Great Scandinavia: Self-Launched (Copenhagen, Norway Fjords & Stockholm)
9 days · Denmark, Norway & Sweden
Europamundo charges £1,345
No-markup version: ~£1,040 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Europamundo's 9-day "Great Scandinavia" coach tour, rebuilt for solo travellers using trains, ferries and local buses instead of a tour coach, and hostels/city budget hotels instead of 4-star chain hotels. You cover the same spine of the route — Copenhagen, Odense, Aarhus, a North Sea crossing to Kristiansand, Stavanger, Bergen, the Sognefjord (Flåm/Gudvangen), Oslo and Stockholm, with Helsingør's Kronborg Castle on the way back — but at your own pace and with far more time actually spent in each city rather than on a bus. Costs are approximate 2026 backpacker/mid-budget rates in GBP, assuming a shared hostel dorm or budget single room and self-catering plus casual eating. Note: Scandinavia is expensive even done independently, so savings here come mostly from accommodation class and skipping the guided-coach premium, not from rock-bottom prices.
Day-by-day
Arrive Copenhagen — Nyhavn, Amalienborg & The Little Mermaid
Copenhagen, Denmark
Land at CPH and take the Metro (M2) or the 5C bus into the city — a 24-hour city pass costs roughly £8-9. Check into a hostel around Vesterbro or Nørrebro (Danhostel or CityHub-style pod hotel from ~£30-40/night). Do the same sightseeing loop the coach tour does, but on foot and by bike: start at City Hall Square, walk Strøget to Kongens Nytorv, photograph Nyhavn's painted gables, then follow the waterfront past Amalienborg Palace (free exterior; changing of the guard at noon) to the Little Mermaid statue and the Tivoli Gardens gates (entry optional, ~£18 — cheaper after dark). Rent a city bike for ~£10/day to link it all up. Eat smørrebrød from a Torvehallerne market stall or a shawarma in Nørrebro to keep food costs down.
🚌CPH Airport Metro to city centre (~£5), city bike rental (~£10)
🛏Hostel dorm or pod hotel, Vesterbro/Nørrebro (~£35)
- →Self-guided walking loop: City Hall Square to Nyhavn
- →Amalienborg Palace exterior + guard change (free)
- →The Little Mermaid statue
- →Torvehallerne food market
- →Optional: Tivoli Gardens evening entry
Copenhagen to Aarhus via Odense (H.C. Andersen country)
Odense & Aarhus, Denmark
Book a DSB train from Copenhagen to Odense — roughly 1h15, ~£30 if booked ahead on dsb.dk. In Odense walk 10 minutes from the station to the Gothic St. Canute's Cathedral and the H.C. Andersen House museum (ticket ~£13; the cobbled 'Hans Christian Andersen Quarter' outside is free). Then continue on the regional train to Aarhus (~1h20, ~£22). Stay in a hostel or budget hotel near the station or in the Latin Quarter (~£35-45). Evening in Aarhus: the Latin Quarter cafes and the ARoS rooftop rainbow walkway if it's still light (~£18). Note the coach version does this as a single 8-hour driving day — the train is faster and you get more time on the ground.
🚌DSB train Copenhagen–Odense (~£30), Odense–Aarhus regional train (~£22)
🛏Hostel/budget hotel near Aarhus station (~£40)
- →St. Canute's Cathedral, Odense (free)
- →H.C. Andersen House museum (~£13)
- →Latin Quarter stroll, Aarhus
- →Optional: ARoS Aarhus Art Museum rainbow walkway (~£18)
Aarhus to Kristiansand by ferry, then on to Stavanger
Aarhus → Kristiansand → Stavanger, Norway
The ferry crossing is the highlight of this leg: Color Line runs Aarhus–Kristiansand in about 3.5 hours (foot passenger from roughly £35-55 depending on season and how early you book). Book directly on colorline.no. Breakfast/lunch on board is a paid extra — bring your own sandwiches. From Kristiansand, the cheap route north is the挪威 (Norwegian) long-distance bus: Nor-Way/FlixBus or the train from Kristiansand to Stavanger via the scenic Sørlandet line and Flekkefjord (the coach tour's photo stop) — around 3.5-4.5 hours, ~£30-45. If you'd rather break the journey, Flekkefjord's wooden old town is a nice 2-hour stop. Overnight in a Stavanger hostel or budget hotel near the harbour (~£40-50).
🚌Color Line ferry Aarhus–Kristiansand on foot (~£45), Nor-Way/FlixBus or train Kristiansand–Stavanger (~£40)
🛏Hostel/budget hotel, Stavanger harbour (~£45)
- →Color Line North Sea crossing
- →Optional stop in Flekkefjord old town
- →Stavanger harbour evening walk
Stavanger to Bergen — Swords in Rock & Mount Fløyen
Stavanger → Bergen, Norway
Morning photo stop at the Swords in Rock monument at Hafrsfjord (local bus 16 or a 20-minute bike ride from town — free). Then take the bus or train to Bergen: the Kystbussen coach takes about 4.5 hours (~£35-45), or the slightly slower train via the Sørlandet line. In Bergen, the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen costs about £13 return — the same ride the tour includes — or walk up for free in around 45 minutes and take the funicular down. Stay in a Bergen hostel or a budget guesthouse in the Sentrum/Nygård area (~£45-55; Bergen is pricey and books out in summer). Evening: Bryggen wharf and the fish market (Torget) — buy a fish cake rather than a full platter.
🚌Kystbussen Stavanger–Bergen (~£40), local bus to Hafrsfjord (~£4)
🛏Hostel/guesthouse, Bergen Sentrum (~£50)
- →Swords in Rock monument, Hafrsfjord (free)
- →Fløibanen funicular or hike up Mount Fløyen (~£13)
- →Bryggen wharf and Torget fish market
Bergen to the Sognefjord — Gudvangen–Aurland cruise and Borgund Stave Church
Bergen → Flåm/Gudvangen → Oslo
This is the big scenery day. Take the early bus/train from Bergen toward Voss, then the Norway in a Nutshell segments you can buy à la carte: the Bergen–Voss train (~£15), the Voss–Gudvangen bus (~£12), the Gudvangen–Aurland/Flåm fjord cruise (~£40-50 direct with Fjord Tours or The Fjords), and the famous Flåm Railway up to Myrdal (~£45) if you want the full version — the coach tour skips Flåm railway, so this is an optional upgrade. Stop at Tvindefossen waterfall (a short walk from the road between Voss and Gudvangen, free). For Borgund Stave Church, take the local bus up the E16 from Lærdal (~£8-10, exterior view free; interior ~£10). From Flåm or Lærdal continue by bus to Oslo (FlixBus/Vy, 6-7 hours, ~£35-55) — it's a long evening, so consider splitting with a night in Lærdal if you're not on a schedule. Budget hostel in Oslo (~£40-50).
🚌Bergen–Voss train (~£15), Voss–Gudvangen bus (~£12), fjord cruise (~£45), optional Flåm Railway (~£45), Flåm/Lærdal–Oslo bus (~£45)
🛏Hostel, Oslo (Grünerløkka or Sentrum) (~£45)
- →Tvindefossen waterfall (free)
- →Gudvangen–Aurland fjord cruise
- →Borgund Stave Church exterior (~£8 bus)
- →Optional Flåm Railway
Oslo to Örebro to Stockholm
Oslo → Örebro → Stockholm, Sweden
With the tour's pace you reached Oslo late and had almost no time — do the opposite and spend a morning there. Walk Vigeland/Frogner Park (free, the sculpture park is the highlight), the Opera House roof (free) and the waterfront at Aker Brygge. Then take the train: Oslo to Örebro is roughly 4.5 hours on SJ (~£35-50 booked ahead), and Örebro to Stockholm another 2 hours (~£20-30). Örebro Castle is a 5-minute walk from the station and free to walk around outside — a good leg-stretch stop for a coffee. Alternatively take the faster direct Oslo–Stockholm SJ train (~5.5 hours, ~£45-60) and skip Örebro if you're short on time. Stockholm hostel in Södermalm or Norrmalm (~£40-50).
🚌SJ train Oslo–Örebro (~£45), Örebro–Stockholm SJ (~£25)
🛏Hostel, Södermalm/Norrmalm, Stockholm (~£45)
- →Vigeland/Frogner Park, Oslo (free)
- →Oslo Opera House rooftop (free)
- →Örebro Castle exterior (free)
Stockholm — Gamla Stan, Nobel Prize Museum & Vasa Museum
Stockholm, Sweden
Do the old town on foot: Gamla Stan's Stortorget square, Stockholm Cathedral, the Royal Palace exterior (interior ~£13 if you want it) and the Nobel Prize Museum (~£11). Walk to Fjällgatan viewpoint on Södermalm for the classic skyline photo, then take the ferry or bus to Djurgården for the Vasa Museum (~£15 — the tour lists it as an optional extra, but it's the best museum in the city and worth the ticket). Stockholm City Hall tower tour is ~£12 in summer. Buy a 24-hour SL travel card (~£14) and use the metro, trams and Djurgården ferry freely. Eat at a Södermalm food hall or grab a hot dog and kanelbulle to keep costs low.
🚌SL 24-hour travel card (~£14)
🛏Hostel, Södermalm/Norrmalm, Stockholm (~£45)
- →Gamla Stan & Stortorget (free)
- →Nobel Prize Museum (~£11)
- →Vasa Museum (~£15)
- →Fjällgatan viewpoint (free)
- →Optional Stockholm City Hall tour (~£12)
Stockholm to Helsingør (Kronborg Castle) to Copenhagen
Stockholm → Helsingborg → Helsingør → Copenhagen
Take the early SJ train Stockholm–Helsingborg (~5 hours, ~£40-55), then the local Pågatåg across to Helsingør via the Øresund connection, or ferry across from Helsingborg (~£7-9 for foot passengers, a 20-minute crossing). Kronborg Castle in Helsingør — Hamlet's Elsinore — is ~£15 entry and a 15-minute walk from the station; the courtyard and the waterfront views are free. Then the Øresundståg train Helsingør to Copenhagen takes about 45 minutes (~£12). Back in Copenhagen, check into the same hostel as night one and finish with a cheap beer at a Nørrebro or Vesterbro bar.
🚌SJ train Stockholm–Helsingborg (~£48), ferry/train Helsingborg–Helsingør (~£8), Øresundståg Helsingør–Copenhagen (~£12)
🛏Hostel dorm or pod hotel, Copenhagen (~£35)
- →Kronborg Castle, Helsingør (~£15)
- →Helsingør harbour walk (free)
- →Nørrebro evening out
Depart Copenhagen
Copenhagen, Denmark
Morning free: pick up anything you missed — the Round Tower (~£4), the Design Museum (~£14), or a swim at Islands Brygge harbour baths in summer (free). Then Metro back to CPH (~£5) for your flight. If you booked your own flights home, allow 2 hours before departure; note that this entire route can be done in reverse starting from Stockholm if that's cheaper for your flights.
🚌Metro to CPH Airport (~£5)
🛏N/A (departure day)
- →Round Tower or Design Museum
- →Islands Brygge harbour baths in summer (free)
Self-launched vs. Europamundo
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Europamundo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,040 | £1,345 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £305 per person (23%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Europamundo-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,040
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Great Scandinavia: Self-Launched (Copenhagen, Norway Fjords & Stockholm) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,040 per person for 9 days in Denmark, Norway & Sweden. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Europamundo?+
Yes — Europamundo charges around £1,345 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,040 — a saving of roughly £305 (23%) per person.
How long is the Denmark, Norway & Sweden trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through Denmark, Norway & Sweden.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, city-breaks, adventure trip through Denmark, Norway & Sweden, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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