Best of Scandinavia in 14 Days Tour

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"the visit to the fjords"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

More than we exoected

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The fjords"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful trip effectively showcasing the best of Scandinavia— scenery, culture, history, food, museums and other sites. Asa was our outstanding guide who was able to share her deep knowledge of many subjects in an entertaining way.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Transiting the spectacular Norwegian mountains with overnight stay followed by fjord cruise."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves' tour. I could not imagine a more knowledgable and entertaining tour guide, as well as a congenial and compatible group of fellow travelers as accompanied us on this two-week Scandinavian experience. The itinerary was well planned and provided us with opportunities to become immersed in the culture unlike any of our previous foreign travel experiences.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The two "wow" moments were during our stay on Aero Island and Aeroskobing and our days spent in the Jotunheimen Mountains and the overnight stay at the Roisheim Hotel. The quaint and charming ambience of the Aero Islands and the rugged and raw beauty of the Norwegian Mountains were spellbinding!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great guides, great food, great choices, wonderful in all respects!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Vasa ship, surely the best for me"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great tour. Nice group of fellow travelers, wonderful itinerary, superbly organized and Åsa was a wonderful guide. She was knowledgable, energetic, and was great at sharing her experiences with the history, customs, and sights of Scandinavia.The local guides and Heidi (assistant) were informative and lended their own expertise. It was a great tour in a beautiful part of Europe!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In terms of sights, the mountains and fjords of Norway particularly the overnight at Røsheim Lodge. But what I keep thinking most about is one of Asa's talks as we were on the bus. She took a hypothetical Swede we named "Swen" and went through his entire life explaining the government entitlements that he received, some of the social customs, and how the social values are reflected and strengthened with the state policies. I learned as much about Sweden in that hour then I did from the sights!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a great experience to travel through the three Scandinavian countries, experiencing their individual geographies, cultures, history, people and cuisine. Asa, Heidi, Mikeal the driver, and our fellow travelers each made the trip very enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Driving through Norway's Jotunheimen Mountains and the Sognefjord cruise."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I enjoyed it tremendously.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Ariving in Oslo aboard the overnight ferry from Copenhagen. It was a privilege to be a member of the (supposedly) last tour group to experience this."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What a great time! Our trip was filled with beauty, history, education, laughter, camaraderie and wonder. Our guide, Åsa, was wonderful from the time we met. She kept the tour fun while we were learning about Scandinavia. Her enthusiasm was inspiring. Our apprentice guide, Heide, was also very knowledgeable and fun. It was more fun to have a a Swede AND a Dane as our guides?? We had a great tour group as well. A wonderful bunch of new travel friends! No grumps! So I guess we liked the tour??

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Røisheim Hotel! The bath tubs! The food! The owners and staff! The rustic charm! The bathtub accessed via ladder! One more if I may. Our local guide in Stockholm, HÅkan (sp?) invited us into his home as part of our tour. To get that close and personal was a gesture above and beyond. There was a bonding that seemed to take place and we were given yet another example of, how he put it, “we’re all the same”. ??"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The three best moments: Hokan's tour of old town Stockholm and his home; Asa's picnic of Swedish delights on the way to Copenhagen; the boat tour we hired in Stockholm during the first day.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably the night and morning in Kalmar, which had a great underground restaurant and a fabulous medieval history narrated by Asa and a castle guide."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

From start to finish this was conducted so professionally and with such attention to details. And it was overall a lot of fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Copenhagen on a warm Friday afternoon with sun shining. Everyone was out riding bikes, jogging, walking, swimming, taking in the last of summer in the most lively fashion!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an amazing tour. I could not have gone to those places on my own independently. Ylva is an excellent guide. She brought Scandinavia’s history and culture to a level I could understand and appreciate it. The group was welcoming and friendly.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The fjords are my “wow “ moments but the cities were a joy to explore too."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Ylva & Leif (bus driver) were an outstanding team! Due to a landslide outside Oslo, our trip was reworked with a new hotel & route! Leif was exceptionally adept at navigating the hairpin turns on a route he had not driven before. Finding a hotel to accommodate 28 on a Friday night, with dinner & breakfast was challenging, but Ylva was successful & many felt adding Lindstrom Hotel in Laerdal, Norway to future Scandinavian tours would be a pleasant change. Small, quiet town. Stunning scenery.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Frogner Park & Gustav Vigeland's Sculpture Park (Oslo, Norway). Breathtaking sculptures in a stunning setting.... such a peaceful before dinner activity! I MUST mention our stay on AEro Island (Denmark)!! charming, colorful houses. fabulous weather. comfortable room at Pa Torvet. love-able local guide, John (known as Louisa's husband) & learning how AEro has revived their economy (w/weddings) & the entrepreneurial partnerships being developed (AEro Whiskey, restoring buildings on town square)."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was well organized and executed. Ylva is a pro and guided us through highlights of Scandinavia as well as giving us historical background. As usual, the tour members were very pleasant and compatible.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It would have to be our first sight of fjords above Aurland at Stegastein viewpoint. Wow! - hardly describes the beauty! We had a spectacular, sunny day and that first view was amazing. It continued in “Wow mode” on the unforgettable ferry ride from Flam."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The Scandinavia tour was busy, but filled with a lot of sight-seeing as well as interesting learning about culture, politics, society and values of the Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Denmark, Norway). It was a time of learning for me and a great experience of being comfortably uncomfortable which to me was a sign of growth.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being invited into the home of our local tour guide in Stockholm and being able to ask about what they liked about Swedish society, politics and living in Stockholm."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I really enjoyed this tour. The tour guide, Ylva, was wonderful, and the local guides at each of the towns we stayed really helped to bring the history and culture alive for us.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several wow moments on this tour... the beauty of Aero Island, the charm of Oslo, the breathtaking fjord cruise, and the astounding travel through the mountains of Norway. I was thoroughly enchanted."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was well organized and communication from our guide was excellent! Liked the wide variety of experiences and opportunities provided by the trip. Free time was nice and appreciated the suggestions provided of things to do during free time. Orientation walks upon arrival in new cities were very helpful. Appreciated the encouragement we received from our guide to have meaningful conversations with local people. Liked the smaller group size!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My husband and I do not enjoy group tours, in general. My wow moment came when I realized that I was enjoying myself - on a group tour!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very interesting countries. They have many aspects in common but are distinctly different.The guide was knowledgable, the tour group traveled very well together...............................................................

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The amazing beauty taking the ferry trip up a fjord."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a wonderful, pretty comprehensive tour of major cities of Scandinavia.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the beautiful city of Stockholm, especially along the harbor. Of course, it was our first stop!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide (Nina) did a fabulous job guiding us through each of the countries. She provided us with a ton of history and little surprises along the way which was very thoughtful. And, as someone with Celiac Decease, she did her best to make sure my GF needs were met. As with our last RS tour, all of the local guides were outstanding especially Haakan in Stockholm. Our driver (Christer) was funny, witty and navigated us through some difficult spots. Nina and him seemed to pair up very nicely.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The bike ride exploring the Aero Island countryside and the Sognefjord cruise in Norway on the electric ferry. So quiet, smooth and breathtaking!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful! First tour of any kind, so was unsure what to expect. Size of group (25) was good, ample free time, GREAT tour guide (Nina) who was knowledgable, kept us engaged and paced the schedule well. Provided meals were were highlights, hotels were comfortable and well located, plenty of good options to keep us busy. Learned so much about the 3 Scandinavian countries, their histories, similarities and differences.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to pick one, but probably travel through the mountains in Norway – including our stay at Röisheim. Close second was the fjord cruise."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour guide did an excellent job and her humorous personality and manner of speaking was enjoyable. We saw many beautiful sites and the commardry amongst the whole group was good.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Fjords in Norway."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very enjoyable, the experience matched the itinerary.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Several, in no order: Vasa Museum; Roskilde Viking ship & Kon-Tiki museums; Sognefjord cruise; Stockholm & Oslo Nobel Museums; mountain dinner"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

excellent group, all guides wonderful, Nina knowledgeable and friendly as well as patient and organized.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"when we were in Stockholm our local guide invited us all to his apartment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Every day revealed new delights in Scandinavia. Some were in the historic hearts of urban capitals. Some were on a remote island, or in countryside, mountains and fjords, or on an overnight ferry. Our excellent guide, Pal Johansen, used the time on extended bus trips to share charming stories of growing up in Norway, as well as insights into the cultural differences between each country, their Viking past and historic rivalries. The group meals and accommodations were all excellent. Great trip!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It happened while I was walking after dinner on a coastal trail on Aero island on a beautiful balmy summer night. As I walked, I watched the stars compete with the softly glowing lights of a nearby village and listened to the waves lapping a few feet from the path. Sometimes the quiet moments are the best ones."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic tour! The itinerary was impeccably planned to perfection. Our tour guide, Pal, was the best of the best. He was very knowledgeable, kind, caring, and inclusive. Plus, he always had a special treat for us on the bus--chocolate, fresh berries, licorice, and cinnamon buns. The hotels were in prime locations and of high quality, the included breakfasts were exceptional, and the group dinners allowed us to sample the local cuisine. Fabulous!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite "wow" moments were seeing the incredible Vasa warship in Stockholm; going for an early morning jog in Copenhagen and stumbling upon the "Little Mermaid" statue, so peaceful in the early morning light; and spending the day biking through the beautiful fields and farms of Aero."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Cruise on a fjord. Outstanding scenery."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Scandinavian tour went very well (as all previous RS tours have). Pal did an outstanding job with a great mixture of information, history, humor and insight in to the area. I would definitely recommend this to anyone interested in the area and culture.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Many choices. Probably the best were the ferry coming up the Oslo fjord or the drive over the Norwegian mountains to Bergen."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was great

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The fiord trip in Norway"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

our 4th Steves tour......it lived up to the usual great experience. Our guide Asa was fantastic, she had a ton of knowledge about each city and country. She even coordinated her daily dress to match the activity or visit we would experience that day. The showers in the hotels had a lot to improve on......but we understand they were typical European bathrooms. The meal selections were excellent. This Scandinavian trip addded some "firsts" for the trip, all of these new choices were fine.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The stay and experiences on AEroskobing Island (AEro Island). How this small island turned an economic disaster into a prosperous Wedding/Whisky/Beer destination.......going from a couple of weddings a week to near 2500 a year now.....brilliant!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First RS tour, amazing! It was very energetic and we walked miles. Tour guide Åsa was awesome, informative, very helpful and knowledgeable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Æro Island was delightful. But it's hard to choose just one wow moment, there were many."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was our first trip to Europe and went exactly as advertised. Our guide was absolutely outstanding - very knowledgeable, personable and kept it fun. The local guides were an unexpected bonus and added a lot of local knowledge. It seemed like there were quite a few extras that wouldn’t happen on other tours and never if you traveled on your own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Vasa was stunning."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

"Oh-sa", our tour guide, was the most entertaining, creative, fun-loving, well informed guide I've ever had on any of my 4 tours with the Rick Steves tour company. Different stops on this tour.The glass factory and a cheese making stop and I believe a Viking stronghold . The cheese factory and the Viking defense grounds should stsayon the itinerary. I have visited Chihuly in Seattle and Murano Island in Venice so the glass visit wasn't insightful. They did their best to entertain. I danced a lot

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Fjord Country!!! And Aero Island. I biked and it was an other worldly experience. I want to return to that island someday. The accommodations in the Jotunheimen mountains. I loved all the trees!! And the water."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Asa was truly a wonderful guide. She was very known about all aspects of the Scandinavia. She was also very friendly and entertaining- singing and dancing. The sites were well chosen. Going to the glass factory and the brown cheese factory was a special treat as well. The only negative that I have is the shower set up in the hotels. They need to put up hooks to hang your clothes while showering so they don’t get wet. Don’t need the day trip on the fjords- too long

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved the Island of Aero, the beauty of elvster, the fjords and Bergen. Copenhagen and Stockholm had so much history. I also loved the fact that they are all trying to decrease the carbon footprint. The food was wonderful- except the herring ??. Our guide, Hakan took us to his home which was a great treat. All our guides were wonderful, friendly and able to paint a wonderful picture of their city. Richard that played HC Anderson was an extra bonus"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very difficult to pick a single experience that was VERY GOOD with the exception of ASA, our RS Tour guide. ASA began our tour with an exceptional greeting in Stockholm. We were received at the hotel with open arms and the introduction of our total group of 27 guests. There was a GLASS FACTORY, FOOT FERRY, and our exceptional bus driver Pienia (sp).

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beauty of Scandinavia."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great trip sightseeing and meeting new friends. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and attentive to the needs of our group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Most memorable for us was the time spent on the island of Aero, a combination of relaxation, history, beautiful scenery and camaraderie."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a fun, educational and beautiful trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the old town center of Stockholm"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour guide, Asa, was excellent. One of the best guides in my experience and I have traveled a bit. Scandinavia is a lovely area to visit: very historical, full of wonderful arts and museums. These countries felt safe and welcoming and fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Kon Tiki which I read about in high school in the 1960's. The glass factory tour and dinner with dancing. Riding along incredible landscapes with music and chocolates."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I learned so much about these amazing countries and their unique and conjoined histories. Our guide was so knowledgeable and made our experiences incredibly interesting. Local guides were excellent and enthusiastic as well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into the Vasa museum and seeing this enormous ship that was preserved for all to see. Similar feelings when I saw the Viking field of long houses surrounded by the huge walls of protection in Trelleborg."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful experience. The weather was outstanding throughout and our fun and energetic guide (Ylva) provided a backdrop of history and culture to each day. I especially liked the information about modern Scandinavian life, from taxes and healthcare to music and marital status.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting the actual home of our local guide in Stockholm (and learning that it was also the home of our tour guide). Also, the "chance" meeting of Hans Christian Andersen on the streets of Copenhagen."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our 6th Rick Steves tour and it did not disappoint! Our guide, Ylva was wonderful in every way and made our travel experience delightful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Very difficult to decide but our stay on Ero Island and our overnight in the Jutenheim Mountains at the Elvester Inn were favorites."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Fjord cruise"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful experience, wonderful countries and great group members. Ylva was a great source of information

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Overnight cruise from Copenhagen to Oslo"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Rediscovering my Scandinavian roots, making new friends who enjoy traveling too and having a marvelous, knowledgeable and discreet tour hostess made the experience all that I could hope for.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Oslo was my favorite. The overnight ferry, the Oslo fjord, waterfront sauna huts, evening sunset jazz cruise, Vigeland open air sculpture garden, modern progressive city with deep Norse roots were the highlights."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful tour guide, Ylva Gunillasdotter! We fell in love with Sweden, Denmark and Norway and came home filled with facts, hygge, and unforgettable memories!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to choose just one. Bike riding in the countryside on Aero Island in Denmark with Ylva and some of our group was one of the most Nordic activities I loved."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Exceptional guide, congenial traveling group, nicely balanced and well paced itinerary, beautiful sights!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero Island - Regeneration Project, Night Watchman tour, and free time!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved Scandinavia! Full of water, bikes and clean streets. As always I enjoyed learning about the history and cultures of the countries. There is a good balance of leader led tour time and independent time. Rick Steve's tour members and the guides are always wonderful and this tour did not disappoint!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"When the rain stopped and the sun peaked through the clouds and we were able to fully enjoy the fiords."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This tour was a wonderful overview of Sweden, Denmark and Norway! Our tour guide Ylva was great and very knowledgeable. We had great participants! No complainers! I appreciated the mix of activities and of course the opportunities to try culturally relevant foods!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our local tour guide Hokan in Sweden took us up to see an apartment and it turned out to be the one he and our tour guide shared. It was so wonderful that they invited our whole group into their home and we could see first hand how Swedes live."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A wonderful Rick Steves'...again! We had a wonderful guide to go with a wonderful group of new friends.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many wow moments but my favorite was the amazing natural wonders of Norway."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great Tour! Interesting mix of big cities, smaller towns and beautiful scenery! Ylva was a great guide, sharing a lot of knowledge of Scandinavian culture and politics. We enjoyed her positive and enthusiastic attitude. Great tour members, fun bus driver and overall awesome experience!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Favorite part of the tour was Norway. Oslo is a beautiful, interesting city and Norway scenery is out of this world!!! The drive thru the Norway mountains and the Sognefjord fyord cruise were spectacular. Ærøskøbing, on Ærø island in Denmark was also a highlight. Cool small village, fun local guides, fun bike ride and awesome hotel!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The places we visited were good. Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo are musts, I suppose, but balanced with Kalmar, Aero, Roskilde, Lillehammer/Maihaugen, the Mountains, the fjords and Bergen, it made for an outstanding tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I'm a small-boat nut, so the boat workshop at the Viking Ship Museum was just wow for me. And Aero Island is a place I could stay forever."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Three fascinating countries, especially in the current US political environment. Wonderful guides - both tour leader and local guides. A great mixture of activities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The tranquility and charm of Aero Island."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very educational - loved learning about the culture, government, food, religion (or lack thereof), etc.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Fjords in Norway"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

wonderful guide, interesting places to see, good combination of planned tours and free time

Favorite "WOW" moment

"hiking to a waterfall in Norway and swimming in the Baltic Sea"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Second RS tour thought the first couldn't get any better. It did

Favorite "WOW" moment

"First taste of caramelized goat cheese"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Laundry! Even though it states that Scandinavia doesn’t have many laundry mats finding any was extremely difficult. Found a Wine/Beer bar on a college campus with 4 wash machines and two dryers. Caught the tram home at 12:30am with clean but wet clothes. Would be nice if the tour had a list of any laundry mats. The sinks are rather small.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This was a reunion trip with friends from RS 21 days of Europe tour 6 years ago. Had a great time with my old buddies."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Scandinavian tour was overall excellent. Our guide Gabriella was highly knowledgeable, and the bus driver Michel(sp.?) was professional and a great person to get to know.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I will never forget the charming Aero Islands in Denmark."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was better than I envisioned. Gabriella is one of the best tour directors I have experienced with 4 Rick Steves tours completed - energetic, organized and positive. Michael the bus driver was a valued team member, and we enjoyed drinking a beer and sharing meals with him. I learned so much about history individually and how independent the Swedish and Norwegian people are from Denmark.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Jotenheimen drive through Norway - stunning scenery and the bus driver competently negotiating the 1.5 lane road with mere inches to spare. The other "wow" moment happened when Hakan, the local guide for Gamla Stan in Stockholm, invited us to his home to use the facilities."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Surprising, delightful and warming.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Not sure there is one "wow" moment...except not knowing what to expect and discovering similarities but differences in lifestyle, beauty and history. The overall feeling that there is a system that people fare well and to the tourist eye it feels like they have not lost that..."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was another tremendous tour. Gabby was a super tour guide and worked hard to ensure that everyone was having fun. The pace was just right and the free time that we had allowed that flexibility that makes a Rick Steves tour so great. We learned a lot about the three countries, their history, culture and people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tough to come up with one but having our tour guide's father who is also a Rick Steves guide, take the group up to their apartment to have a chat session was great. The wonderful boat trip on the Norway fjord was a day that we won't ever forget."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was very active, with a good mix of downtown big city and time in the countryside. The meals were outstanding and the local tours were very interesting.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beautiful scenic drive through the Norwegian mountains and floating down the fjord were spectacular!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour was well organized and we enjoyed interesting sites.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Just about everything was a wow!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Scandinavia was beautiful as expected. Nina was an excellent guide and the people in our group seemed to bond and really care about each other. We think everyone felt like they were part of the group and wanted to help others.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Sognefjord ferry cruise was amazing! The ferry took us close to a series of waterfalls, breathtaking beauty, the mountains, the glaciers and the colorful small farms and cottages."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was excellent, especially the Viking and Heyerdahl ships and the Norway scenery. I was disappointed that we only had one day in Copenhagen and half of that was taken up by a walking orientation tour. So many things to see and so little free time to see them. Our guide, Nina, was excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Norway fiords"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an amazing trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I am a big history fan and was very interested in the Viking era. I saw so many artifacts form that era and was able to relate to the poeple of that time. My favorite quote from a Swedish tour guide: " You Americans are one of the newest democracy, only since 1920" . We looked at him quisically. He continues: " You gave women the vote about 1920, How could you be a democracy if ony half of your citizens can vote?". WOW!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide Nina was an outstanding tour guide, she was patient, kind and so informative. I especially liked her conversations on the bus, enlightening us on the culture of the country de jour, playing music, games and talking local politics. She was the highlight! The bus driver Jonas was a great driver and kept us safe while we took in the sights. I was satisfied with all the hotels, they were comfortable and offered the most delightful breakfasts.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I love the the balance of city and nature in all three countries and came to appreciate the art of hygge, the coziness and also the pursuit of a balanced life. Denmark overall was an amazing country, I love Copenhagen and wish we had more time there. Aero was a dream, I loved swimming in the Baltic!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The overall tour experience was wonderful. As with our last Rick Steves' tour, the tour guide made the tour very enjoyable, educational and fun! By the end of the tour, we felt that we were a family and we made some very good friends.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My "wow" moment was the fjords in Norway!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was blown away by the entire experience. It was so much more than I expected. Our guide Pol was wonderful, knowledgeable, kind, patient, candid and so sweet. He added to the experience in so many little thoughtful ways - the treats, readings, music, stories, rescues, etc. The pace of the trip was spot on. There was no feeling of being rushed. There was a nice balance of planned activities and free time. The food was great! The hotels were perfect and located within easy walking.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our guide in Stockholm took us to his home! And, it was clear and sunny in Bergen!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A wonderful tour of Scandinavia, from big cities to the small island of Aero. We liked our traveling companions and our guide was fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The fjord cruise was beyond spectacular - if we return to Norway this is where we will go."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The overall tour was great--the neverending worry about Covid and who would get it next and have to leave the tour was very stressful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Amazing Pal! He is wonderful and a perfect tour guide. It was a stressful start as we lost a few people after a few days due to covid. Pal did a great job helping us focus on the trip and that we'd just deal with things as they happened."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Thoroughly enjoyable 14 days, with an outstanding guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Sognefjord cruise. The scenery was spectacular throughout the cruise"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

All guides were excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Especially enjoyed the fjords in Norway"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A great tour with many great sights to see!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our visit to the stave church in Lom. The tour guide was so sweet and talked about how our entrance fees would be used to apply new stain to the church this fall. I also loved the scenery of the fjords."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Pal was perfect! Right balance of professionalism and courtesy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Norwegian fjords and AERO Island"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was outstanding for the 3 days we were able to participate. I tested positive for COVID and my husband and I left trip as required. Although reimbursed, it was disappointing to be sure.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Vasa and having our tour guide in Stockholm welcome us into his home were amazing."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The camaraderie and planned and unplanned experiences on this tour were top notch and just as expected from a Rick Steve’s tour. The only reason I give it a “very good” vs. “outstanding “ rating is that the specter of COVID changes things. There isn’t much that can be done about it other than what the RS organization does to mitigate the effects. But the fact is, when there is the daily “will I make it to the end?” hanging over us and when we see people leaving the tour it colors the enjoyment

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The time on Aero island and the time in the mountains were the best."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Nice balance of modern life and the past. Our guide did a great job of keeping us informed especially during some rather long bus rides, not an easy task. Really enjoyed Scandinavia a lot.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably seeing the Vassa ship."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I very much enjoyed learning about the cultures, history, traditions, people, culture, geology, and food of the three countries we visited. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in the Scandinavia tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many, and it is very difficult to name just one. I really enjoy history and outdoor adventures/expeditions, along with many other activities. Learning that Roald Amundsen and his team originally set out to reach the North Poll, and found out it had already been reached, and he changed the mission of his expedition mid voyage to reach the South Poll. And, his Expedition, although incredibly difficult, actually reached the South Poll! What an amazing piece of history!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was a trip of a lifetime. In 14 days we covered a lot of ground and learned an amazing amount of information about the Scandinavian countries, cultures, food, language, politics, lifestyles, even climate. Absolutely loved this trip and I highly recommend it.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We often told our tour guide Asa that she was our wow moment as she was an amazing tour guide. During this tour I had many wow moments from learning about the Vikings and their ships, relaxing in Aero, and experiencing the fjords up close and personal."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

well planned, great guide with outstanding local knowledge of each country.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The view from the top of the mountain over looking Bergen!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had a lot of fun with a great guide and the rest of the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everything"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved everything about this tour! Asa, our tour guide was awesome. Very professional, calm, knowledgeable about each countries history, and added special detail, for example, the crayfish picnic, making fun memories! I so enjoyed learning about the Norwegian culture and history from Asa. My family had a farm 50 km south of Bergen which was purchased from King Frederick V around 1730. Visiting the Maihaugen farm helped me visualize my ancestor’s farm. Wonderful trip!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Difficult to say as many wow moments! Was in awe of the Vasa ship story! Loved Stockholm! Beautiful city and loved the history. Copenhagen wowed me with the colorful buildings, bustling city, many bikes, very eclectic. Aero Island stay was special. Enjoyed a fun bike ride! Norway ???? beautiful fjords, staying up in the mountains was a treat, and then Bergen??. Learning about my Norwegian heritage, strolling Bryggen harbor, and absorbing the culture and history. The entire trip was wow!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour leader. Good itinerary, Comfortable hotel and bus.Nice, respectful fellow travelers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everything in Oslo was great."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our 6th Rick Steves tour. We had high expectations and were not disappointed. Asa our tour guide was fantastic. Great local guides, centrally located hotels, good food and wonderful tour companions. This was an excellent tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero island was a wonderful vacation from our vacation."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The trip was very well planned, with a good mix of group and individual activities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the city of Bergen, Norway, from the top of the funicular. What a spectacular sight, with the city, harbor and boats all visible below."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was wonderful and the other members were very friendly and cooperative.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I absolutely loved the scenery of Norway. The beautiful mountains, falls, and lakes. The wow moment would be seeing the fresh water along side the water from the glaciers."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Delightful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero Island bicycle ride with the tour leader and others members of the group."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide was outstanding and our driver was as well! All the places we visited and the meals we had were great. It was a wonderful experience in every way!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Fram Museum in Oslo!"

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

It was fine but not as good as previous Rick Steves tours. I think some of this may be the fallout of Covid.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Unfortunately I didn't have one on this tour"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great guide, great driver, great local guides, excellent accommodations, the only drawback was that twice there were two days in a row of city walking tours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The whole trip was a wow moment: the roadside picnic lunches, the bike ride to the top of Ærø, being seated with a young English couple for dinner on the overnight ferry, the mountain lodge."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What an adventure of a lifetime! Ylva, our guide shared her heart, literarily her home, and her incredible way of life with us! Her in-depth knowledge of the historic Viking past, sea-faring exploits, the essence of Nordic customs and culture, and experiences in culinary delights never ceased to broaden our horizons!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Engaging with the people and their way of life.. cycling on the island of Areo and Djurgarden; meeting Hans Christian Anderson-getting a book recommendation; ascending Holmenkollen Ski Jump; pondering Frogner Sculpture Park; enjoying an Edvard Grieg Concert; essence of the National Museum of Norway, climbing the highest road in Northern Europe, admiring the architecture of Lom Stave Church, walking a bit of St. Olaf’s Way with wonder and awe in one of most scenic peaceful areas of the world!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well planned and executed itinerary. Ylva expertly delivered the history that I thrive on.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Norwegian mountain farm/lodge."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was wondeerful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Vasa museum in Stockholm."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything went smoothly. Gabby, our guide, was exceptional. She was personable, fun, and nothing ruffled her. Hotels were centrally located and we lucked out with the weather, which was pleasant for almost the entire trip--not too hot like much of Europe..

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I can't think of a "wow" moment. What I enjoyed immensely was learning and experiencing the culture of the 3 major cities we visited: Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Oslo. One thing that struck me was how intune with nature people are in Scandinavia. I noticed even the hotels we stayed at didn't have carpet in them, just wood floors. Stockholm has at least twenty times more park benches then I have ever seen in a city. Also, there is an emphasize on being sustainable."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Scandinavian countries we visited were not that impressive, except during the Fjord cruise in Norway, but our guide Gabriella along with other fellow tour group members made the trip very memorable. Although all RS guides of my previous 3 RS tours were exceptionally great, Gabriella tops them all with her detailed planning, preparation, and execution every day and for each event. Picnic lunch during bus travel days and an impromptu bus picnic due to rain was also great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Numerous waterfalls from high mountain cliffs during the Fjord cruise in Norway"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had been to the Scandinavian countries which also included Finland and Russia about 6 years ago and have seen most of the "attractions". The travel mates were nice and the guide was good in a normal way most tours are run. But as we all know, how we LOVE our travel mates and the guides who really make the tours THE EXPERIENCE.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too Many WOW moments, 1. Our tour guide Gabriella and the local guides 2. The precious moment the whole group went across the street from the hotel to take a good peak at a travel mate’s underwear hanging by a window – The non-stop laughing and commenting 3. The hotel in Lom, Norway 4. The “Baby Trolls” we met everywhere 5. The Fjord 6. The view of Jutunheimen National Park (Norway) with Gariella’s back ground music"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had an amazing experience. We were traveling to countries that we had never been to before and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Nina was a great tour guide and took care of all of us very well. She was knowledgeable and always happy to help guide us to what we wanted to do. All the hotels were great, even the rustic creaky one in the mountains:) The itinerary was super and we covered a lot of ground in two short weeks. We really enjoyed our fellow tour members we all had a fabulous time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Had I been able to hike along the way while going through the mountains then that would have been my wow moment on this trip. Instead my wow moment was riding bikes on the Island of Areo with some fellow tour members, so fun and we even got wet when it rained and it was still great fun."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide Nina is a lovely person. She is patient, knowledgeable and made this trip so wonderful. She gave us such good information and our picnics and time with her was very special. We had a good mix of learning about the different countries and having free time. It was our first Rick Steve's tour and will definitely be going on another one.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero Island in Denmark was absolutely magical. Driving in Norway through the mountains, fjord tour and the stops along the way were the highlight."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A great blend of modern metropolitan Scandanavia mixed with the quaint and quiet contrast of everyday life in smaller communities was enjoyed. When led by a knowledgeable and well-versed guide, it was all we had hoped for since initially booking this tour 2 years ago.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably driving into the Juntenheim Mountains of Norway with the glacial lakes everywhere we turnred"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It is so difficult to pick just one! Cruising down the fjord was breathtaking!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We have high expectations and Rick Steves delivered on all of them!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The fjord boat tour and passage over the mountains in Norway, such beautiful mountains"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour, we had a wonderful time. Guides were top notch, food was fantastic, hotels were great and we had plenty of time to do things on our own. I highly recommend Rick Steves tours !!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Stopping in the middle of the longest tunnel in the world for a photo op!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Best of Scandanavia tour was amazing!!! Great guide on the tour and interesting local guides. Our tour group was not too big and having group meals really helped bond us together. It was a great way to be immersed in the culture.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking through old town Stockholm and seeing the first city of our tour. Our guide made the journey exciting and fun for our group!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first trip with a Rick Steves group. I was such a treat to go on a trip with the itinerary, accommodations, travel, guides, many of the meals and much more all taken care of. The selection of stops and time spent at each seemed just right to me. I came away with a good feel for the culture, geography, history, and lifestyle of the Scandinavian countries. The balance of time for planned activities and free time was good. And everything went smoothly!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Driving through the mountains of Norway stood out to me as the most stunning scenery of the trip. The snow capped mountains, glaciers, rivers, alpine lakes, and green summertime vegetation were magnificent. I am an active outdoorsman and mountain enthusiast so it was a bit hard to do no more than experience it from the bus, but the scenery will be etched in my mind for a long time."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The whole trip was amazing! Nina is a fabulous guide and did so much background work it was amazing. Everything went really smoothly. I like the fact that we had down time to see other sites of interest in each area. The only thing I would suggest is to have just a little more time at Kalmar and at one of the churches on the way to the Ferry. Matias our bus driver was fantastic I felt safe with him as well. The accommodations and the food were beyond this world!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Staying at the mountain resort and the Fjords... ABBA museum, castles and the food and the churches. The walking tours were so full of fabulous information."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved finally seeing Scandinavia after hearing about it so much, living in Minnesota and Wisconsin. It exceeded my expectations! I enjoyed experiencing it all with my wonderful new RS family.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the color of the lakes and rivers from glacial runoff in the Jotunheimen Mountains."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Beyond my wildest expectation. Can’t wait for my next tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero island stillness at night."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This trip was a lifelong dream come true! We saw such a variety of sites and learned so very much about Scandinavian history and current culture. Asa, our tour guide, was exceptional. She was always enthusiastic, prepared, fun, possessed great knowledge and had fantastic linguistic skills.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Since high school I have been fascinated by the explorer Thor Heyerdahl. To visit the KonTiki museum in Oslo and see the actual KonTiki and the Ra II was a major highlight. An additional highlight was the Fram Museum next door where we toured the actual arctic ship. Wow!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The hotels were close to all sightseeing so it was easy to walk. Liked the 24 hour pass for transit and museums. Excellent food. All the fellow travellers had the same attitude toward travelling. Tour guide was very informative. Enjoyed the little extras, sandwiches for lunch, schnapps with every new country, stopped for a special cinnamon bun and Aero Island.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Driving through Jotunheimen and taking a Sognefjord cruise."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A great tour, jam-packed and very interesting and entertaining.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Favorite “wow” moment was cruising up the fjords in Norway; so beautiful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was amazing with our tour guide, Asa Danielsson! We experienced and saw a lot with pleasant surprises a long the way! It was a very active tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of it was a "Wow! Experience!""

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Packed with thoughtful sites and experiences to capture the most of the areas we toured.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Oslo Opera House."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great overview of Scandinavia with clear direction and very well organized. Good mix of group activities with individual free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Several: Vasa, Aero Island. Norway’s fjords."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

In a word "fantastic." So much to learn dating all the way back from Viking history to the present day. Our guide was expansive in sharing her knowledge of Scandinavian culture, history, education, and approach to life. Her encouragement for us to ask questions was especially helpful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Undoubtedly, the fjords. Seeing them from the bus en route to Bergen as well as from sea level on the fjord tour. Breathtaking!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great time, our guide and fellow tour members were wonderful to travel with.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really enjoyed the local guides and their insight, along with Ylva sharing history and her perspective from living in Sweden and being a guide. All the places we visited were made more special because of them. I was surprised by how much I liked Aero."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was definitely a worthwhile trip, and the amount of places and info packed into 14 days was awesome. Ylva was a great guide, and our group was made up of a great mix of people- they made the trip even better.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Traveling thru Jotunheimen was pretty epic (shoutout to Leif our driver!), but really the entire tour was full of "wow" moments!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was affected by two changes of guides due to covid. Initially, a guide was assigned to the tour on very short notice which limited her ability to be fully prepared. The second guide was actually originally assigned to the tour. This change occurred half way through the tour. Further, half the tour member had to leave the tour due to covid. Despite these difficulties, overall the the Very Good, divided between the beginning which was Adequate and the end which was Outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Sognefjord ferry ride on a perfect day."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour exceeded my expectations, it was like taking a college class on the history and daily life of Scandinavia. The guides were knowledgeable, energetic and creative.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The cruise on the Norwegian Fjord was my highlight, it is a experience that you have to be there to understand."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Sweden and Denmark were not very impressive. Our guide was for that part of the tour wasn't very well prepared..she became ill in Denmark along with half the people on tour. Our new guide; Gabrielle joined us on Aero Island which is a wonderful spot. Tour through Aero Islands and Norway was phenomenal.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of Norway! Oslo; Bergen; the fjords; the mountains; forests; small towns; the food..."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our group had a last-minute guide change and ultimately lost 50% of the participants due to COVID. We were able to participate in approximately half the tour. Our guide experience was that we learned less and had a little less color or depth to the bus talks than previous RS tours. To be fair, the guide was very nice and organized and had less than 24 hours notice of this assignment. We felt like there was more bus time on this trip but there was not. We had some great local guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The postcard ready colored houses on Aero and in Copenhagen were beautiful in person and very much let you know where you were in the world!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Despite the disruptions due to Covid, the tour was excellent. It was well-paced with the right balance between group activities and free time. The range of experiences and sites was broad and varied. I appreciated the attention to historical context that enriched our experiences so much.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many, but 2 really bubble to the surface. 1: Visiting Hakan's apartment in Stockholm. Such an intimate peek into city life there. 2. The entire, glorious, sun-filled, eye-dazzling day traveling through Norway's snow capped mountains, waterfall rich fjords, and picturesque rural countryside. Wow!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great overall guide and local guides. Good locations/activities

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Several areas: Jutenhelmen mountains & Sognefjord cruise; Copenhagen,Oslo"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was a great group of fellow travelers and Nina was a great tour leader. Our problem was that we didn't get to finish the tour because of testing positive for Covid.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The local tour guide in Stockholm was excellent, he even invited us to his apartment for a mid-tour break."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a very well organized trip and we had a great guide in Nina.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think there were a couple of sights that stand out for me: Vigeland Sculpture Park and Elviseter."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved the tours that were planned for us. They were the leading tours in each city and I enjoyed all of them.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Cruising through the fjords in Norway. Standing out on the deck and looking at all the different vistas and waterfalls-amazing!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was a warm and friendly group of people led by our fabulous guide, Nina and the friendliest bus driver, Christo. Nina not only shared her vast knowledge of the places we went and of the different countries' culture, she also shared her personal warmth that made one feel as though she genuinely cared about you and the time that you were having on the trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite "wow" moment was taking the ferry on the Sognefjord cruise. The scenery was awe-inspiring. During the two and a half hours the weather went from drizzly to heavy rain to sunny, so that we saw the mountains, the waterfalls, the clouds and sky in various permutations. Standing outside, feeling the wind, the rain, the sun on my face, while surrounded by such grandeur is something that I shall remember all of my life."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was great

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It was all a wow moment"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Scandinavia trip was outstanding. This was our 4th Rick Steves trip and everything went like clockwork. Ylva (our guide) was outstanding. The trip was a success in a large part due to her attention to detail.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero Island and the fjords"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Enjoyed it very much. I did have trouble keeping up at times since I like to take likes of photographs, not just snap shots.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Riding an electric ferry in Norway, the stave church, Getting a better understanding of Scandinavian culture and government policy.."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour to Scandinavia with the outstanding guide, Ylva was wonderful in so many ways. We enjoyed the picturesque cities with the many colorful buildings along the water, delicious meals and guided walks learning about the history and culture of each area. The outdoor activities including the fjord boat cruises, the mountain drive, the outdoor folk museums and eating at the Bergen fish market were all memorable. Ylva's great commentaries made our trip so much richer.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite "wow" moment was definitely the days spent on picturesque Aero Island! The bike ride along the beautiful coastline was amazing. We loved walking to the colorful bathing cottages and wading in the sea water as we enjoyed the beautiful scenery. The visit to Aero was a welcome refresh between our city visits."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Scandinavia was new territory for me. I loved its natural beauty, moving between three countries, our amazing guide and the congenial tour members.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"1- Seeing Ylva's condo. I just love seeing how people live. I consider it a great honor that Ylva shared her home with us. 2- Vasa ship 3- Vigeland Sculpture Gardens"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I really enjoyed this tour and the wonderful fellow travelers who were with me. I learned a great deal and appreciated the free time given throughout the tour to explore on my own. Our tour guide was a wealth of knowledge although sometimes all the history became overwhelming. She also was an incredibly fast walker and many of us had trouble keeping up. However, she did slow down after her mid term eval. Overall beautiful countries, each different in many ways, with a lot to explore.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Vigeland Scupture Garden!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent but tiring.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The home of the giants in the Norwegian mountains."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful experience! Thoroughly enjoyed the culture, tradition, and beauty of Scandinavia.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Traveling by boat on the fjords."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a very strange tour experience in that my mom tested positive for COVID about halfway through the tour, and our 4-person family group had to leave the tour. Prior to that, we had a wonderful experience. The local guides were great, particularly in Stockholm. The tour was well paced and the stops were interesting. My favorite city was Copenhagen. After we left the tour, we continued to the same destinations but spent extra time in the mountains in Norway, which had spectacular scenery.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Jotunheimen Mountains in Norway. The scenery was so amazing! I also thought the Fram Museum was a close second."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The right duration to visit the highlights of the counties.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Ferry on Sognefjord."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

As always, the tour is exceeded expectations! Hotels were great! Scheduled activities and local guides were top notch.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved the free time in Copenhagen. I really knew my way around by tour’s end. (These responses would have been different I'm sure if Covid hadn’t cut our trip short.)"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

With excellent guidance we experienced Scandinavia from rural icons to icy mountain tops. Tasted many local foods at restaurants locals dine,traveled on public transits to get the feel locals do. Traveled over world class fjords on the latest of ferries. Learned history and cultures of all three counties from local guides and did it all with great touring companions.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero Island will always be a placed to remember, the real thing that appears as a move set, the smell of farmland in the air while riding a bike with fellow tour members along the Baltic bays and threw fields of wild flowers and grape seed."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The trip to Scandinavia was wonderful. We enjoyed our travel companions and our guide Gabriella was a delight. My testing positive for COVID half-way through the tour put a halt to travel with our tour group. As I was feeling fine after the first 24 hours; we rented a car, booked hotels, and continued on a modified version of our original trip itinerary. The Rick Steves' staff was quite helpful in getting us back to Oslo from Aero Island, however the Travel Guard people were totally worthless.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the sunset at the beach huts on Aero Island. We watched as the sun slowly slipped into the water lighting up the windows of the colorful cottages. Sharing the sand with a sweet couple dancing in their wedding attire made the experience even better."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was well organized and ran well despite the Covid problems. Gabriella was a fantastic guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Cruise through the fijords."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very enjoyable…interesting and friendly group of fellow travelers…tour guide’s attention to detail was impressive… the balance between scheduled events and free time was very good

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Vasa ship and Fram and Kon Tiki museums"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was well organized and gave a great overview of Scandinavia.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Learning about the culture, government, and education systems in Scandinavia. And, of course, the beautiful scenery."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a great overview of Scandinavia, given the available time and the amount of ground to cover.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I especially liked the drive over the mountains in Norway and the fjord cruise. This was the quintessential Norway that I imagined. Beautiful."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our guide was well versed in history and culture. His attention to detail was impressive. He remembered I didn’t eat shrimp and made allowances that I did not ask for but waappreciated. He genuinely likes his job as tour director.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Vasa ship and learning about Bluetooth."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Informative, only 22 tour mates, giving us plenty of room on the bus, they followed Covid protocols, which was reassuring.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our local tour guide in Stockholm, Hagen(?spelling) He was amazingly friendly, knowledgeable and kind. In fact he took us up to his home in Ole town to show us the construction of the time, we all sat down with water and we could ask him any questions about his life in Stockholm, he was very candid"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was great to be traveling again, and I couldn't have asked for a better guide than Pål, who was also excited to be back on the road leading tours. Scandinavia is such a beautiful part of the world, an engaging mix of natural beauty, cleanliness, organization, kind and easygoing people--and a lot of fish! Great group also, the usual Rick Steves mix of good spirits, energy, and curiosity.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I found the Jotunheimen mountains particularly stunning, and the Grieg music Pål chose for part of the sojourn there really made the moment."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I learned a lot about Scandinavia interspersed with lots of fun moments with tour companions and eating and drinking local delicacies.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I particularly loved the little town of AEroskobing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Where do I start... Bucket list fulfilled! I've wanted to visit Norway since I knew what Norway was, and to be able to also visit Sweden and Denmark was icing on the cake. The trip was worth every penny and then some. I'm still smiling 2 weeks after getting home.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment was very personal; our guide, Pål Johansen, and a number of members of the group helped me achieve it. My great-grandmother took a picture in 1957 in front of one of the sculptures in Vigeland Park while visiting family. I was able to recreate the picture. I never had the chance to meet Nettie but I can say that I stood where she stood."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It surpassed our expectations! Loved learning all about Scandinavia and it’s people, governments, history, and way of life. We were also blown away by the beauty of this northern part of Europe. Our tour guide, Pål, was fantastic! He was very kind, patient, organized, and personable and made our tour special.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many, it’s difficult to pick just one! Probably the best and most memorable walking tour we’ve ever had anywhere was in Stockholm with Haalkum (sp?). He was so interesting along with being humorous, but then took us all to his apartment in the old town for a break serving us water, letting us use his bathroom, and explaining daily life and living expenses in Stockholm! What a guy!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

From the first introductions to the final dinner, the tour met my very high expectations and often exceeded them.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our guide surprised us often with local treats. For me the best was the Swedish Princess Cake. This had special significance to me since I recognized the cake from an episode of The Great British Baking show. Yes, there were tons of visuals. But that was a lovely personal connection for me."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was excellent! We saw so many wonderful things, learned lots about the social structure of the three Scandinavian countries and experienced food and unique celebrations as well, thanks to the creativity of the wonderful Åsa.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved Ærøskøbing! We rode bikes through the gorgeous landscape and down the lanes lined with small fairytale houses. I also loved our guesthouse, På Torvet"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

An absolutely wonderful trip that allowed us to explore the cultural, political, and societal differences that demonstrate why there is much to emulate from all 3 Scandinavian countries. We also ate a variety of foods that were fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero Island."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The fjords of Norway"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Really loved the Best of Scandinavia tour — the sights, the foods, the culture and history of the countries/cities we visited. Never a dull moment.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It would be difficult to highlight one moment — so many parts of the trip were highlights."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My first RickSteves tour was outstanding ! Nice balance of free time and tour activities. I never expected the in depth information on the 3 countries we visited ( Scandinavia ) provided by our tour guide but loved hearing it all.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Definitely the fjord cruise on sognesfjord."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We had a great time. Weather was very good. Got to see everything and more on our list.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Norwegian fjords and the drive down from the mountain pass. All the waterfalls were a bonus as well."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour of Scandinavia was wonderful due to our knowledgeable and positive tour guide. It was so well planned, with a balance of strenuous city walking tours and some optional activities. The meals were delicious, and accommodations were full of local flavor. We were able to pack so much in to each city we visited. Our guides gave us helpful information about sights and city transportation, and historical information about each country. We were lucky to have great weather the whole time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The old town in Stockholm, Gamla Stan. Our city tour guide led us into his own home for a glass of water and a bathroom break. It was a surprise that he was our guide’s partner! We didn’t know until he pointed out the two portraits on the wall and we recognized them both!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent guide, nice fellow-travellers, perfect itinerary. Joyful to be travelling again.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Staying on the Danish island of Aero. Had never heard of it before. Wonderful change from the big busy cities."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Each day seemed to get better and better, topping the day before with experiences. Our tour guide Ylva was amazing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to pick one. Too many wonderful moments and sights."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our main guide, Gabriella, was excellent! I loved her personality and organization skills. She was always responsive to questions and interacted with each of us personally. She was easy to hear and understand because of her clear articulation of history and facts and her animated presentation kept me interested and in tune.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Gabriella’s flexibility in allowing us to experience the impromptu piano/voice concert in Denmark’s oldest cinema was a highlight. She helped make this happen and it bonded our entire tour group."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our guide was excellent, the group was cooperative and fun, and the schedule was packed with great things to see and do.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved all of Norway- the city of Oslo, the fjords and the drive through mountains."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful time on the Scandinavia tour. Our guide Gabriela was fantastic: very knowledgeable, organized and fun. I enjoyed learning about the history, culture and politics of Scandinavia, as well as seeing incredible sights and beautiful nature.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Although there were many incredible moments, I especially enjoyed the city of Oslo, the mountains and fjords of Norway and Bergen."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

excellent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"fjords and waterfalls"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Really captured why the Scandinavian countries are regularly rated the happiest in the world.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I'm always impressed by the local guides that Rick Steves find. My favorite "wow" moment was when Haakon (spelling?), the Stockholm guide, lead us to his home in the Gamla Stan old town, a block away from the Nobel museum, and showed us how Swedes lived modern lives in the middle of a well-cared for historical neighborhood. Also to find that that was the house where our tour guide grew up in!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Best of Scandinavia tour is our fourth Rick Steves tour. The main reason why we think this is the best one so far is because of our remarkable tour guide, Asa. Experienced, friendly, and ever so organized, Asa represents the cream of the crop! We would like to take another tour with Asa as our ringleader!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Two different wow moments: * Aero Island - bicycle riding with Asa * Oslo's Vigeland Sculpture Park, with beautiful, emotional interpretative commentary by Asa - outstanding!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great guide (Asa) and a great group of fellow travelers. We saw many unique and interesting sites and scenery.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Will you settle for 3 "wows?" The Vasa ship restoration in Stockholm, the sculptures in Frogner Park in Oslo, and the incredible scenery on the trip from Oslo to Bergen are most memorable."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The written words cannot describe this fantastic tour of Scandinavia with a great guide to lead us!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many to select from but our visit to Oslo's Vigeland was probably a WOW moment for us. Asa gave us a tour around The Fountain and its Tree of Life, she described each individual bronze statue in terms that took our breath away! The next probably WOW moment was the fjord cruise, nature at its best."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My tour can only be described with superlatives - Our guide Åsa was the best: Not only did she take great care of us, she introduced us to celebrations and traditions in each country we visited - our bus driver was amazing, especially on the winding road up to Jotunheimen - my touring mates were fabulous - the cities and countryside we visited were outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think the island of Åero and the winding road up to Jotunheimen were high points for me. Although the view at Jotunheimen was obscured by rain and fog and not expecially picturd-worthy, the in-person view was breath-taking. I especially enjoyed the island of Åero because it gave me a taste of life outside of the major cities."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour took me and granted me access to many places that I wouldn't have seen trying to do this on my own

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The electric ferry ride into Bergen. The streets of Copenhagen The streets of Stockholm"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Outstanding tour guide! She made our experience so memorable, informative, challenging, exciting and fun! We had some wonderful hotels and our bus driver was incredible navigating the single roads of Norway.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Realizing how much we had seen and experienced, and that it was due to our incredible guide and her ability to bring our group together and form a fun group of travelers. She made it happen!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The right balance of time, experiences, and opportunities coupled with a top-tier tour guide, Asa.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Two many for one "Wow." Here are some: From Asa: (1) Profile of a typical Swedish family from birth to death that created an understanding of the community welfare state and principle of "fewer very wealthy people and fewer very poor people." (2) The metaphor of the three countries like siblings in a family and how the history and events shaped each one. (3) How Copenhagen has embraced public transit and the bike Learning about my Swedish roots."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide was so personable, fun, knowledgeable, and made this trip!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many . . . it was the little times when we had drinks in a park with silly crayfish hats on, or stopping for the famous buns at the red and yellow store, or the way she described the Vegeland Circle of Life, or her recapping the tour on our last dinner together. It was the little extra efforts to make the experience so memorable."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first RS tour and we were very fortunate to have an excellent guide - Asa. She has spoiled us, I believe, for all others. The scenery is unsurpassed in Scandinavia and the towns, cities, tours, ferries, hotels were all excellent. We were very comfortable everywhere we stayed and the various meals were enlightening! Met some wonderful new friends on the tour too!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our hotel in the mountains was extraordinary and the cruise down the fjord. Loved all the cities too!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour experience. This was our first tour with Rick Steve's and we could not have been more satisfied. The accommodations and meals were great. The bus and boat travel in-country were very well organized and we never felt rushed. We especially liked the local guides that were provided at many of our stops. They added a colorful background to our various stops in a knowledgeable and entertaining way. Our primary guide was also very organized, knowledgeable, and made the tour fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our wow moment was the bus trip through the mountains of Norway. It was a clear day and the views were amazing. Standing on the glacier and watching x-country skiing, wow. The bus driver knew exactly where to stop for the best views of the snow pack and waterfalls. On a day trip through a fjord, the boat's pilot was able to navigate close to a waterfall that had formed from the ice melt. Experiencing the water cascading down the rocky cliffs into the fjord close up was amazing."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Enjoyed the entire tour . Sometimes it felt a little rushed. The Accomodation was great( overall), comfy beds, great locations .The food was delicious! The guide was passionate about ensuring our needs were met. We had a super group! The cultural shift around Covid, was surprising. Not a suprise when 13 out of 15 who tested , were positive by the end of the tour. Pretty tough to avoid it in countries without any precautions. Really tough to see people have to leave the tour due to Covid.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The island of Aeros, the fjords and our group were all wow."

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

We loved the tour up until my wife and I contracted Covid. We missed the mountains and fjords because of it. There was little to no compliance with RS mask regulations and distancing. As a result 13 of 18 members became positive from asymptomatic to more moderate symptoms. Our guide Ylva was very knowledgeable and energetic but she was too lax with the RS protocols which goes along with how Scandinavians think.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Most definitely the Vasa ship. It’s something I will never forget. I enjoyed all the ship museums from Viking ship to Fram. I also enjoyed going to Ylva and Hakon’s home. So nice of them to welcome us."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I fell in love with the Scandinavian countries on this tour. Kind, friendly, and helpful people, gorgeous countryside, rich culture and history, amazingly clean and green. They seem to do everything right!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were SO many! Perhaps that 1/3 of Sweden must be kept green, and that 1% of building costs must go to art, resulting in cultured cities rich in history profuse with gardens, parks, and tree canopied walking paths. The Raoul Wallenberg memorial in Sweden (during our first local guided tour) was a distinctly poignant experience honoring the struggles against Naziism and the Jewish suffering during WW2. The waterfalls in the Norwegian Fjords were also spectacular, never to be forgotten."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Such a wonderful group - guide, driver, local guides, and lovely fellow travelers. All kind, considerate, interesting, and so much fun to be with. Locations were mostly new to us, and such a great combination of city tours, small towns, and countryside. Absolutely one of our best trips ever.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero Island in general, and the music concert that set up outside our window (we had a living room!) in the town square."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Energetic, adventurous, friend-making, highly informative. We went to places I wouldn't have otherwise considered, stayed in excellent hotels at central locations, wandered fascinating streets and neighborhoods, and made fast friends among our tour group. Ylva, our guide, was terrific and robust, full of information that she reemphasized so that we kept learning.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The fjord cruise (two hours) in Norway. Stunning scenery that literally shut the mouths of the entire boat. It was so quiet and awesome that everyone on board (hundreds) spoke only in hushed tones as in a library. Nature just simply overwhelmed us. But slowly on a boat, not racing through on a bus or train. Truly a wow moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fabulous! Ylva (our overall guide) was funny, caring, responsive and an absolute delight overall. Although problems with Covid arose during the last portion of the tour, all those affected were asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic and responsible isolated and withdrew from the tour. Outbreak occurred despite careful attention to handwashing and masking; social distancing was practiced as possible, but on at least one occasion (overnight ferry from Copenhagen to Oslo) was not possible.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the real Fram and Gjoa in Oslo. Close second was the fjord cruise with thousands of waterfalls pouring down from melting snow."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour gives you a great look at Scandanavia, its people, sites, cities, and culture. There's an excellent mix of museums, sites of interest, nature, history, pageantry, and cultural perspectives

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We would rate the ferry ride (2 hours) through Naerofjord as incredible and one of our "wow" moments. The funicular trip up the mountain in Bergen is a close second. It's hard not to also mention having a great time on the island of Aero in Denmark."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent guides, great accommodations in each stop. Balanced activities, options and time to do our own thing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Richard’s appearance as HC Anderson. The fjord experience along with the trip across the snow covered Joltenheim mountains"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an ambitious tour and was run exceptionally well. With buses, ferries and 7 different hotels so much could go wrong but it did not. Enjoyed all of it.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had many. Norway with the mountains and fjords was amazing. Also enjoyed visiting all of the cities, Sweden, Copenhagen, Oslo and Bergen. Beautiful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I enjoyed the warmth and enthusiasm from Gabriella. Very knowledgeable and told great stories to illustrate the Scandinavian way. By the way, this is Jim Smith, husband of Kathy Smith.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite moments were in Stockholm and Bergen."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I love everything about the tour. Gabriella was the best guide possible, and the tour was very smooth, interesting, educational and entertaining at the same time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Riding a bus from Røisheim. The views are absolutely terrific!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Asa, was informed, professional, creative, and fun. The itinerary worked well and the long bus rides were broken up with regular stops that were interesting: a special bakery, picnic sites, a scenic village, waterfalls. Museums were interesting, the tour group travelled well together.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This is tough to decide - there are many special moments - but I would say walking along the beach to the little cottages on Aero Island was very memorable."