NORWAY-SWEDEN-VIA BALTICA

NORWAY-SWEDEN-VIA BALTICA.

A PILGRIMAGE TO SCANDINAVIA AND COUNTRIES ON THE BALTIC COAST

OSLO · LATEFOSSEN · ODDA · FOLGEFONNA · STEINDALSFOSSEN · BERGEN · AURLANDSFJORD · LILLEHAMMER · STOCKHOLM · HELSINKI · SANKT PETERSBURG · TALLINN · RIGA

DAY 1

Arrival in Oslo. Depending on the hours of arrival, there will be a stroll along the city. Dinner and overnight.

DAY 2

Breakfast. We drive to the capital of Norway. We start our day with a visit to the Bygdøy penninsula – known as the museum penninsula. Visiting the museum of Fram, the polar boat and Kon-Tiki museum, presenting exhibits of the extraordinary trips of Thor Heyerdahl. We then continue to the Catholic St Olaf Cathedral. The relics of king Olaf - the saint patron of Norway, are some of the precious exhibits which can be found in there. A stroll on a representative street of Oslo – Karl Johans Gate – next to it we’ll see i.e. the Royal Palace, University, the National Theatre and the Parliment. Our next stop is the city hall, where the Peace Nobel Price is given to its receivers, we’ll also be taking a look at the Akhershus fortress, where the history of the city begun. Dinner and an overnight stay.

DAY 3

Breakfast. Drive towards Odda. On the way, there will be a stop next to the beautiful Latefossen waterfall, which has the height of 165 m. The waterfall is composed of two seperate streams which stream down from the Lotevatnet lake. The streams meet and connect in the middle of the waterfall, right over the road which runs over it. We then continue to Odda, where we see a panorama of the south branch of the Hardanger fiord. After this we continue by walking through the eleven kilometre tunel, under the third biggest glacier in Norway – Folgefonna. We head to the 50-metred Steinsdalsfossen waterfall. It’s extraordinary, since the path for the tourists leads behind the curtain of falling water. The waterfall was created in 1966, after changing the rivers course. Dinner and overnight in the area around Bergen.

DAY 4

Breakfast. We start our day with a visit in Bergen. We walk around the city known as the gate of the fiords, written down into the World UNESCO Heritage list. Currently it’s one of the biggest harbors in the country. We stop for a while at the old Bryggen harbor – a hanseatic waterfront with a wooden development with two floored houses, which have narrow facades, facing the water. That is characteristic for old Norway. We head to the Bergen fortress, as well as the romanian church of the Holy Mother Mary. The cruise gives a wonderful experience. Dinner and overnight near Lillehammer.

DAY 5

Breakfast after which we drive to Lillehammer. A walkl along the city, during where there willl be an opportunity to  see i.e. an art museum with the work of an architectual group called Snøhetta, the city hall, the boardwalk and sports objects from winter olympics from 1994. Our next stop is skansen Maihaugen – an interesting museum of nordic architecture out in the open, the so called ”norwegian village in a pill”. In the area of skansen are over 200 items, coming from different regions of the country. You can find here i.e. residential buildings, barns, stables, storehouses and smokehouses. One of the most precious buildings is a stave church and a school. A characteristic feature of Marhaugen is themix of the ancient, with the modern era, but there are also some buildings dating back to year 90 of the XX cent, as well as the reconstructed town with a post office, farmacy, shops and a railway station. Dinner and overnight in Stockholm or its surroundings.

DAY 6

Breakfast. A stroll along the Old Town situated on one of the Swedish islands.  It’s one of the best preserved ancient old towns  in Europe. After this we continue walking to the St Michael cathedral – the oldest building in the area, but also the Royal Castle (the guard switch), the main square, the city hall, academy, parliment building, the headquarters of the prime minister and the government. We head to the museum of Vasa galeon, dedicated to the only XVII cent. sailing ship. Free time, after which we head to the harbor. Cruising with a ferry to Helsinki, where we have the ability to see the wonderful panorama of Stockholm and further on the Alanda archipelago of multiple islands. Dinner (bufet) and overnight on the ferry.

DAY 7

Breakfast and arrival in Helsinki. A walk at the city, where we’ll see i.e. the Senate square, Helsinki Cathedral, government palace, the University and University library. Free time at the market square. Where we can see a large selection of products, which are characteristic for Finland, starting from traditional culinary specials and ending at different souveniers. Suomenlina – one of the biggest well kept sea fortresses. Transfer to a ferry for dinner and accomodation. Cruise to Sankt Petersburg.

DAY 8

Breakfast on the ferry and arrival at Sankt Petersburg. We stop for a while at the Paul and Peter frotress. We stop for a while at the St Paul and Peter church council – a necropolis of russian imperators, a statue of Peter I and the oldest part of the fortress – st Peters’ gate. We head to the square and St Isaac church council and the kazan church council with a beautiful icon of Mother Mary of Kazan – built in 1801-1811, inspired by St Peter basilica in Vatican. A walk through the Nevsky Prospect -  the shopping and cultural centre of St Petersburg. A cruise with a ship on the Neva riveer. Arrival at the harbor and cruise to Tallin. Dinner and overnight on the ferry.

DAY 9

Breakfast. We start our day with a visit in Tallin. The old town is known all over the world for its well preserved ancient architecture. We head to the Lower and Higher City – Toompea valley, the parliment, the Orthodox Church of Alexander Nevsky, the Annunciation of Mother Mary cathedral, ancient city fortifications with towers i.e. ”Long Herman”, ”Fat Margaret”, the Old City market, city hall, reneissance house of the Blackhead Brotherhood and the building of Large Gildia. Gildia was one of the most powerful organizations in this part of Estonia – which controlled almost all trading in Tallin. Dinner in Riga. An evening stroll at the city and overnight.

DAY 10

Breakfast or lunchboxes. Drive to the airport and flight back. The end of  the pilgirmage