Scandinavia travel guide. Independent travel through Scandinavia. Izborsk and Pechory

"Norway"
Snorre Evensberget, Alf G. Andersen, Hans-Erik Hansen, Tine Fdinder-Nykvist, Annette Mührer
This guide will help you get the most out of your visit to Norway, with detailed practical information and expert advice. The chapter "Introducing Norway" provides a map of the country and provides a historical and cultural overview. The chapter on Oslo and six regional sections are devoted to detailed descriptions of attractions. Hotels and restaurants are listed in the "Tourist Information" section, and "Useful Information" provides advice on everything from making phone calls to using public transport, as well as information about currency, etiquette and safety. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

"Norway. Guide"
Zoe Ross
Norway is a country of amazing nature: untouched landscapes, majestic fjords, stunning mountain peaks, tranquil lakes and valleys. Ethnographic museums, wooden churches and numerous ancient monuments, comfortable hotels and restaurants of national cuisine, rich opportunities for skiing - all this will not leave indifferent any person traveling to this country. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

"Oslo. Guide"
Anne Bedges, Tom Bedges
The small guidebooks published by Thomas Cook have everything you need to get to know any city in the world in the shortest possible time: visit the sights, shops, restaurants, learn about entertainment and nightlife features. Maps and information about public transport in the city and its surroundings will make your trip as comfortable as possible. This guide introduces Norway's capital Oslo. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

"Norwegian phrasebook and dictionary + CD"

The set consists of the most popular phrasebook and dictionary in the world and an audio CD containing not only a recording of dialogues voiced by professional native speakers, but also the necessary tips and recommendations for a tourist on organizing his life in an unusual environment abroad. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_publisher: Living Language book_name: Norwegian phrasebook and dictionary is_partner: 30

Guides to Finland

"Finland. Vacation while driving"
Golomolzin E.V.
This guide is intended for those who intend to travel around Finland by car. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

"Finland"
Dmitry Krylov
A guide from the main traveler of Russia! The advantages of the books in this series: these are the only guidebooks on the Russian market with a DVD film about the country; maximum coverage of cities in each country, mega-colorful and bright - about 1000 high-quality photo illustrations in each book! feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

"Finland. Guide"
Sparks J.
Sparks J. Compact and colorful guide, known throughout the world. It offers travelers routes full of beauty and wonders, accompanied by comprehensive information and practical advice, allowing tourists to independently get acquainted with the history, traditions and culture of different countries, sightseeing, shopping, enjoying local cuisine, and planning their leisure time. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

"Helsinki"
Afisha's guides tell about all the most important and interesting things that have happened in cities from the moment of their foundation to the present day: from the implementation of grandiose architectural projects to the introduction of a new night bus schedule. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

"Popular Russian-Finnish phrasebook"
Chernorechensky A.
With the help of the book, you can easily meet people, visit cinemas, internet cafes, shops and museums, communicate with a waiter, salesman, pharmacist, guide or hotel staff. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

"Finnish phrasebook"
Lazareva E.I.
The phrasebook contains typical patterns of phrases and expressions on a wide range of topics. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

Sweden travel guides

"Sweden"
Day R., Schroeder R.
Guide. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

"Sweden"
Yulia Antonova
In this guide, the reader will get acquainted with the history of one of the most interesting and influential countries in Scandinavia - Sweden. Much attention in the book is paid to the originality, attractions and significant events in the destinies of the provinces and cities of this country. Of great interest are brief informational stories about the great Swedes, the unique architecture of the country, its cultural achievements, and the creative activities of the Swedish people. A special place in the book is occupied by national sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The book was written by an experienced guide who has specialized in organizing tourist trips around Sweden for many years. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

"Stockholm. Guide"
Barbara Radcliffe Rogers, Stillman Rogers
Our pocket guide, indispensable for those who are short on time but have a passion for travel, introduces the capital of Sweden - Stockholm, one of the most magnificent cities in Europe, spread over 14 islands. Fabulous and harsh, graceful and massive, it seems to be woven from love and fantasy. Its open spaces, harmonious proportions and majestic beauty blend seamlessly with nature. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

"Swedish phrasebook"
Lazareva E.I.
The phrasebook contains typical patterns of phrases and expressions on a wide range of topics. feed_id: 5025 pattern_id: 14 book_

Popular new products, discounts, promotions

Reprinting or publication of articles on websites, forums, blogs, contact groups and mailing lists is NOT allowed

We, Masha and Timur, have been traveling for several years in our free time in a domestic car, a 2002 VAZ 2114 with a mileage of 280,000 km and have visited 24 countries. We call our baby “Eurotaz” because after thousands of kilometers in our native country we switched to the nearest European countries.

On trips lasting from a week to a month, we visited the most popular destinations in the EU, and Scandinavia always remained a mystery that we wanted to solve for ourselves. We started our journey from the capital of Germany and ended our Scandinavian trip in the cultural capital of Russia - St. Petersburg - four weeks later, having covered 8,000 km. Along the way, we have some tips that may be useful to travelers.

Nature Accessibility Law

A tent can be pitched anywhere (except on private territory) in Norway, Sweden and Finland, so spending on housing can be immediately removed from the expense line. Along the way there are a lot of well-maintained parking lots with toilets and rest areas, many descents to the water and beautiful places where you can easily drive your car and park.

Petrol

In the Scandinavian countries we did not find 92-grade gasoline and always refueled with 95-grade gasoline. There is also no fixed price for gasoline, each gas station has its own, so be careful. If there are 3-5 gas stations around you, then it is better to drive around them all in search of a better deal.

In Norway, the cheapest time to refuel is on weekends and Monday mornings. In some regions there are discounts on Thursdays, but not so significant. The higher you go north, the higher the cost of gasoline. In Norway, we came across gasoline prices in the range of 12.5–16.8 kroons (90–120 rubles per liter).

Ferries

Study the map carefully and plan your route, as there are a lot of ferries in Norway. In some cases, it is more comfortable, easier and cheaper to go around them by road, but sometimes the ferry saves you both time and money that you would have spent on gasoline. The price depends on the distance and travel time and varies from 100 to 1,000 CZK (700–7,000 rubles) per car with a driver and one passenger.

During the trip, we rode ferries as many as 10 times and spent 12,000 rubles on them. Each ferry is different in size and usually has a café inside and an outdoor deck to enjoy the views of the fjords. Thanks to the water transportation method, we didn’t even think about taking an additional excursion in the cities along the fjords.

Payment

Each Scandinavian country has its own currency, so a universal payment approach is to use a card. You can use your card to pay for ferries, toll bridges in Denmark, groceries, and even souvenirs.

For example, we did not have any cash with us at all and did not exchange it for local currency. At almost all gas stations, payment is made by card through a terminal. First you need to insert a card, a deposit of 800–1,500 CZK (5,600–11,000 rubles) will be taken from it. After you fill up the car and hang up the gun, the remaining amount will be returned to your card within 2 minutes or several days depending on your bank.

If you do not have the required amount on your card, you will not be able to refuel. You'll have to look for a gas station with a store and a cashier where you can pay the amount you need. On Sundays and at night, only card payment terminals are open.

National Tourist Routes

In Norway, they took care of road travelers and compiled a map of 14 routes with especially beautiful views. These roads are equipped with convenient parking areas with toilets, tables, rest areas and observation platforms.

You can download the Visit Norway app and create a route around the country, including sightseeing roads. Along each route there is a selection of places that are worth visiting. All places are marked on the maps themselves, and brown signs with a special symbol will help you along the way.

Trails and huts

For those who like to walk in the mountains, there is also a network of trails that connect huts where you can spend the night for a certain amount. The huts can also be used during the day, and for us they have always been a landmark for a beautiful view on the trail.

All pedestrian paths are marked with a big red “T”, so you are unlikely to get lost. Please note that the weather in the mountains changes and you need to have warm clothes with you. After rains, the trails can turn into streams, so take care of your shoes.

Nutrition

Food prices in Scandinavia are not encouraging, especially in Norway. We took with us a burner and gas cylinders, cereals and canned food, nuts and dried fruits, powdered milk for coffee and cereals, so we mostly went to the shops out of interest.

Products that are past their expiration date are sold at a 30–50% discount. Unfortunately, we have never seen red fish at a discount, but we bought it several times without a discount. The most budget store is REMA1000. There we took smoked salmon, raw for frying/stewing and raw for SALMA sashimi. If you are in Norway, be sure to try the red fish! Keep in mind that most grocery stores are closed on Sundays.

In Sweden, Denmark and Finland, food prices are generally lower than in Norway, and the choice is huge compared to Russia. Something can be bought even more profitably. In Finland, for example, we enjoyed tender mozzarella.

Toll roads

In Scandinavia the roads are generally free, but there are some minor pitfalls that need to be taken into account.

In Denmark, roads are free, but bridges and ferries are tolled. If you want to get from Denmark to Sweden, you can ride on the bridge for 56 euros or take a ferry for about the same amount, but the bridge will save you a lot of time, and you will have time to enjoy the ferries in Norway.

In Sweden there are toll zones around Stockholm and Gothenburg. And in Norway, in Oslo, some sections are also paid, but payment occurs in a non-standard way. Your numbers are read by a camera, and after some time the total amount is sent to your home address in your country of residence. They write on the forums that no one has received receipts in Russia, but we ourselves are still waiting.

Weather

The weather in Scandinavia is unpredictable, so you need to go fully prepared. We were simply incredibly lucky: the sun was shining almost the entire trip. We managed to sunbathe and swim in the icy sea water and mountain lakes. But there were days when the icy wind knocked you off your feet and tears flowed from the cold in the middle of summer.

Be sure to prepare comfortable windproof and waterproof clothing and shoes for the trip, especially if you plan to climb mountains. Bring light sandals and at least two comfortable closed pairs of shoes in case one gets wet. An umbrella is unlikely to help you: if it rains, a strong wind will most likely blow along with it. Therefore, it is best to have a raincoat with you.

Conclusion

I hope you'll take these tips and head out to check them out and maybe thank them afterwards. We are thinking about new trips where any car enthusiast can get to in any car, so that we can continue to share our discoveries (you can follow your travels on social networks using the hashtag #eurotaz).

And the most important advice: don’t be afraid. A tent and food with you will make your trip anywhere budget-friendly, because practically the only expense item is gasoline. The emotions from traveling cannot be conveyed and bought, and then after a while put on a shelf to gather dust. Your memories are always with you, and new goals will light the fire in your eyes for new discoveries!

Traveling by car in Scandinavia: Sweden, Norway and Finland. Roads, ferries, attractions, beautiful places, photographs, tips and impressions.

Preface

It's finally done. We have cherished the dream of Southern Norway since 2007, i.e. exactly from the minute we returned from our wonderful trip to Northern Norway. The route was thought up, the materials were prepared, but somehow everything didn’t work out. And so the time was chosen, ferries were ordered, our “forest ranger” was given a little treatment in honor of the upcoming trip and they gave him a gift - a new video panel with a navigator, mp3 and other things necessary for the trip. Traditional packing, the trunk is packed to capacity, we leave tomorrow at dawn.

We started at 5:10 from Aprelevka and soon rushed along the well-made “New Riga” along. After taking turns dozing in the car, at 9:15 we stopped for gas somewhere in the vicinity of Velikiye Luki. After turning from the M11 highway to Pskov, we drove into a thundercloud, and a few minutes later real hail started pounding on the car windows. And this is in mid-July! But the car was faster than the clouds, and the hail was left behind, and the majestic walls of the Pskov Kremlin appeared ahead.

14:00, we are there. The speedometer has a beautiful number of 777 km - that means approximately the distance from our dacha to the center of Pskov. True, later, already walking around the city, we found a milepost with a sign to Moscow 685 km.

Pskov greeted us with sunshine, although a suspiciously gusty wind foreshadowed the arrival of a rain cloud, which must have been the same one that we met along the way.

Looking ahead, I will say that the cloud nevertheless visited Pskov, poured out like a summer shower and rushed on. In the meantime, the gentle sun was shining, and we, happily stretching our legs, went to explore the Pskov fortress. First of all, we came across a film group in costumes from a thousand years ago, which looked very appropriate against the backdrop of 20-meter fortress walls.

After gawking at the film process and traditionally checking in at the Trinity Cathedral of the Kremlin, we were about to walk around the perimeter of the walls, when suddenly our daughter Polya was bitten by a wasp. But we still managed to walk around the Kremlin, and with the first drops of rain we sat down in a cafe on the river bank. While we were getting our fill, the rain passed and the evening ended with a leisurely walk around the city.

Izborsk and Pechory

Second day.

10:00, heading towards Izborsk. Half an hour later we are there. Remembering the photographs of my husband Andrey from 10 years ago, I imagined Izborsk as a kind of medieval ruins overgrown with grass. How surprised we were to see a beautiful cobblestone street with souvenir shops leading to the fortress walls.

We entered the fortress itself along a neat path sprinkled with granite chips. And then my eyes simply ran wide from the opportunities provided. We decided to go up the wall first.

After walking along the wall and looking at the lake from a bird's eye view, we went down to the cellars. I was especially impressed by the second dungeon, or rather, the underground passage through which during enemy sieges the defenders of the fortress went to the lake for water. There were many, many steps into the darkness - we regretted not taking flashlights with us.

It was so good to be back in the sun. We decided to drive up to the Slovenian springs - time was running out. We tried water from all 12 springs. According to legend, each of the springs is under the patronage of one of the 12 apostles, and the water here is special. She really turned out to be different. By general vote they chose the most delicious one, filled a bottle with it and went to the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery.

By the way, Izborsk and Pechory left the impression of quite well-kept and beautiful settlements, contrasting with border Estonia, but more on that later. In the meantime, Pechory was ahead. We probably wouldn’t have thought of coming here if it weren’t for our favorite book, “Unholy Saints.” Now our path lay in a place already familiar from the book, and our expectations were not disappointed. A beautiful monastery, hidden in the bowl of the walls, as if inside a flower.

In the Sretensky Church there comes a feeling of goodness and joy. We drank holy water, bought an icon, and said goodbye to Russia for a while - Estonia is ahead.

Border with Estonia, road to Tallinn

From the monastery to the border point it takes 5 minutes by car. Both borders were passed in 1.5 hours. Our border guards were friendlier and more “discreet”—they didn’t touch anything. The Estonians were all gloomy, they felt and examined all the things. But now the border is behind us, we are going towards Tallinn.

Usually, when crossing the Russian-Finnish border, we found ourselves from ruin to a well-groomed region, but now it seemed the other way around - from beauty we found ourselves in ruin. The normal road immediately ended. It felt like the asphalt had not been changed since the days of the USSR. Along the roadside are dilapidated houses with old slate roofs. True, after a couple of tens of kilometers we came across a couple of repair vehicles and road repairs - there is hope that a new road will soon be built.

By 7 pm we reached Tallinn. We checked into the hotel, and, no less important, parked the car. In the center of Tallinn the prices are outrageous - 6 euros per hour. We found daily parking for 10 euros and went to eat local herring and drink beer in the central square near the town hall.

Ferry to Stockholm

Day three.

The new day was met with dazzling sunshine, which, of course, encouraged us to have breakfast and look for travel. We started our morning walk with a climb up the hill, an observation deck and the fortress walls. We got to a service in a Russian Orthodox church.

We stood and listened to the beautiful singing. The day started well. On the observation deck overlooking old Tallinn, the main attraction was a fat seagull, which turned to tourists first with one side, then with the other, preening its feathers and posing as best it could.

Three hours flew by like one minute. It's time to hand over the number. Having thrown our things into the car, we headed into the city. The sea weather is changeable - the sun was just shining, and suddenly it frowned and started dripping, and then it rained. Tourists rushed to restaurants, and we bravely opened our umbrellas. We didn’t last long, and a very nice restaurant turned up along the way. Lunch was a success, starting with smoked herring, bear and moose (not to be confused with salmon) sausages, and ending with a glass of good red wine.

Waddled heavily, we got out of the restaurant and headed to the car - it was time to go to the store and the port. There are a lot of cars in the port, as well as ferries. I ask at registration where to go so as not to get lost. They give you a Swedish flag: “hang it on the mirror, they will tell you.” And it’s true that the boys in vests indicated with their hands who should go where. In general, we got to the ferry, stood in line and boarded by five o’clock.

Leaving our “forester” dozing in the belly of the ship, we set off to wander around the multi-story steamship city. Our "cruise" to Stockholm has begun. I must say that after an hour many wanted to escape from the wandering crowds of people into the cabin and close the door more tightly. May cruise lovers forgive me.

Day four.

In the morning we woke up in Sweden, which means that the clocks were set back an hour. We discovered this fact after having breakfast and getting ready to leave - why is the ferry late in arrival? But then it’s 10:15, the ferry solemnly docks at the pier. We are greeted by a cool morning, gloomy sky and gusty wind. Hello Stockholm.

Let's go see the city. Again, the biggest concern is parking - both expensive and simply not available. After circling around Gamla for some time, we decided to go into the underground parking lot. Expensive, but right next to the bridge to the island.

They promised to show Polina the hats of the guards near the palace and you were wearing vague caps instead of fluffy hats. Then we realized that hats are only worn in winter. The changing of the guard still takes place at noon, accompanied by the beat of drums and the ceremonial entry of the royal guard.

The crowd "shouted cheers and threw caps into the air." At the post, the guards are cheerful and relaxed - they smile, take pictures with tourists, yawn and shift from foot to foot.

We wandered through the streets of Gamla, bought a magnet and at 13:30 we moved on.

We arrived at the place of the first tent overnight at 16:15. Camping on the lake shore greeted us with low skies, gusty winds and low-flying clouds. Despite the wind, it was warm. We put up a tent and go swimming - dinner can wait. The beach is shallow and sandy, but the waves are just like on a real sea. We jumped in the waves to our heart's content and headed to the tent to prepare dinner and relax.

We got up at 6 am. Until we switched to local time, it’s convenient. 8:45, we left towards Gothenburg. We were there around 12:00. We parked very well - next to the port and the old town.

The ferry is at 16:00, so there is plenty of time. We walked around the city, took photographs of the “Bronze” (even two), but did not find the “Wooden”. But we went to the fish market and happily ate Swedish herring of various salting. Even Polya condescended to try the local fish.

Note that the bread loaf still tastes better. Gothenburg did not make much of an impression, except for the large number of Muslims - either refugees, or this is always the case here. And the ferry was late for departure by 15 minutes. The entire journey to Frederikshavn takes 3 hours, so no cabins are provided. We immediately tried to hide in a bar overlooking the sea and relaxed quietly, drinking wine and reading and playing. By the way, there are no security controls on all ferries.

Denmark greeted us with setting sun and a beautiful campsite in the sand dunes on the seashore.

Denmark and ferry to Norway

Day six.

Today is Polina's birthday, we are celebrating it in Denmark. It's great to have a birthday in the summer and celebrate it in different places or countries, although you only realize this as an adult. This was the first time for Paul. We tried to please her as best we could. In the morning, a small quest - both Moscow preparations and chocolate euros bought at a camping store (along with a three-fingered adapter and a carton of milk) came in handy.

A leisurely festive breakfast with Moscow sweets turned into a walk along the sand dunes to the sea. The attempt to swim was unsuccessful - the sea was cool and there were a lot of jellyfish. At 10:40 we leave the hospitable campsite and head towards Skagen and Cape Grenham, famous for the fact that two seas collide there - the North and the Baltic.

First, along dunes and quicksand, then along a long sand spit, you can reach a place where the waves of two seas, colliding with each other, form a ball of foam, throwing jellyfish and driftwood onto the spit. This is the Skagerrak. Yes, yes, the same Skagerrak about which Julius Kim sang so beautifully: “... and in the Skagerrak Strait, waves, rocks, gullies and monstrous crayfish...”.

Nearby, in the sand dunes, you can see the Den Tilsandede church, built in 1300. According to legend, the church, built on quicksand, once began to sink into the abyss of sand during a service. However, her visit showed that the church had sunk only 1.5 meters.

The rest remains beautifully white above the dunes to this day. It is with regret that we leave beautiful Skagen and head towards Hirtehals, from where the ferry departs for Norway at 17:00. But before that, we still have a mandatory birthday visit to the largest aquarium in northern Europe. We looked with pleasure at all kinds of fish and fur seals, and even stroked the stingray and flounder - they are so pleasantly rough to the touch. We were also very lucky to attend a fish feeding session. The sea cows rubbed themselves around the scuba diver feeding them, like lap dogs, opening their mouths and begging for another piece.

We ate festive French fries in the cafe and quickly rushed to the ferry at 16:00. Taking into account the experience of two previous landings, we arrived in 50 minutes. This time we were almost last. It's good that the tickets were purchased in advance. After us, only two cars started up. Looking at the endless crowd of cars stretching beyond the horizon, we were worried whether there would be enough space for us. The way the cars were filled with steam, the fears only grew stronger. The cars were packed like Norwegian herrings into a barrel, as were the passengers. The ferry itself turned out to be a huge catamaran.

Coming out of the port, it rushed so that we were rocking and shaking. With difficulty, holding on to everything I could with my hand, I made it to the store. The cashier, in response to my remark “it’s very stormy today,” cheerfully replied that today the weather is excellent, and the sea is calm, or it will be. And she turned out to be right - half an hour before arrival, such rolling began that the “sailors” only had time to run between the rows of chairs with packages. It’s good that Polya fell asleep at that time.

In general, 2 hours of torment, and we are in Norway. Another half hour before camping, and now we are already blowing out the candles and alternately biting off pieces of two cakes - chocolate and lemon. The night turned out to be restless, the camp lived an active life until 2 am. But early in the morning we made up for it - we were the only ones who got up so early.

Lysefjord and Preikestolen cliff

Day seven.

9:00, we leave the campsite towards Lysefjord. True, at first the husband put the wrong point in the navigator, but the misunderstanding was quickly discovered, and the right course was taken.

After 2 hours, we stopped at a gas station to refuel the car and ourselves, and at the same time wash the fairly dusty iron horse. While Polya and I were buying sausages, Andrei stopped at a car wash (the kind with brushes like those from the Diamond Arm), paid and waited for it to start working. He quickly got tired of waiting, and just in case, he pressed the big red button. As it later turned out, it was an emergency. The brushes didn’t work, and we went to bow to the gas station workers. The boy, a Bosnian by origin, said that he shouldn’t have pressed the emergency button and overloaded the automation. While we ate the sausages with gusto, the brushes washed the car up and down.

Clean and well-fed, we move on. We very successfully catch the ferry and at 13:00 we check into a campsite near Preikestolen, which translated means “pulpit”. We set up camp, have lunch, and almost immediately begin climbing the cliff. According to the guidebook, the journey is 2 hours and 4 km.

Elevation gain of 600 meters. The road is not difficult, with steep climbs alternating with flat sections. Every 50-100 m there are posts indicating how far you have walked and how much is left. Closer to the cliff, the terrain flattens out - the last kilometer we walk on smooth, flat stones.

And here it is, the Preikestolen cliff! Feeling of the edge of the world. This is a sheer cliff, going somewhere endlessly downwards, and you are a bird standing over the abyss, ahead of you there is only the sea and the sky - spread your wings and fly. But people “don’t fly like birds,” all that remains is to crawl on their bellies to the edge of the cliff and carefully look into the abyss.

The evening sun broke through the clouds and bathed the cliff in gold for a few minutes. That's all. The beam has gone out, and it’s time for us to go back. 1 hour 45 minutes up, 1 hour 15 minutes down, 45 minutes on the cliff. By 7 pm we returned to the campsite - on time. We had barely had dinner when the abyss of heaven opened up and a downpour fell on the world. All that was left was to crawl into the tent and immerse yourself in free Wi-Fi, and then into a sweet sleep to the sound of the rain.

Camping in Odda

Day eight.

It has been raining since morning, the whole sky is overcast. We leisurely have breakfast and go to the camping cafe to charge our devices and drink coffee. There’s no hurry—you can’t go for a walk in this rain anyway. Around 11 we leave towards Odda. It doesn’t seem like much of a drive, but the speed limit is 60-70 km/h, cameras, and objectively you can’t go faster on such roads - sharp turns, narrow roads, and even ferries. So 200 km is about 4 hours of travel.

It was raining for the first 2 hours, I didn’t want to get out of the car at all, but then it got better. Waterfalls and viewing platforms near them began to appear on both sides of the road. We walked to one of them and got some water - it was very tasty. The next waterfall - Hardanger - as it turned out, was a spectacular tourist place, there was even a tent with souvenirs and soda.

We stretched our legs, took a bunch of photos and an hour later we reached Odda. It’s 17:00, the campsite is quite empty, we’ve chosen a good place for a tent and prepared dinner. But by 19:00 there was nowhere to fall at the campsite - the number of people had increased significantly. It looks like Troll's Tongue is a cult place that requires a full day's trek. Odda’s only campsite is simply not designed for such an influx of “athletes”.

"Troll's tongue"

Day nine.

Today we climb the Troll's Tongue. We left the campsite at 8:00, it took about half an hour to get to the parking lot and the start of the route. As it turned out, we made it in time at the last moment. Besides us, three more cars fit into the fairly spacious parking lot. And that’s it - the parking lot was closed, and the nearest one is 5 km down the road.

But we made it! At 9:00 we start up. The first kilometer of the journey is a steep climb through the forest. Considering yesterday's rain, it was also very dirty. We overtook a Chinese couple sadly wiping their light-colored sneakers with snow-white napkins. But further on there was even more mud, and after another kilometer it became easier - smoother, cleaner. We met a waterfall. Polya jumped around him so joyfully that she fell down and got ragged.

The next 3 km the climb is still quite steep, but over beautiful large sloping stones. After 2 hours we stopped for sandwiches. The climb is almost complete, then there are 7 km of small descents and ascents. Tents began to appear - people walked halfway in the evening, spent the night and in the morning ran lightly to the Troll's Tongue. Well, we continue to climb. After 5 hours of travel we finally saw the main attraction - another half hour and we were there. The place is iconic.

To take a photo directly at the “Language”, you need to stand in line for about 40 minutes (in our case). Although all the most beautiful photos from the guidebooks were taken from the nearby rock. While we were taking pictures, half an hour passed. We started packing to go back, especially since we wanted to cook some more hot soup. We crawled away from the “Language” and, sitting comfortably behind large stones overlooking the lake, had lunch. The return journey, minus lunch, took 3.5 hours and passed without incident. We returned to the parking lot by 19:30.

We walked 22 km along the marking posts, 25 km along the GPS track and gained an altitude of 1250 m. The mileage marking posts seem to be created as a distraction so that tourists would not be afraid of the extra kilometers. To Polina’s credit, it must be said that only three children of about the same age were met on the route, and then all of them were Russian.

On the way to the campsite we bought ourselves some marinated meat - we deserved it. The tent stood where it was left, but there were more people. The weather cleared up - it was so nice after a hard day to sit by a tent overlooking the lake, stretching out tired legs, frying meat, drinking red wine and watching the sunset.

Day ten.

And in the morning it rains again. What a climate! I can’t even believe that yesterday was such a wonderful evening.

We decide to drive more, especially since the forecast for tomorrow is more than good - 28 degrees and sun. Today is tunnel day. We came across all sorts of them - very narrow and dark ones, where two cars had difficulty passing each other, and large, spacious ones with interchanges illuminated by a beautiful blue light. The apotheosis of the “tunnel” day turned out to be an ascent tunnel inside the rock. The tunnel was reminiscent of an underground multi-storey parking lot in the city of Annecy - you drive in a spiral, higher and higher. We made 7 or 8 laps before we jumped out of the tunnel somewhere at the top of the mountain.

By lunchtime the rain had almost stopped. We decided to stretch our legs and go to the second largest waterfall in Norway, and at the same time explore the Stavkirke (Frame Church) - an old wooden church, of which there are many in these parts. Our church turned out to be built in 1125, all blackened by time, standing on wooden pillars.

Industrial raspberry fields stretched around the church. Fortified with raspberries, we go to the waterfall. Half an hour up, 20 minutes down. The waterfall actually falls down from a 200-meter cliff, carrying its waters into the Sognefjord. But don't get close to him.

We reached the campsite under the Nigardsbreen glacier at 7 pm. At the reception we were met by a colorful old lady who seemed to have no idea about any of the European languages ​​except Norwegian, and had never even heard of credit cards. She only accepted Norwegian kroner for payment. It's good that we had local currency. Checked in. The campsite turned out to be half empty and unusually quiet, especially after Odda.

Day eleven.

There had been no rain in the morning, but the air was so saturated with moisture that it seemed as if it could be squeezed out like a sponge. At 9:30, having paid 4 euros for parking, we go to the glacier - at 11 o’clock we have a family trip to the glacier.

Surprisingly, they put cats on us, tied us with a rope and let us out on the ice - almost like adults. For a whole hour we wandered single file along the glacier, looking into cracks, touching the blue ice, and passing through ice grottoes. On the way back we stopped at a lake and spent a long time catching ice of various shapes.

By lunchtime it became quite hot. We couldn't deny ourselves the pleasure of lying with our bellies upside down to "keep up the bacon." Towards evening we took a ride to the dam and to the alpine lake.

Geiranger and Snow Road

Day twelve.

9:00, we leave towards Geiranger. In general, in Norway the term “going to the side” is very relevant - to drive 90 km to the west, you first need to drive 80 km to the east, then 100 to the north, another couple of tens of kilometers to the west, then a little more to the south, again to the east, north again.

So it is now. The road to Geiranger led us anywhere but in the direction of Geiranger. However, what do you want from it - road number 55 is a tourist road, you drive and admire it. There are many viewing platforms with views of the waterfalls and Sognefjord.

To top it off, after an hour of travel, winding and climbing uphill, the road brought us to the pass. A little more, and here it is - “Snowy Road” in all its glory.

Every 200 meters there is a pocket with wonderful views of snowy peaks and blue lakes - it is impossible not to stop. But everything comes to an end someday. The “Snowy Road” has also ended. We are at a local eco-village called Lom. We decide to replenish our food supplies and - finally - alcohol at Vin Monopolete (oh, those bans on the sale of alcohol).

Along the way, we discovered another ancient church (Stavkirke), built in 1160, and an eco-trail across a suspension bridge past ancient houses.

At 15 o'clock the famous Geirangerfjord appeared in front of us. We decide to go straight to the campsite - judging by the wonderful weather (+30 and sunny), the campsite on the seashore will be full.

We put up a tent and go swimming. The water, however, burns: +18. Two married couples who spoke Russian were swimming in the sea. They swam up to us and we started talking. It turned out they were coming from Germany. Only Russians swim in such water, and the usual Norwegians wander around with their pants rolled up to their ankles - no further.

Molde

Day thirteen.

Early in the morning we decided to stop by the village of Geiranger to see what the big steamers were doing there. It turned out that they were not doing anything, since there was nothing there except restaurants and souvenir shops. Well, we weren’t left without souvenirs either.

We drive further towards the province of Romsdal, more precisely, the city of Molde. On the way we pass the Troll Road - a very touristic place. Everyone stops there to walk along beautifully arranged paths, go to an observation point, drink coffee, eat ice cream and buy souvenirs.

By lunchtime we reached the coastal town of Molde.

There we finally managed to buy a variety of fish. No soup today, long live fish evening. It’s simply amazing how it is in a fishing country, well, they don’t sell fish at all (vacuum packaging in supermarkets doesn’t count). The evening was spoiled a little by an unexpected cloud, with thunder, lightning and rain. But the cloud passed away, the sun came out, and the fish didn’t get any worse from it.

After dinner, Polya and Andrey went for a ride around the bay on a pedal catamaran, and I admired the evening sea, sitting comfortably in a soft Helinox chair, devouring fresh grilled fish, sipping Chablis and snacking on strawberries. If somewhere on earth today there is a place of paradise, then it is here!

"Troll Church"

Day fourteen.

The morning greeted us with thick fog and air thoroughly saturated with moisture. Droplets of water hung in the air, settling on chairs, clothes and towels. The forecast promised sunshine after 12 o'clock, so in the morning we decided to take a ride along the famous "Atlantic Road", especially since its beautiful part is located just on our side, and there is no need to drive through it entirely.

There is not much to do in Kristiansund. We drove back and forth across the famous bridge, walked around the islands and went to climb to the “Troll Church”. Trollkirka is a large cave, even several caves or grottoes. Having overcome a rather steep 3-kilometer climb and encountering a serious obstacle on the way in the form of a vast blueberry tree, we approached a black hole in the mountainside from which there was a noticeable air of cold and dampness.

The very first meters of the cave revealed that the power of our flashlights was clearly not enough for comfortable movement around the cave. The flashlights shone dimly, with the exception of one. So from time to time I had to be guided by my sixth sense or, in the absence of one, fall into the water murmuring under my feet. After some time it became brighter, the walls of the cave moved apart and a waterfall appeared before our eyes, falling from somewhere above.

The path led to the shore of a small round lake, and a small hole on the right led further into the next grotto. Having squeezed through a narrow gap, we found ourselves in an internal well, where a staircase was attached to the side, descending into the second grotto, where another waterfall awaited us.

The third grotto, as I read on the information sign near the cave, is quite difficult to find. And so it happened. Holding on to the metal cables, we climbed to the top of the hill and saw a small sign pointing sharply to the right. Norwegian hieroglyphs were scrawled on the signs, and a well-trodden path led straight ahead. We chose a path and after 5 minutes we suspected something was wrong. It’s good that a group of Norwegians was coming towards us, among whom one young girl knew English.

In general, we noticed that the older generation of Norwegians (40+) practically do not speak English, only young people do. It was these “young people” who explained to us that we had missed the entrance to the third cave and kindly led us to the entrance to the hole. The hole turned out to be a narrow hole in the ground, in which Andrei and his backpack risked getting stuck. The first 25 meters we descended backwards, bending low, holding on to the ropes. Below, a stream gurgled across the entire width of the cave. Only Polina could straighten up to her full height here, but she didn’t like walking on water. After walking a little through the ever-descending cave, we saw several side branches. I remembered Ellie and Fred from “7 Underground Kings”, also standing in a cave with a ball of string in their hands and wondering where to go next.

We didn’t have a ball of twine, so after walking a bit along the side routes, we returned back along the circular route, pretty tired. We got out to the sun. The pants then had to be washed in a mountain stream on the way to the car. Having visited a vast blueberry field on the way back and done some shopping at the nearest market, we settled down to relax and admire the sunset sea. Our final evening in Norway.

Road to Sweden

Day fifteen.

We left at 8:45. It’s already 600 miles to the expected overnight stay in Sweden. With sadness we see off the mountains, fjords, and tunnels running away. Ahead lies flat, dull Sweden, similar to Karelian-Finnish landscapes. Goodbye Norway!

After the border we took a break in the moss. There we also found a lake, in which we swam for cheerfulness before the long journey. We arrived for the night at 18.30. Very beautiful campsite. The tent was set up right on the shore of the lake.

Day sixteen.

Stockholm awaits us again today. It's 4 hours away. We are planning to go to Junibacken, a museum dedicated to the works of Astrid Lindgren and other Norwegian writers. The museum is excellent, but the fields have already outgrown it, unfortunately. We walked around Stockholm again.

10 days ago it was windy and cold, but now it’s +30 and sunny - two different cities. In the evening on the ferry. Heading to Turku.

Finland, Turku

Day seventeen.

We are in Finland, in the city of Turku. The ferry arrived even earlier than the scheduled time, so at 7:30 in the morning we were already thundering along the iron ramp of the ship pier. Moomin Island is open from 10:00, so we had to keep ourselves busy for two hours. We occupied ourselves with a visit to the store and a hearty breakfast.

By the time the “Island” opened, we were among the first visitors already at the gate and quickly ran around the entire island. As it turned out, they did the right thing, because when Polya once again went to the enchanted forest and the Hatifnat cave, there was already a line there.

In general, compared to our visit to the Island 5 years ago, the number of people has increased quite significantly. We decided not to go to the second round and after watching the performance we went to the souvenir shop. On the way, Polya spotted a game called “catch a fish” - a version of a one-armed bandit, but with prizes. Polina was lucky - she pulled out a fish marked "main prize", the "one-armed bandit" was defeated!

With a big beautiful box and a bunch of Moomin souvenirs, we go to our final overnight stay in Lapeenranta, not far from the border.

There we already have a well-fed campsite on the shore of the lake. After Sweden and especially Norway, Finnish campsites delight with large spacious areas, forests and rarely standing tents. In the evening we eat Finnish smoked “loha”, that is, salmon, herring and other nice fish with white wine and other Finnish delicacies. And in the trunk there is also Finnish cheese and jam.

Home!

Day eighteen.

At 9:00 we leave towards the border. An hour and a half and we are in Russia. At the first gas station we buy such real delicious ice cream - ours! We decide to drive the car to Moscow - everyone wants to go home, we got a lot of impressions. Aprelevka. It's one o'clock in the morning. We're home. The trip was a success!

Traveling independently is more cost-effective and allows you to take your time and explore all aspects of life in Scandinavia.

Despite all the diversity of this region, there are not many travel routes; the most popular are through and circular routes. In the first case it is from point “A” to point “B”, in the second from point “A” with a return back to “A”. We will consider the first option.

For a complete trip, you need to allocate at least 7 days; they will be enough to see the main cities and the most important attractions.

Through route

In the first option, the journey through Scandinavia begins with an arrival at the airport in Bergen, Norway, this is the westernmost city, from which the further journey will go to the east.

First day

Not far from Bergen there are famous ones for which it is recommended to spend 2-3 days; travel is possible either by rented car (preferably), or by bus, train or boat. There will be no problems with overnight accommodation - it can be either a hotel or renting a house in roadside villages.

Third - fourth days

Alternative routes

The same trip can be repeated with the beginning in St. Petersburg and ending in Bergen. Or choose the roundabout option - also go from St. Petersburg, take the same route to Bergen and back to St. Petersburg, but it will take more time and some places may simply get boring.

Many people associate Scandinavia with fairy tales, pure nature, ski resorts, and chocolate. However, this concept contains much more meaning and can give travelers much more than just walking.

What is Scandinavia

Geographically, Scandinavia is a region consisting of four countries. All these countries belong to Northern Europe. They are connected not only geographically, but have a similar ethnic culture and similar languages.

Scandinavia

Scandinavian countries and their capitals. Location on the world map

Scandinavia includes Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland.

Geographically, Scandinavia extends beyond the Arctic Circle, however, the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current, warms this area and softens the weather. It is thanks to this warm current that the Scandinavian mountains have an alpine tundra climate. Nature will delight travelers with lakes and ancient glaciers.

Scandinavia covers the Scandinavian Peninsula, the Jutland Peninsula and the adjacent islands of Gotland, Zealand and others.

Scandinavian Peninsula on the world map – located in the northwestern part of Europe

Sometimes Scandinavia is considered in a broader concept, including Finland and the North Atlantic islands, thereby bringing together the concepts of Scandinavia and the “Northern European Countries”. But in this case it is more correct to use the term Fennoscandia rather than Scandinavia.

Language

The languages ​​of the countries belonging to Scandinavia are related to each other and are very similar. Most of the indigenous population consists of the ancestors of emigrant Germanic tribes who settled in what is now Denmark.

Opinions vary about which countries belong to Scandinavia. Some scientists include Denmark, Norway and Sweden in this group. However, other sources join this group in Finland and Iceland. Such a union is called the Nordic countries.

Term Scandinavia

The term itself appeared relatively recently, just a couple of hundred years ago. It was at that time, historians believe, that the idea was accepted that these countries had one common heritage.

The term is used by politicians, scientists and, of course, tour operators to designate Scandinavia and where it is located on the world map. Due to the fact that Scandinavia is spread over a fairly large area, its climate is very diverse. Tourists can find mountains, valleys and archipelagos in Scandinavia. In the east of this territory you can find lakes and hills, and in the south there are lowlands and river valleys. In the west and north you can enjoy mountainous terrain.

Scandinavia

The climate is completely different both in the north and in the west. It changes in two directions. If in the western part of Scandinavia the climate can be called maritime, then in the center the climate takes on a more continental character. In the north you can find a subarctic climate.

Thus, on the west coast tourists will encounter cool summers and warm winters, in the center of Scandinavia there will be warm summers and cold winters, while in the north there is practically no summer.

Sights of Scandinavia

Chernan Tower

This building is located in the Swedish city of Helsingborg and is its symbol. The city has a very rich and interesting history; the oldest mention of this city was found in the records of the first hundred of the second millennium. Literally translated, the name of the tower means core. The structure consists of brick, the volume of this tower is amazing: six tens of meters. The height of this ancient structure is more than eleven floors. In the tenth century, on the site of this tower there was a wooden structure, and already in the fifteenth century a stone tower was built.

Chernan Tower

Bunde Palace

The second place worth traveling for is also in Sweden. Bunde Palace is a small building with a laconic design. The light-colored walls and the contrasting roof are an indicator of conciseness and good taste. Now it serves to make fair decisions, in other words, this is the building of the Supreme Court of Sweden. The organization located in this building is the highest authority in the consideration of civil and criminal cases. The building itself appeared in the eighteenth century. It was officially erected in 1989. It was Gustav III, the ruler of Sweden, who founded the Supreme Court.

Bunde Palace

Previously it consisted of twelve judges. Nobles and ordinary citizens received the same number of positions. The king could vote last and could vote for two. In the nineteenth century, they increased the required number of judges to sixteen and slightly changed the requirements for them, namely now judges had to have a certain rank. It was in this building that a rather big event for the modern world took place. At the very beginning of this century, a woman was chosen as chairman.

Bunde Palace

Whirlpool Saltstraumen

The character of this place is natural, not made by man. Essentially, this attraction is a strong tidal current. What is attractive about him? This current is recognized by humanity as the strongest on the planet. In order to see the attraction, you need to come to the town of Bude, near which this natural phenomenon appeared. An unusual flow can be observed every few hours. The spectacle itself is mesmerizing: four hundred million cubic meters of water pick up speed up to four tens of kilometers per hour and flow through the strait. The latter cannot be called wide; its size is only one and a half hundred meters.

Whirlpool Saltstraumen

The whirlpools are simply huge: more than ten meters in diameter and half that size in depth. The strait connects the Sherstadfjord and Saltenfjord with the sea. It’s worth coming to this area not only for this amazing phenomenon; in this part of Norway you can go fishing; this area has long been famous for its skillful hunters who fished precisely in these troubled waters. In addition, water tourism is very developed here. Diving and surfing enthusiasts flock here. If you are interested in an interesting and educational vacation, you need to come here.

Whirlpool Saltstraumen

This attraction is located in the city of Gothenburg. What is a plus is that this city is not very popular with tourists, so you can not expect a lot of crowds and relax quietly. The Swedish East India Company appeared in the eighteenth century. It was created in order to establish trade with eastern countries using the sea. Now the East India Company building houses museums. At one time, this trading company allowed the city to quickly develop. With the help of her services, very rare and expensive goods from eastern countries, namely India and China, were brought to the city.

House of the East India Trading Company

The city was filled with porcelain, tea, and spices. These goods were sold primarily at auctions, which allowed them to be sold at a higher price. This attraction was not always owned by this company. In the eighteenth century the building served as offices. Thanks to its influence, the East India Company became an undisputed monopolist among similar companies. Now the building houses two museums: archaeological and historical. The museums themselves began to function in the eighties of the twentieth century.

Christianborg Palace

This beautiful structure is located on the island of Slotsholmen in Denmark. The history of this castle began eight centuries ago. At the moment, the castle is the residence of the deceased king, which still serves for receptions of state importance. During its existence, the castle was rebuilt several times. For the first time, Christianborg had a Baroque style, then there was a fire, after which the building was built in the Classicist style. Now this landmark is an example of the neo-Baroque style. The first buildings on this island were built back in the thirteenth century. The palace building now stands on the site of the fortress. The latter was built by Bishop Absalon, who also founded this city. The island was created by human actions; it is unnatural. It appeared because people dug a canal that separated the peninsula from the land.

Christianborg Palace

The castle was burned for the first time during the war with the army of Lübeck, in the thirteenth century of the forty-ninth year. The second time the castle was burned almost a century later, in the sixty-ninth year of the fourteenth century. After this battle, the original appearance of the fortress was restored. It was built thanks to King Christian the Sixth, who appointed David Hauser as the author of the project. This version of the castle existed for more than two hundred years, until the forty-fifth year of the eighteenth century. Then he was struck by fire again. The architect of the new versions was Hansen. Construction lasted a quarter of a century. And again the castle was burned, half a hundred years later.

Christianborg Palace

The latest version of the castle was built by the architect Torvald Jogenson. A design competition was held, which he won. Construction lasted two decades. This beautiful structure had tiles on the roof, which were eventually replaced with copper sheets. Christiansborg is connected to the city by eight bridges. In addition, the castle includes the tallest tower on the island, which reaches one hundred and six meters in height. The interior of the castle is decorated with tapestries that depict events important to the residents.

Where is Scandinavia on the world map

You can get to the Scandinavian countries in several ways, choosing the most convenient one. For example, you can fly from Moscow to Oslo by plane. There are direct flights and there are options with transfers.

I travel regularly. About three trips a year for 10-15 days and many 2 and 3 day hikes.