Hurtigruten : 15D14N Follow the Midnight Sun

Welcome to Sweden! Arriving at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, you’ll make your own way to your hotel for check-in.  Depending on what time you arrive, you’ll be able to enjoy some time at the hotel or exploring Stockholm before we all meet at the hotel in the evening.  You’ll meet your Tour Manager along with the rest of your group and be treated to a welcome dinner at the hotel which will be a three-course set menu or a buffet.

dinner

Today, you’ll get to see more of Stockholm on a private four-hour guided tour of the city. The tour will take us past Stockholm’s main highlights by coach, including a walking tour of the old town or Gamla Stan in Swedish. We’ll also visit the City Hall, one of Stockholm’s most iconic buildings. Entrance is included, so step inside to admire the impressive mosaics of the Golden Hall, which is the venue of the Nobel Peace Prize ball held each year, along with the Blue Hall, which is the venue for the banquet before the ball.

breakfast · dinner

Enjoy a buffet breakfast aboard the ferry before we arrive in Helsinki. After disembarking, we’ll meet with a local English-speaking guide and board a private coach for a three-hour tour of Helsinki. You’ll be shown the highlights of the city, including the spectacular Temppeliaukio Church. Built into the bedrock of the city in 1969, this iconic structure is often called the ‘Church of Rock’.

breakfast

After breakfast at your hotel in Helsinki, we’ll make our way to the train station next door in time for our departure to Rovaniemi. Reputed to be the home of Santa Claus, our destination is known for its Arctic scenery and dense forests. At this time of year however, the area is unrecognisable, with its white fields and snow-capped trees replaced by lush greenery lit by the soft glow of the never-ending Midnight Sun.

breakfast

Board a tour bus from your hotel in Rovaniemi in the morning and let out your inner child as we explore the wondrous Santa Claus Village. Here in the Arctic, you can see herds of reindeer and even meet the jolly bearded man himself – looking suitably relaxed until the winter. We’ll continue our journey north and make a quick stop in Sodankylä, where you can admire the facade of the Sodankylä Old Church. Built in 1689, this is one of Finland’s oldest wooden churches. Enjoy some lunch and free time before we continue to Saariselkä.

breakfast · dinner

You’ll have the morning to spend at leisure. Relax and take in the tranquil surroundings, or join one of the optional excursions, such as a safari on your own electric fat bike. Enjoy an included lunch at the hotel before setting off for an excitement-filled afternoon. Enjoy dinner at the hotel followed by a Midnight Sun Photography Expedition. We’ll make a photo stop at the quiet, picturesque Lake Inari, which was believed by ancient Laplanders to be the home of Ukko the Overgod. Then, we’ll continue to a wilderness camp on the lake shore, where we’ll enjoy a warm drink and prepare a traditional Lapland midnight snack while waiting for the sun to near the horizon.

breakfast · lunch · dinner

After breakfast at your hotel in Saariselkä, we’ll board a private coach to continue our journey through Finnish Lapland. Our first stop in the morning is the small township of Inari. There, we’ll explore the newly renovated SIIDA museum and take a guided tour of the open-air exhibition. This museum houses exhibits and artefacts that document the rich culture of the Finnish Sámi.

breakfast · lunch · dinner

Breakfast at the hotel will be followed by our morning visit to the Snowhotel, Kirkenes 365. This is the first ever hotel completely made of snow and ice. Here, you’ll enter a real life winter wonderland, even in the middle of summer. Your visit includes a guided tour of the Snowhotel along with a welcome drink. Make sure to visit the resident huskies and reindeer – the excited squeaks of the pups will surely melt your heart.  At the end of the visit, you’ll transfer from your hotel to the pier to board your ship.

breakfast

We make stops at Mehamn and Kjøllefjord during the night, before early morning visits to Honningsvåg and Havøysund. In the early afternoon, you’ll spend time in Hammerfest, which has the largest population on a list of the world’s northernmost settlements. See the UNESCO-listed Meridian Column, shop for souvenirs at the Polar Bear Society, or take the path behind the town to the viewpoint atop Mount Salen.

breakfast · lunch · dinner

Today, you’ll be exploring the archipelagos of Lofoten and Vesterålen, real highlights of our Norway scenic route. After Finnsnes early in the morning, the ship calls at Harstad, where you can join one of our classic optional excursions for “A Taste of Vesterålen”. Discover history, beautiful scenery, and cultural heritage sites on this tour, then rejoin the ship further south at Sortland.

breakfast · lunch · dinner

Crossing the Arctic Circle is an important ‘rite of passage’, and today, we’ll celebrate the occasion on deck with a taste of Arctic tradition – a spoonful of Norwegian cod liver oil. Leaving the Polar region means saying goodbye to the Midnight Sun, but you’ll still see incredibly long days throughout the rest of the summer voyage. Sailing along the Helgeland coast, you’ll find the strange mountain, Torghatten. This mountain rises 258m above sea level and is famous for the distinctive hole through its centre. The hole is 160m long, 35m high, and 20m wide, and was formed during the ice age.

breakfast · lunch · dinner

This morning, you’ll have the opportunity to explore the historic royal city of Trondheim for a few hours. Be sure to visit the majestic Nidaros Cathedral, built over the burial site of King Olav II who reigned from 1015 to 1028. Leaving Trondheim, we’ll sail past beautiful island scenery and some of Norway’s smallest communities before arriving at Kristiansund and Molde.

breakfast · lunch · dinner

Today marks the end of our Norwegian coastal cruise together, but there’s still plenty to see during your last day with us. During the night, we’ll call at Ålesund and Torvik, and on our approach to Måløy, you might catch a glimpse of the northbound Coastal Express if you’re up early enough. Before docking in Bergen, you’ll have a chance to glimpse Nordfjord under the enormous Jostedal Glacier, mainland Europe’s largest glacier. Here, the fjord widens to the east and forges 90 km inland.

breakfast

You have the day at leisure to further explore the city. Surrounded by seven mountains, Bergen is often called “The Gateway to The Fjords” and offers a perfect mix of pristine nature and rich culture. You can get stunning views of the city and the surrounding waterways from the top of Mount Fløyen. A leisurely ride on the funicular railway will take you all the way to the peak.

breakfast · dinner

After breakfast at your hotel in Bergen, it’s time to bring your tour of Scandinavia with us to a close and head home. Make your own way to the airport in time for your departure. Although your journey with us is over for the time being, you’ll take home with you souvenirs that will last a lifetime. Whether in the form of photographs, handmade crafts picked up along the way, or simply treasured memories, these will forever remind you of your time with us.   We hope to see you again soon for another adventure.

breakfast