Scandinavia Country Dossier

"Windswept, jagged mountains, winding blue fjords, icy tundra and lush grasslands met my gaze as I travelled through the Nordic wonderland of Scandinavia."

"Boasting a linguistic, architectural and cultural difference to Western Europe, Scandinavians are proud of their independence. The attractions of this region are unique: Viking-era wooden churches, fluorescent blue thermal springs, giant arcing whale’s tails, the otherworldy luminescence of the Northern Lights, ancient lava floes and vast glaciers. Sailing the fjords of Norway is perhaps one of my most cherished memories. Staggeringly tall snow-capped mountains flanked a winding river that seemed to disappear deeper inland at every curve. Every glance soaked up another scene worthy of postcard perfection, bizarre volcanic landscapes unfolding into a spiky coastline jostling with brightly painted fishing boats. Hoist your own sails and go experience the magic of Scandinavia!"

Andy Jenkins, Traveller

• Factfile
• Preparing to go
• Money
• Cultural & Environmental Guidelines
• Arrival
• On Tour
• General Information

Factfile

Capital Cities:
Denmark: Copenhagen
Norway: Oslo
Sweden: Stockholm
Iceland: Reykjavik
Official Language: Each country has its own national language. English is widely spoken in almost all of Scandinavia’s main cities. You may wish to bring along a phrasebook to help you pick up a few words of the local language.
Voltage: 220 Volts. Sockets are of the European two pronged round pin variety.

Preparing to go

Visas

Most nationalities, including UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand do not require a visa for Denmark, Norway and Sweden. However, other nationalities may need a visa. You should check with the nearest embassy or consulate for exact details.

Money

Local Currency

Approximate exchange rates (as at Feb 2005) are shown below:

Denmark: Kroner (Dkr)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 10.73 Dkr
• 1 US Dollar = 5.62 Dkr
• 1 Euro = 7.44 Dkr

Norway: Kroner (Nkr)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 11.91 Nkr
• 1 US Dollar = 6.24 Nkr
• 1 Euro = 8.26 Nkr

Sweden: Krona (Skr)

• 1 Pound Sterling = 13.12 Skr
• 1 US Dollar = 6.87 Skr
• 1 Euro = 9.09 Skr

XE.com is a useful site for currency conversion.

Changing Money, Credit Cards & ATMs

The easiest way to obtain money in Scandinavia is to draw it out of an ATM (cash machine) on a credit or debit card (e.g. Visa or Cirrus). ATMs are widely available throughout Scandinavia. Another option is to bring cash, in either US Dollars or Pounds Sterling (other currencies cannot always be easily changed) but we advise against bringing ALL your money in this form, in case of theft. In all of the cities that we visit there are many places to change money and your tour leader will be able to show you where to get the best rates of exchange.

The Imaginative Traveller Recommends: The best way to organise your spending money is to bring some cash in either US Dollars, UK pounds or Euros and use an ATM card to access the rest of your travel funds.

Working out your Budget

The Pre-Departure Information contains general information about the things you will need to consider when budgeting for your holiday. Below are some specific notes relevant to our tours in Scandinavia.

Entrance Fees

Adventurer trips do not include any entrance fees. Your Trip Dossier will give you details on how much you should allow for entrance fees. However please note that all prices are subject to increase and the amounts given are estimates based on an average amount of sightseeing. Scandinavia has a wealth of historical sites, monuments and museums and if you intend visiting MANY different sites in each town or city you should allow extra spending money for this.

The Imaginative Traveller Recommends: Remember to bring your student card if you have one or are entitled to one as you may be able to get discounts on certain entrance fees – in particular UNESCO sites, though the actual policy on this varies from site to site.

Meals

Breakfast is included most days on our Land of the Vikings tour. Please refer to your Trip Dossier for how much you should allow for additional meals.

The price of food varies widely from one country to another. We suggest that you allow between US$15 and US$20 per day if you are going to eat in fairly simple local restaurants. However, if you are going to want to enjoy a meal in a fancy restaurant at the end of the day, you should allow US$20-35 per day.

Drinks
All drinks (i.e. bottled water, soft drinks) are at your own expense. Again the cost varies from one country to another but you should generally expect a 1ltr bottle of water to cost between US$1-US$2.50 and a bottle of beer to cost between US$4 and US$9.

Your tour leader will be able to advise you on where it is safe to drink the tap water.

Local Transport

You will find yourself using a wide variety of public transport in Scandinavia. Most cities and towns have extensive bus and rail networks which are easy to use. On most networks you will need to purchase a ticket before boarding and validate it either on the bus or at the ticket gate. In each city and town your tour leader will be able to advise you on the most efficient public transport routes and the local ticket system (i.e. whether you should buy in advance or buy on the bus).

What to Take

The Pre-Departure Information contains a comprehensive list of items that you should consider bringing with you. Check your Trip Dossier for any special requirements for your particular tour.

Clothing

You will find that ‘anything goes’ in most of the countries that you visit. In the summer it can fluctuate between warm and cold so you should try to bring clothes that are lightweight, loose fitting, hard-wearing and easily washed. Keep in mind a fleece, woollen hat and rain jacket in case the weathers turns bad.

Make sure you allow for climate changes and remember that even in very hot countries, night-time and early morning temperatures can be extremely cold. You will generally find it is better to have several thin layers rather than one thick layer as it gives you more flexibility and warmth. A fleece can be invaluable and double as a pillow.

At certain religious sites and any active churches you should cover your shoulders and legs. Your tour leader will advise you of any special clothing requirements during the course of the tour.

Luggage
If your tour includes train travel please ensure you have a bag which you find easy to carry up and down stairs in the many train stations. Storage space is also limited on trains so please try to bring as small a bag as possible.

Prepare Yourself
Whilst few of our tours can be described as physically demanding you will find all activities more enjoyable if you are reasonably fit and active.

Cultural & Environmental Guidelines

General

Please make sure that you adhere to normal standards of responsible travel – such as conserving electricity and water, not littering and taking care not to disturb wildlife.

Walking

If you are visiting national parks please make sure you keep to the established paths to protect the local flora and fauna. In Norway and Sweden, and to a lesser extent in Iceland, there exists an ancient law of Freedom to Roam, or Allemansretten, giving members of the public access to the outdoors.

Photography

You should always ask permission before taking anyone's photograph and respect their decision if they say no.

Arrival

Arrival Transfers

An arrival transfer is not included for our Land of the Vikings trip, and so you will need to make your own way to the meeting point hotel.

Making Your Own Way

The Meeting Point for your tour should be clearly marked on your travel vouchers. It is a fairly simple procedure to make your own way to the meeting point hotel.

You will need to take the train from the airport to Copenhagen Central Station. After leaving the train turn the left, and leave the main railway station from the exit next to the Police station (the Police station is inside the railway station). Outside the railway station turn right and cross the street on the first pedestrian crossing. You will then reach the Istergade (gade = street) and take the first street to your right. On the corner you will find the hotel.

On Tour

Safety

Most people find that Scandinavia is very friendly and safe and feel quite comfortable wandering around alone during the day (see note below about theft). However, as with any area you are not familiar with (and in particular in large cities), it is recommended that you exercise more caution at night and generally take taxis rather than walk especially if you are a lone female.

Tour Leaders & Guides

Your Tour Leader's role is to ensure all aspects of the trip run smoothly. He/she will share their local knowledge, advise on how to fill your free time and co-ordinate the day to day running of the tour – although occasionally he/she may need your understanding if things do not go according to plan. If you have any problems on the tour, please let your Tour Leader know so that steps can be taken to put it right. Tour Leaders are supported by our regionally based office staff and, in most cases, a locally based manager.

Please note that some styles of trip, such as Imaginative Escapes or Imaginative Honeymoons, do not have a Tour Leader. However, there will be representatives on hand who will be able to assist you in arranging any excursions that you wish you take.

Accommodation

Our main criterion for choosing hotels is cleanliness. On Adventurer tours hotels are simple, but comfortable. Bathroom facilities may sometimes be shared and rooms may sometimes be multi share rather than twin. Hotels on Traveller tours almost always have private bathrooms, air conditioning and bar / restaurant facilities. Please bear in mind that hotels can sometimes suffer from minor problems and technical difficulties.

At each hotel your Tour Leader will try to organise the rooming arrangements to suit everyone's requirements. If you are travelling alone you will be allocated a room with another group member of the same sex (unless you have paid a single supplement). If you are travelling as a couple please note that we cannot guarantee the availability of double beds.

Note: Single supplements are only applicable to single travellers who wish to have their own room. Single supplements are also only available on Traveller tours and are not applicable on overnight boats, trains and while camping.

Laundry

A laundry service is available in many of the hotels we are use (especially in cities and sizable towns) however you may find it cheaper to use a laundrette/laundromat. The prices do vary widely but your tour leader will be able to advise you on the best places to get laundry done.

Local Food & Drink

Food
We visit many different countries and one of the great joys is to sample the wide selection of different dishes available. Food offered in much of Scandinavia is delicious, hearty and often (but not always) meat orientated. Given Scandinavia’s extensive coastline, seafood is a perennially popular option. Salmon, herring, shrimp and crayfish are very popular.

Drinks
Beer is the main alcoholic drink that you will find throughout Scandinavia. Most countries have their own brewery and are proud of their national beers! The Danish Carlsberg and Tuborg breweries have become world-famous. All Scandinavian countries have their own national liqueur in the vein of aquavit or schnapps. Generally spiced and distilled from berries these drinks are not for the faint-hearted! Tea, coffee and soft drinks are available everywhere.

Special Dietary Requirements

Vegetarians
Although vegetarianism is not common in Scandinavia, it is always possible to find suitable vegetarian meals (although there is often not much choice particularly if you don't eat fish). Your tour leader will be able to advise you on suitable restaurants and dishes.

Food Allergies
If you have food allergies or preferences, please make them known to your Tour Leader who will do their best to ensure that your requirements are met.

Please note: Unfortunately we can give no guarantee that special requirements can always be met.

Communications

Email
Internet cafés can now be found in every major city although they are expensive – up to US$15 for an hour.

Phone
There are good phone systems in the countries that we visit although it can be very expensive to make international calls. Your tour leader will be able to advise you on the best places to call internationally.

Post
The postal service is good throughout the region although postage times may vary. Stamps are widely available, and depending upon the country you’re in cost up to US$1.50.

General Information

Weather

Our tours only operate from late spring (April/May) to early autumn (Oct), when the weather is generally at its best. Temperatures will generally still be cool in April/May and again in October (particularly in the north). The warmest (and busiest) months tend to be July/August. The further south you are the higher the average temperatures.

Rainfall is at its lowest from June to August but it can rain at any time of year.

The following shows average daytime max temperatures (in degrees celsius):

Scandinavia Meteorological Authority

Suggested Reading

Guidebooks

• Scandinavian Europe (Lonely Planet Publications)
• Scandinavia (Rough Guide Books)

Background Reading

• The Viking World – James Graham-Campbell
• A Brief History of Norway – John Midgaard
• Swedish History in Outline – J Weibull

Contact Details

Local Office
The Imaginative Traveller
C/O Nordic Partners AS
Prinsens gate 6
Postboks 85 – Sentrum
0101 Oslo
Phone: +47 24 14 96 96

UK Office
The Imaginative Traveller
1 Betts Avenue
Martlesham Heath
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP5 3RH
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1473 667337
Fax: +44 (0)1473 614566

24hr Emergency Contact
(MOB): +44 7802 415 886 (UK)