Scandinavia Spring Break

The birthplace of the feared Viking warriors. Land of the fjords. Scandinavia is home to some of the most scenic backdrops that even the big screen can’t contain its excitement while visiting. A week ago I was able to spend ten days in some of the most jaw-dropping places this earth has to offer which also inhabits some of the most beautiful people.

Although I was only able to leave learning a few words of each respective language, it was relatively easy to get around speaking English. And when one of the only words you learn is bläckfisk (Octopus), you better hope people understand English! On this trip, I was fortunate enough to be accompanied by four acquaintances with a knack for travel and willingness to explore.

Below is a quick overview of my experiences and favorite aspects about each area, with more specific blog posts to follow in upcoming Tie Tuesdays.

Stockholm, Sweden (May 6th – 9th)

The first stop on the trip was Stockholm. We embraced the nine hour time change and proceeded to meet our couch-surfing host and start drinking the local beer. Not only was this the first couch-surfing experience for most of us, we were the first group of surfers for our host.

We spent quite a bit of time with our host and took advantage of her suggestions to get a local Stockholm experience. From local parks and one of the world’s largest graffiti festivals to local street fairs, we almost felt like Swedish locals besides the language barrier of course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When separated from our host, we walked the historical streets of Gamla Stan (The Old City), visited the royal palace, learned about the epic failure that was The Vasa, and consistently wondered what on earth “Eurovision” was! Apparently it is a huge European Song Contest if you were confused as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholm provides an interesting big city appeal with a small town feel. If you have Sweden on your mind for travel, Stockholm should definitely be on the list.

Stavanger, Norway (May 9th – 10th)

A small port town that is historically affected by the ebbs and flows of the oil industry was the next stop on our visit. Of course, we planned this day and a half around our visit to the breathtaking Pulpit Rock (Priekestolen), but the town was surprisingly lively.

The hike itself wasn’t extremely difficult but provided us with a plethora of different views and interesting landscape. Although all you hear about is the end of the hike, there is plenty to be observed on the way up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Airbnb had to be the nicest apartment I have ever stayed in for $50 a night. Not only did we have a spacious living space, the rooftop had a hangout area with views of the whole city.

If Stavanger is in your plans, you need to get the seafood crème based soup right on the waterfront. The views and combination of shrimp, salmon, and white fish are mouth-watering. Hang around in the same area if you plan on going out later that night as bars line the waterfront with different vibes for different people.

Copenhagen, Denmark (May 10th – 12th)

I have to say that Copenhagen was the most surprising attraction for me as I had never really heard much about it. It quickly changed from the city I knew the least, to my favorite city on the trip. The mix of history, walkability, nightlife, and food is hard to beat.

We stayed at the Downtown Copenhagen Hostel and it didn’t disappoint. As my first hostel experience, I was amazed at the openness and variety of travelers from across the globe. They offer a great location, bike rentals, happy hours, bar crawls, and walking tours. If your goal is to meet people you should definitely hop on any and all of the events put on by the Hostel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our group joined a bar crawl to experience the nightlife and it exceeded our expectations. We were joined by plenty of others in the same scenario and learned about hidden gems we needed to experience.

We visited the military camp turned hippie commune of Christiania, joined a free walking tour highlighting all of the historical downtown spots, meandered down Stroget(the largest pedestrian-only street in the world), and were graced with the Prime Minister’s presence as he casually ate lunch at a picnic table downtown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reykjavik, Iceland (May 12th – 16th)

Our last and longest stop on the trip was the picturesque country of Iceland. This country is full of surprises and offers a way different perspective on life outside of the US. Outside of Reykjavik, there aren’t really any other cities to visit. With a total population of roughly 330,000 people, 120,000 live in the Reykjavik city limits.

Once again we stayed in a hostel, but this was a little different vibe. From the outside, the hostel looks like an old hospital, but inside is a hipster restaurant and bar with live music and a large rentable party room. The bar scene in Reykjavik is unlike any other because the bars are so densely populated with tourists and locals alike. The vast amount of beautiful women that populated the night-life left me speechless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outside of the nightlife, the real reason you visit Iceland is to adventure. We rented a car, but there are plenty of bus and camper rentals that travelers take advantage of. From the Blue Lagoon, the glacier hikes of Skaftafell, Fjallsarlon, and Jokulsarlon, and the golden circle this glorious volcanic landscape offers endless adventures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I go back, and I plan on going back, I plan on climbing, snowmobiling and boating around the glaciers. We also missed the boat, literally, on visiting the unique island of Vestmannaeyjar. Vestmannaeyjar is most well-known for its extensive puffin population and ability to view the creatures of the sea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although ten days seems like enough time to adequately adventure around these Nordic lands, I can assure you that there are many more spots I plan to seek out. Please reach out if you would like me to elaborate on any aspects or stories mentioned in this post, but know I plan to write articles about food, specific experiences and learnings, and an Icelandic adventure breakdown in articles to come.

Stay casual until next Tuesday!

EVB