Your Holiday Itinerary - 2009

16-Day Break

• Day 1 – Local departure then onward to Belgium for an overnight stay.
• Day 2 – We travel north through Germany, to Denmark and Copenhagen for the night. B,D
• Day 3 – To Stockholm then overnight sailing to Finland. B,D
• Excursions and Visits – Stockholm (included). Explore the sights of the Swedish capital, then catch the ferry for the overnight sailing to Finland.
• Day 4 – Helsinki. B,D
• Excursions and Visits – Arrive in Turku, then continue to Helsinki (included). Affectionately known as the daughter of the Baltic and surrounded by 315 islands, Helsinki’s east-meets-west culture contrasts against the clean lines of Finlandia Hall and the rich golden onion dome of Uspenski Cathedral. Join our optional sightseeing tour before we continue to Jyväskyla for an overnight stay.
• Day 5 – To Rovaniemi for the night. B,D
• Day 6 – Santa Claus Village then to Saariselka for overnight. B,D
• Excursions and Visits – We cross the Arctic Circle at the Santa Claus Village (included). We continue north through Finnish Lapland to Tankavarra Gold Museum (included). We explore the museum and reconstructed gold-mining village and have lunch (optional) before heading on to Saariselka for the night.
• Day 7 – Sami Village then to Honningsvag for a 2-night stay. See the Midnight Sun at the North Cape. B,D
• Excursions and Visits – To Karasjok and the Sami Village (included). We learn the history of the Sami people who have been living by fishing and hunting, boat building and reindeer herding for thousands of years. We recommend the Storgammon Lunch (optional), with traditional dishes served in a special restaurant constructed in wood to resemble a huge sami tepee. In the afternoon, we head to Honningsvag for a 2-night stay. This evening, we have an included visit to the North Cape to see the Midnight Sun and Polar Ocean. The cliffs at North Cape are the closest you will come to the top of the world in mainland Europe.
• Day 8 – Honningsvag. B,D
• Excursions and Visits – Local departure then onward to Belgium for an overnight stay.
• Day 9 – South to Storslett for an overnight stay. B,D
• Day 10 – To Tromsø then Narvik for an overnight stay. B,D
• Excursions and Visits – Honningsvag (included). Spend the day in Honningsvag or join our optional Fishing Villages excursion. We explore charming fishing hamlets and villages and discover local customs. Day 10 To Tromsø (included). At a latitude of nearly 70 degrees north, the same as Alaska and Siberia, between the island landscape, fjords and mountain peaks, lies Tromsø – the gateway to the Arctic and capital of northern Norway.
• Day 11 – Through charming scenery to Mosjoen for the night. Explore the quaint wooden village, reminiscent of a by-gone age. B,D
• Excursions and Visits – Through charming scenery to Mosjoen for the night. Explore the quaint wooden village, reminiscent of a bygone age.
• Day 12 – South to Trondheim then to Hell (yes, that is what it’s called!) for overnight stay. B,D
• Excursions and Visits – South to Trondheim (included). The architecture and the surroundings of the city create a beautiful setting. Our optional sightseeing tour, with local guide, captures it all.
• Day 13 – Past Lillehammer to Oslo for the night. B,D
• Excursions and Visits – Oslo. Past Lillehammer to Oslo for the night. Enjoy an optional evening sightseeing tour of the Norwegian capital.
• Day 14 – To Copenhagen for a 1-night stay. B,D
• Excursions and Visits – We return though Sweden to Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, for the night. We enjoy a short Orientation Tour (included) of the fascinating landmarks and beautiful architectural masterpieces, including the bronze statue of the Little Mermaid, taken from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale.
• Day 15 – En route home, we spend a night in Belgium. B
• Day 16 – We arrive in Calais for our return journey home. B

19-Day Break

For only a little extra, our 19-day option allows for a highly worthwhile 3-night break in the middle of your tour in the lovely town of Alesund, ‘the Fjord Capital of Norway’.

• Days 1 - 12 – Same as 16-Day Break.
• Extra Leisure Days 13-15 – Alesund Staying at the seafront Radisson SAS hotel, you’ll have the chance to explore this delightful Art Nouveau town both independently and as part of an optional guided walking tour. The myriad of turrets, spires and beautiful ornamentation that give the town its distinctive character are like something from a fairytale. We also recommend the mesmerising Fjord Cruise from Alesund to Geiranger (optional). The profusion of fjords, small fishing communities, island gems and majestic mountains will bowl you over. 3xB,3xD
• Days 16 - 19 – Same as days 13 - 16 in 16-Day Break.

B=Breakfast D=Dinner

Your Holiday Itinerary - 2008

16-Day Break

• Day 1 – We travel to Belgium for an overnight stay.
• Day 2 – We travel north through Germany, onto Denmark and Copenhagen for the night. B,D
• Day 3 – Stockholm (included). Explore the sights of the Swedish capital then catch the ferry for the overnight sailing to Finland. B,D
• Day 4 – Arrive in Turku, then continue to Helsinki (included). Affectionately known as the daughter of the Baltic, and surrounded by 315 islands, Helsinki's distinctive east-meets-west culture contrasts against the clean lines of Finlandia Hall and the rich golden onion dome of Uspenski Cathedral. Join our sightseeing tour (optional) before we continue to Jyväskyla for an overnight stay. B,D
• Day 5 – North onto Rovaniemi for the night. B,D
• Day 6 – We cross the Arctic Circle at the Santa Claus village (included) - where Santa really lives! We continue north through Finnish Lapland to Tankavarra Gold Museum (included). We explore the museum and reconstructed gold mining village and have lunch (optional) before heading on to Saariselka for the night. B,D
• Day 7 – To Karasjok and the Sami Village (included). We learn the history of the Sami people who have been living by fishing and hunting, boat building and reindeer herding for thousands of years. We recommend the Storgammon Lunch (optional) with traditional dishes served in a special restaurant constructed in wood to resemble a huge sami tepee. In the afternoon, we head to Honningsvag for a two-night stay. In the evening, we visit the North Cape (included) to see the Midnight Sun and Polar Ocean. The cliffs at North Cape are the closest to the top of the world in mainland Europe! B,D
• Day 8 – Honningsvag (included). Spend the day in Honningsvag or join our Fishing Villages Excursion (optional). We explore charming fishing villages and discover local customs. B,D
• Day 9 –We commence our journey south to Storslett for an overnight stay. B,D
• Day 10 – To Tromsø (included). At a latitude of nearly 70 degrees north, the same as Alaska and Siberia, between the island landscape, fjords and mountain peaks, is Tromsø - the gateway to the Arctic and capital of northern Norway. We continue to Narvik for the night. B,D
• Day 11 – Through charming scenery to Mosjoen for the night. Explore the quaint wooden village, reminiscent of a by-gone age. B,D
• Day 12 – South to Trondheim (included). The architecture and the surroundings of the city create a beautiful setting; our Sightseeing Tour (optional), with local guide, captures it all. To nearby Hell for the night. B,D
• Day 13 – Past Lillehammer to Oslo for the night. Enjoy an evening optional sightseeing tour of the Norwegian capital. B,D
• Day 14 – We return though Sweden to Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, for the night. We enjoy a short Orientation Tour (included) of the fascinating landmarks and beautiful architectural masterpieces, including the bronze statue of the Little Mermaid, taken from Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale. B,D
• Day 15 – During our journey home, we spend a night in Belgium. B
• Day 16 – We arrive in Calais for our return journey home. B

19-Day Break

For only a little extra, our 19-day option eases the pace a little and allows for a highly worthwhile three-night break in the middle of your tour in the lovely town of Alesund, 'the Fjord Capital of Norway'.

• Days 1 - 12 – Same as 16-Day Break.
• Extra Leisure Days 13-15 – Alesund. Staying at the seafront Radisson SAS hotel, you'll have the chance to explore this delightful Art Nouveau town both independently and as part of a guided walking tour (optional). The myriad turrets, spires and beautiful ornamentation that give the town its distinctive character are like something from a fairytale. We also recommend the mesmerising Fjord Cruise from Alesund to Geiranger (optional). The profusion of fjords, small fishing communities, island gems and majestic mountains will bowl you over. 3xB,3xD
• Days 16 - 19 – Same as days 13 - 16 in 16-Day Break.

B=Breakfast D=Dinner