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1 week in Scandinavia itinerary

Scandinavia is vast and sparsely populated. There is a lot of ground to cover between the region’s major cities. If you only have 1 week in Scandinavia, it will make sense to limit yourself to the major centers in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Any additional time, and you could easily head further north, or hop on a ferry from Sweden to Finland.

Itinerary highlights 

Cities to be visited on this trip:


 

Click here or on the map to view this route on our Trip Planner

Days 1 - 2: Copenhagen, Denmark


    Nyhavn pier architecture in the old town of Copenhagen
Nyhavn pier architecture in the old town of Copenhagen
  • Reignite your inner child with a visit to Tivoli Gardens - a 19th-century amusement park and garden.

  • Tour the Rosenborg Castle, a stunning example of Christian IV’s famous architecture.

  • Walk the canals in Nyhavn for views of iconic Danish architecture.


 

Arriving by plane? You can catch either the subway or the Line 029 train and be in the city center in 15 minutes.

Day 3: Gothenburg, Sweden


    Canal in the historic centre of Gothenburg
Canal in the historic centre of Gothenburg
  • Adrenaline addict? Head to the theme park of Liseberg, where you’ll find rollercoasters, rides and a beautifully landscaped garden.

  • Science fans should pay a visit to Universeum, which offers seven floors of interactive exhibitions.

  • Walk Gothenburg's most historic district, Haga, and soak up the charm of the cobbled streets and 19th-century houses.


 

There are direct trains from Copenhagen to Gothenburg every hour. Reservations are optional and the journey time is four hours.

Days 4 - 5: Oslo, Norway


    View of waterside fortress of Akershus at night
View of waterside fortress of Akershus at night
  • Take a walk around Frogner Park. It’s famous for the Vigeland Sculpture Park - an open-air museum of works by Gustav Vigeland.

  • Get insight into the fascinating history of the Vikings at the Viking Ship Museum.

  • Visit the waterside fortress of Akershus to learn about the history of the military in Norway.


 

There are at least three direct daily trains from Gothenburg to Oslo. Reservations are not required and the journey time is under four hours.

Days 6 - 7: Stockholm, Sweden


    View of Drottningholm palace in the evening
View of Drottningholm palace in the evening
  • Learn about the history of shipping in Sweden and Scandinavia at the fascinating Vasa Museum.

  • Walk the stunning Gamla stan, or old town of Stockholm.

  • Tour the well-preserved royal residence of Drottningholm Palace and its impressive gardens.

  • ABBA fan? Head to the ABBA museum to explore a vast collection of memorabilia and interactive exhibitions.


 

There are several daily trains between Oslo and Stockholm. The journey time is approximately five hours and reservations are required.

Is a 1 week itinerary for me?

1 week in Scandinavia is barely enough to scrape the surface of this vast and beautiful region of Europe. If you only have seven days in Scandinavia you can still get a good idea of everything that it has to offer.

Any additional time could easily be spent further north, or across the border in Finland. However you choose to send your time in the region, pick up a Eurail Scandinavia Pass to make train passage easy.