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Tour details
Start your journey in the wonderful city of Copenhagen. Travel on the classical 4-day Göta Canal cruise between Gothenburg and Stockholm and continue by overnight train and bus to Lofoten islands on the northwest coast of Norway. Embark on a Hurtigruten 3-day cruise along the spectacular coastline from Lofoten to Bergen. Set departure dates.
The selected tour can commence in Copenhagen.
Day 01: Arrival in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark
Arrival in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. In this charming city one thousand years of history awaits you in the medieval streets; the same streets walked on by every generation of the world's oldest royal family, the same streets and canals which have inspired artists for centuries and been the home and workplace to meticulous craftsmen and famous designers. The city offers many attractions such as Tivoli, the statue of the Little Mermaid, the Gefion Fountain, the Royal Palace Amalienborg and much more. Accommodation in Copenhagen
Day 02: Travel by train from Copenhagen to Gothenburg
Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure in Copenhagen before your 3,5 hour train journey to Gothenburg. Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden. Visit Gothenburg’s oldest suburb Haga, now a trendy neighborhood in the centre of the town. In the evening we recommend a dinner cruise where you can enjoy fresh seafood whilst sailing around the spectacular archipelago (requires earlier departure from Copenhagen). Accommodation in Gothenburg.
Day 03: Göta Canal - morning cruise departure
Breakfast at the hotel. The Göta Canal cruise departs in the morning from Packhuskajen in central Gothenburg. You are welcomed aboard by your guide and shown to your cabin onboard M/S Juno. Turn off your mobile phone, leave the stress of everyday life behind, and give yourself a few days of total relaxation with good food and interesting encounters. All meals are included and served at set times in the dining room. The first lock on your journey is at Lilla Edet on the Trollhätte Canal; a canal that connects Göta River with Lake Vänern. The Göta Canal itself is 190 km long, of which 87,3 km is hand-dug. Together with Trollhätte Canal and Göta River, the Göta Canal forms a 390 km long waterway across Sweden. The original lock at Lilla Edet opened in 1607 and was the first lock in Sweden. The impressive lock staircase at Trollhättan consists of four locks with a total drop of 32 meters. At a visit to Trollhättan Canal Museum you will learn more about the fascinating history of the Trollhätte Canal. Overnight cruise on Lake Vänern.
Day 04: Canal cruise from Sjötorp to Motala
Morning cruise arrival in Sjötorp where the ship enters the first of the 58 narrow locks on the Göta Canal. Today you pass several lock systems including one hand-operated lock at Tåtorp. At the Berg Canal an Obelisk marks the highest point of the canal; 91.5 meters above sea level. You will cross the beautiful Lake Viken which serves as a water reservoir for the western section of Göta Canal. Continuing to the Spetsnäs Canal, the ship steers through two narrow, wood-lined passages and small lakes full of water lilies. Today you will visit Karlsborg Fortress, initiated by Baltzar von Platen and built in 1819-1909. The fortress was built as part of the central defense policy, born when Sweden lost Finland and Åland to Russia in the war of 1808-09. The war left Sweden’s borders open. Here the guides take you on an adventurous tour to say the least. In the evening, the boat berths in Motala. It was Baltzar von Platen, the founder of Göta Canal, who drew up the plans for Motala and today it is called "the Capital of the Göta Canal".
Day 05: Canal cruise from Motala to the Baltic Sea
The ship leaves Motala and enters Lake Boren in the early morning. Arriving in Borensberg you will find another of the canal’s hand-operated locks before crossing one of the canals aqueducts. At midday you will arrive to the famous locks of Berg. Here, the Carl-Johan lock staircase is the longest in the Göta Canal with its seven connected locks that lifts or lowers boats 18.8 meters. A fascinating spectacle that often attracts a large audience. Together with the guide, you have the opportunity to visit the convent of Vreta. This is the first nunnery in Sweden and dates from about 1100. The ship then continues to Lake Roxen and Lake Asplången before arriving to Söderköping in the evening. Passing through the last narrow lock at Mem you leave the Göta Canal and head out for an overnight cruise on the Baltic Sea.
Day 06: Cruise arrival Stockholm, the capital of Sweden
Weaving through the archipelago in the early morning light you arrive to Södertälje lock; 135 meters long and the largest lock in Scandinavia. The cruise continues to Lake Mälaren and heads for the island of Björkö. Here you will visit the Viking community of Birka which is often regarded as Sweden’s first town. The archaeologists on the island will show you around and you will also have the opportunity to visit the museum. Across Lake Mälaren you pass the Drottningholm Castle, home of the Royal family since 1981, and on the UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites before arriving to Hammarby lock. This is the final lock on the journey and delivers you from Lake Mälaren into Saltsjön. The cruise ends at approximately 14:30 hrs at Skeppsbrokajen, in the old town of Stockholm. Stockholm is built on 14 islands connected by old bridges and overpasses and is one of Europe’s largest and best-preserved mediaeval city centers. It homes the country’s most important buildings and finest architecture. Take an afternoon boat trip along Stockholm’s numerous waterways or around Lake Mälaren, a sightseeing trip by open-top bus or try one of the evening dinner cruises sailing around the beautiful archipelago. Accommodation in Stockholm.
Day 07: Overnight train from Stockholm to Narvik (Norway)
Breakfast at the hotel. Spend the day exploring Stockholm, both by land and by sea. We recommend one of the optional sightseeing tours, i.e. the Stockholm Panorama which will give you a good impression of the city and its sights. At 6 pm your overnight train to Narvik departs from Stockholm. Accommodation in a sleeping compartment onboard the train.
Day 08: Travel by bus from Narvik to Lofoten
Arrival at Narvik by the overnight train at approximately 1 pm. In Narvik you will have a couple of hours at leisure before catching the direct 4-hour bus via the new mainland connection to Svolvær in Lofoten. Svolvær is the undisputed capital of the Lofoten Islands and is easily identified by the towering Svolværgeita Mountain. Lofoten islands are known for its many nature attractions, pretty villages off the beaten track, dramatic cliffs and blue-watered bays. For more than 1000 years Lofoten has been the centre of great cod fisheries, and still the winter fisheries are crucial for the settlement in Lofoten where fishermen from all over North Norway take part. There are several old fishermen's cabins ("rorbuer") in the area that today are restored and turned into modern accommodation for travellers. Accommodation in Svolvæar.
Day 09: Hurtigruten evening cruise departure
Breakfast at the hotel. This day is at your own leisure before the cruise departure with Hurtigruten at 8 pm. Lofoten has long summer days; from the end of May to mid July the sun never sets below the horizon. This is when this part of the world is referred to as the Land of the Midnight Sun. Today we recommend joining one of the hiking, cycling or whale and dolphin watching safaris. The Lofoten islands are also home to many different bird species including White Tailed Eagles, Razorbill, Cormorant, Guillemot, Kittiwake and Puffin. Evening cruise departure with Hurtigruten. Dinner onboard included.
Day 10: Cruise along the Helgeland Coast
Breakfast onboard Hurtigruten. Cruise along the Helgeland coastline. Numerous legends and stories are associated with this coastline. One such story is about the Seven Sisters and Torghatten Mountain and how they came to be such unusual shapes. A myth about the beautiful sisters tells of how they ran away from their father, King Sulis, and danced naked in the waters of the fjord. Unfortunately, the sisters forgot that when the sun rose they would all be turned into stone. Now they stand there, all in a row, as captivating and lovely as ever before. Dinner and accommodation onboard.
Day 11: Cruise to Trondheim - Kristiansund - Molde
Breakfast onboard Hurtigruten. Early morning arrival in Trondheim where you have time at leisure until departure at 10 am. Enjoy a little of the city’s culture, architecture and history. Departure through the Trondheimfjord and along Trondheimsleia channel, before continuing southwards to Kristiansund and Molde. Kristiansund is the home of dried fish production while Molde is known for its breathtaking location with panoramic views of the 222 partly snow-clad mountain peaks (Romsdal Alps). Dinner and accommodation onboard.
Day 12: Cruise arrival in Bergen
Breakfast onboard Hurtigruten. The last part of the cruise includes magnificent fjord- and archipelago scenery, before the ship arrives in Bergen in the afternoon. Bergen is Norway’s second largest city and the world’s only city surrounded by 7 mountains and 7 fjords. Attractions in Bergen include the Hanseatic Bryggen Harbour, the Fløibanen Funicular, which takes you up to a height of 320 metres above sea level where you are presented with a great view over the city, Grieg’s home Troldhaugen, the Fish and Flower Market or the Bergen Aquarium. Accommodation in Bergen.
Day 13: Departure from Bergen
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure from Bergen is according to your own itinerary. As an alternative we recommend staying some extra nights in Bergen to explore the fjords or combine your tour with, i.e. Norway in a Nutshell, Bergen & Fjord Adventure or Bergen & Sognefjord Adventure.
