Ultimate Scandinavia and The Polar Express

After meeting at our Departure Office we leave London St Pancras
by Eurostar, travelling to Brussels in Standard Premier Class. We
continue in First Class to Bremen, where we stay overnight.

On Day 2 we travel by Standard Class
rail, via Hamburg, to Copenhagen for a 2-night stay.

On Day 3, our morning sightseeing tour
features the magnificent Amalienborg Palace, a large octagonal
mansion, surrounded by 4 identical Rococo palaces, one of which is
home to the reigning monarch Queen Margrethe II. We also visit the
famous Little Mermaid statue before taking a cruise through the
colourful canal area of Nyhavn, once a maritime hub where sailors
from around the world frequented the many bars on offer here. Your
afternoon is at leisure.

Today, we join the X2000 train for the direct service to
Stockholm. On arrival in Sweden's capital city, we transfer to our
hotel for 2 nights.

Day 5 begins with a sightseeing coach tour, the
perfect way to get our bearings. Our tour includes the Royal
Palace, the cathedral, the narrow streets of Gamla Stan (the Old
Town), City Hall, and the tranquil island of Djurgården.
Afterwards, we take a relaxing 'fika', the Swedish term for a
coffee and cake break. Your afternoon is free to explore. Skansen,
the oldest open-air museum in the world, gives an insight into how
life once was here and is well worth a visit.

Today we head inland by rail to Östersund, nestled on the shores
of Lake Storsjön, Sweden's fifth largest lake.

On Day 7 we join the Inlandsbanan to Sorsele,
visiting the Inlandsbanan Museum here. Next, we visit a Sami
village, home to the indigenous Sami people of Scandinavia, before
we continue to Arjeplog for the night. Dinner tonight is enjoyed
around an open fire in a traditional tipi.

We travel around lakes and forests of Swedish Lapland by coach
today. Making our way to Jokkmokk, we cross the Arctic Circle into
the 'Land of the Midnight Sun', marking the occasion with a small
celebration en route.

On Day 9 we continue on the Ofoten Railway to
Narvik, after a free morning that includes entrance to the local
Sami museum. The scenery that accompanies this journey is
spectacular, and we enjoy passing views of dramatic mountain
peaks.

On Day 10 we make a visit to Narvik's War
Museum before time at leisure.

On Day 11 we take a trip on the spellbinding
'Polar Express', also known as the Nordland Railway. This
incredible railway is rightly one of the world's most famous,
passing unconquerable landscapes that are a delight to experience.
The vast, ever-changing environment stretches as far as the eye can
see, and from our comfortable carriages we watch as clear blue
lakes, sparkling fjords, and the spectacular Svartisen Glacier roll
by our windows. We disembark in Verdal, spending the night in
Stiklestad.

We set off toward atmospheric Trondheim this morning, heading
first to Stiklestad for a short guided tour, followed by lunch. We
continue to Trondheim along the famous Golden Road, which is laced
together by a multitude of scenic sights.

Day 13 includes a guided sightseeing tour.
Founded in the 10th century, Trondheim is one of the oldest cities
in Norway and boasts a rich Viking heritage.

We leave Trondheim by rail for Dombås, where we join the 71-mile
long Rauma Railway for a journey to Åndalsnes. From here, we
transfer to Loen by coach and ferry for a 2-night stay in Loen.

On Day 15 we enjoy the beautiful scenery of
Geirangerfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site, during a morning boat
cruise and scenic drive following a photo opportunity at the
Dalsnibba viewing point.

Departing by coach on Day 16, we continue to
Flåm, stopping off at Kaupanger's stave church along the way. In
Flåm, we stay overnight at the Fretheim Hotel.

On Day 17 we enjoy a superb excursion on the
Flåm Railway, which takes us up into the mountains along one of the
steepest lines in the world. We reach Myrdal and return to Flåm,
driving to Gudvangen where we embark on a luxury eco cruise across
Sognefjord. Afterwards, we continue to Bergen by coach.

We enjoy a walking tour of Bergen today that includes Bryggen, a
UNESCO World Heritage site. Lunch is a delicious meal of fresh
seafood at Bergen's fish market, followed by a coach tour of
Bergen's incredible bridges.

Travelling in Komfort Class on Day 19, we take
a rail journey on Northern Europe's highest railway line - the
Bergen Railway. The train climbs high above the tree line, across
some of the most remote areas of western Norway before descending
into elegant Oslo, where we stay overnight.

Day 20 is at leisure in Oslo before we transfer
to the port and board the overnight ferry to Kiel*. On arrive in
Kiel on Day 21, we join the train to Hamburg
for an overnight stay. Day 22 takes us
by rail to Brussels, via Cologne, where we join the Eurostar to
London.

*Please note: your luggage will travel on the ferry with
you, as opposed to via our luggage service.