Best of Scandinavia - Norway Cruise & Iceland - Winter

On this Nordic adventure, you’ll combine an independent tour of Scandinavia with a road trip in Iceland.

The first part of your trip will see you travelling across the Scandinavian region, from country to country. We’ll book your accommodation and transport across the region, as per the itinerary. You’ll explore independently in each destination.

Then, catch a flight to the Land of Fire and Ice, Iceland. Here you’ll pick up a rental vehicle and drive the top spots of this gem. We’ll book your flight to Iceland, your airport transfers, accommodation and rental car for a smooth travel experience.

The transfers between your hotel and train stations, cruise ports or airports are not included with this package.

Usually your accommodation will be within short walking distance from train stations or cruise ports. When travelling to airports for flights between destinations, we recommend taking the convenient local public transport. But you could also get a taxi from your accommodation if you prefer.

So when do you check in? And what can you expect when you land in Sweden?

After picking up your luggage, you’ll make your way to your accommodation. Public transport is easy to access and convenient in Stockholm. Or you could catch a taxi.

Check-in times vary between hotels and guesthouses, but it normally starts between 2–4 PM.

You are welcome to request an early check-in for an additional fee. Although this isn’t always available, you’ll be able to store your luggage at the hotel until check-in. Please contact your travel consultant well in advance of your trip if you’d like an early check-in.

Yes, you’ll enjoy a flight to travel from Stockholm in Sweden to Copenhagen in Denmark. The direct journey takes approximately 1 hour 10 minutes.

Most flights will depart around midday, but in some cases you may be booked on a morning or evening flight. Your travel consultant will book the best flight time for you in light of your travel dates.

Each traveller in your party will be able to bring 1 checked bag, with a weight limit of 23 kilograms (50 pounds). Your carry-on bag weight limit will be 8 kilograms (17 pounds).

Please note that transfers from your hotel to Stockholm Arlanda Airport and from Copenhagen Airport to your accommodation are not included.

If you prefer to travel from Stockholm to Copenhagen by train instead of by plane, we would be happy to arrange this for you. Simply select the “train” option during the online booking steps.

It’s good to note that in the summer months, train companies conduct track maintenance, so there might be changes to the route. The length of your journey may vary.

Train tickets can often only be booked 30 days prior to your travel date. While your travel consultant waits for train tickets to become available, they will plan the rest of your tour. As soon as your tickets have been booked, your travel consultant will let you know all the details.

After your stay in Copenhagen, you’ll travel to Oslo on an overnight cruise. You’ll depart in the mid-afternoon and arrive in Norway the following morning.

We’ll book you a private cabin with ensuite facilities and a small window. In the morning before docking in Oslo, your breakfast is included.

There are 2 ships operating the route, Pearl Seaways and Crown Seaways. On board both, you will find facilities such as lounges, restaurants, bars and a viewing deck. There are also daily activities and entertainment to enjoy. 

This tour includes the famous Norway in a Nutshell tour from Bergen to Oslo. This is one of Norway’s most iconic journeys. You’ll travel by train, bus and ferry, seeing beautiful landscapes of steep mountains, shimmering fjords, charming villages and scenic coastline.

The first leg of the journey is from Bergen to Flåm. Then you’ll travel from Flåm to Oslo. The duration of both days will be around 6 hours.

The connections will be announced and clearly explained in your travel documents. You will receive a ticket with all the information about transfer points and timings with your final travel documents.

You will have assigned seats on most trains in Norway. Unfortunately, seat selection is outside our control. Because of this, please be aware that you may be assigned a seat that is backwards facing and not next to a window. 

You can book an optional luggage transfer for the journey. If you do this, you’ll want a backpack for your daily essentials and one-night stay. Your luggage will be waiting for you at your destination.

If you do not book a luggage transfer, you will have to carry your bags between the train, boat and bus. All connections will be within easy reach and there will be storage available for your luggage during each leg of the journey.

With this itinerary, you’ll travel from Oslo to Trondheim by train. This scenic journey follows a route not easily accessible by car, making it an unforgettable experience.

You’ll board the Dovrebanen train from Oslo Central Station. This railway, dating back to 1921, passes over the Dovre mountain plateau, through the Gudbrandsdalen valley and across Dovre National Park. These regions are rich in wildlife, so keep an eye out for unusual animals.

Towards the end of the journey, the train makes a steep descent to the lowlands. With over 548 kilometres (340 miles) of railway, it takes around 6.5 hours to complete the journey to Trondheim.

You will have assigned seats on most trains in Norway. Unfortunately, seat selection is outside our control. Because of this, please be aware that you may be assigned a seat that is backwards facing and not next to a window.

On this tour, you will hop aboard a coastal cruise, provided by either Hurtigruten or Havila Voyages, along the Norwegian west coast. You’ll be staying in your own cabin with private facilities.

Hurtigruten and Havila Voyages operate along the same route on different days. Your personal travel consultant will book the cruise on your behalf in light of your tour’s start date and the rest of your itinerary.

If you are travelling on a Hurtigruten cruise:
Hurtigruten ships offer a classic Norwegian experience, with cosy cabins furnished with either twin or double beds. Your room will be between 8-11 square metres (86-118 square feet) and will always include a port hole, but please note that a view from the window cannot be guaranteed.

Instead, Hurtigruten ships all offer comfortable viewing decks, dining areas and lounges. This way, you can spend your mornings and evenings relaxing with incredible views of the passing Norwegian coastline.

If you are travelling on a Havila Voyages cruise:
Havila Voyages ships are the newer cruise liners on the block. Their modern cabins are furnished with either twin or double beds and are all around 15 square metres (161 feet). Your room will have a port hole and a small sofa so you can watch the views of ocean or coastline go past. Or, head up to the lounge, restaurant or viewing deck to see more of the passing fjords.

For the Norway portion of your Scandinavian adventure, your travel consultant will arrange the details of your cruise departure in light of your tour’s start date. They’ll then include all the information in your personal itinerary.

If you have a specific cruise in mind, check out our list of Hurtigruten and Havila Voyages sailing dates in 2024 and 2025.

Hurtigruten and Havila Voyages are shipping companies which transport travellers along the Norwegian coastline. Both offer incredible views of spectacular fjords and charming coastal villages as they journey towards Norway’s north or south.

That said, both companies have their own histories and distinct characters. Your cruise experience will vary depending on which company you’re travelling with. We’ve broken down the key differences below so you know what to expect on your seafaring adventure.

Hurtigruten dates back to 1893, and many of its ships were originally used to transport post. Due to the historic nature of these cruises, each one differs in size and your room’s port hole window may not have a view. Instead, you can expect a cosy cabin stay, with access to charming lounges and restaurant areas that have floor-to-ceiling windows.

Havila Voyages are a newer company, with a focus on eco-friendly and sustainable travel. Their rooms are slightly larger and have views of either the ocean or the coastline from their port holes. Just like Hurtigruten, they offer on-board facilities such as relaxing lounges, restaurants and viewing decks.

Whichever company you travel with, you’ll enjoy a private cabin with either a double or twin beds and ensuite facilities. Please bear in mind that we cannot guarantee your cabin number for coastal voyages shorter than 5 nights.

When your ship is in port for longer than 30 minutes, you’ll have the option to disembark. Optional shore excursions will also be available on your journey, so make sure to pre-book any activities that interest you.

After your stay in Scandinavia, you’ll fly to Iceland to continue your Nordic adventure. Flights from Norway usually take 2.5-3 hours.

Each traveller in your party will be able to bring 1 checked bag, with a weight limit of 23 kilograms (50 pounds). Your carry-on bag weight limit will be 10 kilograms (17 pounds).

The flight schedule varies, and your travel consultant will book the best option for your travel dates.

Please note that transfers from your hotel to the airport in Norway are not included. You’ll have to make your own way by public transport or taxi.

So when do you check in? And what can you expect upon landing in Keflavík?

After picking up your luggage, you will be greeted by a driver holding a sign with your name in the arrivals hall. The driver will hand over your welcome package with hard copies of your travel documents. You’ll then be driven to your hotel in Reykjavík.

Check-in times vary between hotels and guesthouses, but it normally starts between 2 PM and 4 PM. 

You are welcome to request an early check-in for an additional fee. Although this isn’t always available, you’ll be able to store your luggage at the hotel so you can start exploring before check-in. Please contact your travel consultant well in advance of your arrival if you’d like an early check-in.

On a multi-day tour, Nordic Visitor books your accommodation and excursions for a self-guided travel experience. That means you’ll enjoy some free time to explore on your own as well as planned, guided day tours. 

Each activity is run by a different tour operator, so you’ll get to meet a few local guides throughout your trip. 

You can rest assured that Nordic Visitor only works with a small number of handpicked suppliers that meet our high standards. The activities you’ll participate in are all extremely well rated so you’re sure to have a memorable time.

During your tour, we’re with you every step of the way. On arrival, you’ll receive personalised information, including an itinerary, map and detailed Iceland Travel Guide. Plus, you’ll always be able to reach us on your trip by calling our 24/7 helpline.

Yes! Wintertime is the right season to visit Iceland if you want to see the northern lights (or aurora borealis). You can experience the northern lights between October and March, with peak visibility from December through February.

For the best chances of seeing them, joining a small group bus tour is ideal. It means you’ll benefit from the expertise of a knowledgeable guide. They’ll know the best places in the countryside to head to so that you can enjoy the aurora at its brightest.

Please note that as the northern lights are a natural phenomenon, sightings cannot be guaranteed. Even if you go out on a specific northern lights excursion, you might not see them, depending on the conditions or cloud cover.

Read our Iceland northern lights guide to learn more.

The short answer is no, you’re unlikely to see the northern lights on our Scandinavian tours. This is unless you travel to the north of Norway, by cruise or plane.

The region above the Arctic Circle line is where you should head to make sure you spot these dancing lights in the night sky. You can check out our northern lights tours of Norway or see if Lapland travel might interest you.

On your Scandinavian and Icelandic adventure, you’ll stay in accommodation that’s been hand-picked by our travel experts.

We’ve partnered with local businesses in all countries as well as selected hotels and guesthouses so you can always expect a comfortable night’s stay. All accommodation is booked based on excellent ratings, comfort and our personal experience.

During the booking process, you can select whether you want Comfort Plus or Superior accommodation. Comfort Plus usually consists of standard rooms in good quality and comfortable 3-star hotels. Superior is standard rooms in 4-star hotels combined with superior rooms in premium 3-star hotels.

You will also be able to choose between single, double or triple rooms. Please note that in the Nordic countries room types are based on European standard sizes, which means they are smaller than in North America.

For example, a double bed often consists of 2 single beds pushed together. Twin rooms are 2 separate single beds. Triple rooms include a double bed along with an extra single bed, rollaway or sofa bed. And single rooms are often smaller than the standard double.

If you have anything specific in mind, please contact us to discuss customising your accommodation options.

Please wait to book flights to Scandinavia until we can confirm your desired travel dates for this tour. This is due to varying availabilities on services included in this package. 

After making a booking with Nordic Visitor, it might take a few weeks to confirm your travel arrangements. We recommend booking your flights once your personal travel consultant gets in touch to confirm your itinerary.

If you have any questions about your flights and itinerary, please contact us for more details.

If you have a passport from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand, you won’t need a visa to visit Scandinavia. This visa-free entry is valid for up to 90 days.

Visiting from another country? You might need to apply for a Schengen visa. You can find out whether you require a visa to enter on the Sweden Government website or the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. You’ll need to apply to the consulate of the country where you will spend the most time, or the first country you will visit.

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your departure from the region. It’s good to check your passport expiry date early in case you need to renew it.

If you’re arriving from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand, you won’t need a visa to visit Iceland. 

Visiting from another country? You can find the complete list of countries whose nationals require a visa to enter Iceland on the website of Iceland’s Directorate of Immigration. If you do require a visa, they maintain a list of local embassies that can assist you with the process. 

Your passport must also be valid for at least 3 months from your departure from Iceland. It’s good to check your passport expiry date early in case you need to renew it. 

Read more about visas, airports and airlines in the getting to Iceland section of our travel guide.

Scandinavia is a beautiful destination all year long. But it’s good to be aware of a few things before picking the best time to visit for you.

During the summer months, June to August, you’ll have the warmest temperatures and longest daylight hours of the year. This is ideal for outdoor excursions and taking full advantage of your days for sightseeing.

If you’d like to experience the top attractions with fewer visitors around, then you could book a summer itinerary in May or September. These shoulder season months generally have more tour and attraction availability.

Independent tours of Scandinavia are also available during the rest of the year. But please be advised that if you are travelling in late March, April, late September or October, the weather is much milder, especially in Sweden and Norway. That said, there will still be more sunlight at this time of year than in winter.

Choose to travel in winter, November to February, and you’ll benefit from an itinerary of quieter towns and attractions. You can also expect fewer daylight hours, and the addition of snow-dusted mountains as a backdrop. It’s good to remember that in Scandinavia, northern lights can only really be seen from Northern Norway, Iceland, and Lapland.

Christmastime is another magical time of year to visit Scandinavia, with Christmas markets galore. But please note that there are limited opening hours during the holiday season.

Because of its northerly location, Norway has limited daylight in winter.

In Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen you can expect between 6 and 10 hours of daylight. This will be similar in the southern regions of Norway, such as in Oslo and Bergen.

If you visit the north of Norway, you can expect few daylight hours in late autumn and early spring. Then from late November to mid-January, the sun never rises. This is called the “polar night”, which gives you a better chance of seeing the northern lights.

Find out more about time zones and daylight in this guide to time and daylight in Scandinavia.

The winter climate across Scandinavia is generally cold and can sometimes be wet.

Copenhagen will have warmer temperatures, being further south. Expect averages between 1–5°C (34–41°F). Stockholm and Oslo share similar weather conditions, with temperatures falling below zero from December on.

If you travel to Bergen, you’ll find it is often less cold than Oslo as the Gulf Stream warms up the west coast. Up north, in the Arctic Circle, you’ll experience temperatures below freezing, around 0 to -5°C (31–23°F).

This is also the time of year where snow starts falling and you’ll be able to admire snow-capped mountains.

Generally, this means you should come prepared with warm, insulated clothes and outer layers to visit Scandinavia in winter.

For more information on the local climate, read the page Scandinavian weather conditions.

Please note that sightseeing is dependent on weather and road conditions. This means that your itinerary might need to be altered if these conditions are not favourable during your visit.

During the winter season, you can expect temperatures below freezing across the Scandinavian countries. For that reason, you’ll want to pack and dress with plenty of layers to keep yourself warm and dry.

Here is an essential winter packing list for your trip to Scandinavia:

• Insulated and waterproof jacket
• Cosy wool or fleece jumpers
• Waterproof (and potentially lined) trousers
• Warm gloves, hat and scarf
• Insulated boots
• A few pairs of thermal socks
• Sunglasses and sunscreen
• Lip balm and moisturiser
• Electronic gear such as smartphone, external powerpack, and travel adapters
• A backpack for easy access to daily essentials
• and don’t forget your camera!

For more information, check out this Scandinavian packing list.

In most major Scandinavian cities and towns you will be able to find coin-operated launderettes, with self-service facilities, and dry cleaners. Most hotels on your trip will also offer a laundry or dry cleaning service for an additional cost.

When you travel with Nordic Visitor, breakfast at your accommodation is always included. For the rest of your meals, the amount of spending money you need will depend on the standard of restaurants you decide to go to.

In Sweden, we recommend budgeting between 150-300 SEK for lunch per person, each day. Dinner at casual restaurants might cost between 250-500 SEK. Meanwhile at upscale restaurants, you might expect to spend at least 800 SEK per person.

In Denmark, these numbers will be closer to 100-200 DKK for lunch, 200-400 DKK for casual dinners and upwards of 600 DKK for upscale dining.

For Norway, you’ll want to budget 150–350 NOK per person per lunch. Dinners will be between 350-600 NOK and upscale restaurants might charge upwards of 1,000 NOK per person.

During your time in Iceland, you can expect to spend between 2,000–3,000 ISK at lunch. Casual dinners might cost between 3,000–6,000 ISK and 7,000 ISK or more for upscale dining.

These general budgeting tips do not include the cost of alcoholic beverages.

Yes, you can customise this tour online. During the booking process, you can add extra nights to your itinerary as well as optional day trips, excursions and upgrades. 

If you have something specific in mind, get in touch with your travel consultant and they’ll create your dream trip.

After booking your tour package online, you will be contacted within 2 business days by your own dedicated travel consultant. They will be your point of contact for all your travel needs before, during and even after your trip. 

We aim to complete bookings within a few weeks. During this time we take care of booking your accommodation, activities, and transport, confirming all parts of your journey. Once this is done, your travel consultant will provide you with all the details of your trip. 

When we get back to you might depend slightly on how far ahead you’ve booked your travels and other tours running at the time. 

If you have any questions before your trip, you can get in touch with our Scandinavian travel experts based in Stockholm. The live chat option is useful for getting a quick reply as someone answers live every day during office hours.

Once you’ve booked, we’ll provide you with a travel guide packed full of local tips and top attractions for your visit. You can also check out our online Scandinavia Travel Guide where we’ve compiled useful information about topics, including:

• Which currency is used in the Scandinavian countries and which credit cards are widely accepted
• What kind of electric adapters or converters you’ll need
• Which languages the locals speak (yes, English is one of them!)
• How to get a refund on tax-free shopping
• As well as tipping, buying snacks, and other useful information

This tour requires a non-refundable deposit payment of 50% of the total price at the time of booking. You can view more about the deposit and cancellation fees here.

All bookings are billed in Euro (EUR). Prices displayed in other currencies are indicative only and based on the daily exchange rate. This means conversions from EUR to other currencies will fluctuate from day to day.

By booking with Nordic Visitor, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that there’s always someone there for you throughout your trip.

For support and advice during the day, you can call our office. And if anything unexpected happens outside working hours, you can reach us on our 24/7 helpline. 

During your tour, there will always be a travel expert on call to handle any unforeseen situations, such as unusual weather or events.

After you have booked your tour, it will take a few weeks to confirm its availability. Then we will start the booking process to create your itinerary.

Once your trip details are finalised, we’ll send you e-copies of your travel documents. This will include your personalised itinerary, our Scandinavia Travel Guide and your service vouchers. We recommend printing your tickets and vouchers to bring with you to Scandinavia.

No need! Nordic Visitor is already working on offsetting the estimated carbon footprint of your package. We’ve partnered with an environmental fund in Iceland to carbon offset all our tours.

Carbon offsetting your international flights is not included, but we highly recommend you look into possibilities with your airline or directly through a local environment fund.