially
compared to what the same cash would buy us in France or Spain.
Don S <email>
London, UK 01/07/03
Tips for Scandinavia
As always, the Scandinavia guidebook was very helpful during our September,
2002, 25 days in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. The ferry/cruise to Helsinki--great!
We found a neat hotel in Stockholm: Langholmen, a former prison turned hotel.
Check it out! After Sept. 15, the Flam train cuts its schedule in half.
The train from Copenhagen to Stockholm is a little over 5 hours by high
speed train; an overnight probably isn't a good idea. Tivoli in the evening
provides lots of free entertainment--ballet, concerts, etc. Likewise, Saturday
afternoon on Karl Johans Gate in Oslo provides non-stop entertainment; we
listened to a Salvation Army band, watched a puppeteer, a balloon artist
(animals and the like for children), an organ grinder and myriad musicians
up and down the pedestrian street. The Lake Silyan area of Sweden would
be a wonderful addition to the Sweden portion of the guidebook. Tallberg
is especially folkloric. If you have relatives in Europe, take the time
to find them. We discovered 15 cousins in Denmark and several cousins in
Sweden.
Marlene and Jim Petersen <email>
Crystal Lake, IL USA 10/28/02
A year in Scandinavia
I just finished living a year in Denmark as an exchange student. Halfway
through the year as a gift this book was sent to me. Trains and everyday
stuff I had pretty much alraedy figured out. I spent Christmas in Ærø then
took short vacations with friends to other places withing Scandinavia. I
would have to say the book really helped me and my friends plans things
out. I would reccomend looking at the bus schedules in Jylland in advance.
They seem to be very scarce compared to Sjaelland. Sometimes we could be
waiting for a bus for up to 5 hours.
Jennie
Detroit, MI USA 10/12/02
Tallinn
I just visited Tallinn, which is a charming old city. Everyone is very friendly,
and most speak English. Prices have changed, however. The 24-hour Tallinn
Card is now 205 EEK, and the city tour is 200 EEK (worth it, especially
if you have time to visit your own choices later). Taxis from the airport
into town are now 75-100+ EEK. To the area of the Viru, Central, and Radisson
SAS hotels, the city bus is a bargain at 10 EEK (it doesn't go into the
old city). Food is excellent and very inexpensive!
Andrew Myron Johnson <email>
Greensbor, NC USA 09/26/02
pay toilets
We recently visited Denmark and Norway and followed many helpful tips from
this book. However, we thought it might be wise to mention somewhere in
the book that if you are training between countries, do make use of onboard
lavatories, as to our surprise, many restrooms in train stations require
a 5 kroner piece to unlock the door. If you don't happen to have a 5 kroner
piece, well, you're you-know-what out of luck!!
V Neven <email>
Chicago , IL USA 09/23/02
Scandanavia Hotels SCAN PLUS
We were plesently surprised this summer using a SCAN PLUS CARD for discounted
hotels in Scandanavia saving money when we found that for every 4 nights
you stay a 5th night is free. The good news is that the 5th night can be
at the most expensive SCAN PLUS hotel in the city. Stay 4 nights inexpensive
then savor a free expensive room on the 5th night. Good through the summer
until end of September and on weekends.
J Mullen <email>
Portland, or USA 09/14/02
Hotwel Det Lille, Aeroskobing
My wife's sister and brother-in-law followed our advice and made the side
trip to Aeroskobing, Denmark. Although they are seasoned travellers and
loved the place they were very disappointed in Rick's recommendation of
the sumptous breakfast at the Hotel Det Lille. Instead of a feast they found
the food there to be barely edible.
Bob Peck <email>
Irvine, CA USA 09/09/02
Viking/Silja line / Sweden to Finland
Hi, i just came back from Sweden, Finland and Estonia. One tip i wish i
would have known is that if your traveling by ship from Stockholm to Helsinki
or vice versa, reserve yourself a cabin so you can catch up on your sleep.
If there's none available, call the morning of departure and usually you'll
be able to book a cabin. Believe me, you'll want to do this. while the ship
is fun, after the 4 hour of chatting with people and discovering what the
ship has to offer, you'll want the down time to regroup and plan. Also,
if you are on a budget and can't afford the cabin, the Viking line has a
sleeping room on the 6th deck with lockers for your luggage. it fills up
quickly though. Viking is a party ship, so it's non-stop till 5am. i loved
my time there. beautiful countries.... happy traveling, debs
Deborah <email>
Lake Oswego, OR USA 09/05/02
Danish Resistance Museum
My mother and I just returned from a Baltic cruise and used Rick's guidebook
to help us plan our sightseeing time in Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Tallinn,
and Helsinki. We can't comment on his restaurant or hotel recommendations
since we were on the ship, but we had to write to say we completely disagree
with his recommendation of the Resistance Museum in Oslo over the Resistance
Museum in Copenhagen. Rick mentions both and says that, if you are prioritizing,
the one in Oslo is more interesting.
We found the Danish Resistance Museum so very much more interesting and
moving than the museum in Oslo. The Danish museum is laid out better and
more visitor-friendly in a variety of ways. It has wonderful, interesting
artifacts and good descriptions and historical background. We spent about
1/2 hour in the Norwegian museum (heavy on military statistics) and more
than 2 hours in the more wide-ranging Danish museum. The Danish Resistance
Museum is free on Wednesdays and also offers a free English tour on certain
days of the week in the afternoon (although we went through the museum
on our own - all displays are in English as well as Danish.)
Robin
USA 09/04/02
eating cheap in Oslo
I recently moved to Norway with my husband for 4 months. I am not able to
work while here and he is a student so we must try to spend as little money
as possible. For those who don't mind not getting the European experience
while dining, visiting the local IKEA in Oslo is a good cheap way to eat.
You can eat a complete meal in the stores restaurant upstairs, or you can
get a hot dog and a soda for Kr 10 in the snack area. We have made this
a twice weekly stop. It is also a cheap place to get an ice cream cone,
which is very popular here.
Christin <email>
Oslo, Norway 08/21/02
Scandinavia trip
I am doing a 3 week Scandinavia trip by myself, following Rick's recommended
itin for trains, but in a clockwise direction instead of counter-clockwise.
I am halfway thru my trip, and would like to share my experiences so far
before I forget.
Copenhagen--just passed thru, will see in detail on way back.
Aero--took train from Copenhagen to Nyborg, then bus to Svendborg, then ferry to Aeroskobing (sometimes the bus has better schedule than Odense-Svendborg train). Stayed 2 nights at Pension Vestergade, an absolute delight. Celia (Susanna's daughter) was a very gracious host. They gave me the top-floor 'view' room (450 kr per night single occ., slightly higher than Rick said, but absolutely worth it). Also did Rick's bike ride, very scenic, weather was cooperative (nearly missed sign for Lille Rise, it's near Dunkaer Kro).
Odense-Legoland-Arhus-Hirtshals: HC Andersen Museum was a disappointment. Legoland was like--well, Legoland. Bus connection was to/from Legoland was time-consuming. Took last train to Hirtshals (arrives 23:00).
Hirtshals-Kristjansand-Stavanger-Bergen: Here Rick's book is sparse on details since he focuses on a counter-clockwise route. The following works for clockwise: Hirtshals-Kristjansand color line ferry (30% discount for Eurailpass) 01:15-07:00. Kristjansand-Stavanger train 08:15-11:19. At Stavanger stn, grab taxi and beg him to speed you to Bergen Express ferry terminal (across town) in 10 min. Stavanger-Bergen by express catamaran 11:30-15:30 (only on weekdays, very scenic ride, calls at cute coastal towns on the way, prob better than bus). Catamaran approach to Bergen doubles as harbor cruise.
Bergen: stayed at Hordaheimen hotel (NOK 760 per night single occ), pretty good hotel. View from Mt Floien is spectacular (summer evening concerts at the mt-top restaurant). In Bryggen, Unicorn restaurant has good food but overly expensive prices.
Norway in a Nutshell: bus ride to Gudvangen down corkscrew hairpins is
as scary as advertised. Gudvangen-Aurland/Flam ferry was overrun by tourists
(would recommend taking later ferry if staying overnight in Aurland or
Flam allows more time). Stayed at Aabelheim Pension in Aurland--adequate
but not memorable. That's it for now. Part 2 after I finish my trip.
B Chui <email>
San Jose, CA USA 08/18/02
Scandinavia
This is the 3rd time we have used your guidebooks for independent foreign
travel and they are the best! Just returned from 3 weeks in Scandinavia
and St. Petersburg, Russia. The tips in the Scandinavia book that are right
on are: Hotel Anna in Helsinki (although ask for a room NOT on the street-the
bar next door is noisy ALL night long), Erik's B& B in Billund, DN-lovely
retreat, English tour at Christianborg Palace in Copenhagen is excellent!,
Vasa museum in Stockholm-wow!. Stockholm and Helsinki cards were worth getting-
not the Copenhagen one-more discount oriented than free admission. City
bus tour in Stockholm was waste of time and money. Other bus tours good.
Color Line ferry to Denmark not as nice as Silja line to Stockholm. Pg.
38 "Amalienborg Palace...described under "Sights" below" is not be be found
there or anywhere.
Barbara Brandt <email>
Palm Harbor, FL USA 08/12/02
Scandinavia ports of call
I love your book. What is missing is port locations and info for cruise
ship travelers. That would really help me to better plan my day excursions.
Thanks for listening.
Lynn Kearns <email>
Trabuco Canyon , CA USA 08/07/02
Scandanavia & The Baltics
Just spent 4 weeks visiting Riga, Tallinn, Helsinki, Stockholm, several
stops in Norway,Copenhagen & Hamburg. Riga was far & away the surprise knockout
of the trip. Took the jet ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn, then Euroline
Bus roundtrip to Riga.
Be forewarned if you use Eurolines however. The "factual reality" can differ wildly from the information on their website. We bought tickets direct from Eurolines at the Tallinn Bus Station, but when we tried to return from Riga, the bus line for which the tickets were issued refused to accept the Eurolines Tickets. They claimed they were issued incorrectly & would not board us. Worse still, the Eurolines Office at the Riga Bus Station agreed that the tickets were issued incorrectly & totally refused to do anything about it. They claimed that Eurolines in Tallinn "consistently" issues incorrect tickets, so they will neither refund nor reissue them.
As a result, we had to stay an extra night in Riga and buy new tickets back to Tallinn. This may be a scam being run by the Euroline Operator in Tallinn, since we checked with a Eurolines Office in Stockholm & was told they hear growing numbers of similar stories about Eurolines in the Baltics.
Nonetheless, Latvia & Estonia are both fantastic & highly recommended. For lovers of great architecture, Riga is a knockout. The old town is big & bustling & full of bars & cafes.
We stayed at Radi Un Duragi & liked it, but warn you not to use their laundry service. Although prices in the Baltics & especially Riga, are 1/10th what they are in Scandinavia, the laundry service was the most expensive of the entire trip. That is probably why no price list was in the room, even though there was a sheet touting the service. We made the mistake of "assuming" the service would be priced similar to everything else & learned the hard way that was not correct. Otherwise, the hotel is fine & has a great location, only a 5-10 minute walk from both bus & train stations.
We used Hotel Bentley in Stockholm & were pleased. However, be sure to ask for rooms on the 1st or 2nd floor, which have been nicely remodeled. Those on the 3rd floor & elsewhere are the exact opposite of pleasant, but priced the same.
We used Cochs Pension in Oslo, which was fine. Took the night train to Trondheim, then wondered why we went to the trouble. Highly recommend what is called the Golden Route, just south of Trondheim. Take the train to Dombas, then connect for the 1 hour ride to Andalsnes. Scenery like that surrounding Flam, & we were the only persons on the train in both directions. Connect back through Dombas to continue your journey.
We took the 8 am train from Oslo to Myrdal to make the connection to Flam. We had heard that while Flam was in a spectacular setting, it was the typical tourist trap operation. So we merely took the ride down, bought a hot dog for lunch & went right back up, to make the connection on for an earlier arrival in Bergen. The train ride & scenery should not be missed though.
Stayed at the Bergen Guesthouse & found it acceptable. It's just around the corner from the Crowded House Hotel, which makes big claims about their "good deals". Crowded House charges 690 NOK for a double with bath, but has no breakfast. There are lots of other nearby alternatives that charge 600-650 & include breakfast. Don't ignore the fact that having breakfast included is a BIG benefit, due to costs in general in Norway.
Also found a bargain in Hamburg, via the internet. Though we usually
avoid chain hotels, the Holiday Inn Crown Plaza had a 58 Euro rate for
a double (!), down from the usual 200 Euros, while 2 floors undergo renovation.
The work doesn't start until 9 am & ends late afteroon & they didn't work
at all on Sat or Sun, so it was zero problem. The hotel is a 10 minute
walk from the train station & you get deluxe accommodations for a bargain
rate.
Sid <email>
TX USA 07/22/02
Scandinavia
We used the 2001 Scandinavia and were generally delighted. Should state
that we are two couples in our late 60s. Travel was for nearly a month and
covered Stockholm and Visby in Sweden, Helsinki and Tailinn and most of
the time in Denmark.
In Stockhom stayed at the Rica City Gamla Stan. Considerably lss expensive than the Lady Hamilton or the Victory but same great location with a marvelous breakfast, including fresh organge juice. We stayed four nights and enjoyed as many boat trips as possible and also walking the Old Town. A good start is a two hour boat trip. Visby, a walled Hanseatic town on the island of Gotland is worth the trip. Should stay at least two nights, rent a car, and explore the beaches, too.
Wish we had spent more that one night and day in Helsinki. It is not old in sense of other places but amazing architecture. Esplanade is wonderful walking area and hosts an open air craft market. Stayed at the Lord and found staff very obliging and rooms comfortable.
Tallinn also was worth a day more that we had. Enjoyed using your walking tour guide, interspersed with frequent coffee stops. Prices very reasonable at shops for sweaters and amber at the Amber House. Stayed at a new hotel, the Domina City. For less than the St. Petersburg, one can get a well appointed room with a good breakfast. Only place we had problems was with Estonian Air staff at airport before flight to Denmark.
We spent 16 days in Denmark. Highlight of trip was taking both the apartments at Gitte Kongstad's in Amager. It gave us the opportunity to live like the Danes. Gitte is warm and welcoming and apartments are well appointed and very comfortable with a lot of charm. There are two TVS and two CD players. We had a teen aged granddaughter join us for a week on the living room sofa bed and she thus had access to TV and music of her taste.
Enjoyed going round the corner every morning for fresh rolls and kringle, the best of the morning pastries. Flats are a 3-5 minute walk from several bus routes which all take about ten minutes to get you to various key locations in central Copenhagen. Buses run every few minutes and schedules are posted and followed so you don't have to wait a long time. By next Fall the new Metro will run from the corner into downtown.
Location is also near a great beach, close to Dragor (an old fishing village) and Amager Boulevard, a shopping area with good cafes and shops that locals use with reasonable prices. We were there during some warm weather and could have windows open, cross ventilation and still have quiet. Street is a cul de sac so there is no through traffic.
House is on the corner and thus has a large side as well as a back yard. This is set with chairs and tables and makes a wonderful place to have coffee and relax at the start and end of a busy day of sightseeing. Would work well with children, too.
There is also a washer and dryer available on the ground floor so that dealing with laundry is easy. We enjoyed feeling like Danes and it is also a good set up for people of all ages.
Another plus is that the low cost of accomodations enabled us to take
overnight trips and leave our belongings behind. This we traveled lightly
for three days to Jutland. We enjoyed Ribe but also would recommend Silkeborg
for spectacular lake area and archaeology. Having visited Aero before,
we skipped it this time. If people have time and a car when touring, suggest
the coastal routes rather than the motorways. Longer but great views and
small fishing villages now mostly summer sites for Danes.
Barbara Hornum <email>
Philadelphia, PA USA 07/15/02
Helsinki - Tallinn
There are new ferry companies springing up constantly, so shop around. Last
weekend I took Linda Line from Helsinki to Tallinn and it was absolutely
horrible; the boat was old and dirty, the seats uncomfortable, the air-conditioning
nonexistent. The following day I switched to Nordic Jet Lines and it was
like night and day. The boat was big, pleasant, and the same cost as Linda
Line; it took only 10 minutes longer despite being a car ferry too.
Peter
Brussels, Belgium 07/14/02
Scandanavia with kids
We have been stationed in Germany for almost 3 years and this was our 5th
big trip with Rick's books. It was from 2001. We have never traveled by
train before because its expensive and we have a 3 year old. Due to the
big distances involved we took a night train from our home near Nurenburg
to Copenhagen and back. It was a little over $200 for the 3 of us round
trip. A private sleeper was another $100 a night. There are luggage storage
lockers in the hall and barely enough room to turn around in the room. The
trains have showers, WC and small breakfasts.
We would do it again but pay attention. They don't announce the stops well and we missed our stop going home along with 5 other people in our car because the train was running 20 minutes early. We got home eventually but it was a pain. One note-some new trains have play rooms in one end with DVD's and other stuff. Also, conductors will let you move into the private sections on cars if they aren't booked and you look pitiful with your kid.
We went through Use-It in Copenhagen. A very helpful place with storage lockers and internet. We stayed in a private home near Christiana. Nice enough but like staying with your aunt you only see once a year. We've done this before in other places and its ok.
We used the bus in every city. If you have a kid in a stroller, one parent can get on through the big middle door and not have to pay.
We took several day trips from Copenhagen and I highly recommend the Viking Ships in Roskilde. The ships are nothing special but the movie explaining how they were built was great. We also went to Hillerod and Helsingor for the castles. Hillerod is worth going into. We spent a night at the Hotel Hillerod and it was pretty cheap and nice. We had our only train trouble when we tried to leave Helsingor for Hillerod and our train was delayed an hour. We almost missed our next connection out of town.
The night train from Copenhagen to Stockholm leaves at 2300 and arrives at 0630. You change trains once from Copenhagen. The ticket guy got us there just in time but I think if we had gone earlier we could have boarded sooner and gotten to sleep. They let us stay on the train until 0715 since it was the last stop. These trains are like a 1960's movie. No luggage storage but nice enough.
We had the TI at the train station get us a cheap hotel in Stockholm; that was great.
We took Silja lines to Helsinki and Tallinn. If you ask for a package deal, they can get you a hotel in either Helsinki or Tallinn, plus the SuperSeaCat trip and still get the cheap rate on the cruise.
Suggestion for this trip. Get off the ship and put your stuff in storage lockers to your right before you exit. 2 Euros per locker per day, exact coins only. Take the bus tour (book on board to save time) and get off at the market near the harbor. Shop and see the Russian Church then go back to the harbor and take the SeaCat to Tallinn. Spend the night there and spend as much time in Tallinn as you can. Then go back to Stockholm. You don't need to exchange money as they take every kind of money there is. Exchange rates were fair. We exchanged money and they clerk gave us such big bills we couldn't spend them until we bought something big. Great sweater shops near the outer walls.
We spent the night in Helsinki and it was a waste. Nice city, very clean but just another city.
Eating on the ships is not cheap. We suggest you eat lightly before you board and then go to the a la carte resteraunt and get the all you can eat desert buffet. The food is good but heavy on the seafood, which I'm not crazy about. I don't care how good the cavier and herring pate is, I prefer a burger. There is a kid's buffet with some good kid's stuff.
There was no night train from Stockholm to Oslo (5 hours by fast train) and no night train from Oslo to Copenhagen (8 hours by fast train). This screwed up my planning and I had to change some things en route. Maybe the 2002 book addresses this.
We did the Norway in a Nutshell trip on our own with our Scanrail passes. Easy to do but book as soon as you get there. Trains fill up days in advance. We did it as a day trip because of the kid and luggage. A better way would be to take the night train to Bergen (there is one) and see Bergen. Do the fjord as a daytrip from there and then take the night train back. To do this as a day trip, you have to be on the ball. Miss one connection from train to boat to bus to train and you will be spending the night in the woods. Bring your lunch with you and eat on the boat. This worked great for us.
We loved the Viking Ships and the Fram Museum. The Kon Tiki ships are ok but worth it only because they are right there. Many buildings in the Folk Museaum are being repaired due to roof damage and are covered in tarps and scaffolding. Still, it has a cool Stave Church.
Every city has a tourist card. Worth it only if you can get into several sites in a day or if you have a family of 4 who would all have to pay admission. Since the hours to the sites are all short, you will be hard pressed to see more than a few things a day.
We had the TI in Oslo book us a room but there was a convention in town and it was expensive. We stayed at the Scandic right next to the train station. Expensive, small rooms but the breakfasts were good and the convience to the station and bus stops was worth something on our early and late days. Its back door opens into the mall with several restaurants and grocery stores.
Buy a 5 day Scanrail pass. Before you buy a 10 day one, figure how many days exactly you will use it and for how far. Short day trips only cost $10 a person or so. We used ours 7 days and only broke even. The only discount I saw was on the Nutshell trip.
We never saw a laundromat anywhere. We did some laundry in the sink and finally had to pay through the nose to have a hotel service do the big stuff. Worst laundry situation I've seen in Europe.
It rained EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR 14 DAYS. Some days only a little, other days for hours. Pack warm, bring rain gear and cold remedy stuff. You can't even buy Tylenol without a prescription from a doctor. Pharmacies are