Cultural treasures and Scandinavian panoramas

The capital of Sweden occupies an archipelago in the east of the country at the junction of Mälar Lake and the Baltic sea. In Gamla stan, meaning “old town” in Swedish, you can stroll at your leisure in picturesque medieval streets until you reach the majestic Royal Palace. On the green island of Djurgården, you can visit several very different kinds of cultural centres: the Vasa museum is dedicated to a 17th century three-mast, the ecomuseum of Skansen presents traditional customs, and the ABBA museum is dedicated to the legendary pop group. For a fantastic, all-encompassing view of Stockholm, you can take a ride in SkyView, a glass-encased sphere gondola that takes you to the top of the world’s largest building, the Ericsson Globe, a Stockholm landmark.

Visby is a town on the Swedish island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. It’s known for its well-preserved town wall, a medieval fortification incorporating defensive towers. The town’s many churches include the grand, centuries-old St. Mary’s Cathedral and the medieval ruins of St. Nicolai and St. Karin. The main square, Stora Torget, has cobblestone streets lined with cafes and restaurants.

Rønne is the largest town on the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea.

Connected to the far eastern side of Sealand island, a few kilometres away from the Swedish coasts, Copenhagen offers you the high colour of Scandinavian capitals. You can discover the city’s riches that weaves through the canal networks through the historical districts of Christiansborg and Nyhavn. Many palaces provide an apercu of Danish history. For eating, you can try out the smorrebrod, traditional danish sandwiches made with ham, cheese or smoked fish.

A lively harbour town, Göteborg is located on the west coast of Sweden, at the crossing of the Göta älv river and the bay of Cattégat. In the old Haga district, you can peruse hippy-chic fashion boutiques and bohemian cafés in the ground floors of traditional wood houses. On the majestic Gustave-Adolphe square, you’ll see elegant neoclassical buildings. Not far from here is the municipal museum dedicated to the town’s history. In addition, you will be able to sail along Göteborg’s numerous canals. As for eating, it’s the fish and shellfish which make the gastronomic reputation of this beautiful stopover.

Capital of Norway, Olso, is a green city. Its many parks and gardens make it the reputedly pleasant city it is. The 80 hectares of Vigeland sculpture parks and its 212 open air exhibitions, the Munch Museum dedicated to the life and works of the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, plus the Akershus fortress which symbolises Oslo’s rich history, are both must-sees. For culture, the national gallery shelters the largest Norwegian collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures open to the public. And, for sports enthusiasts, the Holmenkollen district with its Ski museum and famous ski jump offer the most stunning, all-encompassing view of the city.

Capital of the Orkney archipelago, Kirkwall, which means “church bay”, is an ideal stopover before continuing on to the Northern Isles. Sheltered in a wide bay, the lively town welcomes the visitor with its charming paved alleyways edged by old houses and craft shops. Tankerness House, the oldest homestead in the town, is a must-see landmark. But the true architectural treasure of the aptly named Kirkwall is none other than its remarkable red and gold stone cathedral. And because whisky is inseparable from Scotland’s identity, stop at the Highland Park Distillery for a highly instructive visit.

Aberdeen is a port city in northeast Scotland, where the Dee and Don rivers meet the North Sea. With an offshore petroleum industry, the city is home to an international population. It’s also known as the ‘Granite City’ for its many enduring grey-stone buildings.

Rosyth is a town on the Firth of Forth, three miles south of the centre of Dunfermline. According to the census of 2011, the town has a population of 13,440. The town was founded as a garden city in 1909, and was built to form the coastal port of Dunfermline.