Finland, Sweden, and Norway

These countries have lots things in common including beautiful countryside and they each seemed to really enjoy cinnamon rolls/buns, fish, and berries. But they also have some important differences as well. They each speak a different language (Finnish being the most confusing). They each have their own currency (often called a kroner). Sweden had a ton of Viking paraphernalia while Norway seemed to be obsessed with trolls. Finland was filled with lakes while Norway has some of the most beautiful fjords in the world. 

Visiting these Nordic countries was a bit different for us than what we've recently been used to since we blended in so well. We were often treated like locals and got confused looks when we didn't speak the local languages. This has it's pros and cons: obviously it's nice to not be immediately identified as a tourist but on the flip side then we were expected to know what's going on. 

The weather this time of year was hard to predict; more often than not the weather predicted 50% chance of rain, so you it was hard to plan around that. And you always had to dress in layers. It was usually in the mid-50's which was nice and in the sun I'd be shedding my jacket but I'd be putting it back on 2 minutes later when a cloud passed through. It's also extremely difficult to sleep there during this time of year since it never gets dark! While we were there the sun usually "set" around 10:45pm and "rose" around 4am but it was still light even when the sun was down (I set an alarm for 2am and checked). It was really important to find places to stay that had the blackout curtains. Also, bummer not to be able to see the Northern Lights this time of year.

One big downside to visiting these countries is that everything is really expensive. Gas was about $6/gallon and rental cars cost you an arm and a leg. We mostly bought groceries and made meals at home which saved us quite a bit of money, so it's also a good idea to stay in places that have a kitchen. Also, going out for drinks is extremely pricey so we hardly ever did that and instead opted to buy some different beers at the grocery stores and sample that way. It's also not uncommon to be charged to use the restroom, especially in the metro stations in Helsinki and Stockholm. 

Link to all pictures from Finland, Sweden, & Norway

Overview of Our Trip

We had 3 weeks to spend in Finland, Sweden, and Norway overall. We flew into Helsinki and spent 8 nights in Finland. Then we took a 17-hour ferry from Helsinki into Stockholm and spent 4 nights in Sweden. From there we took a 5-hour train into Oslo and spent 10 nights in Norway.

Finland

We spent our first night just outside of Helsinki but we waited to explore the city until later on our trip. Our first full day we spent driving northwest hugging the Russian border to get to our lakeside cabin. We had read that most Finns spend some time in cabins by the many many lakes during the summer so we decided we better try that as well. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate much with us and it rained most of the time, but we had a nice relaxing time and also got to use our own traditional Finnish sauna which was in the cabin! We spent 2 nights there and then returned to Helsinki.

We spent 5 nights in Helsinki. Our first day was spent checking out some local markets and exploring Suomenlinna fortress island which was built to protect the area but now it's like a unique little town within the city of Helsinki. Then we spent a day out at Nuuksio National Park where we did some hiking and enjoyed the natural beauty of Finland. On Sunday we were able to meet up with some friends of ours from Madison and we checked out a market which only happens once a month. Our last day in Finland we spent visiting one of the public saunas and invigorated our bodies by alternating sweating in the saunas and jumping into the frigid Baltic Sea. Then we took the 17-hour ferry to Sweden, which was kind of like a mini cruise and we enjoyed ourselves.

Sweden

Our first full day in Sweden was spent exploring Stockholm on foot. We saw several beautiful views and also made our way over to Gamla Stan Island, aka Old Town, which is one of the more popular tourist sites due to the medieval feel of the architecture and the narrow cobblestone streets. Then we also spent a day at Djurgården which is an island in central Stockholm and is a favorite recreational destination of locals and tourists alike. It was a really pretty area with parks, lakes, meadows, gardens, and museums. If you're there you should also check out the Vasa Museum, which houses the world's only (mostly) intact 17th century ship. While you're in Stockholm you should also definitely take the metro a couple of times and check out the subway art which is pretty impressive. It's said to be the world's longest art exhibit as it stretches 110km!

Norway

My mom decided to meet us in Oslo so we were able to travel with her throughout Norway! Our idea for Norway was to spend more time in the natural beauty and therefore we didn't spend much time in the big cities. We started in Oslo and then drove north to Åndalsnes and from there we worked our way south along the western coast checking out many of the fjords along the way. Then we swung along the southern border before ending our trip in Oslo again. 

The drive to Åndalsnes was incredibly beautiful and we seemed to ooh and aah at every turn. Our first full day there we decided to hike up to the Rampestreken viewpoint which was a nice hike and ended with an incredible view. We stayed very near Trollstigen so we drove over there a couple of times which is a definite must-do if you're in Norway in the summer (the road is closed most of the year). The views are great and the waterfalls are really cool to see rushing down the sides of the mountains right next to the winding road. 

The next day we drove to Flåm and stopped at some really cool spots along the way. Gudbrandsjuvet was a neat area where you could walk over some cool waterfalls. The Geiranger Fjord is absolutely gorgeous. In my opinion one of the best viewpoints in Norway was of Geiranger Fjord at Ørnesvingen.  Then going into the mountains was like a completely different world as it was snow-covered and mostly barren. And no need to stop at fancy restuarants since there are about a hundred picture perfect picnic spots just along the highway. Oh, and we also got to drive through the world's longest tunnel, clocked at 20 min and 14 sec to get through. We ended the day by visiting the famous brew pub in Flåm called Ægir.

While there we also rode the famous Flåm railway which we thought was a bit overpriced. We also did a boat cruise through the fjords which we liked a little better as it provided unique views from the vantage point of the water. It also took us through some of the narrowest and deepest fjords of the world.  That day we also squeezed in a hike to the Brekkofossen waterfall as well.

The next day we drove to Vikedal and stopped at several waterfalls along the way. Most notably was Langfossen which has been named one of the worl'ds top ten most beautiful waterfalls. There is a hike up to the top of it which we did part of but we turned around when the rocks got too slippery.

We spent the next two nights in Sandnes and found several cool things to do on the way there. The first was a place called Eventyrskogen which was a short hike through a fantasy forest. It had been decorated with trolls and the ambiance of the forest was almost ethereal. Then we also did the 4-hr hike to Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen) which was definitely the thing to do as there were lots of people doing it as well. While staying in Sandnes we also went to visit the Swords in Rock monument (Sverd i fjell) and wandered around the Renaissance festival that we found going on there. Spending some time in Stavenger along Øvre Holmegate was a cool way to spend some time as well.

On the way to Grimstad we did a small hike to Skrelia which was nice. We also climbed up to Torjusheigata which was a viewpoint. And we also stopped briefly at Møvik Fort but we didn't spend the money to go inside. 

Our last full day in Norway we spent exploring Oslo a bit. Our first stop was at Vineland Park which was a beautiful park and the world's largest sculpture park made by a single artist. It was pretty unique. Then we walked around central Oslo and visited the royal palace, Karl Johans Gate, Akershus Fortress, and Aker Brygge.

Budget

I spent $2,258 total while in these Nordic countries. This doesn't include our international flights since they were bought with the rest of our itinerary. This is per person and in US dollars. There were two of us traveling together (three in Norway) so most things were split equally.

Ground Transportation: $803. We got around these countries in a myriad of different ways, so this cost encompasses a lot of things. In Finland we had a rental car for 3 days. Then we bought a 5-day public transportation pass for Helsinki which we felt like was a good idea. The ferry to Stockholm is also included under this bucket. While in Sweden we purchased the transportation card and just loaded it up when necessary. And this also includes the train to Oslo and the rental car we had for the duration of our time in Norway. 

Lodging: $808. We stayed at Airbnb's for almost the entirety of our time here with the exception of the two nights we were in a cabin.

Activities: $142. The most expensive activities we did were the train and boat ride in Flåm.

Food: $424. Half of this was on groceries. We didn't eat out very often but it was so expensive it still accounts for over half of the budget in this category!

Miscellaneous: $81. We bought a few souvenirs here, as well as some warm hats for ourselves for use during this last portion of our trip.

Summary

These are great countries to visit in the summer if you want to be active and spend much of your time in nature. Everything is so beautiful this time of year and you can take advantage of the never-ending daylight by doing all of the things! I do think it would be a much different experience in the winter and we might have to make a return trip some day to sleep in the ice hotels and see the northern lights. While these countries are expensive in other ways you can often get to a beautiful location either by taking an invigorating hike or a short drive without paying a thing.