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Nordic Cities Explorer with Gothenburg

Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Stockholm & Helsinki
 
Discover the great Nordic cities of Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Stockholm and Helsinki on this journey by rail and boat, including an overnight Baltic Sea cruise. You stay in good-quality, well-located hotels and can follow our self-guided walking tours to explore.
Nordic Cities Explorer with Gothenburg. 9 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
Nordic Cities Explorer with Gothenburg. 9 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A touring holiday from Copenhagen to Helsinki

It’s not difficult to see why the Nordic countries are officially the happiest in the world – life here is a joyful blend of the relaxed and the innovative, with truly uplifting landscapes at every turn. Even the cities are greener than elsewhere, and their attractive waterfront districts, imaginative architecture and increasingly exciting gastronomy only serve to increase our admiration. As does the region’s commitment to the environment and clean living; something that makes this one of the most refreshing – and inspiring – corners of Europe to explore.
To travel here, then, is to experience life at its contented best, and this holiday takes you by train and boat between four of the finest cities that northern Europe has to offer. Copenhagen oozes ‘cool’ from every pore, and is perhaps the most bike-friendly city in the world. Next comes gastronomic Gothenburg, Sweden’s stylish second city; then its capital – beautiful, waterborne Stockholm, where you have time to enjoy the relaxed vibe amid its 14 islands, before boarding an overnight Baltic Sea cruise ship bound for Helsinki. A morning arrival the next day gives you almost two full days to explore Finland’s capital – an intoxicating blend of east and west, where the renowned Design District showcases trendsetting brands of great style and substance.
 

Book with confidence

What we’re doing so you can book and travel with confidence >
Our flexible booking policies >
Check the destination entry requirements >
 
Gallery
 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • Arrival in Copenhagen
    Night 1: at Hotel Strand (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of exploration.
  • Explore Copenhagen
    Copenhagen oozes ‘cool’ from every pore, and is regularly rated the world’s happiest city. There’s an enormous variety of things to see and do here: world-class galleries and museums, some of Europe’s best shopping along Strøget, and Tivoli Gardens – perhaps the world’s most tasteful amusement park. You could also spend half a day pedalling around the world’s most bike-friendly city, pausing at one of the cafés alongside the Nyhavn canal to sit and watch the world go by.
    Cafés beside the Nyhavn Canal
    Thinking man statue on the waterfront
  • Copenhagen to Gothenburg
    Today's rail journey takes you over the Øresund Bridge (the  bridge of ‘Nordic noir’ fame) from Copenhagen to Malmö, then continues up Sweden's west coast to reach Gothenburg, the country's stylish and fascinating second city. You stay for two nights at the Hotel Vanilla. (Journey time: 3hrs 30mins)
  • Explore Gothenburg
    You have a full day to explore using our self-guided walking tour. The broad avenues, squares and canals are lined with many grand 17th-century buildings, as well as more modern, but equally striking, buildings such as the ship-like Opera House, the Art Nouveau Vasa Church, and the late 19th-century experimental Feskekörka, literally the ‘Fish Church’, a fish market in the shape of a place of worship. There are plenty of museums and galleries, too, but you should also make the most of the city’s fika tradition – you can enjoy a seriously good cup of coffee amid the atmospheric, cobbled streets of the Haga district – and foodie culture. Prawns, oysters, mussels, crayfish and lobster feature widely on the menus of the many high-quality restaurants.
    Haga district (C)Göran Assner
    The Feskeköra market (C)Jorma Valkonen
  • Gothenburg to Stockholm
    Today you continue by rail across the breadth of the country, from west to east. Your journey resembles a smooth and efficient ‘S’-shape on the map, as you travel between the two great lakes of southern Sweden, Vänern and Vättern, to arrive into Stockholm’s Central Station. You stay for two nights at the Hotel Riddargatan, tucked away on a quiet street in a central location. (Journey time: 3hrs)
  • Explore Stockholm
    The Swedish capital, a waterborne beauty spread over 14 islands, is a delight to explore on foot. Wander the medieval lanes of Gamla Stan, relax amid the wide-open green space of Djurgården, and take in some remarkable museums: Skansen was the world’s first open-air museum when it opened in 1891; the Vasamuseet is home to Sweden’s most famous – and fatally top-heavy – warship, Vasa; and the ABBA Museum is, well, just a whole lot of fun!
    Wander around the Old Town
    Nordic Museum
  • Explore Stockholm, then board the Tallink Silja
    See more of Stockholm, perhaps taking to the canals on a boat tour or visiting the island of Fjäderholmarna, before boarding the Tallink Silja cruise ship for an early-evening departure to Helsinki.
  • Arrival in Helsinki, then explore
    Having seen the Stockholm archipelago recede into the setting sun the previous evening, you awaken, revitalised, while gliding through the narrow gap between the islands of Suomenlinna, the remarkable, 18th-century sea fortress in the Bay of Helsinki. Your arrival in the Finnish capital just after breakfast means you have most of the day to explore this uber-fashionable city: you might decide to head first to the incredible, excavated Temppeliaukio (‘Rock Church’), or to take a stroll along the waterfront trail that begins by lovely Hietniemi Bay. Your last two nights are spent at the elegant Hotel Lilla Roberts, in the heart of the Design District.
  • Explore Helsinki
    You have one final, full day in Helsinki. Wander the Design District – bursting with boutiques, workshops and galleries – to admire the work of iconic producers like Iittala, Marimekko and Artek; and browse a traditional kauppahalli (market hall) to sample local specialities. In fact, foodies will be in heaven, what with the city’s ever-increasing array of sleek eateries, craft-beer bars, contemporary cafés and micro-distilleries. But this is also a place where cultures collide: Uspenski Cathedral, the largest Orthodox church in Western Europe, wouldn’t look out of place in central Moscow, and it’s perhaps this combination of enduring icons and modern, quirky charms that defines Helsinki’s unique allure.
    Explore the harbourside market
    Suomenlinna 18th-century fortress
 

Accommodation

All four hotels are well located for exploring.
 

Options to extend or shorten your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 9 nights: 01 May 2022 - 31 October 2022

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 - 27 May 2022 £1660 £820
    28 May - 16 Jun 2022 # £1690 £840
    17 - 23 Jun 2022 £1765 £940
    24 Jun - 1 Aug 2022 £1645 £720
    2 - 23 Aug 2022 £1715 £855
    24 Aug - 6 Oct 2022 £1660 £820
    7 - 22 Oct 2022 £1530 £725
    3rd & 4th person discount £0
    Single traveller supplement £0

    Includes accommodation, meals, travel between hotels and any other services integral to the holiday as described, plus a detailed information pack, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    #Add £92pp/n (£200pn for a single room) for stays in Helsinki Mon-Thu 28 May-16 Jun 2022.

    Included travel: rail Copenhagen-Gothenburg–Stockholm, overnight ferry Stockholm–Helsinki

    Pay locally for taxis between airports, railway stations and ferry ports and your accommodation

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Copenhagen Strand , Copenhagen
    Superior: 01 May - 25 Jun 2022 £8
    Superior: 26 Jun - 02 Aug 2022 £15
    Superior: 03 Aug - 08 Oct 2022 £8
    Superior: 09 Oct - 31 Oct 2022 £15
    Hotel Riddargatan, Stockholm
    Superior: 01 May - 31 Oct 2022 £14
    Hotel Lilla Roberts, Helsinki
    'Style': 01 May - 31 Oct 2022 £22

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Copenhagen Strand , Copenhagen (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 May - 25 Jun 2022 £138 £236
    26 Jun - 01 Aug 2022 £116 £168
    02 Aug - 08 Oct 2022 £138 £236
    09 Oct - 31 Oct 2022 £84 £144
    Upgrade your City Card in Copenhagen: For a 48hr Card, add £32pp; for a 72hr Card add £52pp.
    Hotel Vanilla, Gothenburg (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 May - 31 Oct 2022 £80 £130
    Upgrade your City Card in Gothenburg: For a 48hr Card, add £22pp; for a 72hr Card, add £40pp.
    Hotel Riddargatan, Stockholm (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 May - 25 Jun 2022 £84 £148
    26 Jun - 16 Aug 2022 £72 £122
    17 Aug - 31 Oct 2022 £84 £148
    Upgrade your City Card in Stockholm: For a 48hr Card, add £28pp; for a 72hr Card, add £46pp.
    Hotel Lilla Roberts, Helsinki (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 May - 29 May 2022 £104 £192
    30 May - 16 Jun 2022 # £110 £202
    17 Jun - 22 Jun 2022 £90 £160
    23 Jun - 27 Jun 2022 £118 £218
    28 Jun - 06 Aug 2022 £90 £160
    07 Aug - 31 Aug 2022 £110 £202
    01 Sep - 11 Oct 2022 £104 £192
    12 Oct - 18 Oct 2022 £90 £160
    19 Oct - 31 Oct 2022 £104 £192
    # Add £92pp/n (£200pn for single room) for stays at Helsinki on Mon-Thur 28 May-16 Jun 2022.

    Upgrade your City Card in Helsinki: for a 48hr Card, add £14pp; for a 72hr Card, add £28pp.
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Copenhagen for the outward flight; Helsinki for the homeward flight
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail and ferry travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying to Copenhagen and home from Helsinki. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Copenhagen SAS 
    Aberdeen - Copenhagen (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Return route Airline
    Helsinki - Aberdeen (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Copenhagen SAS 
    Birmingham - Copenhagen (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Return route Airline
    Helsinki - Birmingham (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Copenhagen easyJet 
    Return route Airline
    Helsinki - Bristol (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Copenhagen easyJet,  Norwegian,  Ryanair,  SAS 
    Return route Airline
    Helsinki - Edinburgh Finnair 
    Helsinki - Edinburgh (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Helsinki - Edinburgh (via Stockholm) SAS 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Copenhagen SAS 
    Return route Airline
    Helsinki - Glasgow (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Copenhagen (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Return route Airline
    Helsinki - Leeds Bradford (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Copenhagen easyJet,  Norwegian 
    Return route Airline
    Helsinki - Gatwick Norwegian 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Copenhagen British Airways,  SAS 
    Return route Airline
    Helsinki - Heathrow British Airways,  Finnair 
    Helsinki - Heathrow (via Stockholm) SAS 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Copenhagen Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Copenhagen Ryanair 
    Return route Airline
    Helsinki - Stansted (via Copenhagen) SAS 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Copenhagen easyJet,  SAS 
    Return route Airline
    Helsinki - Manchester Finnair 
    Helsinki - Manchester (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Helsinki - Manchester (via Copenhagen) SAS 
    Helsinki - Manchester (via Stockholm) SAS 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Copenhagen SAS 
    Outward route Airline
    Norwich - Copenhagen (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Return route Airline
    Helsinki - Norwich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying to Copenhagen and home from Helsinki. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above except those operated by Ryanair. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

What is included
  • 9 nights
  • 9 breakfasts
  • city maps and notes for walking tours
  • detailed cultural information
  • 24-hour City Card in each city
  • rail travel Copenhagen-Stockholm
  • Baltic Sea ferry crossing Stockholm-Helsinki
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.

  • If your holiday plans go awry because of Coronavirus, rest assured that we’ll do right by you. Since the start of the pandemic, our flexible booking policy and prompt issuing of refunds to customers who prefer not to defer their holiday have earned us high praise in the national press.
  • We sincerely hope that your holiday experience will be as enjoyable as it would have been before the pandemic – we’re not operating holidays if the key highlights can no longer be delivered – but, naturally, there will be some changes to ensure your and other people’s safety, not least proving your vaccination status or taking a test in order to travel.
    Your holiday experience: what to expect >
    Safety measures being taken by hoteliers & others >
    Entry requirements for non-UK destinations & for re-entering the UK >
  • The information that we send to you 2-3 weeks before your holiday includes practical information about each stage of your journey so that you can travel confidently from one hotel to another, recommendations for places to visit and eat out in each place, plus cultural information about the area. Where applicable, we also provide notes for a self-guided walking tour of most cities, and some large towns. Sample travel pack >
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines (but not, currently, with Ryanair). As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

    You don’t have to take out a policy with our recommended provider (if you live outside the UK you’ll definitely need to make your own arrangements, as the policy is only for UK residents), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    We'll ask you for the details of your policy (insurer, policy number and medical emergency phone number) so that we can help out if the worst happens while you are on holiday. It's up to you, though, to check that your policy covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs; we don't check alternative policies.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport, but not a visa. If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The official languages of Denmark and Sweden are, respectively, Danish and Swedish. In Finland, the official languages are Finnish, Swedish and, in Lapland, Sami. The currencies you will need are Danish Kroner, Swedish Krona and Euros. Danish and Swedish time is GMT/UTC + 1, but Finnish time is GMT/UTC + 2. They all use Daylight Saving Time, so in summer Denmark and Sweden are on BST + 1, while Finland is on BST + 2.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.

    At Inntravel we work in close partnership with our hoteliers, taxi drivers and other local suppliers to provide our self-guided holidays directly to you. We are entirely confident that you will continue to receive the usual warm welcome from them, regardless of what is happening in the European political sphere.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
Last fetch time is : 5/28/2022 9:18:23 AM