After exploring more of the Balkans in May, we naturally hit another part of Europe when celebrating America’s independence over the 4th. By being independent of the good ole US of A…
This girl loooves those endless summer days. With our last foray into Europe’s white nights being St. Petersburg years back, couldn’t hurt to have ourselves a lil Scandi summer adventure.
A bit of Google Maps finagling, and voila! A trip across Denmark, Sweden & Norway’s incredible fjords (& food, goodness) was born.
Quick facts
1. Weather – we got super lucky with many sunny, dry skies, particularly in Bergen. 60s & up to 75 in that gorgeous Scandi sunshine.
2. People & language – obv, English galore, altho we learned (& observed) that Bergen locals will typically not speak English unless necessary. People are incredibly nice and welcoming. We were plenty surprised to see plenty of Americans around.
3. Getting around – Trains, galore! So easy, quick, and lovely, just as public transport w/in each city is.
4. Time zones – 7 hours ahead of Chi throughout.
How to get there.
This trip entailed a wayyy too easy multi-city search for flights into Copenhagen’s CPH & out of Bergen, Norway’s BGO.
At $2500 total RT for this duo, despite the varying inbound & outbound airports, we paid just ~$1k out of pocket after applying close to 100k Chase Reserve Ultimate Rewards points. Damnnnn, Gina. Pretty amazing given today’s flight prices.
Iceland Air has a half hazard strategy of arranging insanely short layovers and having its patrons sprinting through Reykjavik’s KEF. We luckily made it (both ways) but friends randomly on our flight over to Europe were not so lucky, altho they caught their connection just 3 hours later given the airline’s frequent flights all over Europe (heyy, D!).
No flights mid trip! Just trains. Lots and lots of trains.
Runabout tips:
- Don’t snooze on those multi-city searches! We were particularly pleased with being able to easily fly out of Bergen after fjord hopping, rather than having to traverse back to Oslo only to fly home.
- Those evening flights out of ORD are clutch. Sleep like babies and arrive (in Europe anyway) with a full day ahead.
- Iceland Air shot an enticing email to bid on its Saga Premium (akin to biz class) seats. We opted to bid $350/pp for the journey from ORD to Reykjavik’s KEF. Bid accepted! Super comfy seats, few bubbly top offs that were clutch as we cruised the tarmac, and we were out like lil lights.
How to get around.
Complete game changer here. We quickly found that even Skyscanner could not deliver a reasonably priced rental for traversing these destinations. At almost $3k, we would be dishing out more for a vehicle than our flights combined.
After playing around with several options given my love for Jeff Gordon’s chauffeuring, we abandoned ship. This duo went from sparsely having traveled via train in recent years to booking a whopping 5 or so to get us around. Hey, a lil overpriced car rental situation simply opened new (train?) doors.
Trains, galore!
Just like that (it took a bit for this rapid booker but went surprisingly smoothly), we found voyages from Copenhagen to Gothenburg (~5 hours with a change from train to bus, ~$200/total for the 2 of us) & then to Oslo (3 1/2 hour straight shot, similarly ~$200/total) on Rail Ninja.
For the stunning Norwegian passageways, we booked on Vy. Thank goodness we caught that the renowned Flam railway had a specific route (read, R45 train), as not all routes to Flam include this.
The trip from Oslo to Flam ran about $400 all in for first class seats on this 6 hour journey that also includes a change, this time in Myrdal where you catch a lovely waterfall before reaching Flam.
Our final train journey was again on Vy, from Flam to Bergen, running 2 hours plus with a change involved, at just over $100 total.
City traversing
Copenhagen
Our legs carried us almost everywhere, save for late night Bolts and my fave Copenhagen biking adventure. Oh. so. fun. Super easy to grab an Uber or Bolt from the airport into the city as well, altho next time I may insist on us taking the very well run Metro.
CPH bike route: Tivoli, Rosenborg Castle, Little Mermaid, Christiania, Broens Street Food. So. much. fun. See below tip for the easiest (& by far, least $) method of grabbing a set of wheels. Best part? You can ditch the bike whenever you’d like, huzzah! Very nice perk that contrasts to renting bike from your hotel, typically for a full day.
We traveled out of CPH from the city’s Central Station. Super quick Bolt from our hotel.
Gothenburg
The tram is legit. Download the Vasttrafik To Go app for insanely easy access to tickets and a map that’ll make it a breeze to get around. This just in – the trains & boats are included in public transport. Best part? It’s all run so smoothly. Huge time saver.
To grab your set of two wheels, download the Styr & Stall app. Zero need to grab a taxi or ride share in this awesomely easy to traverse city, particularly with our hotel a 30 second walk from Central Station. Wowza!
Oslo, Flam, & Bergen
Like its European sister countries, Norway offered awesome public transport within Oslo. Flam & Bergen were super walkable and hikeable.
Other than the single Bolt to BGO at end of this lovely trip, no taxi or rideshare needed! As you likely guessed, the airport is much farther out than the very central Bergen Central Station.
Runabout tips:
- Training around was golden. There are tons of timing options, and ours worked out perfectly to snag a workout & AM grub before jumping to each new destination. We caught zzzs, played games, and even caught up on work during each journey.
- The trains typically do have wifi. We our handy mifi device for a more secure connection, we didn’t test it out too frequently.
- Business class (where avail.) was a nice perk, particularly with a lil tea station & the ability to reserve seats. Honestly, the trains are nice no matter the class, so you’re good either way.
- Strong rec to download Bolt (Europe’s prevalent ride share app). Almost always less pricey than Uber, altho esp in CPH, Uber seemed much quicker to arrive.
- Speaking of Bolt (& Uber!), holy smokes Batman. Just open up your app, explore the “2 wheels” option,. In the blink of an eye, the handy app will share not only the nearest location for your set of wheels but how many bikes are at that location. Technology can be beautiful. Grab a bike & hit the city! You will not regret it.
- Download the Ruter app to get around Oslo.
Where to stay.
And on to my favorite part. Esp after looking at one too many train timetables (dramatic).
This trip, I booked hotels first, even before flights, primarily b/c we had heard that Scandinavia is prohibitively pricey, so I wanted to see what we were working with.
Within about an hour, we had happily found each of our lil love nests. Tried & true process to the rescue!
Copenhagen
We easily found the super cute, modern, industrial/loft themed Hotel Ottilia for our wknd in Copenhagen. ~$370/night with a beautiful (& bubbly!) rooftop breakfast & small but workable gym to boot.
We booked the Aire Thermal Baths just downstairs for our first post-arrival AM. So well worth the $100/pp for 90 minutes of perfectly temperatured holistic fun. A fave hammam style spot to date (second only to the pristine Regent Taipei).
What’s that you say, wine hour daily? Go ahead & try to pry me outta here, Jeff Gordon.
The Raddison Blu Gothenburg was highly rated, a minute walk from Central station where the train let off, and perfectly perched for our few days here. $400 total/2 nights, with breakfast and a gym to boot.
The sauna & spa facilities carried a very reasonable extra charge of under $20. Just wow on the # of sauna, steam, you name it options, w/ lil nooks & relaxation rooms everywhere. Sprawling, but still a bit crowded and simply not nearly as pristinely kept as Aire in CPH.
You might check out Spar Hotel Garda for a more boutique feel and in-house sauna. Given the Blu’s location & amenities tho, we recommend it.
I could have stayed at the stunning Sommerro in Oslo for days on end. State of the art… everything, including the infrared sauna & cold plunge (at a whopping $15/pp for guests).
Just over $300/night, inclusive of a(n equally stunning) breakfast and gym use. What a gorgeous & cozy treat.
Flamsbrygga in… you guessed it, Flam! At just under $400 for a tiny room, tho inclusive of a decent breakfast, you’re paying to be placed smack in the middle of nature’s finest.
No gym here & thank goodness given the stunning hikes we tortured ourselves with. But. Wait for it…. a floating sauna?! Hooked. At $40/pp, worth. every. penny. and more. Truly a favorite experience of the trip. Heyy Ben & Lisa!
After our first foray into the Thon hotel family in Brussels, we were back! This time at the Bergen Rosenkrantz. Despite the lack of a sauna, the rave breakfast reviews captured this girl’s attention… and heart. ~$560/2 night inclusive of that lovely breakfast, small but nice gym, and wildly perfect location to boot.
Runabout tips:
- Location is everything. Being a few minute walk (or public transport ride) from the train station was so clutch to get out there & enjoy each city on arrival.
- On that note, our Bergen hotel was so wonderfully perched in the center of the hiking, eating, cute alleyway action that we felt grateful each time we stepped in & out.
How far does your mula go?
We did not use a single bit of cash this trip. Not a cent.
Each of the 3 countries uses a krone, but each is distinct.
As I write this, ~6 Danish kroner, ~10 Swedish kronor, & ~10 Norwegian kronor to $1 USD.
Yep, Scandinavia is pricey, esp for this thirsty duo. Quality matches price tho.
What to do.
Copenhagen, Denmark.
We quickly fell in love with this super walkable, easy to explore, Scandilicous city.
What to do
- Bike around! See How to get around above for an awesome route.
- Tivoli Gardens – Amusement park w/ concerts on summer Fridays. Tons of activity. Rides, games, gardens, food, you name it. You can pay to enter & explore, grab a ride pass, or both.
- Rosenborg Castle – A stroll around is nice.
- The Little Mermaid – Can you spot her?!
- Sail over the famous CPH bridge (on your wheels) to be in the heart of the canal action.
- Freetown Christinia – Very cool anarchist commune with tons of great art, music, and creative vibes all around.
- Broens Street Food – Super cute & delicious! Can’t go wrong here, but we’d recommend the freshly shucked oysters, Hija de Sanchez tacos, piping hot sausages, and duck croquettes. Wash it all down w/ a lil bubbly, and life really does taste like a summer day. Huzzah!
- Reffen Street Food – Giant and awesome. Did we mention DJs at these lovely food havens? Oh yea.
- Rent an electric boat with FriendShips. Cute. Even cuter with wine & snacks, yum. Bring your own or peruse the website for a restaurant paired with these folks. Life just got easier & tastier.
- Peruse the city on food to stroll by Elephant Gate, the Carl Jacobsen House, CPH zoo, and if you’re lucky, catch a fire dancer in the mix.
- A stop at Aire is a must to celebrate a fun day of exploration & give your dogs a rest (see above Where to Stay).
- What I picture Studio 54 was like back in the day, check out Cafe Victor for a vibe. You may not stay too long…
Where to eat & drink
Just wow. That goes for all of the destinations we hit. Scrumptious.
- Kodbyens Fiskebar – insanely fun but chill ambiance, melt in your mouth seafood, & fantastic wine to wash it all down. Recommend a reso.
- Frank – ridic good porkchop, wine, & service.
- Pluto – awesome outdoor space perfect for grappa & people watching.
- Hart bageri (many locations) – all we can say is cardamom croissant.
- Surt – delish pizza.
- Dutch Cheese & Juice – ham & cheese Dutch pancake? oh yea.
- Vesterhus – super cute wine bar w/ some of the best charcuterie of the trip.
- Siciliansk gelato for a post-grub treat.
- Cafe P88 – lovely & on the water.
- Madklubben – despite being recommended by a local & well rated, didn’t do it for us.
Runabout tips:
- A fair amt of places do require resos. We’re not about that life but were out of luck for a few spots like Maple & Bloom.
- A few friends we made recommended Kayak Bar & Green Island.
- As you can gather, CPH does food (& drink) very well. Can’t go wrong, so eat your lil <3s out!
Gothenburg, Sweden.
We tend to love places that aren’t run of the mill, and this Swedish city was perfectly on our train journey from Denmark to Norway, so we gave it a whirl. Island hopping was my fave surprise, and you guessed it. More. delicious. grub.
What to do.
- Hit the archipelago. We did Branno & then cruised (on foot) over to Galtero. Stellar mix of nature, serenity, and quaint village vibes. Perfect summer day.
- To get to the islands, we took the tram to its end, at the Saltholmen boat terminal. From there, catch the ferry of your choice! And boy are there tons of island options to choose from.
- Hit the spa. Hagabadet is another hamman style spa, this time inside our hotel.
- Stroll Haga, one of Gothenburg’s oldest hoods.
- Indulge in the Feskekorka (upscale) fish market. You cannot beat rose & fresh seafood bites seated along the water on a bright, sunny day.
- Then, stroll over to The Market Hall for more wonderful food, drink, & atmosphere delights.
- Grab glimpses of the awesome street art along the way. Perhaps even in action!
- Climb the road to Skansen Kronan, the city’s fortress. Holy megawinds during our stint.
Where to eat & drink!
Even on the quiet Sun & Mon evenings we spent in this spot, the city had a ton to offer.
- Bar Bulot – part of The Market Hall, we could not have been more pleased. Gorgeous sun, vodka bitties, & caviar. Yum.
- Rappongi – super tasty Asian bites. The skewers & ramen did not disappoint. Very creative cocktails to wash it all down.
- Champagnebaren – more caviar! With bubbles & cute, tasty small (very small) bites. Best part? The adorable courtyard.
- Evolushi – the torched bites were our faves.
- Cafe Husaren – the world’s largest cinnamon roll. Biggest not best in my opinion, but the salted caramel cheesecake was a lil slice of heaven.
- Speaking of Heaven 23, perfect drink spot to kick off date night!
Runabout tips:
- Don’t snooze on the island hopping! Such a treat & very easy to get to, not to mention included in your public transport day pass.
- Grab the apps shared in How to Get Around above… to get around very quickly & easily. A day pass is a mere ~$12/pp & 90 minutes just about $3. The day pass is good for a full 24 hours from when you purchase (i.e. does not end at midnight that day).
Oslo, Flam & ahh, Bergen, Norway.
We had opted to spend most of this adventure in Norway, to hit that city life followed by fjord fun. Norway now has a lil piece of our <3s.
What to do!
- During our very short Oslo stint, we strolled the The Royal Palace & Garden, Akershus fortress, and enjoyed the gorgeous Sommerro grounds. The state of the art gym + multiple saunas – one with a nice view of the rooftop pool – were our faves. Super easy to get around the city on the T-Bane. Buy you a drank… I got money in the bank…
- In Flam, hike! Our fave was to the Brekkefossen Falls. A short 10/15 min walk from our Flamsbrygga hotel, great for a lil evening sweat & awesome views, not to mention the somewhat hidden continued path on to the lovely falls.
- Our first floating sauna was also in Flam, and it was a delight. A jump from the top of the boat into the piercingly cold (& stunning) fjord waters def gave a tingle. A magical one enough to make us do it all over again, woo! At $40/pp for a shared sauna, this was a steal. Not a phrase you’ll use often in Scandinavia.
- In Bergen, we did two awesome hikes – Stoltzekleiven & Floyen. Both will get your glutes fired up, and holy smokes, the first has giant, steep boulders & steps. Many of them.
- At ~$10 a pop for the quick, pretty ride cable car ride down, for both hikes, the Floibanen fernicular was the perfect exit back into city life.
- Bergen’s Nordnes Sjobad offered a different kind of sauna experience altogether. If you give these public baths a whirl, try to catch a sunny day (good luck) for fjord jumping and strive to go at an off peak time or you’ll find yourself piled on top of others. At ~$12/pp, the cost is likely the biggest draw.
- Bergen was oh so fun to stroll around in. Don’t miss historic Bryggen and its quaint corridors with incredible art, jewelry, leather goods, and sweaters galore made from that signature Norwegian wool.
- While the locals will not send you there, Fisketorget (fish market) is a nice pit stop after a day of strolling, with a lovely view of the water while you guzzle mussels and a perfectly paired dry white.
- Grotto – every bite was a treat, but the lamb (presented in a cute squash), artichoke spread paired with radish leaves, and scallop crudo are musts at this French spot. Major props to Anna & Bendik for the rec!
- Indian Street Food & Co. – solid bites & cute ambiance. Got our fix in!
- Strong local recs for Palace Grill & Kolonialen.
- Aegir – awesome Viking vibes & stellar beer, altho a lil mas fuerte please. Cute reindeer & elk jerky to accompany the brews, should you choose to get wild.
- Street food! Grab a brew, sashimi from Sushi & Poke, and don’t miss the idiot sandwich for obv reasons. Really cutely done and somehow felt plenty spacious even w/ a cruise ship housing 6k ppl was docked. Say, whatttttt.
- Utsyn in the Fretheim hotel was a nice post-hike dinner treat. You might throw on your Sunday’s best & be sure to take your cocktails up to the top of the stairs! Very cute date moment that we discovered by happenstance. Salmon was on point, but the burger disappointed a lil for a spot boasting amazing burgers.
- Flam bakery looked happenin as well.
- Lovelann Cafe – best fish soup. ever. Burned my mouth about 100 times & worth it each time. The salmon toast & ham and cheese croissants… disappeared very quickly, esp when paired with delish Alice wine.
- Pergola – best wine bar in Bergen, hands down. From the to die for nduja pizza to stellar meat & cheese board to… wait for it. The incredibly friendly folks running the place. Happy birthday, Chloe!
- Spisekroken – very cute ambiance at this tiny, lovely joint. Every dish is outstanding. So much that they had to pry our plates from us. Just wow.
- Allmuen – thank goodness for daily workouts. Trust us & order the bread. Don’t snooze on the perfectly poised scallops on a scoop of mashed potatoes either, and our server’s cabbage rec was spot on. Really cute spot with friendly service.
- Bryggeloftet – a Bergen institution. Huge & always bustling, we sat upstairs and took in the Viking feel. First reindeer steak in life and our first (of many, already) sips of akvavit. I know, def going to be on Santa’s shit list this yr.
- Trekroneren – Bergen’s famous sausage joint. This place is always bumpin. Clutch for a slight stumble home and perfectly placed steps from our hotel.
- Bryggen Tracteursted – Another lovely old school tavern style joint. We tried the whale appetizer, awesome trout main, and washed it all down with akvavit & bubbles. Yum. Awesome outdoor space, weather permitting.
- Strong local recs for Moon, Lola, and Bark.
Runabout tips:
- Resos for dinner in Oslo seem smart, esp to confirm the spot is open during the summer holiday months. We quickly booked the tiny Grotto an hour before we showed up, and they let us in early. Always lucky, this duo.
- We did not make a single reso in Bergen & got super lucky (I had said always…), as we def saw ppl turned away. If you’re dying to try a place, def make a reso. Otherwise, your tummy will easily find an amazing bite elsewhere.
- Bergen’s Ritual was a nice place to treat ourselves to a massage, but strong rec to skip this & do a floating sauna instead!
Top 5 experiences on this solid Viking adventure.
- Flam’s floating sauna.
- Caviar & lil sips to wash it down at Gothenburg’s Bar Bulot, on a perfect summer day.
- Singing happy bday to Chloe at Bergen’s best wine bar, Pergola.
- CPH’s Aire ancient baths (followed by the awesome ambiance at Kodbyens Fiskebar).
- Pre-hike soccer on a gorgeous field + cruising up the daunting Stoltzekleiven boulders (again, in Bergen. Clearly loved that city).
- (Honorable mention, and you can judge. Breaking a sweat at Sommerro’s gorgeous gym in Oslo. Love at first sight).
