We swore we wouldn’t go to Europe. But what use is a trip around the world if you can’t follow your heart? And when our planned destination (Turkey) became too volatile (and we were also under budget thanks to our finance department and this blog), we decided that both of us should pick one place to finish our trip. Ryan picked Scandinavia.
Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe that includes Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Our summer timing worked perfectly with their best season, and we planned a 10-day blitz that was very different from our normal meandering style. We simply couldn’t say no.
We started at one of their best cities: Copenhagen, Denmark. Every corner of Copenhagen looks like a photo from a postcard or quaint travel book. Cheerfully colored buildings with beautiful waterways and harbor, Copenhagen serves not just as Denmark’s capital but as its cultural center and most populated city.
We started with a boat tour to get a general outline of the city and geography. It was the perfect day to soak up the sunshine and overall civilized behavior of this place. Of course in a RTW Lovers signature move, next we rented bikes for our own tour. Biking is an absolute must in Copenhagen. The old streets are a delight to explore, plus no pesky hills! The architecture is gorgeous with the fantastically preserved old city juxtaposing the decidedly modern new buildings. Both were a wonder to behold, and buildings are free to walk into and admire (the Royal Danish Playhouse and the Library being our favorite).
Next we went to the very hip Street Food Market for delicious and eclectic dining. Super fun and a definite must, but moving at this pace was delightfully exhausting!
Our favorite tourist attraction was the Rosenborg Castle and Gardens. Originally built in 1606, the artifacts and antiques are as fascinating as the castle itself. The collection holds a glimpse into Danish royalty, and the crown jewels alone are worth the visit. To say nothing of the gorgeous gardens, which attract an estimated 2.5 million visitors per year.
Copenhagen holds a crazy 15 Michelin-starred restaurants. Of course, we had to try one! We chose PONY, where the approach to food is simple in composition but WOW in taste. Much more to our preference than some of the more modern and micro options, which we simply aren’t cool enough to appreciate (plus Blakely gets too hungry!).
Unfortunately, we had to keep moving, so we hopped a train (our favorite) to Stockholm where we headed to one of Ryan’s favorite museums of the ENTIRE trip (yes). The Vasa Museum.
The Vasa Museum is a maritime museum that displays an almost completely intact 17th century warship. The ship sank on its maiden voyage in the harbor (ouch), and that misfortune allowed for the boat to be salvaged and displayed for maritime nerds like us. The 64-gun warship Vasa is ginormous and impossible to photograph with any justice. There are six levels of viewing, with exhibits on each level to give more information on the construction, archeological findings, sinking and recovery of the ship. Pirate Ryan was in heaven!
Sweden has an insane number of museums, and we luckily got to visit two more. The first was Fotografiska, which holds notable photography from Sweden. The collections had an incredible range, which makes each section even more interesting. While we were there, one of the visiting exhibitions was Nick Brandt’s African Ghost Animals, which allowed us to reflect on the beginning of our trip and the provocative world that Africa holds. While living in one culture and reflecting on its opposite, it was humbling and exhilarating to appreciate our experience in each.
We also went to the Nobel Museum to learn about the fascinating award. It all started with Alfred Nobel, who’s grant is the only reason the prize exists today. There are interviews and exhibits on the prominent Nobel prize winners like Martin Luther King, Jr and Albert Einstein, as well has rotating exhibits featuring the winners of one category and a perspective on why they won. So cool.
Next, we hopped a train for our shortest stop of Scandinavia to Oslo, Norway’s capital and most populated city. Of course we took a trip to the Munch Museum to see The Scream by Edvard Munch. You also have to go to the Oslo Opera House to take in the spectacular modern architecture meant to look like an iceberg!
Next, we took a train to Aurland, Norway to experience the gorgeous fjords that Scandinavia boasts. The landscape here is simply spectacular thanks to huge icebers cutting through the land a million years ago. We got set up with a captain who conducts tours of the fjords. The captain made us an interesting offer: Model some Norwegian sweaters for Chinese tourists, and I’ll give you a free tour. So yes, we modeled some Norwegian sweaters and got a free tour!
Worth it.
Next, we took a hike on our own, and we swear that the Norwegian air added years to our life! Ryan even took a dip!
Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay in this paradise forever, so we headed to our last stop Bergen, Norway. In Bergen, we stayed at an Air BNB with another couple who were easy suit mates. While we unpacked, our host had a friend over to watch the soccer match. We got to listen to our Cuban host debate socialism with his Norwegian friend. It was FASCINATING to hear two opposing views on socialism from two people who otherwise got along so well. And indicative of one of the biggest lessons of our trip. The world’s issues are complicated. And very intelligent people will strongly disagree simply because they have different backgrounds and objectives. There is rarely a definitive and simple right answer, no matter how comforting simplicity may be.
Bergen is a gorgeous old city, and the perfect end to our stay, as it offers all of the charm and natural beauty of Scandinavia. We enjoyed a café, took an amazing hike, and ended the day with Norwegian salmon!
Next stop: Blakely’s choice, FRANCE!