Spring in Scandinavia - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

trevor_schofield · 12-26-2007, 08:12 AM

I have made the decision that my Spring trip is going to be around Scandinavia (namely Denmark/Norway/Sweden/Finland). I haven't really started to look into this at all quite yet, but was wondering if anyone had advice or recommendations for any of these countries.

I am meeting up with a friend in Aarhus, Denmark but will probably be on my own aside from that.

Also, I love to camp and would love to get into the outdoors a bit, but don't know where to start looking for info on this front.

Cheers

**joe7f** · 12-26-2007, 08:53 AM

Bergen, Norway is a must. Beautiful city and a great launching point for fjord tours. My understanding is that Norway allows you to camp on land whether private or public with or without consent of the owner (although that is always nice to ask) if you are some distance from their house so you should find something pretty easily.

Scandinavia is brutally expensive (although Ireland isn't exactly cheap so it may not be as bad for you), just keep that in mind

--Joey

wanderingeek · 12-26-2007, 09:24 AM

I too am planning a trip in Scandanavia in the Spring time-- I will be visiting Iceland, Denmark, and Sweden.

Do you guys have any other tips?

jess116 · 12-26-2007, 12:54 PM

I am also hoping to go through Scandinavia in the spring (but it will probably be 2009!) would love to hear of any must-see-in-spring hidden treasures anybody knows of in the area!

**BelfastFlyer** · 12-26-2007, 01:22 PM

I've been looking to do Scandinavia for years and it's def on my to do list!

Is there direct flights there from Dublin?

wanderingeek · 12-26-2007, 02:06 PM

It's looking like Iceland might not be the place to go in the spring, instead I'm hearing summer is the time to be there-- any thoughts?

wanderingeek · 12-26-2007, 02:15 PM

It's looking like Iceland might not be the place to go in the spring, instead I'm hearing summer is the time to be there-- any thoughts?

**mbo108** · 12-26-2007, 02:19 PM

I just did Iceland back in the fall, basically the first week of November. I thought that was a great time to go. There were no crowds anywhere (museums, tours, the Blue Lagoon) and the airfare and hotel were significantly cheaper. Beers, food, coffee, all that stuff is always going to be expensive so if you can save other places its nice. Also, you have a chance to see the Aurora Borealis.

I know that summer would be awesome in Iceland, i'm not saying it wouldn't be. You can do the Puffin and whale-watching tours, not to mention the near continuous sunlight. I'm just saying its not the only time to visit.

**pinknic38** · 12-26-2007, 03:17 PM

for all of you who are looking for airfare, I have found that Helsinki, Finland is a very reasonable place to fly into and has had better prices there than anywhere in Scandanavia (out of Columbus, Ohio and Chicago anyway).

Another place to fly into is Tallinn, Estonia, which is a ferry ride away from Helsinki. I was looking to fly into both those places when I go to Russia (Helsinki is a few hour train ride away from St. Petersburg, FYI) because it's mach cheaper.

just some FYI's

trevor_schofield · 12-27-2007, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BelfastFlyer

I've been looking to do Scandinavia for years and it's def on my to do list!

Is there direct flights there from Dublin?

RyanAir has direct flights from Dublin going to Oslo/Stockhold/Tampere/Billund/Gothenberg - so many options!

**BigE** · 12-27-2007, 06:02 AM

I was in Denwark, Sweden, and Norway last summer and it was a lot of fun. Not very many Americans and each country was different. Bergen is a must. It is beautiful and the Norwegians who live there are very friendly. It was a nice ending to my trip.

Copenhagen is fun but don't stay there too long. Sweden is great. Spend some time in the country side if you can. You can camp anywhere you want. I'm not so sure about Norway. I want to go back to Norway sometime in the future. I would love to spend another day in Oslo and spend more time in the towns along the railway between Oslo and Bergen. From Bergen I would love to go north toward the Arctic circle.

If you go in the spring it may be cold. I suppose it depends on whether you go during late or early spring.

**mbo108** · 12-27-2007, 08:01 AM

I'm pretty sure I'm going to Scandinavia this summer as well. Late June - early July. Taking my brother-in-law and his wife on their first European adventure. We may try to fly into Amsterdam first.

**BelfastFlyer** · 12-27-2007, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trevor_schofield

RyanAir has direct flights from Dublin going to Oslo/Stockhold/Tampere/Billund/Gothenberg - so many options!

apart from the fact they are with ryanair

SGRHewitt · 12-27-2007, 09:07 AM

Isn't there a train from perhaps Oslo to up north that is suppose to be on of the most scenic/beautiful train rides in the world? I heard this from a mate I met in a hostel in Oslo, I didn't get any more info than that.

**tumblezweedz** · 01-13-2008, 10:51 AM

A thought for tracking down cheap(ish) accommodations - try getting in touch with the national cycling associations in each country, as well as the national hiking and camping groups. All of these should have guides to cheaper places to stay, particularly if you want to get off the beaten path a bit. Depending on when you're travelling, some of the campsites and huts may not be open, but there should be a good selection by early spring. In Stockholm we stayed at the Af Chapman hostel, which is an old sailing ship converted into hostel (there's a building on land as well) and is in a brilliant location right across the water from Gamla Stan (the old town). And on a bus route, if it's cold, wet or you otherwise don't feel like walking.