Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about Northern Europe, which includes Scandinavia and the Baltics region. Europe is such a vast and diverse destination, and there are thousands of cool places to visit. I lived in Lithuania for over three years, and in Finland for a year, so I’ve spent a lot of time in this region. To help you build out a northern Europe itinerary, I’m going to help you narrow down some of my favorite Scandinavian cities and Baltic capitals to visit.
Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm is a great city and one of my favorite places to visit in Northern Europe. The city is made up of an archipelago, so there are different islands that form neighborhoods. It’s really a fun city to wander around. Stockholm has great restaurants and a busy nightlife scene. Just make sure you dress the part if you want to get into the nightclubs. Besides wandering around Old Town, some of my favorite things to do in Stockholm include:
- Take a boat tour to see Stockholm from the water. There are cruises, water taxis, and hop-on-hop-off tours available.
- Visit the Vasa Ship Museum. It’s an old ship that sank in the harbor and it’s been restored at the museum. In the same area, you can also check out the ABBA museum.
- Visit the Nobel Museum, home of Alfred Nobel and the world-famous Nobel prize
- See the collection at the National Museum of Art
- Visit the Photography Museum (eat at the restaurant on the top floor for great views of Stockholm!)
- Visit the Museum of Modern Art. See why Sweden is the capital of modernity!
- See the Royal Palaces, as Stockholm is the home of Swedish royalty. There are some good museums in the palaces.
- Tour City Hall, which also happens to be where the Nobel Prize is awarded each year
- Go to the Stockholm Cathedral and see the statue of St. George slaying the dragon
- Go to Skansen Open Air Zoo and Museum. It’s open year-round, but summer is really a fun time to visit and they have interpreters
- Another great place to learn about Swedish culture and history is the Nordiska museum. While I prefer Skansen, Nordiska is better if you are visiting during colder weather
- Head south of town to the Royal Game Park (Kungliga Djurgårdens,) where the locals go to relax and enjoy the outdoors.
Oslo, Norway
Oslo is one of the friendliest cities we’ve ever been to, and the architecture is really fantastic. Oslo is often the gateway for travelers who are visiting the fjords of Norway, but I do recommend spending a few days in the capital city as there is a lot to see and do!
- Visit the Viking Ship Museum, which contains three restored long-boats. It’s my favorite museum in Norway.
- Go to the Norwegian Folk Museum, an outdoor living history museum where you can learn about the last 200 years of Norwegian history
- Visit the National Gallery, where you can see “The Scream” by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. There’s also an entire Munch Museum, where you can see more of his work.
- Go to the Akershus Fortress, to see well-preserved history of Norway
- See the City Hall, Cathedral, and the Opera House which is a really cool modern building.
- Visit the Freedom Center, Fram Museum, and Kon-Tiki Museum. These niche museums show a fun aspect of Norwegian history.
- Try some classic Norwegian dishes, including reindeer, elk, and salmon. For dessert, try a Kvikk Lunsj, which is a Norwegian version of the Kit-Kat. For a budget-friendly meal, try the Norwegian hot dog.
- Walk Karl Johans gate from the Palace to the Station. This is the main shopping street of Oslo, as well as a nightlife hub.
- Go to Holmenkollbakken, the oldest ski jump of its kind in the world. There’s also a museum of ski jumping on site.
Norway is very expensive, so look into getting the Oslo Pass that includes transportation and entry to several of the best Oslo attractions.
Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn has a very small, but very cool, Old Town area. The entire Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s a great town to just wander around and enjoy the sights and the views. Tallinn also has a really great nightlife scene; one of the best on this list.
- Check out several Tallinn museums, including the KGB Museum, the Museum of Occupation, and the Estonian History Museum.
- Old Hansa is one of my favorite restaurants in Northern Europe, I highly recommend eating here when you visit Tallinn.
See the Baltic Capitals in this Ten-Day Itinerary
Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen is another great city in Scandinavia. There are tons of fun things to do in Copenhagen.
- Tivoli Gardens is the world’s oldest amusement park
- Drinking a beer and people watching at Nyhavn is my favorite thing to do
- See the Little Mermaid statue in the harbor
- Visit the Royal Palaces
Five Things You Will Love & Hate About Visiting Copenhagen
Vilnius, Lithuania
I worked in Lithuania for several years, so I have some great memories here. It’s also one of the more affordable cities on this list. The best thing to do in Vilnius is just to wander around. I say that for many cities, but getting lost amongst the winding streets and alleys is the best way to see a new city. You’ll see lots of cool architecture, find neat cafes and bars. I have lots of tips and recommendations for Vilnius, but these are my top recommendations for anyone visiting Vilnius.
- Visit Castle Hill, which is where most of the Vilnius sites are located. This includes the Cathedral, Cathedral Square, and the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. You can climb the cathedral tower for great views of the city.
- Take a day trip to Trakai, the summer palace of the Dukes. The castle is cool, but it’s also in a beautiful park surrounded by a lake, so it’s a great day spent in nature. You can rent paddleboats and paddleboards, or enjoy the beaches.
- Explore Pilies Street, which is the main street lined with restaurants and bars
- Visit St. Anne’s Church, one of the cutest churches in Northern Europe
Helsinki, Finland
Finland’s capital city is another great town to visit in Scandinavia. Whether you visit Finland and explore the various areas, or you visit Helsinki on the ferry from Tallinn or Stockholm, there are some great things to see and do in Helsinki.
- Visit Luther Cathedral and Uspenski Cathedral
- Wander around Kauppatori Square (Market Square)
- Take in the Harbor on a harbor cruise
- Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art
- Try a Hesburger, my favorite fast-food joint in Finland
Riga, Latvia
Riga is kind of like a Baltics version of Las Vegas. Riga is known for casinos and nightlife, and with low prices, it’s become a popular weekend destination in Northern Europe. There is a lot more to see in Riga besides cheap drinks, cool clubs, and casinos!
- Admire the various architectural styles. Riga has 14th-century ornate architecture like the House of the Black Heads and early 20th-century Art Nouveau architecture.
- See the remaining city walls at the Swedish gates
- Explore Riga museums, including the Occupation Museum, which details the Nazi and Soviet occupations of Latvia. There are a lot of great museums in and around Riga.
- Climb the tower at St. Peter’s Church
- Eat at LIDO. It’s kind of a cheesy buffet, but it’s a great way to sample different Latvian dishes
- Try Rigas Balzams, a black liquor that is featured in many mixed drinks.
- Visit in the summer if you can. Even then, it’s not terribly warm, but the winters in Riga are bitter cold!
Riga is another affordable city on this list. There are many hotels, but you can also get an apartment rental for a great price, and staying in a private home is the perfect way to experience Latvian culture.
Bergen, Norway
For the best scenery in Northern Europe, you should visit Bergen, Norway. This is the best place to visit if you want to see the famous fjords of Norway. In addition to being a gateway for scenic tours, Bergen is also a university town. There’s a great fish market and the wharf is fun to explore, but most people visit Bergen for the outdoor adventures to be had.
Lapland
Lapland is the area near the Arctic Circle and it encompasses parts of Norway, Sweden, and Finland. This is one of the best places to view the Northern Lights. The area is very remote, but it is spectacular. In winter, travelers come here for adventure tours like dog-sledding and sleeping in igloo hotels.
St. Petersburg, Russia
While technically not in the Baltics or Scandinavia, St. Petersburg is so close and it’s an awesome city to check out. You can take a ferry to St. Petersburg and if you visit as part of a cruise, you can get around some the laborious Russian visa process. Some of the best things to see in St. Petersburg include:
- Hermitage / Winter Palace
- Peter and Paul Fortress
- Palace Square
- St Isaac’s Cathedral
- St. Petersburg has several interesting museums to explore as well
Grab Some Wolters World Travel Gear!
There are so many more Scandinavian cities worth visiting, but we’ll leave some to be discovered by surprise. I think these are some of the best places to visit in Scandinavia and the Baltics, and I think you’ll enjoy them if you decide to plan a trip to this region. Looking for more tips on travel in Northern Europe? Check out these other blog posts: