12-Day Tour to Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland

Goldencircle

This excursion includes many of the scenic natural wonders for which Iceland is justly renowned. We start with a stop at the geothermal power station Hellisheiðarvirkjun and learn how Icelanders use the energy from the earth, so called green energy, for heating their homes. We continue over the highland plateau of Hellisheiði, an area with large lava fields and steaming valleys and pass the greenhouse town of Hveragerði. We continue to Skálholt, the site of an ancient bishopric, and  for centuries Iceland’s main cultural centre. Onwards we reach the geothermal active valley of Haukadalur which contains the geysers Geysir and Strokkur. 

Geysir

We explore this otherworldly hot spring area covered with multicoloured pools of water and mud. Strokkur, the Great Geysir’s little brother, is spouting to a height of about 25 metres (82 ft) and erupts at about 5-7 minute intervals. 

Gullfoss

After an optional lunch break we drive to the mighty Gullfoss (the Golden Waterfall), perhaps the most beautiful in the country. We walk around Gullfoss Falls, where the river Hvitá tumbles 32 meters (105 ft) in a double cascade. When the sun is shining, you’re likely to see a rainbow through the massive spray that forms. 

Thingvellir

Over a scenic route we reach Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site and stroll around the country’s most sacred site, home of the oldest existing parliament in the world, the Alþingi, and major events in our history. Thingvellir is a place of fascinating natural beauty, one of the most geologically spectacular, set on a vast plain flanked by large fissures, right on Iceland’s largest lake, Thingvallavatn.  The Great Atlantic rift is clearly visible; a rift that is slowly pulling Iceland apart along tectonic plates and you can literally walk between the American and Eurasian continental plates.

Kerid Crater

Located in the Grímsnes region of South Iceland, this magnificent crater lake is one of the most popular off-the-beaten-path attractions in the area, not far from the three major tourist attractions of the Golden Circle.

Selijalandsfoss

we head on to the waterfall of Skógar, fall ing gracefully 60m down the green mountain, a waterfall used more than once as a motive in advertisement.  Possible to see from all sides as we can walk behind it – with care and with the risk of getting wet!  

Skogafoss

Forest waterfall in South Iceland, 60 meters high and 25 meters wide, is one of the largest and most iconic waterfalls in Iceland. There is a trail to the right of the waterfall that climbs to the top where visitors can look back at the entire coastline and witness the spectacular sight of the river flowing down in an instant. Some scenes in Thor 2: A Dark Place were filmed in a forest waterfall.

Vik

Located in the southernmost part of Iceland, Vik is a peaceful and peaceful town. Behind the town is the endless sea. The town is best known for its black sand beach. The transparent black sand beach is like the charming eyes of the town of Vík, deep and mysterious, its gaze seems to be able to shoot straight to the bottom of your heart, making people fascinated and incomprehensible.

Jökulsárlón

We stop at the glacier lagoon, Jökulsárlón, embark a boat and sail around the floating icebergs of the lagoon.  After the boat trip we continue our journey along the south coast with Vatnajökull and also the highest peak in Iceland, 2119m on our right. We will stay for the next two nights in Skaftafell National Park.

Diamond Beach

On the frozen lake, the ice melts at an incredible rate, almost every day you see ice calving and falling off the glacier and as the temperature rises, the ice in the lake gradually melts and decreases in size and when the ice is small enough, it will drift with the current and eventually merge into the vast ocean Driven by the pounding and pushing of the waves, these crystal clear ice cubes are washed back onto the nearby beach, which is distinguished by its unique black sand grains that glisten mysteriously in the sun, in stark contrast to the crystal clear ice cubes Every time the sun shines on these black sand grains, the ice blocks shine on the beach, and the whole beach is like a sea of black diamonds, which is breathtaking.

Reykjavik city tour

Weaving our ways through narrow alleys framed with old timber houses, we learn about the life of the Icelandic capital from its very beginning to the present day. We pass Hallgrimskirkja-Church and enjoy a photo stop at Höfði house, where the Reagan/Gorbachev summit meeting took place in 1986. From the City Hall we take a walk through the city center to the street where the first settler built his house. Next to the Parliament and Lutheran cathedral we pass the sculpture of Skúli Magnússon, the founder of Reykjavík and Jón Sigurðsson, our real independence hero.

Now we drive to the harbour where we find a large fleet of whale watching and fishing boats in all sizes. We drive past the Catholic Church and enjoy then the panoramic view over Reykjavik, the fjord and mountains from the balcony at the Pearl.  We stop at one of the biggest shopping mall in Reykjavik, Kringlan.

Reykjavik(Iceland)—Helniski（Finland）

Senate Square

Senate Square presents Carl Ludvig Engel's architecture as a unique allegory of political, religious, scientific and commercial powers in the centre of Helsinki, Finland.Senate Square and its surroundings make up the oldest part of central Helsinki. Landmarks and famous buildings surrounding the square are the Helsinki Cathedral, the Government Palace, the main building of the University of Helsinki and the Sederholm House , the oldest building of central Helsinki dating from 1757.

Today, Senate Square is one of the main tourist attractions of Helsinki. Various art events, ranging from concerts, snow buildings to controversial snow boarding activities, have been set up on Senate Square. In Autumn 2010, a United Buddy Bears exhibition with 142 bears was displayed on the historic square.

market square

Located in front of the Parliament building, the Helsinki Souk features tent-style stalls selling food, flowers, crafts and more. The market is full of Finland life, especially in summer, with colourful stalls displaying fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, and flowers.

Temppeliaukio Church

Temppeliaukio Church is a Lutheran church in the Töölö neighbourhood of Helsinki, Finland. The church was designed by architects and brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and opened in 1969. Built directly into solid rock, it is also known as the Church of the Rock and Rock Church.

The interior was excavated and built directly out of solid rock and is bathed in natural light which enters through the skylight surrounding the center copper dome. The church is used frequently as a concert venue due to its excellent acoustics. The acoustic quality is created by the rough, virtually unworked rock surfaces. 

Temppeliaukio Church is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city; half a million people visit it annually. The stone-hewn church is located in the heart of Helsinki. Maintaining the original character of the square is the fundamental concept behind the building. The idiosyncratic choice of form has made it a favourite with professionals and aficionados of architecture.

Uspenski Cathedral

Uspenski Cathedral is a Greek Orthodox or Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Helsinki, Finland, and main cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Finland, dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos (the Virgin Mary). Its name comes from the Old Church Slavonic word uspenie, which denotes the Dormition. It is the largest Greek Orthodox church in Northern Europe.

The cathedral is set upon a hillside on the Katajanokka peninsula overlooking the city. On the back of the cathedral, there is a plaque commemorating Russian Emperor Alexander II, who was the sovereign of the Grand Duchy of Finland during the cathedral's construction. 

Annually, about half a million tourists visit the church. Admission to the cathedral is free of charge. In winter, the cathedral is closed on Mondays.

ancient city

The old town dates back to the 13th century, but most of the buildings in the city date back to the 17th and 18th centuries. The narrow alleys, cobblestone lanes, medieval buildings and central square of the old town are full of North Germanic architecture. Walking down the street near the river or lake makes you feel like you're in Venice.

Royal Palace of Sweden

There are many exquisite reliefs on the walls of the palace, and there is a large courtyard in the middle. The palace church and state hall in the southern half and the banquet hall in the northern half still maintain their original furnishings and are open to the public. In the magnificent hall of the palace, large portraits of kings and queens of past dynasties are hung on the walls, and the dome is decorated with magnets, carvings and gorgeous paintings. It is said that most of them were created by German artists in the 17th century. Some rooms also display ancient chariots, weapons, jewelry, gold and silver utensils, and physical models of medieval knights holding spears and wearing bronze helmets and iron armor. The palace guards hold a grand changing of guard ceremony every noon according to the ancient tradition. The guards dressed in gorgeous costumes solemnly and solemnly perform the ancient traditional changing of guard procedures. This is where the king works and holds celebrations, and it is also a major tourist attraction in Stockholm. The parts of the palace open to the public include: the royal residence, the collection museum of Gustav III, the treasure house, the three crowns museum, and the royal weapons museum. In the palace, you can see all kinds of gold and silver jewelry, exquisite utensils, as well as beautiful murals and reliefs. 

Vasamuseet

In 1628, the Vasa sank in the harbor of Stockholm on its maiden voyage. After 333 years on the seabed, this mighty warship was salvaged, and her "voyage" continued.

Skansen

Located on Stockholm Zoo Island, it is one of the most famous attractions on the island. Opened in 1891, it was the first open-air museum in the world.

Vänern

One of the most spectacular lakes in the Nordic region, it is also the third largest lake in Europe and is also among the top 28 lakes worldwide. The lake is located in the southern part of Sweden, between Vinesborg and Karlstad, showing a direction extending from northeast to southwest. The lake is an astonishing 145 kilometers long, 80 kilometers wide and 97 meters deep. The entire lake covers an area of 5,550 square kilometers, which is breathtaking.

This magnificent body of water is not only geographically striking, it is also home to a rich ecosystem and diverse biological species. The lake is home to a variety of fish, such as salmon, trout and bass, providing rich fishing resources for local fishermen. The lake's shoreline twists and turns and is dotted with many beautiful towns and villages, many of which have historic architecture and picturesque natural landscapes. When summer comes, the lake is sparkling and the trees along the lake attract countless tourists to come for vacation and leisure.

The presence of the lake not only provides a rich natural resource for the local people, but also becomes a scenic line in southern Sweden. Whether locals or visitors from outside, they can find spiritual comfort and joy of life in this peaceful water.

Vigeland installation

The Vigeland installation (Norwegian: Vigelandsanlegget), originally called the Tørtberg installation, is located in the present centre of Frogner Park. It is the name of the arrangement of sculptures and not of an area as such, as the entire park is called Frogner Park. The Vigeland installation in Frogner Park is sometimes referred to as "Vigeland Park," but this name has no official status, is not commonly used in Oslo and is considered inaccurate; the director of Oslo Museum Lars Roede said "Vigeland Park" "doesn't really exist" and is "the name of the tourists," as opposed to "Oslo natives' more down-to-earth name, Frogner Park." The legal name of the entire park in accordance with the Place Name Act (stadnamnlova) is Frognerparken (Frogner Park). The sculpture installation was, as part of Frogner Park, protected under the Heritage Act on 13 February 2009 under the name Frogner Park and the Vigeland installation (Norwegian: Frognerparken og Vigelandsanlegget), enshrining its name Vigelandsanlegget in law.

The sculpture area in Frogner Park covers 80 acres and features 212 bronze and granite sculptures, all designed by Gustav Vigeland. The Bridge was the first part to be opened to the public, in 1940. The Bridge forms a 100 metre-long, 15 metre-wide connection between the Main Gate and the Fountain, lined with 58 sculptures, including one of the park's more popular statues, Angry Boy (Sinnataggen). Visitors could enjoy the sculptures while most of the park was still under construction. At the end of the bridge lies the Children’s Playground, a collection of eight bronze statues showing children at play.

Frammuseet

Fram was the strongest wooden ship ever built, and still holds the records for the most northerly and southerly voyages.

Royal Palace

The Royal Palace (Norwegian: Slottet or Det kongelige slott) in Oslo was built in the first half of the 19th century as the Norwegian residence of the French-born King Charles XIV John, who reigned as king of Norway and Sweden. The palace is the official residence of the current Norwegian monarch while the Crown Prince resides at Skaugum in Asker west of Oslo.

The palace is located at the end of Karl Johans gate in central Oslo and is surrounded by the Palace Park with the Palace Square in the front.

Karl Johans gt.

Oslo's main thoroughfare, day or night, is a must for those who want to experience city life. This popular avenue runs from Oslo Central Railway Station at the west end to the Royal Palace at the east end.

Oslo City Hall

Oslo City Hall is a municipal building in Oslo, the capital of Norway. It houses the city council, the city's administration and various other municipal organisations. The building as it stands today was constructed between 1931 and 1950, with an interruption during the Second World War. It was designed by architects Arnstein Arneberg and Magnus Poulsson. The building is located in the city center, in the northern part of the Pipervika neighbourhood, and it faces Oslofjord.

Oslo City Hall is built of red brick and has two towers, one 63 meters tall and other 66 meters tall. The bricks used are larger than what was typical at the time of construction, but are roughly the same size as bricks used in the Middle Ages. The bricks, measuring approximately 27.5*13*8.5 cm, were produced by Hovin Teglverk in Oslo. The eastern tower has a carillon set of 49 bells. Various events and ceremonies take place in the building, notably the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, which takes place every December.

Aker brygge

Oslo's Acre Quay is a rebuilt waterfront attraction. Reminiscent of rebuilt docks in other European cities. 

Akershus Fortress

Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is a medieval castle in the Norwegian capital Oslo that was built to protect and provide a royal residence for the city. Since the Middle Ages the fortress has been the namesake and centre of the main fief and later main county of Akershus, which was originally one of Norway's four main regions and which included most of Eastern Norway. The fortress itself was located within the Akershus main county until 1919, and also within the smaller Akershus sub county until 1842.

The castle has also been used as a military base, a prison and is currently the temporary office of the prime minister of Norway.