Denmark, Sweden, + Norway: A Guide to the Nordics
How would I sum up the Nordics in a sentence? Mind-blowingly beautiful and mind-blowingly expensive. Don’t let the prices deter you away though, as this area of the world is well worth a visit to take in amazing nature, the beauty of design, and environmentalism.
Copenhagen + MALMO, SWEDEN
OSLO
NORWAY IN A NUTSHELL TRAIN RIDE
BERGEN
Copenhagen, Denmark (+MalMO, SWEDEN)
Copenhagen is the gateway to the Nordics and combines European charm with the nature of the north. Located in one of the happiest countries in the world, it's easy to see why people love it there, with its beautiful design, delicious food, and abundance of bikes - what more could you need?
Here are a few important tips to know before you go to Copenhagen:
The city is very expensive and they use the danish krone, not the euro
You’ll need to make reservations for most places for dinner
Even on a sunny day it can be very chilly due to the wind, so make sure to pack layers
The Little Mermaid statue is the least exciting thing to see but is on every postcard and tourist list
Where to eat in Copenhagen
Copenhagen has exploded as a foodie capital in recent years and is home to Noma, the best restaurant in the world. New Nordic cuisine shapes the country's pallet with a modern take on local and seasonal ingredients. There are a lot of expensive, multi-course dining options, but they are well worth the splurge. Here’s where we ate:
Mad & Kaffee - You must go for breakfast or brunch, where you get to order several small plates (the cheddar sausage was my favorite)
Døp - street cart hot dogs like you’ve never seen before
Vækst - stunning food and interior
Neighbourhood - Excellent and unique pizza
Selma - The most elevated smorrebrod you can have in Copenhagen.
Madklubben - One of the more affordable dinner spots
Union Kitchen - Fantastic drinks and small plates
Skt Peders Bakery - Try as many pastries as you possibly can in Copenhagen.
What to do in Copenhagen
Go on a free walking tour and climb the Church of Our Saviour Tower for sweeping views of the city. Walk around the Kastellet, Royal Palace, and Nyhaven for iconic views. Stroll the strøget for top-tier shopping. Visit Superkilen park in Nørrebro, the world's coolest neighborhood.
One of my favorite things we did when visiting Copenhagen was not in the city itself. We did a day trip to Malmo, Sweden. It’s easy to do, as the train runs frequently and takes less than an hour to cross the water to Sweden. It’s a cute small town and I highly recommend visiting the Saluhall foodhall and trying the Swedish meatballs.
Where to stay in Copenhagen
During our visit to Copenhagen, we stayed at Citizen M. It was a great, central location and the metro makes it easy to get around.
oslo
One of my last trips while living abroad was to Norway. I began the trip in Oslo. It’s a rather medium-sized city with lots of museums, and while it’s definitely worth a trip, I wouldn’t stay longer than one night.
Norway is extremely expensive. I went on a solo trip, and while I have never felt safer as a solo female traveler, it hit my wallet hard. You can save money by buying groceries to make your own meals and loading up on snacks.
While I didn’t spend much time there, I did do a free walking tour, walking around the waterfront, and eating at really Mathallen food hall.
The one thing I wish I did? Plan ahead and book some time at a sauna, where you can also jump into the ocean after.
I stayed at the Citybox Oslo, which was a great location and price. I only spent one night there as it was my entry into Norway before the main point of my visit: the beauty of its landscapes.
Norway in a nutshell
While you can plan your own trip through Norway, for the best experience, I recommend booking through Norway in a Nutshell. They offer a wide range of trips across the country and provide easy-to-follow itineraries. I booked with them and took the journey from Oslo to Bergen. Your ticket includes trains, buses, and a boat cruise. The price is a bit steep (around $300), but planning this exact trip on your own will cost you about the same. They take out all the hassle and plan every journey and send both your tickets and instructions on where to go between stops. I opted to break up the all-day journey with an overnight in Flam and, wow, was it worth it.
To begin the journey, I left from Oslo. The first train is about five hours - if you can, request for them to reserve you a window seat on the left for the best views. I didn’t realize I had to put in a request for my seat, and while I did get one with a window, it was on the right, and not quite as scenic at some points. I would highly recommend packing lunch, water, and snacks, as the train has them but they can be pricey and not as good as the options you can get at the train station. The weather changes drastically from Oslo to your next stop, and you’ll have a one-hour layover in Myrdal, so I recommend wearing layers.
In Myrdal, you’ll board the next train - the Flamsbana, known as one of the most beautiful train rides in the world. It’s open seating, but try to get a seat on the left side with a window that opens for stunning views and photos.
This train will take you to Flam, right in the heart of the fjords. I decided to spend a night there at the Flam Marina, which was absolutely stunning and a nice way to break up the trip. In Flam, if you spend the night, I’d recommend a hike to the waterfall or a drink at the local brewery. There’s also a sculpture garden/viewpoint if you want an easier route - just try to go later in the day once the cruise ship has left as it will ruin your view.
The next morning I was up early and out on the next leg of the journey, a boat ride. The boat ride is chilly but beautiful, taking you right through the fjords. Again, I suggest packing snacks as there isn’t much on the boat and the ride takes a few hours. After the boat, you’ll make a quick stop in a small town with a nice lodge for a snack or drink and you can tour Viking village.
The next leg is a bus - make sure you get on the right bus; one continues on and one goes back to Flam. There was a family on my bus who realized they were going the wrong way and it was going to ruin their entire day. The bus ride was just okay in terms of views, I think in summer there’s a scenic stop, but as I went in April, there was still a lot of snow around.
Then you’ll stop in the town of Voss. This bus layover wasn’t long but provided enough time for lunch and a walk around town. I went up the gondola to the top of the mountain there, but I wouldn’t recommend going up in winter unless you plan to ski. There’s also a nice lake and cute downtown to walk around and lockers to store luggage in.
Finally, you’ll hop on your last train of the trip. It’s another scenic one, so try to sit on the right side if you can. After a quick journey, you’ll arrive in Bergen.
Bergen, Norway
Bergen was similar to Oslo, but a bit smaller and more scenic.
A few notes on Bergen: Museums close early and open late, so make sure to plan ahead if you want to make a visit. As Bergen is an extremely rainy city, you’re going to want this option. Due to time constraints, I only went to the Bryygen and Kunsthall Museums, but I would have liked to visit the Hanseatic and Kode museums as well.
When the weather’s nice (or even if it’s sprinkling), you must do a hike up to the Floyban. It’s a relatively easy hike with amazing views. If you go down the opposite way you came up, you can get a mix of forest and city views on your hike. It takes around two hours round trip to hike Floyban, depending on how much time you spend at the top. There’s also a funicular if you don’t want to hike. There are a lot of trails at the top and some friendly goats you can visit.
Another great activity in Bergen is to visit the Bergenhus fortress and walk around the Nostet neighborhood.
I mainly tried to snack and have small meals, but a few spots I liked for food in Bergen were the Daily Pot, Kaffeemisjonen, and Baker Brun.
I stayed at Citybox Bergen, which was reasonably priced and right by the train station. I recommend no more than two days in Bergen - use it more as a launch or end for your Norways travels.