Best of Scandinavia in 14 Days Tour

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Tim, was wonderful - knowledgeable, funny and adventurous. Every stop on the tour was memorable. The local guides really enhanced my experience in each city. Loved the amount of history we heard about.The food was wonderful, especially the hot dogs. I hadn't realized how diverse the landscape and culture of Scandinavia is and each stop on the tour was an entirely new experience. This was the best tour I have ever taken.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved Stockholm's museums, Copenhagen's vibrant nightlife and the peacefulness of Aero Island. The sheer magnificent beauty of Norway. The FOOD was fabulous everywhere we went. But the WOW moment for me was the last evening with the group, sharing memories of our trip, laughing with each other, and exchanging contact information because we had become friends. That's what travel is about: connecting with others and making friends."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was the best yet. A lovely group of people, a great tour guide and beautiful countries.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Several. My tops were Aero Island and The Fjords"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Felt we were able to see so many interesting historical places. The fabulous tour guide, Tim Tendick was so in touch with the groups needs and interests. He shared his love and excitement for travel. He brought the group together and created such a meaningful and memorable trip .

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Fishing village , boat ride with fisherman and fabulous special lunch overlooking water ; Areo island .(night watchman, Christmas dinner,biking, wandering the small towns eating ice cream). "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Enjoyed learning about the history of Scandinavia . Vikings and Bergen buildings.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mountains of northern Norway and the fjords."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide was a ball of energy with more then enough information. She gave enough information to help when we were on our own. The bus driver was great. I thought of the motel accommodations where very nice with a great breakfast.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to list. Just to be next to such old structures was so amazing and history surrounding them. "

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

I enjoyed seeing everything on the tour, but wished we had more time, particularly in Copenhagen and Oslo. (We saw some of Stockholm on our own before the tour started.). Ideally the tour would have been a couple of days longer. Otherwise it was very enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"1) Seeing the beauty of the Norwegian countryside, even in the rain. 2) Swimming in the Baltic Sea!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was nice.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

This was our 2nd Rick Steves tour. It was more of a TASTE of Scandinavia - very rush rush rush. Wish we had spent more time in Copenhagen, and aero island. I thought Ylva was an excellent tour guide in terms of knowledge, but was not always sensitive to the group’s needs, for instance she told us at one point that we could go to the bathroom on the bus or use the woods outside. Although I understood the need for a strict timeline, there was a lot of rushing us that felt pressured

Favorite "WOW" moment

"1. Seeing and staying at Aero Island, and learning about the economic history. 2. Seeing Ylva’s house and meeting her partner. 3. Seeing for myself how Scandinavia Countries take care of each other in terms of social services 4. Swimming in the Baltic Sea. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I felt immersed in Scandinavia, and enjoyed it thoroughly! The activities were awesome, the guides were outstanding, and the other tour members were great people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think my favorite moment was when our guide pointed out a cannon ball stuck in the wall of a building, and told us it had been there since the Stockholm blood bath of 1520. It was amusing, and drove home to me I was in a place so different, with such a long history. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our second Rick Steves' tour. As before, everything was excellent. Accommodations, local guides, dinners, transportation, education on the bus, etc were all outstanding. Our tour guide, Gabriella, was incredible.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The bike ride on Aero Island and just the island itself were incredible."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, our driver, the pacing of the itinerary, the camaraderie—everything exceeded my expectations of what a guided tour of this sort could be like. Clearly the tour organizers did their homework, and our guide was truly masterful in executing the plans. She really made it all come alive with the depth and breadth of her knowledge and her engaging personality. Never a dull moment!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It’s hard to pick just one, as I felt like I was saying “wow” every day, several times a day, but the folk music/dance presentation and performance at the Valdres folk museum was just magical. I can’t get over getting to see and hear that Hardanger fiddle up close. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Learned a lot about Scandinavian history and culture. I felt we hit the highlights just right.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero Island and the Viking ship museum"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We were a bit hesitant to do an organized tour like this (we usually travel on our own). But, on this tour, we felt like we had courses in history, politics, education, and economics in every country we visited. Our guide, Gabriella, was outstanding. The mixture of activities was perfect, and there was still enough independent down time to allow us to explore what we wanted on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many. I think it was the surprises— like biking on Aero island and hiking in the Norwegian mountains that put the tour over the top."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was happy with all aspects of the tour: good itinerary, excellent guides; good hotels and food.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Stockholm in the summer is magnificent."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Gabby our guide was wonderful! She was knowledgable and energetic. Per-Inge our driver was excellent. They make a great team. Lots of variety! Ferry rides, Vasa Museum, interesting quaint hotels, interesting food, museums, beautiful scenery, fun people on the tour etc. Thank you Gabby for the extra bike ride and hike.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Æeø island and Fjord."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our group really meshed. Hotels were good. Gabby was superb

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing tax dollars at work in Stockholm. No potholes, flowers everywhere, regal healthy people, affordable daycare, a society that cares about people and values children."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Heidi was a great guide-very professional. Good group, good meals. Enjoyed the itinerary. I recommend RS to everyone. Bummer was I got covid and missed two days of the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beautiful lunch and boat ride at Grebbestad was the highlight of the trip! Gorgeous surroundings, excellent food, cold beer, lovely hosts, the best mussels I've ever eaten...that was a heavenly day! "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was wonderful- the scenery, historic information and buildings, and both large cities and small towns

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many. It is hard to beat the mountains and fjords of Norway, but I loved our time on the island of Aero with its quaint hotel and bike ride."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The choice of hotels (location, rooms) was good. The locations of each hotel was stellar; the hotels themselves were usually superior, with good breakfast to start off the day. Our guide (Heidi) was excellent. We couldn't have asked for a better guide; she is passionate and her depth of knowledge is impeccable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We spent a day at Grebbestad, at a family run B&B (Everts Sjöbod). We had a phenomenal lunch (mussel soup), cooked by Hannah. I went back for a total of 3 helpings because I simply couldn't get enough. To add to, and top off the incredible meal, we went on their sailboat and took a lovely cruise through the archipelago. The day couldn't have been better! It almost felt that Per and Hannah could've even influenced the perfect weather we had that day!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It is a pleasure to report that our 14 Day Scandinavian trip was simply outstanding! The itinerary lived up to Rick Steve’s promise to give an overview of the countries providing us with a feel for the cultural perspective on the lives of the people. Our tour guide, Heidi, and bus driver, Micheal, did an outstanding job and really made for a perfect trip. We were pleased with the itinerary and with the small group of only 28 persons.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have to say it was the motorcycle with a side-car tour of Oslo that my daughter arranged for our personal time was definitely a highlight. We also loved the quiet pastoral countryside on the island of Aero. Our first day in Stockholm which was on a Sunday before the tour began is very memorable in that city was quiet with no traffic because businesses were closed. It reminded me of Sundays when I was a child in the US before we got so commercialized. We loved the Danish Christmas dinner!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Excellent guide with overall view of history and culture. Blessed with great weather and cordial natives: A typical well planned RS group trip!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Traverse of Norway Fjord by boat!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour exceeded my expectations and was one of the most magical experiences of my life. I enjoyed the perfect blend of exploring history, culture, food, shopping, and engaging with locals. I also enjoyed the company of the people on my tour, and loved our tour guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Fjord cruise! The pictures do not do them justice. Scandinavia as a whole has pretty breathtaking scenery!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I found this to be a very balanced tour with time in urban areas and relaxed time in the countryside! Our tour leader, Ylva, was outstanding! Our bus driver, "Lenny" was also great. The only downside of this tour (our 4th with Rick Steves) was the amount of bus time, but it's the only way to cover so much ground! The hotels and B&Bs were all very good - especially the one on Aero! (which is sadly for sale)

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were actually a few wow moments for me and nearly all happened on boats! Gliding through the Swedish archipelago was so peaceful and relaxing. And the cruise through the fjord in Norway was spectacular! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a great tour. We did have to cover a lot of ground so spent more time on the bus than I would have liked, but there really isn't an alternative.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The fjords. Nothing but "wow" describes them."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The sites we visited were generally very interesting. Our tour guide Ylva was excellent, as were most of our local guides. A couple of the people on our tour were sick when the tour began, and they would not wear masks. Trying to avoid the inconsiderate unmasked coughing/hacking travelers negatively impacted my enjoyment of the trip. Unfortunately, some of my fellow travelers became ill during the tour. I became ill on my way home, and am still sick.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Vigeland Sculpture Park was amazing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This tour has a lot of bus riding. There are long distances covered. The hotels were mostly good and the food was pork and fish. All the breakfasts were very good. The tour guide was a 6 . She was heavy on history and light on art music and philosophy. She was organized and kept us on schedule, sometimes starting early before everyone had gathered. There were several on the bus who had come off a cruise with colds and I felt the guide should have been more proactive in suggesting masking.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved the boat ride in the Swedish archipelago and mussel soup."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a wonderful tour - great balance of history, modern society, planned activities and free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many - fjords and waterfalls in Norway, Aero in Denmark and Stockholm in Sweden"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything excellent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Naerofjord"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Five stars for this tour, and another five stars for tour guide Nina. There’s wonder in her heart guiding you through her homeland, and even though she’s done it countless times, her passion feels fresh, never shopworn. And much appreciation for taking the cringe out of the ritual Rick Steve’s Name Game. (But nobody tell Rick...)

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Observing why Scandinavian countries constantly rank among the happiest on earth. While so many Americans shake their fists at fellow citizens for lifestyle choices that don’t affect their own lives at all, the folks here could give a whit about how others live their lives—preferring a hygge life appreciation instead. (Look it up, or better yet, come witness it yourself.) But my actual WOW 'moment' was the magical walk through Viegland Sculpture Park—Oslo’s stunning outdoor art gallery."

Overall rating: rating 1 of 5

The tour was too many hours on the bus and too many people. Many of sites we visited I could have found on my own, and your restaurant choices are terrible. We had some excellent guides on the city tours, but that’s about all I can say that was positive for me. RS Tours encourages us to pack light, but there wasn’t one hotel where we could do laundry.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really enjoyed our walking tour of Stockholm with Håkan Frändén. He’s a remarkable guy and actually opened up his home to us. Any other “wow” moments I had the trip were about the landscape, scenery and cities, and not generated by the tour itself. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was less physically demanding than my previous tour (Turkey) but still a very tight schedule.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero and the day in the fishing village of Grebbested were my favorite locations but I am still blown away with the mosaics in the Town Hall in Stockholm."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide, Nina was great, as was our coach driver, Johnny. The trip was well paced and I really appreciated having a day of R&R in Aero in the middle of the trip. Unfortunately, I used most of time recuperating from a cold, but I surely needed it. The hotels were all nice. I liked the guest house in Aero; it was unique and fun. Of course, we didn’t have enough time in the three big cities, but that just means that I’ll have to come back.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Talking to two Norwegian men about the town my college friend’s family came from and then being able to take pictures of the town (Underdal) as we passed by on the fjord boat tour. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I enjoyed it enough that I want to try other Rick Steves tours. Gabriella was a big part of the tour success. It ended too soon, but I could not have gone on much further.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I don’t have a single favorite. I loved the fjord trip, once I got outside the cabin. Mt. Floyen was special. I enjoyed seeing our guide’s home in Gamla Stan. I liked having time to ourselves in each of the cities."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Much deeper and more variety than I could have discovered had I planned the trip myself. I left the tour feeling I had a real good feel for authentic Scandinavia. The tour was very well organized and thought out, and the guides were great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were a lot of arresting things, but the "wow" were the fjords of Norway. "

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Tour was tempered by the rainy weather. There were a couple of people who made the tour uncomfortable for many of the tour members by complaining and cursing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Vasa. It amazed us with its size and ornate wood work."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Gabby, was absolutely wonderful. I really enjoyed my fellow travelers. The itinerary was interesting and well paced. Everything about it was good!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I didn't expect to connect as well with my fellow travelers. I have been on RoadSholar trips and take it for granted there. I didn't think it would be the same on a Rick Stevens trip, but it was! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

loved it

Favorite "WOW" moment

"historic ship display"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had wonderful experiences in all three Scandinavian countries. Enjoyed all of the different cuisine, cultural experiences and historical sights each country offered. Gabriella, our guide, was exceptional. She provided abundant information regarding history, regional customs and culture. The spontaneous picnics featuring local snacks and cuisine were an unexpected treat.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Really enjoyed the museums featuring the art of Scandinavian masters and the restores salvaged ships. The castles and palaces were also memorable. The village of Ærøskøbing was a delightful place to wander and enjoy. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Delightful from start to finish - Gabriella, meeting the others and learning not only names but through the days about their lives and travels, Mehdi, our wonderful driver, stunning landscapes, sumptuous breakfasts, very knowledgeable local guides, and regional hospitality. This was a fabulous tour experience for us.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"AErøskøbing was idyllic and so charming, Fjords and waterfalls absolutely breathtaking. Each day brought something brilliant. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved this tour. From the first day it was fun, educational, interesting. The city guides were all excellent. The weather was mostly cooperative (we were lucky!). The sites and museums all fascinating.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our guide Pål was for sure a wow guide! We have been on 11 tours and he is by far the best guide we have had. He was knowledgeable, always had a local treat for us, gave us history and politics of the regions…such a great guide. My other wow moment was the archipelago boat ride and the mussel soup! Fun and delicious! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour of Scandinavia was undeniably outstanding! I was provided with remarkable exposure to life in Sweden, Denmark and Norway...beyond what I was hoping to experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were way too many "wow" moments to have a favorite. Our primary guide, Pal Johansen, went above and beyond between tour stops by providing snippets of history, modern culture, statistics, lessons in language, samples of food, factoids, trivia and games that kept us learning the entire tour. I took seven pages of notes as Pal presented details for each country and tour stop and will use those notes to reinforce remembering the tour! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

One of the best tours we’ve taken. Beautiful scenery and people. Our guide was exceptional

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beautiful mountain region of Norway"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Delightful in every way - truly loved the mix of city/country adventures, the guides (especially Pal), the education and food!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"One wow moment is impossible - I would like to live in both Norway and Sweden and explore a whole lot more."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Typical Rick Steves tour, everything went according to plan, all the guides were wonderful, and it was a fun group to travel with.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The little unexpected touches, the musician who came to Stockholm city hall and gave us a mini concert with her traditional Swedish keyed violin and Hans Christian Anderson who showed up at dinner in Copenhagen to regale us during dinner."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour had very little, if any, hitches. The weather was quite cooperative as well, but I have no doubt I would not have enjoyed it less if it had been rainy. Our group was fun and up for anything. Pål, our guide, kept the pace and interest high, even on long stretches in the bus. He provided lessons in the culture, the food, the language, the history, and organized some fun games in the bus to keep us engaged. I would rate Pål as the best guide we’ve had so far.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I would say the boat tour through the granite islands and meal in the fishing town in Grebbestad, Sweden took this honor. The beautiful houses along the water, the gorgeous weather, and the delicious mussel soup made for a perfect experience. My husband would pick the stop in Lillehammer. The Olympics and open air folk museums were fascinating. Sitting in the little schoolhouse and in the church for a “day in the life” of Norwegian a hundred or more years ago brought it all together. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was better than any experience I could have imagined!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I cannot think of one particular moment; whatever moment we were in was the best at the time! To name just a few WOW moments, I would include the guide in Sweden that invited us into his home for a visit, the beauty of the ride through the archipelago, our guide, Pol who treated us like lifelong friends and shared so much great information everywhere we went, and the drive and cruise through the fjords. These are just a few of the WOW moments!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent travel experience! The accommodations were very comfortable, great locations to walking the area attractions, meals were outstanding!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Of course the fjords were breathtaking, but what really added to our trip were the Hans Christian Andersen impersonator, and the musician who performed for our group at the city hall in Stockholm. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Only reason why I'm not giving an outstanding is because of the long bus rides, for which there really isn't any solution. And we knew this tour had longer time on the bus.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"swimming the in Oslo fjord/downtown with my boys and the tour guide. Just a cool thing to do."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour was fabulous, the whole experience was first class. Our tour guide, Pal was outstanding! At each stop a specific guide gave valuable information about the site/ city we were visiting.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Didn't really have just one "wow" moment, as a whole it was wow."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our group dynamics and our guide meshed together brilliantly. Paul was thoroughly knowledgable and a good" people" person. The Scandinavian counties are beautiful and his love and enthusiasm came through!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"On the island of Aero, we did a drive around the island and stopped at a lovely lookout spot. Most of us walked down through the meadows and hill to overlook the ocean. Hearing the ocean breaking on the beach and the birds calling. The silence and wind rustling through the grasses was a" take your breath away" time of peace."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an excellent overview of Scandinavia. It was a good combination of cities and rural communities. Our guide, Heidi, was very knowledgable and kept the group engaged.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really enjoyed our visit to the coastal village of Grebbestad where we had a seafood lunch and small boat tour. Of course, the fjords in Norway were spectacular."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

From our tour group, itinerary, guide and bus driver the tour was awesome. I learnt so much history from our guide about each country and city . I would highly recommend a Rick Steves tour. This was our first tour and it won’t be our last.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Driving over the Oresund bridge and tunnel."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great guide (Heidi) and the best group of people we've ever toured with.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Fjords of Norway and our boat ride on the way to Oslo."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was excellent. Heidi provided great insights into Scandinavian culture, history, and music and also supplied good snacks. The tour group was filled with pleasant people who added their own great observations and wonderful conversations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In Sweden, Kalmar Castle and the archipelago cruise. In Denmark, Aero Island. In Norway, the National Museum and two fjord cruises (one with the group and the other after the tour ended)."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide, Heidi, was friendly, very knowledgeable and a great manager of our entire trip. Our diverse group of travelers became friends very quickly. The hotels were all in central locations and each was unique in its own way. The local city guides were enthusiastic about their city and their walks gave you a good feel about the neighborhood. The itinerary was well planned. We had free time to explore on your own. The bus, boat and ferry rides were enjoyable. I would change nothing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several but the ferry ride through the fjords was my “wow” 2 hours!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my 5th RS tour. It met the high standard I have come to expect from your tours. The guides were entertaining and informed, the accommodations were excellent. I very much enjoy the focus on beautiful places, as well as the history, culture, pop culture and art/architecture of every place we visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There are a few: the Stockholm City Hall, visiting Jorgen' s(sp?) apartment, Aero Island, B&B Boat Ride, and those gorgeous fjords."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our 14-day Scandinavia itinerary had a wonderful mix of big cities, countryside, and quaint seaside harbor towns. We loved our tour guides and the local guides in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, Kalmar, and Aeroskobing. We learned so much about the history of each site we visited and each country’s economic, political, and social systems. We enjoyed all of the hotels—ideally located when touring on our own. The huge bus had wifi and chargers for our group of 28 so we could spread out comfortably.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were SO many WOW moments! Our time on the island of Aero and quaint town of Aeroskobing was magical. We also loved Stockholm and Copenhagen. Our time with Hans Christian Anderson in Copenhagen was an absolute delight! Our guides, Ilva and Igor, were the BEST…so knowledgeable, so engaging, so enthusiastic and energetic, so kind and welcoming and very comfortable listening to a variety of political opinions from members of our tour group. This trip definitely exceeded our expectations!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

our guides were outstanding. I enjoyed the tour content and I was very impressed that each hotel was very centrally located and near all the attractions and public transportation

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Ærø island. I was not expecting to like it as much as I did. Everyone was friendly and it was fun to have a short break in a quiet location to enjoy a bike ride, walk, visit the beaches, etc. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first land tour and we were extremely pleased with the itinerary, our amazing guide and her associate, hotels and all the extra surprises that were thrown in along the way.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My WOW moment was going up the mountains to the fjords with music that was perfect for the journey and then taking the ferry down the spectacular fjords. It was a day I will never forget!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Enjoyed all the things we saw and learned about Scandinavia. Ylva and Igor were great tour guides and informed us about the countries, both historically and economically.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Sognefjord cruise. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was amazing and exceeded my expectations. My tour guide and apprentice were knowledgeable and provided an amazing experience that I will never forget.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Boat tour of the fjords in Norway. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well organized and professional

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Touring the Norway Mountains on the bus with music being played on the bus speakers."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic the tour guide and assistant were great always there for us the tour itself was unbelievable

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I can really say I fully enjoyed every minute if the tour, I hated to see it end."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved it. So well planned including guidance for on your own time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Treeless, snowy switchback Mountain View’s, drive and photo ops."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

So well organized, so well planned and executed. Terrific group, wonderful guide and the counties visited were so well worth the trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Loved the fjords and the countryside in Norway."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I fell in love with Scandinavia and enjoyed every aspect of the tour. Our wonderful guide Nina, our great group of fellow travelers, the spectacular scenery and beautiful cities, large and small, made this one of the best RS tours I have been on. And I have been on nine!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mountains and fjords of Norway. The quiet beauty of Åero, Stockholm wowed me too. I could pack up and move there"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mountains and fiords of Norway"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our ninth RS tour and one of the best. The beauty of the area was amazing. The cities seemed less crowded, and the people in all three countries were very friendly. English was spoken so frequently that it was easy to forget we were in Europe. We were fortunate to have Nina, a competent and friendly guide. She was great at leading our amazing tour group through their paces. What a fun, compatible, friendly group of people from all over the country. Overall, a great trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The wow moment for me was the fjords in Norway."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Seamless. I learned so much from all the guides but it was the little things, local snacks on the bus, learning about local culture, government, history from Nina that made the trip extra special.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Day 1 in Gamla Stan, Nina and the local guide gave us powerful history but he took us into his home! We asked all the questions we had about day to day life and everything else we could think of and he was so accommodating. The rest of the tour was consistent with that experience. I realized how absolutely well prepared everything having to do with a Rick Steves tour would be. I am still just blown away from the experience. I am already looking forward to our next one!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved it ! Every day presented new experiences and adventures ! Our tour group was filled with exceptional people eager to explore and meet new people aided by our experienced and wonderful guide, Nina, she is a star !

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many wow moments its hard to choose just one ! We really loved the slow pace of AEro. The vibes of Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Oslo. Exciting. The natural beauty of these countries is staggering. So much to see and do 14 days is just not enough."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was an excellent balance of seeing key attractions in the major cities, and natural environments (Aero Island, Sweden archipelagos, Norwegian mountains, and Norwegian fjords). Our tour guide, Nina, was outstanding! Although we spent a lot of time in the bus, Nina made the time go by quickly. We liked having the opportunity to see all three countries. This was our first Rick Steves tour, and it was awesome!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The archipelagos in Sweden (Stockholm and the west archipelago) was my favorite wow moment. They were beautiful, and it was great getting out on the water. Although we got rain that impacted our fjord trip, the fjords were awesome and certainly another wow moment. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This trip was in late May to early June and the daytime population density in Copenhagen was intense. Except for open plazas, it seemed to me very crowded while walking down the sidewalk or a “pedestrian” street. Someone spotted a tour boat during a boat tour and maybe this was the cause, but I have never felt so crowded within a city. The trip to Aero was nice but what to do but go on a bike ride, which I did. These two things result in my downgrade to very good rather than outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Kronberg Castle and the fjords. The castle in Kalmar Sweden may be impressive but to me what was more visually stunning was the Kronborg castle located adjacent the short lunch stop in Helsinger Denmark. Just viewing the massiveness of this towering structure and thinking that this castle had at one time three moats (?) surrounding it was just “jaw dropping.” The fjords, the true highlight of this trip, did not disappoint in making one feel small and insignificant."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Itinerary allowed us to see significant aspects of Scandinavia in a brief amount of time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Boat ride on the Sognefjord - awesome!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour offered a balance of history, culture, and free time. There was also a great balance of activities, walking tours, museums, dining experiences, etc. Our tour guide, Nina, had exceptional knowledge and great skill in connecting with everyone on the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It wasn't so much a "moment", but an overall appreciation for the values of the Scandinavian people. Family and community are their priorities and they have an immense appreciation for nature."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent guide Opportunities for great overview

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero island beauty "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Scandinavian Tour was wonderful! Our tour guide - Gabriella was amazing! Besides all the beautiful sights ~ museums, castles and churches ~ learning about the history and culture from Gabriella was undeniably the most amazing experience. And our tour through old town Stockholm was with Gabriella’’s father ~ ending with a visit to a true Swedish home. The personal touch was the best! And our tour group was the best ~ so much fun!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Norwegian Mountains and the scenic drive through the pass. And ending with the beautiful Fjord cruise! All the small towns were the best! Bergen was my favorite!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my second Rick Steves tour and first for my husband. We loved the experience and enjoyed the camaraderie of our fellow travellers. Gabriella our tour guide was outstanding! Scandinavia and sights we visited will be lasting memories. The tour was well planned and accommodations fantastic. My husband is a Rick Steve’s convert and future trips are in the works. Throughly recommend Scandinavia tour and especially Gabriella!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For me it was the Stockholm experience and in particular the Vassa museum. For my husband I can safely say that it was the Norwegian mountain drive and fjord cruise - magnificent!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

great trip a nice mix of activities and free time

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I was impressed when local guide Holkum invited us into his home in Stockholm "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Scandinavia tour exceeded my expectations with a fun group and a super great guide, Gabriella. Her bus narratives were so informative and her suggestions for places to eat, see, shop and SWIM were invaluable to me. Stockholm was my favorite hotel, Christmas dinner in Aero was my favorite meal and the Kon-tiki museum in Oslo was my favorite museum. As my 11th Rick Steves tour, this one should not be missed. You’ll cover a lot of space and learn a lot of Nordic history. Thank you, Gabriella.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Wow moments included the ferry ride on the Norweigian Sognefjord with all the wind and waterfalls, the bike ride on Aero, the many bronze statues in the big Oslo park, and of course all my swimming spots—the Copenhagen canal, the Aero beach pier and the floating saunas in front of the Oslo opera house. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Wasa Museum, what a historically significant discovery and well done exibition of the life and times, and one amazing ship."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Truly unforgettable! A dream come true visiting the country my grandparents immigrated from Norway.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many Wow moments! Stockholm and beautiful people and bikes! Copenhagen, more bikes and canal tour; Varburg and the “Lenin” hotel; Evertssjobod Grebbestad and their boat tour and delicious mussel stew; hotel breakfasts; time spent in the mountain and staying in a mountain lodge; the Aero Islands and our stay at the bed and breakfast; Oslo and the museums and the sculpture park! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour exceeded my expectations with surprising visits to a residents apartment and a small village with lunch and a boat tour of small islands.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I was wowed by the vistas of the mountains of Norway with the x-c skiers enjoying the sunshine on the mountain tops."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Gabriella was awesome, always upbeat and very informative!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"loved the local guides too, especially Hans Christian Andersen"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Loved the hotel rooms and breakfasts. Trip overall the trip exceeded my expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The side trips we took that other tours bypass like the stone carvings, Aero islands, and fishing villages."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The itinerary, group, weather, and our guide, Gabriella were fantastic. Gariella's enthusiasm and sensw of humor are infectious.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"2 Wow moments. Aero Island and the Grebbestad boat trip and fresh muscle lunch."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour gave us a broader experience of the three Scandinavian countries ithan we could have experienced if we just traveled on our own to the capital cities. The tour included smaller cities, the countryside, and small towns. It was nice to explore both coastal and the interiors regions and enjoying magnificent scenery.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into the Vasa Museum and seeing the 300 year old ship as it is now displayed. We were also impressed by the beauty of the Norwegian mountains and fjords."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Varied venues of cities and small towns, the interesting stops that made the long bus rides seem short and Norways scenery awesome!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Boat tour of the Norway fjords(sp?)"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved the overall view of Scandinavia. The many side trips to small local venues that we would never find on our own added greatly to our appreciation of the three countries.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Vasa Museum was much more than expected and very well done."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Heidi (over-all tour guide) was terrific--well organized, friendly, informative, and even-tempered no matter what. The local tour guide in Bergen spent way too much time showing us the fish market.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"the Norwegian fjords."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Visiting Scandinavia was more than I expected. The tour experience was excellent due to our guide, Heidi H. and bus driver, Roger. Heidi planned wonderful stops along the way and gave us plenty of time on our own to shop and explore. I learned so much of the culture and way of living in Scandinavia due to Heidi's expertise and knowledge.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have to say driving into Norway was just beautiful and the Swedish west coast archipelago boat tour top the list. Lunch with Hannah and her homemade Mussel soup and cake were fantastic!! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall, we were very pleased with our trip. We enjoyed our fellow travelers as well as getting impssions and information about various Scandinavian places and aspects of the cultures.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our boat trip in the archipelago on Sweden's west coast was special, as was the lovely meal in the boat house. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had an amazing experience on our first Rick Steves tour. Heidi, our tour manager, was incredible. Her knowledge, professionalism, and friendliness set a high standard for future guides. The places visited, experiences and local tours were excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many great moments on our tour. Our visit to the boathouse with lunch and then a boat tour was one of my favorite experiences. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great group of people, our guide, Heidi, was fantastic and each country had so much to offer.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beauty of Norway. The fjord cruise, the Stave church were definitely highlights."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

All the tour guides were knowledgeable and articulate. Heidi, our main tour guide, was very organized and kept everything on track.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment was the two hour cruise down the fjord in Norway with beautiful mountainsides and cascading waterfalls."

The Scandinavia tour was beyond my expectations, what an absolute fun, beautiful & informative tour. Heidi was so patient, kind, and shared a lot of history and kept us safe and on time. Our bus driver Roger was a super great driver and the bus was very clean & comfortable everyday. I could do this tour all over again.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Going to Aero island in Denmark. What a dreamy wonderful place!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was informative with experienced and knowledgeable guide Ylva leading our exploration into Scandinavia's art and cultural heritage. Elva made discreet consideration of our special need to find toilets in the middle of our 2 hours walking tour. Much appreciated her warm and friendliness to us. Elva also invited us to join a What's app chat group during the tour. It enhanced our tour group info exchange and built cohesiveness during and after the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Fjord Country and the 2 hour scenic Sognefjord cruise was a 'wow' moment. The scenic mountains drive was also memorable. The staying in a peaceful mountain inn was also way up there for me. Day 9 I love the 19th century boat house mussel soup lunch and the boat ride from the pier into the Swedish west coast archipelago. Quite a special treat."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Ylva was amazing

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Doing yoga with Ylva and the way she connected to the group. A very personal satisfying experience!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Ylva was a great guide!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Fjord cruise and driving through Norway's mountains!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Rick Steves tour members are always friendly, considerate, well travelled and interesting people making them excellent travel companions.

Favorite "WOW" moment

" Our tour guide... Ylva...who shared so many stories ..about history, politics, music, societal structure, local treats. She was always upbeat and available and recognized when we need quiet time too. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was another outstanding Rick Steve Tour experience. Like so many others, this was our 3rd Rick Steves experience, having done "Paris and the Heart of France" and "Ireland", I love the format, "Seeing Europe through the Back Door" utilizing local guides, and numerous "surprises" each day!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Th.ere were many "wow" moments, but my favorite relates to my Great-Great-Grandfather James Severson. He was born in Nord Aurdal, Norway in 1832 and immigrated to the United States in 1853. He settled near Lacrosse, Wisconsin, bought farm land, and then served in the Civil War. As our tour group left Oslo, bound for the Valdres (Open Air) Folks Museum, I "pinned" his birthplace on a Google Map. We came within 2 km of his birthplace (Follinglo Farm)"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All the waterfalls in the Aurland region."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Exceptional guide. 24 fellow travelers who were interesting and fun to associate with.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Bike ride in Aero. Boat trip on the Norwegian fjord"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Scandinavia is truly beautiful and I am overjoyed that I had the blessing of having such an amazing tour guide Ylva show it to us. She truly cared about everyone on this trip having the best experience and helping them see and do everything they were interested in . She answered questions about places we would be seeing, told us fascinating history, and asked us what we would be interested in seeing on our free time and then made suggestions based on our interests.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Watching the sunrise over the boats at the dock. Roaming a castle. The cruise in the Fjord. Breakfast with the group. Visiting the Opera House. Walking in Stockholm, Varberg, Copenhagen, Oslo. I can't pick 1...it was all wonderful!!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well coordinated and a great group. Ilva was a powerhouse guide! Full of energy and information.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Fiords of Norway. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour guide and intern were fantastic!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Going over the snow-capped mountains in Norway."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As always, Rick Steves' tour rocks! We had a great time with an excellent guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

""Nature!" Especially Aero Island and Fjord curises are highlight of the tour. "

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Vigeland sculpture garden in Oslo"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic itinerary, superb knowledgable guide Pal. I learned so much about each area we visited, its culture, the lifestyles of the people in those areas. Along the way had fun! The tour participants couldn't have been any more pleasurable to be around, it was almost like they are hand picked to get along for two weeks!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sadly there isn't just one single "wow" moment, it was one big "WOW" experience from beginning to end. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

P(o)al was an awesome guide. He is quite knowledgeable about Scandinavia and shared much of the culture and everyday life. The whole experience was improved by sites and activities offered and planned. I left feeling like I had really experienced the countries we visited. Igor was apprenticing and it right in with the group, he'll be a great asset when he is ready to be on his own. The experience was greatly enhanced by their leadership

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I was excited to learn how my great-grandmother got her maiden name ( from a town I did not know existed) and not have her fathers name suffixed by sen/son"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was better than we could have imagined! We felt well taken care of and challenged to experience new things.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Vasa museum was a life long dream to visit. The magnitude of the ship was amazing. The fjords were beautiful. The cyclists in Copenhagen kept us alert and agile."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was impressed with the warmth, openness and beauty of Scandinavia and its people. After taking the tour, I realized that it had exceeded my expectations and wished others could share this so positive experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"You are asking me to choose my “favourite child”. I think it was being exposed to an open, welcoming people who really do live in an exemplary society."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Absolutely everything was wonderful, a perfect experience in every way from the excellent guide Pål, the great hotels, informative history lessons, fabulous restaurants and local tours. I would recommend this tour to everyone.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to say as it was all good, but the Norwegian outdoor open air history museum, the mountains and fjords were fabulous. I have Norwegian ancestors who emigrated in the mid1800’s so it was very interesting to imagine their lives there."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our second Rick Steves' tour, and we had the most wonderful time exploring Scandinavia with our lovely tour group. It was clear to us that every aspect of the tour had been carefully planned: from the hotels to the museums to the local guides. Additionally, our tour guide (Pål), apprentice (Igor) and bus driver (Per-Inge) were all kind and knowledgeable individuals who enhanced our tour experience. There was never a dull moment. I would absolutely recommend this tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many amazing moments on our tour of Scandinavia (e.g., seeing the Norwegian fjords for the first time, etc.), but my favorite "wow" moment was renting some bicycles and cycling through Ærø Island with some of our tour group."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Pal, and his apprentice, Igor, made the tour run smoothly and kept it fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Riding over the mountain pass in Norway."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was very well structured to give us the best experience of Scandinavian history, culture, art, and beauty. I had anticipated that it might be a bit dull but it was anything but. I learned a great deal, enjoyed all the beauty around us, met wonderful people, and felt very well- looked-after. What more could you want from a holiday?

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Vigeland park in Oslo. I had never before experienced sculptures with so much soul. And the natural setting was amazing. It took my breath away."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A truly Wonderful tour! The guides both tour and local were friendly and professional!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"WOW moments! It is hard to choose just one moment, so I refuse...here are just a few...The Vasa museum, the electric ferries, the number of bicycles, the viking museum, the bridges, the waterfalls, the 15 mile tunnel, the friendly group we toured with, in fact the whole tour."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We had a great guide, Gabriella, who kept us on schedule, smoothly dealt with unexpected situations and was always calm, genial, and helpful. We had great tour karma: good weather, two opportunities to see royalty, and we in Bergen for Constitution Day (which was 80 degrees!). The hotels were great, food was excellent, and the cities chosen were enjoyable and offered more than we could take in.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hmmm. We had so many wows: the unexpected visits of the Danish King and Queen to Stockholm and Oslo, a visit with my penpal of 60 years in Varberg, Sweden, Hans Christian Andersen joining us for dinner, a visit to a home in Gamla Stan, and more breakfast than I have ever seen in my life. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Gabby was very in tune with what the guests needed. She always had positive energy and engaged us in different activities, including fun games to help us learn each other's names, and gave interesting facts about the places.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The surprise visit to the home of the local tour guide in Stockholm, who also happened to be the father of Gabby (main guide)"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour exceeded our expectations from the previous RS tour of Switzerland which was really great. We saw sights that we would not see without a guide. What made this tour even special was our guide Gabriella. Not only does she have total command of the subject but brings a personal touch to her job. Really over the top.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We visited Grebbstaad an took a tour around the bay and when we returned had fish soup. That doesn't sound like Wow when I write it but it was the best part of the tour."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was fabulous. From the weather, to the guides, and the scenery - all exceptional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I’m sure it was planned by our local guide, but “happening upon” the Danish Royal visit in Stockholm. Seeing them arrive in in the golden boat was amazing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our 4th RS tour and we think maybe our best. The choice of destination certainly played a role is this however we also feel that our guide and the group make-up had SO much to do with our feelings.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Maybe a silly one but one of my best memories was being invited into our local guide's home in Stockholm. Until then we had no idea he was related to our RS guide. It was a wonderful, personal moment and we were all very charmed. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great guide, terrific locations and activities, amazingly copacetic travel companions! It’s pretty tough to get all three of these components together, but this tour achieved it.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The fiord cruise (spectacular waterfall display) and “Constitution Day” in Bergen (great parades, historic costumes everywhere, fireworks, and a very happy and good natured atmosphere)"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Rick's Guides check ALL the boxes!!...All we have to do is show up and enjoy!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our "Surprise Meeting" with Gabriella's Mother, Father, Brother....demonstrates the Quality of Rick's Philosophy."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had few expectations about this tour but boy, did it ever blow those meager wishes out of the water! One of the best tours we've been on, ranking up there with Ireland and Sicily. Every star was aligned for this one, our 12th Rick Steves' tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment was when the local guide in Stockholm took us into his own, personal apartment. It was a goosebump moment to see how/where he lived, offering us fresh water from his tap, not a plastic bottle. AND THEN, even more goosebumpy when we realized our RS guide was his daughter! We had already met our guide's brother at our intro meeting, then to find out her father, who has been a guide for over 30 years, her mother, a brother (soon-to-be-RS-guide), and herself. It was special and WOW!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

If something could have gone right it did, in a big way. The history, the culture, the people, the mountains and the food. It was a delight from start to finish.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Standing in a room where several hundred years before really big and historical events had taken place. I stood where the king and his court stood."

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Appreciate excellent bus driver, I thought the guide needlessly bullied him some. The city guides were Excellent, there should have been one for Bergen, it would have helped! Group food disappointing. Accommodations met expectations. Looking back, iternerary was well choosen and laid out.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero, Copenhagena & Fjords in Norway"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our first RS Tour exceeded expectations. You did a good job setting expectations (physical demands and bus rides, etc.) and your audios were quite helpful so were prepared,

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Many Wows - hard to select one. The mix of major cities and smaller towns was a big part of the reason for selecting this tour and that became an overall Wow."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Scandinavian tour was our 8th RS tour. I can't say enough about the excellent guides and bus drivers that we've had in all of them. Ylva was top-notch: knowledgeable, kind, and such a pleasure to be with. She helped create such a fun atmosphere amongst all the tour members. P-inge, our fearless driver, led us on some very scenic and twisty, narrow roads. He made sure we were able to see the beautiful Norwegian mountains and got us to our fjord tour even with landslides closing many roads.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero Island was so charming! The fjord cruise was incredibly beautiful. Visiting our guide's home (all 28 of us!) in Stockholm (and using her bathroom!!!) was the epitome of all the kind, friendly and gracious people we met in Scandinavia. Unbelievable hospitality!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Amazing guide Ylva showed us a fantastic time in Scandanavia. We also had a great driver. Tour was a good balance between cities and countryside, and local guides were very valuable. A few surprises organized by the guide including an impromptu speaker Hans Christian Anderson (performer) made it feel like much more than a simple sight seeing tour. Also had a good balance of self time, to take in the sights that were interesting to me.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The drive over the mountains and into the fjord in Norway was absolutely amazing. Views, scenery, and just the experience was awe-inspiring. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What a great way to experience Scandinavia. Our guide was the best; we learned so much. I know that some of the trip highlights were things that I never would have found on my own. Examples: Our lunch and boat ride in Grebbestad; a swim in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Aero; a visit by Hans C. Andersen in Nytorv; Picnic lunch by the fjord in Aurland. A great group of people and a great tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So hard to choose just one. I loved the commentary by Hakom as we walked the Gamla Stan in Stockholm. And we visited his home! But it's hard to beat the sheer beauty of the Sognefjord ferry tour. Stunning."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Really great. This was my second Rick Steves tour and both were fantastic. I'll do another one next year.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many but I couldn't believe that one of our local guides let us into his home to let us use the bathroom. So great to see how at least one local lives (well two, because his partner is also a Rick Steves guide, and lives there with him). "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our overall guide, Pal was great! Local guides too. Learned so much about a part of the world I knew little about. Rooms, bus and driver were good too!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Vasa Museum and cruising the fjord… walking on Aero Island was memorable too."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Liked the combination of cities, farms, nature both land and water

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the local tour guides apartment in Stockholm and the fjords"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Out tour was much enhanced by our guide Pao. He was a superb guide and you may consider having him Train some guides. His “name game” activity was a hoot and set the stage. Wonderful treats of the regions, and his knowledge of the political, cultural, historical, modes was appreciated by all. Great sense of humor and Pao even played music by composers from the countries and matched it with the landscape we were driving through!!! (Who does that?) a great tour!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The cruise through the fjords was so spectacular! It was almost like a religious experience! Unparalleled beauty! "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

fun trip and a great guide

Favorite "WOW" moment

"fram museum in oslo"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Pal was an exceptional guide. He kept us entertained on long bus rides with fun quizzes, lots of good snacks and his keen knowledge of each country.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Many wonderful moments. The boat ride through the Swedish archipelago was memorable."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Thoroughly enjoyed the tour; excellent guide, great experiences and a wonderful group of people to share the trip with.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In Norway, the entire day that started with driving through the mountains then onto the fjord cruise. So many beautiful sights!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Thanks to our tour gide Nina for her kindness, professionalism, and kind and lovely style of leading this incredible tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beauty, the nature, the culture and kind people "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide, Nina, was exceptional in her knowledge and approach. The tour was well organized, a nice variety of big and small sites. It felt like a once in a life time type of travel as we we went through the Norway mountains and saw the fjords. The unique experiences you get from RS tours were memorable including the electric boat experience, bus ride in Aero and so many more. I would highly recommend anyone that is interested in nature and culture to go on this tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Fjords of course but also the city hall in Stockholm and the park in Oslo. Almost every city we visited had its own wow moments."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour had a good mix of history, current environment (politics/social issues/environmental), and exposure to scenery. There was an appropriate amount of free time in most places and the local guides were great! Very informative

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The boat trip through the fjords was the highpoint of the trip. The beauty of the mountains and water really defined Norway for me."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first time taking a tour and we thoroughly enjoyed it! I felt that there was a good mix of group activities and time to explore on our own. Our guide, Nina, was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and the other tour participants were fun to travel with which also enhanced our experience. We visited several sites with the group that we probably never would have explored on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our favorite "wow" moment was traveling through the Norwegian mountains and our cruise on the fjords that afternoon. Although it was a cloudy day, the scenery was spectacular. I took more pictures that day than I've probably taken all year!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We enjoyed the countries, the group we traveled with, the well-located hotels, and our guide. The time on the bus was long, even though it was broken up with information, interesting stops, etc.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I particularly enjoyed the boat ride through the Swedish west coast archipelago. Pier encouraged us to climb up and sit on the bow of the boat, it was a gorgeous day, the seas were calm. Hannah's delightful lunch followed our boat ride. Both father and daughter beautifully shared the love of their home and surroundings. They were another example of the Scandinavian satisfaction with their way of life."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our trip was highlighted by many WOW moments. Out tour guide was one of them, Gabi was very knowledgeable and took great effort to make sure her talks were of interest to the group as a whole. She was able to shift her focus to not only individual questions but also to the city we were in and describe the history as well as the modern developments like politics, religion and other social impacts. Gabi made each city come alive and encouraged us to embrace our free time to explore.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My 2 favorite experiences were a bike ride on Aero with Gabi and the boat ride with lunch. Both allowed us to see a less ‘touristy’ side of Scandinavia. The bike ride was unique as we were able to see an ancient grave mound the Gabi had found on a previous trip. The boat trip was awesome as we toured the Swedish west coast. The lunch provided was my favorite! Muscle soup - who knew it could be so delicious - and I even had dessert, which I normally refrain from. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our tour of Scandinavia was awesome. Our guide did an outstanding job and the tour plan was incredible. We learned so much and enjoyed some incredible sites and scenery.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Fjords were an incredible way to end the tour. Norway was incredibly beautiful!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful trip! Our guide Gabriella and our driver Jonas were a great team. Gabriella was especially wonderful, matching the energy of our group and making all of us feel welcome in her part of the world.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The drive through the mountain passes with the fjord cruise and the western Sweden Archipelago boat ride were the big wows from the itinerary. My sunrise walk to the Ærøskøbing beach huts was my solo wow."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great guide, nice group, great cities, Norway fjords the best

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Viewing guides’ apartment on old Stockholm"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved the Best of Scandinavia Tour! It had a great balance of big cities & small towns, guided tours & free time, and history, scenery, & culture. It was extremely thorough with every detail taken care of, and our guide, Gabriela, was wonderful. Highly recommend!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It is very difficult to narrow down one wow moment! Scenery-wise, it had to be the Norwegian fjords and countryside/mountains surrounding them. However, the unexpected surprises were really wow moments, too: being invited into a local tour guide's home, having "Hans Christian Anderson" greet and talk to us, or receiving special snacks from our tour guide. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We loved our guide, Gabriella, who did an outstanding job of connecting the group, introducing us to Scandinavian culture and it's glorious sites. A great balance of group and free time, and wonderful meals together. We came home with great memories and photos.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The last day in Norway was one of mindblowing scenery. We crossed beautiful mountains and ended up on a 2-1/2 hour fjord cruise that was even more beautiful. We could name several other "wows" but that one comes to mind first. "

Wonderful visual and learning experience, especially about the culture.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"No particular moment but I loved the scenery."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

An excellent first trip to Scandinavia! It made me wonder why I hadn't gone to this part of the world sooner. We got lucky with good weather, and our guide, Pål, was easy-going, and provided great info about the culture, history, and food of each of the three countries.As usual, fellow travelers added to the good experience. This was my first time being the only person traveling by myself on a Rick Steves tour, but I never lacked for invitations to join others.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Norway and it's fjords were even more beautiful in person."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very good

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the fjords for the first time"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The trip was excellent. Our guide Pal was the best.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Definitely Norway traveling from Oslo to Bergen. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The overall tour experience met and exceeded our expectations. For example, as expected life happened to a few of us in our group in the form of COVID. What was not expected and much appreciated was the kind, very caring responses and professionalism from staff associated with the Rick Steve's tour and even from members in our tour group that clearly reflected his high social, moral, and business standards.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Jim: Vasa and Aero. Audrey: Our family has kept many Swedish traditions from when they emigrated to the US in the late 19th century--mostly during Christmas. So every time I saw wooden sleighs in museums I couldn't help humming "Jingle Bells." In one museum, to my delight, Dwight from Texas started filling in the words I had forgotten. Soon we were belting out Jingle Bells in the middle of what we thought was an echoing empty room in the middle of summer. Very satisfying."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our 5th Rick Steves and again we were not disappointed. The tour guide Pål made this trip one of our most memorable, he was attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly. He made the long bus ride manageable with his games, history lesson, and music. The love for his Counrty was contagious .The group was an icing on the cake: very easy going and we all got along very well. Love, love the location of the hotels.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Grebbestad and the surprise of Hans Christian. But most important was how friendly were the people in the three Countries we visited: it was definitely refreshing. For me, we checked the three things that make a great trip: Superb Tour Guide in Pål, great group , and welcoming Countries."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

good group, good itinerary great guide

Favorite "WOW" moment

"boat ride in swedish archipelage, and mussel soup lunch"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide was exceptional - I loved that she played music and had snacks appropriate to the places we were visiting. The accommodations were lovely and all were in areas that made exploring the cities easy. I liked that we had time to do our own exploring and we had guided "walks" too.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Two things stand out - the island Aero and the ride in the fjords."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Good hotels/good meals/good local guides

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Traveling through the mountains of Norway"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour with a truly excellent guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Swimming naked in the North Sea followed closely by the viking museum at Roskillde"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour was a wonderful experience. The sights we visited were a good blend of city/culture and natural beauty; the hotels were comfortable and clean (and sometimes outstanding); the food was fabulous; our guide was interesting, funny, engaging, and warm; our bus driver was skilled and endearing; the pacing was mostly good; and our group was friendly and fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the gorgeous mountains and fjords of Norway, eating lunch at a 19th century boathouse in Sweden and boating through the calm and beautiful waters of the Swedish west coast archipelago, strolling through the quaint town of Ærøskøbing, touring beautiful Stockholm."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Enjoyed visiting Sweden, Denmark and Norway…bus rides were longer than other Rick Steves trips we have been on with hurried unorganized rest/stretch stops…a tunnel stop to take pictures ??? Guidance was confusing at times…bus driver was excellent…lost 4 people on way to orientation dinner the first night… lost one person on orientation walk the first day…changed ‘buddies’ twice made it confusing for first timers…

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero Island was nice…Norwegian Mountains were cool…Didn’t have same ‘wow’ moment like ‘The David’, Sistine Chapel, The Louvre, Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Concentration Camps, Flander’s Field, Normandy Beaches etc…."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was wonderful to see and learn about Scandinavia. The local guides were excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite moment was seeing the fjords and the beautiful scenery as we rode on the boat,"

Overall rating: rating 2 of 5

Sadly, my husband came down with Covid on the 4th day of our tour. While I was negative then I opted to leave the tour with him. Sure enough, I was ill two days later.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The waterfronts in Stockholm and Copenhagen."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our Scandinavian adventure was an epic odyssey filled with extraordinary moments. The warmth of the people, the charm of the cities, and the natural splendor of Norway's mountains and fjords combined to create a journey that surpassed all expectations. I returned home with cherished memories and a profound appreciation for the enchantment of Scandinavia. If you are seeking a travel experience that touches your heart and soul, Scandinavia should be at the very top of your list.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My big "wow" of our Scandinavian trip was undoubtedly the awe-inspiring landscapes of Norway. The majestic mountains and serene fjords left us breathless in every sense of the word. The scenic highway and fjord boat trip with their views of cascading waterfalls and dramatic cliffs, was a journey through a fairy tale. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was very well planned and well run all the way through.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The island of Ærø was beautiful."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The Scandinavian tour was wonderful.I enjoyed the culture, natural beauty, and learning about the Scandinavian history and society.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Traveling over the Norwegian mountains and the fjord cruise."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a lot of fun in our tour of Scandinavia! Our guide, Heidi, was extremely knowledgeable and organized, as well as being pleasant and cheerful. She worked very smoothly with our bus driver, despite his being Swedish and she Danish! We had a nice diversity of transportation experiences, including several ferry rides. The boat ride through the fjord in Norway was really great. Our group of travelers was fun, although COVID cropped up a bit. I’d give the picked herring a miss next time!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We had a chance to visit Edvard Grief’s home near Bergen and enjoyed it a lot. We didn’t get to hear a concert there, unfortunately, but the place was wonderful to see."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I wasn't sure what to expect, but the tour exceeded my expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The cities and history lessons were interesting, but wow moments came from Nature---Stockholm's archipelago with over 20,000 islands; the mountains, raging rivers and majestic fjords of Norway."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour very well managed from pre-tour checklists through to end. Our tour director was excellent, enthusiastic, very knowledgeable on countries we visited. We had a couple of ‘surprises’ which I loved. You can tell a lot of planning and thought we went the design of the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Two: 1) Meeting Hans Christian Andersen (actor) in Stockholm in a square where he proceeded to talk about his life and times. 2) Visiting our tour directors family home in Stockholm, really gave us a good feel for living in the city. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Met every expectation...great guide...great destinations...great lodging...great bus experience...great group meals...and wonderful group of fellow travelers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beauty of the city of Stockholm. Breathtaking."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Gabriella was a perfect guide. Knowledgeable and enthusiastic and approachable to everyone. But there is too much time on the bus on this itinerary. As beautiful and interesting as the places we visited were, my overall impression of this trip is riding the bus for many hours most days. I recommend splitting the itinerary into 2 separate trips: Sweden/Finland and the Swedish Archipelago and Denmark/Norway

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the VASA ship was amazing and it continues to dominate my memories of the trip. Oslo was a delightful surprise that was my favorite of the 3 capitals we visited."

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

I loved the format of the tour, it was packed with information and activities. Our tour guide, Gabrielle was amazing and the close-knit community of our group was a definite plus!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite moment of the tour was Oslo Norway, Frogner Park was absolutely amazing!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The itinerary in every country was well planned. A combination program such as a visit to the world known and historical monuments of the country and detour to a small island to appreciate the countryside was a a breathtaking experience. It was a vacation from a vacation, offering physical activities, constant walking which is good for the health, and overall well being of the joiner. The taste of typical food in every country was a welcome delight. Thank you for this wonderful well planned tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The visit to museums that opened my door to the past, appreciate the person, power, and struggle of Margaret, Queen regnant of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Also the picturesque roadside of Norway from Oslo to Bergen was a wow moment! Followed by the 1 hour ferry boat to the island known for herring, clams, and mussels... The calmness, self-control, and knowledge of beautiful Gabriella was also a plus wow experience to have her as out tour guide. She was ready all the time to answer our questions"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The group was very chill and go with the flow as some changes occurred. The tour leader could not have been more perfect, approachable yet professional and indomitably upbeat. Over tourism reared its ugly head but I had the freedom to do my own thing. I appreciated driving up the west coast of Sweden instead of the overnight ferry. If that had still been in place I would not have taken this tour for the second time. I think it would benefit everyone to break this tour into three sections.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow was the unexpected fun at the hotel Gastis in Varberg. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was fantastic. The things I liked most were: our guide Gabby (her storytelling is great), the visit to aeroskobing (it's gorgeous), and the effort that you guys make to help us all get to know each other.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Gabby's apartment. Museums and tourist attractions are great, but nothing really gives you the feel of a country like seeing how an actual person lives. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved it all! Nina, our guide, should get credit for making things run so beautifully even when faced with some weather issues. The hotels were outstanding as were the restaurants chosen for our group meals.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero Island for sure was the highlight for me...I hate to think we might not have seen that."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great locations, great guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our two days on the island of Aero."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour exceeded expectations. We saw famous sites in major cities plus real life in rural areas. We saw medieval and modern structures. We met wonderful people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We were bussing through rural Norway during an unforecasted, once-in-a-lifetime storm. Sheets of water were sliding down hills, flooding rivers, lakes, and houses. Our guide and driver safely navigated through the country and gave us a front row seat to a natural disaster. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our fifth Rick Steve tours and one of the best. All three countries were so beautiful - cities and countryside. Our guide and the all the local guides were outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our wow moment was seeing the fjords in Norway. I’ve heard about them all my life but they still surpassed expectations. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall, our trip was wonderful! Just a couple small things could have made it outstanding. We arrived Stockholm 2 days early to take the ferry to an outmost island. The ride was beautiful with a bluebird day. When arriving at the island beginning with “”S”, the ferry docked at the opposite side of the island than mentioned in the RS guide book, making us walk 3 miles to and from the restaurant so highly recommended. The other was on the isle of Aero. Our accommodation was wonderful, but we hear

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Aero and the eclectic hotel with the Lenin bust in the porthole bathroom. Such a place with character! Our guide, Nina, recommended a wonderful old restaurant in Copenhagen as our splurge and celebrate our 50th Anniversary. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We enjoyed the tour and the places we visited. We liked doing the 3 countries on one tour and focus on key sites. The tour guide Nina was great and informative and the group members were pleasant to travel with. Norway hill country had the heaviest rain in over 22 years and we spend 9 hours on a bus one day while trying to get to our stop and hotel. Multiple routes were closed and the bus ultimately crossed over flowing mud water across the road to get to our hotel.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The fiords boat tour. Copenhagen was a close second."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I enjoyed the Scandinavian tour very much but not as much as I had enjoyed my previous RS Tour of Spain (4/22-5/2/2023). The tour guide for Scandinavian was fine. My fellow travelers were wonderful!! We were unable to take the ferry boat ride to Norway’s fijords due to mechanical problems w/the ferry and the next scheduled ferry boat ride was already booked—I looked forward to seeing the fijords up close on this trip. Nevertheless I still enjoyed this trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The breakfasts and dinners (including the group dinners) were delicious and plentiful. Great foods overall, pastries, hot dogs, Swedish chocolate balls. Loved the museums, especially the Nobel Prize museum, local tour guides Stockholm, Copenhagen, Bergen. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was very pleased with this tour. Everything was excellent. Our guide Ylva was outstanding!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our guide Ylva took us to her home for a discussion on Swedish life as part of Stockholm's walking tour. That was very touching. Very meaningful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour exceeded my expectations. Every "stop" on the itinerary was filled with new learning and rare opportunities to experience cultural and geographic highlights I would never otherwise know about.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It's hard to choose just one "wow" moment, but a true highlight for me: An evening hike, setting out from Elveseter Farmstead in the mountains of Norway, searching for troll hideouts with our magnificent guide Ylva, was a unique and once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will cherish and remember."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Pal is a wonderful tour guide and we enjoyed 4 1/2 days with him before asking us to leave the tour as my wife, Lisa tested positive for COVID

Favorite "WOW" moment

"No particular one"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is a fabulous tour--Scandinavia is a fantastic destination for art, architecture, cultural experiences, history, and the most beautiful scenery in Europe! Pal was a super-special tour leader. I believe this is overall the best Rick Steves tour out of the eight tours I have taken. My only regret is that the tour was not longer. We spent a lot of time on the bus getting places but did not have enough time at the major stops--Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, and the fjords around Bergen.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everything on this tour was "Wow" from the beautiful scenery in the Norwegian fjords, the quaint village on Aero Island, all the beautiful parks and gardens (that I never expected to see in Scandinavia!), fabulous museums, and the fantastic variety of historical architecture everywhere including numerous buildings dating from many centuries ago."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Valarie Arnesen and I collaborated on the survey - please see her responses as they are the same as mine. An amazing trip!

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic introduction to Scandinavia. Our guild Pal was superb. Wonderful accommodations. Great experiences. Congenial group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Boat ride in the Swedish archipelago. Stunning scenery. (God paints well.) Quiet electric motor. Fun transformed fishing hut as our home base for lunch. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A wonderfully positive experience from beginning to end. At this point, I know I can count on Rick Steves for a outstanding tour and you never disappoint. While there's never enough time to do it all, I feel that this is such a wonderful format for truly experiencing and understanding each of the places we visited much more so than I could without the benefit of a guide. The convenience of having transportation and lodging provided makes for a great stress-free vacation!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have two from this tour. Being invited into our local guide, Haakon's, apartment in Stockholm was a marvelously genuine and intimate experience. What a gem to sit in a local's living room and discuss family, culture, life, art and anything else. The second was our day free on Aero. I broke off from the group that day and rode my rented bicycle all over the island. What a liberating and unique time to explore such a gem."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I enjoyed the tour very much. Our guide was excellent. I won't go into derail on him now, as I'm assuming that will be covered in a later section. We saw many great sites, which also createdI a problem. It can be exhausting moving so often and not getting to spend more time, especially in the big cities.But I'm not sure that can be solved without eliminating some things.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I enjoyed Aero Island because it was so quaint and we got to relax there a bit"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Active and engaging tour with a drama-free group and a very knowledgeable guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many, but 3 stand out for me: Aeros island for it's relaxing charm, Grebbestad boat tour for the quiet beauty (and excellent lunch), and the Vigeland sculpture park for a stunning display."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Finally after a three year delay due to Covid and cancer my wife and I were able to take our 50th wedding anniversary tour of Scandinavia. With the significant exception of losing several travelers to Covid all other aspects of the trip were truly wonderful. We've never been in this part of the world and we're anxious to come in so glad we did it in large part through our Rick Steves tour(we did add three days early arrival and six days post trip time on our own). Our guide Pal was exceptional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many! Probably one definite highlight and "wow" moment was to have the chance for Julie need to stand on the platform and look down at Aurland Fjord. The fjord boat tour that followed a few hours later added to this moment. And another for me was opening the curtains on our second floor room at the Bethel hotel in Copenhagen and staring out at the Nyhavn Harbor and having one of the most photographed spots in all of Denmark right there in front of us. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour guide, congenial group, lots of ground covered, nice hotels, lots of info.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I liked stopping in the fishing village in Western Sweden for the tour on the small boat and then lunch in the upstairs of the old sawmill(restaurant). Very relaxing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Pal took us on an amazing experience throughout Scandanavia. Pal's a very likable and knowledgeable young man who kept us laughing and learning.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really liked the Norway portion of the tour best. The mountains and fjords were outstanding."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Saw a lot of Scandinavia in a short time. Very good tour guide. Too much bus time, but I'm not sure what can be done about that given the length of travel.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Gastin Hotel in Varberg."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was fabulous.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were MANY! The Vasa museum, the island of Aero, the mountain chateau, and on and on!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Every opportunity was maxed to learn and experience the Scandinavian countries we visited. Our guide provided so many treats and experiences in addition to the official agenda.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The incredible scenery and learning about the history of each of the countries."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great time! Our guide, Åsa was outstanding. Her joy in travel was infectious; her knowledge was extensive; and she put her all into making the most of every moment. We enjoyed the Scandinavian beauty, the well-located hotels with great breakfasts, the itinerary, our group, and the many little surprises along the way!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had two favorite wow moments, the stunning natural beauty we experienced on our boat ride in the fjord and the charming, quaint loveliness of Aero Island where we even experienced a special Danish Christmas dinner!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a magnificent tour... each new day was packed with information, scenery, history, culture and fun activities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many wow moments, but Aero island and the Norwegian Fjords were beyond description"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was extremely well organized, our guide was extremely personable and knowledgeable, and we enjoyed the company of all the other people traveling with us.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"the waterfalls we saw while traveling through the Norwegian fiords"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was well organized allowing us to have so many wonderful experiences and giving us the opportunity to explore on our own. Guide Heidi and driver Johnny were very experienced, professional, fun, and caring.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every day was a bounty of rich experiences. My favorites were visiting the open air museums, walking the beaches of Ærø Island (and finding sea glass), a dinner talk by “Hans Christian Anderson”, mountain drives, boat/ferry rides on Swedish coast and through Norwegian fjords, and Scandie chocolate provided by our wonderful guide Heidi!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour is well planned and executed. Our primary guide, Heidi, is outstanding in every aspect. The local guides were all insightful and professional. The hotels were all clean, comfortable, and efficient. Most importantly to us the hotels were all located in excellent locations in every location. Even our driver, Johnny, was outstanding.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Experiencing Scandinavia "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The selection of Scandanavia stops across the three countries introduced on the tour shared up close views of a land of historical significance, accessible cities, and incredible nature.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many to choose from but a special stop was an electric wooden boat ride and an amazing lunch at Everts Sjobod in Grebbestad followed by a visit to the Vigeland Scupture Park in Oslo on a memorable Day 9."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour is an excellent way to see Scandinavia up close and experience a little of what each of these wonderful countries have to offer. There are many surprise experiences on this tour that really made a difference and can only be found on a Rick Steves tour! Nina did a great job helping us to engage with the Scandinavian culture!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sooo many wow moments! The City Hall in Stockholm and the boat/lunch in Grebbestad are special memories. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well paced, good mix of urban / small town experiences. The group was full of friendly, accomplished people. Guides were good to excellent (Hokan!).

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The bike ride on Ærøs island. Beautiful!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful trip with an excellent guide and companionable group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Fiord cruise"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was such an interesting tour (learned a lot), with wonderful sites (saw a lot), and such varied experiences. I loved it!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I would have to say seeing the Vasa ship! It was so enormous and so well preserved, truly a Wow experience. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our fourth Rick Steves tour and was one of the best yet. It had tremendous variety in the sites and cities visited, unexpected and breathtaking moments, good food, incredibly unique lodging at times, incredible cities - both big and small, great museums, city halls and Stave churches. We loved AEro Island and the landscapes viewed during the island bike ride were incredible, and the city had a very special charm. Our guide Gabriella was extraordinary. Driver Christer was great too.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to mention - the Vasa Museum, the ride through mountains of Norway while Gabriella played instrumental music by Secret Garden, Aero Island, the boat ride in the fjord, the boat ride along the coast and the lunch in Grebbestad Sweden, the Royal Palace in Copenhagen - the list could go on. The entire trip qualifies as a Wow moment!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was wonderful! Everything including itinerary, tour stops, and meal times were organized with maximum comfort for us. Our tour guide, Gabriella was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, optimistic, and helpful which made our experience that much more fantastic! The sights we saw and the special activities were great! We don’t feel like we missed anything. Rooms were fine and group meals were excellent!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"While the fjords and mountains of Norway were certainly one of the wow moments, I think also the boat ride and lunch in Varberg was also one."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Really enjoyed "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As we had done this Tour in "2012" but this time our daughter-in law and son were with us! What a great trip to repeat!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Really enjoyed the experience again (with a few changes) Was overall just a great time and absolutely loved Gabi!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was fun to experience the culture of the Scandanavian people and their friendliness was noted and appreciated. I enjoyed the seafood and reindeer meals and the potatoes tasted awesome! The history of European countries is always fascinating and fun to learn about. Yiva is an excellent guide and has such a wealth of knowledge to share.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I love waterfalls and the ferry ride through the fjord, although rainy, was beautiful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had a wonderful time on the "Best of Scandinavia" tour. All aspects from the food to the accommodations to the guide and other travelers met or exceeded expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hmm, so difficult to pick just one moment! I would say my favorite moments were the optional activities I got to take part in (e.g. yoga, bike riding on Aero, swimming in the sea in Varberg)."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first tour of any kind, it so exceeded whatever I could have expected. My tour guide Ylva was absolutely amazing with her enthusiasm and knowledge. The variety of experiences from going to her home, the Vasa, Aero, a small boat ride, planned photo opportunities, delicious meals prepared just for us, the list goes on and on. Tour mates were great, loved the breakfasts, absolutely great hotels. Bus driver Leif was fabulous.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We had so many of them, everyday there seemed to be one. I especially loved Aero and encountered a couple that had just gotten married, I wished them the happiest of lives together and then they asked me if they could take a picture WITH me! It brought me to tears, to be included in wedding memories of people I had just met. Aero was like a movie set and our hotel Pa Torvet was just incredible. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour! We had an outstanding tour guide and enjoyed the Scandinavian countries we visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The alpine area of Norway and the beautiful fjords in Norway."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Scandinavian tour met our three basic reasons for travel: history, art and food! Throw in an excellent guide and a wonderful, friendly group of travel companions and this Rick Trip was one of our best!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our bus ride from Laerdal to Flam in Norway was spectacular! The clear mountain vistas and views of the fjords was breath taking. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Absolutely loved the history and culture in each country visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the VASA ship after hundreds of years under water. As a Viking descendant, that history and ship making was great. Beauty and peacefulness of Aero was amazing. I guess we had several WOW moments."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Fjords and the island of Aero"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Scandinavia was well organized and almost too fast paced for all the territory that is covered in 14 days. I could have used one more day in Stockholm, Copenhagen, and Oslo.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Richard Karpen’s reenacting Hans Christian Anderson was a delightful surprise. He is an excellent story teller and actor. You should have seen all the smiling faces as we sat on the steps of some official building listening to his “act”."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is our third RS tour. As expected. Gabriella made the trip magical. Good tour guides are good teachers. She meets the test. Also of note - RS local tour guides are a league apart. We validate this by our 10 day TAUCK cruise (Norwegian Fjords) on Ponant ship immediately following the RS tour. Doubtful we would ever use TAUCK again.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hans Christian Anderson in Copenhagen"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Gabriela was amazing- so enthusiastic and knowledgeable about history and culture. She made everyone on the tour feel special ( especially my 13 and 16 year olds). I loved every place we went and was excited to learn and explore. The local guides and local experiences were top notch. You have converted a non-tour person into someone who can’t wait to book her next tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So so many! The mountains and fjords. The boat ride through the Swedish archipelago on the west coast. Hans Christian Andersen! The happy hour on Aero where my husband entertained our group with songs he wrote about Gabbi and Adam. Every day/ place brought a wow moment, and my kids say the same. We all are eager to go back!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour exceeded my expectations! The outline of the tour followed the itinerary, as well as so many extra surprise moments and experiences. The tour group traveled well together. The tour guide and bus driver were outstanding!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had a "wow" moment each day! I had such a variety of experiences making it so difficult to choose one. Since going to Norway had been a lifelong dream of mine, I have to say it was the scenery of the mountains and fjords. WOW"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Outstanding guide who is a knowledgeable historian and made the days interesting and entertaining, and able to adapt to anything she was confronted with! Our “6th” trip and it was Great!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being in Stockholm and being introduced to a wonderful city. Love its approach to life and all of the opportunities for a variety of experiences."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was so packed with information, great experiences, and surprise additions that I could not have imagined and more interesting trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being invited into a private home. Also the trip over the mountain. I probably had a WOW moment every day!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We were thrilled being in Scandinavia after having to postpone a 2020 trip. It was everything and more we hoped for, made even better by our exceptional guide Nina. This is the longest RS trip we have taken, but it seemed to fly by as there was so much to see and so much ground to cover. Nice mix of vibrant cities and smaller towns, lots of back door RS experiences that made the trip very special. Perfect mix of group and free time, and our fellow travelers were great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Many wow moments, but especially the Vigeland statues at Oslo’s Frogner Park, the up close views of the Vasa ship, the fjords with picturesque villages and waterfalls, and finally getting to see the real KonTiki raft."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What a fantastic tour of Scandinavia. Our guide Nina was beyond amazing. Not only did we get to explore the major cities such as Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo, but we also were able to see many wonderful sites in between those cities that I would otherwise not have been able to go to. The food was fantastic and the local guides that showed us their cities were superb.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I absolutely loved visiting the island of Aero. I didn't want to leave. Also, being with my daughter when she got to go to the ABBA Museum was great."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Well coordinated Nice variety Good group dynamic

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The historic beach huts along shore on Aero"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I've been looking forward to this tour for several years and it did not disappoint. I've been on many tours and the stops, the activities, the unstructured time was a nice mix. We had great weather which always helps. Our guide Nina was wonderful, her Danish background was an asset to her personal experiences with these countries and her history knowledge and talks on the bus were all excellent and a nice mix of quiet time and prepping us for the next stop. A great group of Tm's always helps!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Vasa visit was outstanding. I loved that we had as much time as we wanted in there. "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a fantastic tour. Our guide, Nina, was top-notch. Our driver, Johnny, was outstanding. And the places we visited were amazing. Definitely a 10 out of 10 experience in every way.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Can I have two? Aero Island -- sunset on the beach that has the row of cute little cabins. We walked out with a handful of our fellow Rick Steves' travelers including Angie Cino from your head office who made sure we didn't miss this amazing experience. Grebbestad -- the boat ride and lunch at Everts Sjobod in Grebbestad. I'll dream about this beautiful corner of the world and the delicious mussel soup for years to come."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The best part of the tour were the local tour guides. They really put "life" into the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hans Christian Andersen. He was delightful. Afterwards, I wanted to reread his fairy tales."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was amazing. I learned so much and saw so much that I find it difficult express how wonderful the whole experience was.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite “wow” moment was when I fell in love with Sweden. I will go back there often."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This is an excellent tour covering all the big spots in Scandinavia. Although 1200 miles is a lot to cover in 14 days, it was worth every stop.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The mountains and fjords of Norway. Nothing takes my breath away like seeing the amazing fjords from a boat. Once the tour reached Oslo, I knew the best was yet to come. All of our fellow travelers enjoyed each other which made the sightseeing even more enjoyable."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Nina was an amazing guide and we really enjoyed the variety of experiences

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sunset on Aero island"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a wonderful tour. The weather was great and the itinerary was perfect. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and always eager to answer our questions. The hotels were very nice, clean and centrally located. The hotel breakfasts were truly outstanding. Our driver was fantastic and very friendly.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The most memorable moments came at the Vasa Museum, the Viking exhibits at the Copenhagen History Museum, and the boat tour and lunch in the small Swedish fishing village. "

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I was delighted to see these places

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I saw the land and topography of my grandads home in Smaland. It was sacred "

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had a marvelous time in this tour! Our guide, Ylva, was amazing. She has such a wealth of knowledge regarding the history, political, economic, art, and cultural aspects of each of the countries we visited. She knew when we needed some quiet time on the bus, bus also made the long final ride into Bergen go by much faster with a sing-along! Our tour group was marvelous - everyone got to know about and care for each other quickly, making it feel like we were traveling with long time friends.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite “wow” moment is hard to choose. But I think the one that stood out the most was standing on top of the Oslo Opera House and looking out over the city. The architecture is so special - it felt like we had walked to the top of an iceberg. A very close second was being on the boat tour in Grimmestad and seeing a 1500 year old grave topped by a cairn. "

Very good intro to Scandinavia and excellent guide, but too much bus time and not enough time in major cities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Last bus day going over the winding mountain “snow road,” picnic lunch, fjord cruise, and sing-along ride into Bergen.   "

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Excellent guide, good sites to visit. Some hotels were not clean, some group meals were good some skimpy and not good. We have been now on 8 RS tours and this on was as I mentioned the most primitive housing and food.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Viewing the FJORDS on the boat were awesome. Bike ride and group lunch, happy hour and our clean room on Aero Island was also a day of Wow."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The Tour was great!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Vasa in Stockholm was one of many "Wow" moments/"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Like a graduate level history lesson with beautiful views, good food and good tour companions!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"As our tour guide in Stockholm was guiding us through the old part of the city, he asked if we wanted to see inside a typical apartment. He then proceeded to lead 29 people into his living room for a rest break! Unbelievable hospitality!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Heidi Hanson was an outstanding tour manager. Lief was an outstanding bus driver. Local guides were fabulous and choice of local restaurants —excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many. Ride to reach the fjords, ride down the fjords ( one thing I would change- is there a boat ride on fjords- not the ferry. Ferry was crowded and hard to enjoy the experience) the stop at small town with boat ride and mussel soup (fabulous) stop on Aero"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5