Scandinavia

Upon arrival at Oslo Airport, transfer to the hotel. Gather this evening to toast the start of our journey at a special welcome dinner.

This morning, we enjoy a curated tour of the most exciting sections of the newly rebuilt National Museum where some 6,500 works from Norway’s largest collection of art, architecture, and design from antiquity to the present are on display. Continue to the Munch Museum, dedicated to the life and works of Edvard Munch, and enjoy lunch on the 15th floor looking out at the Oslo fjord. Conclude the afternoon with a tour of the spectacular Oslo Opera House, located on the harbor and designed with the idea that nature, and by extension music, are meant to be touched. The multiple levels of the building encourage visitors to walk on its marble-embellished roof and appreciate the sweeping views of the fjord archipelago and the colorful wooden summer houses that dot the landscape.

Venture outside of the city to Nedre Ramme, the longtime country estate of artist Edvard Munch, where he painted many of his most significant works. Enjoy a delicious summer lunch at this picturesque property, followed by a guided tour of the gardens and art collection. Next, travel to the Kistefos Museum, a stunning display of world-class architecture, industrial history, and art. Built on the grounds of a historic pulp mill, Kistefos boasts a sculpture park containing 53 sculptures by prominent contemporary artists, many of which were created specifically for Kistefos. 

Take a short flight to Stockholm, the largest of the Nordic capitals, spread across 14 islands. En route to Stockholm’s city center, we pause at Haga Park, the English-inspired park conceived of by King Gustav III to display his collection of antique Roman statues and site of one of the finest examples of a late 18th-century European palace. Tour the exceptionally well-preserved pavilion, the interiors of which are only open during the summer months. Check in to our hotel and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Stroll back in time through the labyrinthine cobblestone streets of Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town since the 13th century. Visit the Royal Palace, stopping at King Gustav III’s famed Antiquities Museum and get a taste of how the city has evolved over time while also preserving its heritage. At the Nobel Prize Museum, we are inspired by the ideas, innovations, and actions that have been recognized by this prestigious award. Following lunch together in Gamla Stan, the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure.

We begin our day at Sweden’s National Museum for a look at the country’s most important and historic art collection. Crossing the bridge onto Skeppsholmen Island, continue to the Modern Art Museum for a tour of its many highlights, including works by Duchamp, Picasso, Dalí, Rauschenberg, Judd, and many top Swedish artists. After lunch, visit the royal Drottningholm Palace complex, built in 1699 as the summer home for Swedish royals. Meander the gardens and tour the Chinese Pavilion, the elaborately decorated summer palace that was designed to embody the Oriental fantasy that had captivated European royalty in the 18th century. Finally, enjoy a special tour of the palace interiors, opened exclusively for our group.

This morning, visit the renowned Vasa Ship Museum, displaying the regal Vasa warship, which sank on its maiden voyage and was restored after 300 years on the seabed. Learn about its construction, salvage, and preservation. Relax over a lunch of traditional Swedish fare at favorite restaurant, Ulla Winbladh. This afternoon, we are invited to privately enter and tour the magnificent collection of former Crown Prince Eugen at his beautiful waterfront home, Waldermarsudde, with glorious gardens at their summertime peak and an outstanding collection of Swedish 20th-century art.

Depart Sweden and fly to Copenhagen, Denmark, designated by UNESCO as the World Capital of Architecture. Upon arrival, transfer to our waterfront hotel located in a historic warehouse in the center of the city. Late this afternoon, cruise the canals aboard a private boat, reveling in the passing scenes of historic spires, graceful bridges, and grand contemporary design alongside commentary from an architectural guide. Enjoy dinner near the harbor this evening.

Today is dedicated to several of Copenhagen’s top museums, with a focus on contemporary art and architecture. Begin at the Statens Museum for Kunst, the Danish national gallery, with a tour of the museum’s Danish and Nordic art collection from 1750 to 1900. Following lunch, we continue to Rosenborg Castle, the summer home of Christian IV and current home of the Danish Treasury. Tour the historic castle and behold the Danish Crown Jewels. End the day at the Designmuseum Denmark for a curator-led tour of the museum’s Danish and international design and crafts, including pieces by Arne Jacobsen, Jacob Jensen, and Kaare Kint.

Depart the city for a visit to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Nestled along the coast and surrounded by one of Europe’s greatest sculpture gardens, the building is one of the best masterworks of Scandinavian modernist architecture. We pause for lunch at a beautiful seaside restaurant before continuing to Roskilde, Denmark’s oldest city, situated on the southern shores of the Roskilde fjord. There, a curator leads us through the Viking Ship Museum for a look at Viking maritime history and the craft of ship building as we examine the five original Skuldelev Viking ships and the tools used to build them.

This morning, we visit Christiansborg Palace, completed in 1928 on Slotsholmen, or Castle Island, the seat of the Danish crown for the past 800 years. Today, the Danish parliament and the Danish Prime Minister all operate out of the palace. We have a chance to study the Queen’s Tapestries, illustrated by Bjørn Nørgaard and woven in wool over ten years by Manufactures Nationales des Gobelins et de Beauvais. The 11 tapestries, a gift to the Queen on her 50th birthday in 1990, depict 1,100 years of Danish history. The afternoon is free for independent exploration. Gather this evening to celebrate our adventures over cocktails and dinner at one of Copenhagen’s top restaurants.

Check out of the hotel and transfer to Copenhagen Airport for flights returning home.