Hi from Rick: Magical Scandinavia
My first real travel experience was in Scandinavia, back when I was just 14 and my parents dragged me off to see relatives in Norway. At the time, I was a reluctant, annoyed teenager who was irked at the idea of spending the summer away from home. It was teen culture shock: No Fanta? No hamburgers? No baseball on the radio?
But within a couple of days, I was wild about Solo (Norway's soda), addicted to pølser (Norwegian hot dogs), and curious about that other type of football. I even became a devotee of the Norwegian political philosopher Erik Dammann (look him up) and visited him in Oslo in the 1980s — which was like climbing a mountain to sit with a great guru — when he tasked me to bring his "Future in Our Hands" movement to the USA. My love for Scandinavia only grew, and soon I became equally fascinated by the region's striking fjords and dramatic mountains, its progressive cities, and the forward-thinking problem solvers who live here.
To this day, Scandinavia still holds a special place in my heart. And yet, it's rare that I get to talk about our tour there…because it always flies off the shelves!
Every year, when our Best of Scandinavia in 14 Days tour has once again sold out, wishful travelers ask me: "Why not just add more departures?" The answer is complicated: Long Nordic winters make for a very short peak season — especially on the fjords and islands. And we also want to be mindful of our footprint, and how many groups we're sending to some of the smaller and more fragile communities on our itinerary.
So how do we satisfy Scandinavian travel demand, without sacrificing Scandinavian travel magic? Design a second, shorter tour — focusing on this region's great capital cities!
Alongside our flagship Best of Scandinavia in 14 Days tour, we've now added the Best of Scandinavian Capitals in 10 Days — a city-hopping journey through the seafaring legends, cutting-edge design, and cozy traditions of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Led by a Scan-savvy guide, this tour celebrates the distinct personalities of Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo. And it's an ideal introduction to this prosperous, pristine corner of Europe…and, for those wanting more, it's also an ideal springboard for a longer Nordic vacation.
In this month's Tour News, we'll dive deeper into both our Scandinavia tours with colorful day-by-day slideshows, share magical moments through the eyes of recent Scan tour members, meet our dynamic mother-daughter guiding duo, and take a sunny ferry ride through Stockholm's archipelago, which is dotted with thousands of islands and iconic red wooden cottages.
I'm thrilled that our new Best of Scandinavia Capitals tour gives you more opportunities to experience the magic of Nordic Europe. But don't wait — like our flagship Scandinavia tour, this one will also sell fast. If Scandinavia is on your 2027 travel wish list, now's the time to book (and through July 7, you can save $100 per seat with our 2027 early-booking discount).
Happy Travels,
Rick