Ultimate 10 Day Scandinavia Itinerary for 2025: Fjords, Lapland and Northern Lights

Where Europe meets the Arctic Circle, Scandinavia feels like an entirely separate continent. This is a region where cutting edge design goes hand-in-hand with ancient heritage. Oceans once ruled by Viking warriors lead to cities where centuries-old royal palaces stand next to uber-modern centers of commerce and finance.

Beyond those cities, the landscape is a feast for every sense. Rugged peaks give way to glistening fjords and snow-covered plains deflect the beams of the northern lights.

A little like Eastern Europe, Scandinavia’s boundaries aren’t rigid. Most commonly, the region is defined as Denmark, Norway and Sweden and less religiously, Finland. These are the four countries that our 10 day Scandinavia itinerary will guide you through. If you favor a broader definition of Scandinavia, add on visits to the Faroe Islands and Iceland.

Best Time for a 10 Day Scandinavia Itinerary

Scandinavia is a place for all seasons. From the long days of summer to the long nights of winter, there’s never a bad time for a 10 day Scandinavia itinerary.

Summer in Scandinavia is undeniably beautiful. The fjords are shimmering, the flora and fauna are abundant and the days so long, you really will get to see everything. Given the size of Scandinavia, temperatures vary greatly. If you were to embark on this 10 day Scandinavia itinerary in August, it wouldn’t be unusual to go from highs of 22°C (71°F) in Stockholm to lows of 8°C (46°F) in Tromso.

Travel tip: The key to enjoying a 10 day Scandinavian itinerary is to pack for all eventualities. No matter the season, bring multiple layers.

Summer’s draw aside, my favorite time to visit Scandinavia is at the height of winter. There’s something extra special about the long, cold nights. Scandinavia under a blanket of snow is more beautiful than ever. Visiting during the festive period is even better still; Christmas is taken seriously here. Just like summer, expect a wide range of temperatures. In December, Rovaniemi often sees the mercury plummet to -10°C (14°F) whilst Stockholm can be a comparatively balmy 3°C (27°F).

10 Day Scandinavia Itinerary

Day 1: Oslo, Norway

Our 10 day Scandinavia itinerary kicks off in Oslo, Norway’s capital of contrasts. Affectionately known as the City of Tigers, Oslo dates back to 1049 when it was founded by Viking King Harald Hardrada. That history is very much evident today, but so are the suave styles modern Scandinavia is renowned for.

Start your day in Oslo with a visit to the Nobel Peace Center. Alfred Nobel’s Peace Prize is awarded every year in the city and the Peace Center celebrates the achievements of all 111 laureates who have received it since 1901.

Head next for the Royal Palace, home to King Harald V and Queen Sonja. The palace is open to visitors, but it pays to check opening dates and times before you arrive as they can vary around state functions. Whilst you’re here, don’t pass up the chance to explore the royal family’s private photo collection in Queen Sonja’s Art Stable.

Finally, get to grips with Oslo’s Viking beginnings at The Viking Planet or the Historical Museum before an evening stroll along the shores of Oslofjord. When dinner time rolls around, head for energetic Aker Brygge. Louise Restaurant is the top spot for a modern take on authentic Norwegian cuisine.

Day 2: Norwegian Fjords – Oslo to Bergen

There’s a reason the Norwegian fjords are on every traveler’s bucket list. As much as they deserve weeks to be explored, no 10 day Scandinavia itinerary would be complete without a fleeting visit.

Head for Oslo Central Station to take an early morning train to Myrdal aboard one of Europe’s most scenic rail lines, the Bergensbanen. Trains on this route are popular, so do book in advance. At Myrdal, change onto the even more impressive Flam Line which descends 865-meters to the shores of Aurlundsfjord.

Take a look around the museum at Flam Station before admiring the fjord. Grab an alfresco lunch at The Garden, stroll through Fretheim Cultural Park and take a cruise along the fjord. If you’re feeling energetic, swap the train for an e-bike to get back to Myrdal before re-joining the Bergensbanen to reach the west coast.

Day 3: Beautiful Bergen

Bergen is my all time favorite Norwegian city. I feel almost guilty leaving you with just one night and one day here, but with so much to see on our 10 day Scandinavia itinerary, it’s the perfect excuse to return for more.

Start your day exploring Bryggen’s wooden houses. First built in 1070, though many of the original houses were destroyed in a series of fires, Bryggen is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a guided walking tour through its narrow lanes and hear tales of how the Hanseatic League shaped the city you see today.

Spend your afternoon amongst nature on Mount Floyen. Take the funicular railway, which leaves from just behind Bryggen, to the summit. Follow the woodland trail leading to Revurtjernet lake to escape from reality and find solace in Bergen’s most tranquil spot.

Grab a late lunch from Floirestauranten whilst enjoying a sweeping panorama of the city below. If the weather’s on side, take a table on their outdoor terrace. When the time comes to head back down to ground level, considering taking the winding path down the mountainside. The path is firm and not too steep, though you can take the funicular if you prefer.

Wideroe fly direct from Bergen to Tromso five times daily. Book a late afternoon flight to maximise your time in Bergen. Alternatively, stay an extra night and fly to Tromso early on Day 4. If you do make it to Tromso this evening, book an evening safari to hunt for the Aurora Borealis. There’s never any guarantee of sightings, so going tonight means you can try again tomorrow if the conditions aren’t favorable.

Day 4: Arctic Norway – Tromso

Tromso is Norway’s gateway to the arctic. Around 350 kilometers north of the arctic circle, on the 69th parallel, Tromso is further north than Nuuk, Greenland and Juneau, Alaska.

Start your day with a visit to Tromso’s wooden cathedral, built in 1861, before heading to the Troll Museum. Trolls feature heavily in Norse folklore, and the Troll Museum is a great place to get underneath the local culture. For even more culture, head next to Full Steam Museum to take a look at the lives of seafaring native Sami peoples.

This afternoon, take a fjord cruise to the Sommaroy Islands with an included beachside picnic of local salmon, reindeer and elk.

As evening falls on Tromso, head down to the harbor to watch the Hurtigruten Coastal Express make her nightly call. Round off your night with a drink in the Magic Ice Bar where the only thing that’s warm is the welcome.

An Addition to this 10 Day Scandinavia Itinerary: Svalbard

Less than a two-hour flight north of Tromso lies an isolated arctic island that should be on every traveler’s bucket list. Svalbard is magical.

For some far-north charm, book a room at the rustic Coal Miners Cabins, Mary-Ann’s Polarrigg, or for a little more luxury, go for The Vault. Spend your days cruising through glaciers, hunting for wildlife and exploring the coal mines which made this otherwise barren land with more polar bears than people, an unlikely economic hub.

Day 5: Crossing to Lapland – Rovaniemi, Finland

Today is the day our 10 day Scandinavia itinerary crosses its first international border. Saying a bittersweet farewell to Norway, we cross to Finland. Between October and July, Finnair fly direct from Tromso to Rovaniemi. At other times, you’ll need to connect in Helsinki or Oslo.

Travel tip: If you can’t bring yourself to leave Norway just yet, we’ve got some great ideas for an extended visit to Norway.

The capital of Finnish Lapland, Rovaniemi is famed the world over as Santa Claus’ official residence. You’ll want to book a tour to Santa Claus Village with a visit to a reindeer farm and the chance to meet some Alaskan Huskies.

For the true magic of Christmas, book a hotel at Santa Claus Village itself. The Santa Claus Holiday Village is ideal for families with younger children. For a quieter, romantic escape, spend the night in one of Santa’s Igloos.

Day 6: Rovaniemi to Helsinki, Finland

Start your day with a visit to Arktikum, a fascinating local museum showcasing Sami culture and Finnish Lapland’s history and nature. Before parting ways with the arctic, hop on a snowmobile for an adrenaline filled safari across the wilderness.

This afternoon, our 10 day Scandinavia itinerary heads south to Finland’s trendy capital. The quickest way to reach Helsinki is to fly; Finnair and Norwegian fly direct several times every day. Alternatively, take the overnight Santa Claus Express train.

If you do reach Helsinki this evening, grab dinner at one of the city’s top restaurants or take an evening dinner cruise around the Helsinki archipelago.

Day 7: A Night on the Water – Helsinki to Stockholm

One day in Helsinki is just enough time to become acquainted with Finland’s coastal capital. Throughout this 10 day Scandinavia itinerary, it won’t be hard to notice similarities in every country you visit; Helsinki is a little different. There’s modern Scandi design at every turn, the relaxed Nordic way of life is very much apparent, but there’s something Helsinki which sets it apart from it’s neighbors.

Whilst Helsinki, and Finland, have strong ties to Scandinavia, they have, historically, far more in common with their neighbors across the Baltic Sea. Indeed, Helsinki is a wonderful mix of Scandi, Baltic and, to a lesser extent, Russian styles.

Get to grips with the city on a short walking tour or a hop-on-hop-off bus tour before exploring its two cathedrals. Uspenski Cathedral, the Eastern Orthodox cathedral, and Helsinki Cathedral, a Finnish Lutheran church, couldn’t be more different.

This afternoon, head for the Natural History Museum. Aside from an impressive collection of dinosaurs and pre-historic wonders, it houses some insightful exhibits on Finnish and local history.

Make your last stop in Helsinki the harborside market on Esplanadi. This is the perfect place to pick up some snacks for the journey and souvenirs. If you’re feeling peckish, grab a portion of fried vendace– fried small fish served whole.

This evening’s journey takes us across the Baltic Sea to country number three on this 10 day Scandinavia itinerary. One thing the Scandic countries all have in common is their seafaring history, so it would seem amiss not to take a voyage across the ocean at least once. Two overnight ferries run between Helsinki and Stockholm, both taking around 18 hours.

Day 8: Summer Night City – Stockholm, Sweden

Made up of 14 islands, the birthplace of Alfred Nobel and ABBA, Stockholm is a Scandinavia highlight. Start your day here in Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s 13th century old town.

Wander through the quaint cobbled streets, pay a visit to Storkyrkan church and finish up on Stortorget, the old town’s medieval main square. The Stock Exchange Building, dating back to 1778, is now home to the Nobel Prize Museum.

This afternoon, take a ferry over to Djurgarden to visit ABBA: The Museum. A highlight of every trip to Stockholm, it’s super popular, so make sure to book tickets in advance. The museum tells the story of how Benny, Bjorn, Frida and Agnetha took the world by storm from long before Eurovision to their recent revival.

Make one final stop in Djurgarden at the Nordic Museum which covers 500 years of Swedish and Scandinavian history before crossing back to the mainland. This evening is your chance to sample another kind of Swedish classics. Head for Meatballs of the People for Swedish meatballs which will blow that flatpack furniture store’s out the water.

Day 9: On Oresund – Stockholm to Malmo

The penultimate day of our 10 day Scandinavia itinerary sees us traversing Sweden from the Baltic Sea to the North Sea. Spend the morning exploring Stockholm’s regal side with a visit to the Royal Palace before heading for the station. SJ operate an hourly express train between Stockholm and Malmo, taking around four-and-a-half hours. Alternatively, three intercity buses run daily, with a journey time of 8 hours.

Unlike many of the places we’ve visited so far on this 10 day Scandinavia itinerary, Malmo does a fine job of staying under the radar. It’s a wonder how. Malmo has an impressively beautiful old town and the tallest building in Scandinavia and is truly deserving of far more visitors than it sees.

Take to the water for a cruise along Malmo’s canals to get your bearings. Back on dry land, head for the Disgusting Food Museum. Guinea pig meat, fermented shark and maggot cheese from Sardinia are just a handful of the vile creations on display.

Spend your evening in Malmo wandering around the old town’s Dutch Renaissance buildings before unwinding in The Bishops Arms, a slightly over-the-top Swedish take on an English pub.

Day 10: Copenhagen, Denmark

Crossing to the fourth and final country of this 10 day Scandinavia itinerary involves a short hop across the Oresund. Trains and buses run frequently between Malmo and Copenhagen. The bus is a slightly better option as you’ll get far better views of the part-tunnel, part-bridge Oresund Link.

The capital of one of the happiest countries in the world, Copenhagen is the ideal place to bring your Scandinavian adventure to a close. Start your day with an electric boat tour of Copenhagen’s canal network before heading to Christiansborg Slot (palace), the former main residence of the Danish royal family.

Continuing the royal theme, head along to Amalienborg Palace, the royal family’s current main home. Time your visit to coincide with the Changing of the Guard. Next, make a stop at the Little Mermaid, a statue unveiled in 1913 inspired by Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale of the same name.

Round off your day in Copenhagen in beautiful Tivoli Gardens. One of the oldest amusement parks in the world, opened in 1843, Tivoli has something for everyone. Food stalls, restaurants and vintage stops go hand in hand with retro fun fayre rides and thrilling rollercoasters. If you’re visiting in winter, Tivoli hosts one of the best Christmas Markets in Europe.

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