The countries of Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden form the Scandinavia, and are filled with amazing architecture and beautiful sights. Scandinavia will surely satisfy any globetrotter who wants to collect unmatched experiences to bring back home. The best part of it is Scandinavians are exceptionally friendly and hospitable. Scandinavia is home of sleepy isles, big-city beauty, fantastic fjords and welcoming residents. While you may not have a Viking’s plunder to pay for your vacation—particularly with the unfavourable exchange rate for Indians—a Scandinavian trip can still be reasonable, even for a budget traveller.
Sweden’s capital Stockholm was first of our Scandinavian capital destinations. Wedged between Lake Malaren and the Baltic Sea, whose calm and yacht-speckled waters brought in Viking ships a thousand years ago, Stockholm city sprawls across 14 islands, each with its own personality. Kungsholmen is the thriving city centre; Sodermalm is the youthful island where we were staying; and Gamla Stan is the nautically strategic ‘old town’ of palaces, churches and cobblestones, offering a smorgasbord of sights. To experience a much grander experience at economical cost, opt for Viking Line cruise ferries transitting between various ports on Baltic Sea, which took us all the way to the Finnish capital city, Helsinki. It is a sophisticated city filled with cafes, parks, markets, beer terraces, funky bars and some beautiful architecture. Helsinki reveals itself best through aimless wandering and inward reflection. Walking about is rewarding here. There’s a quirkiness to the heritage architecture, Russian touches here, Greek Orthodox there; or figures from Finnish myths.
