Explore Medieval Week events in Visby all day. 

Medieval Week ('Medeltidsveckan'): Every summer, the Middle Ages return to Gotland and the once-powerful Hanseatic city of Visby. Up to 40.000 visitors dress up in costumes and recreate life in medieval days with theater, markets, crafts, tower games and music. It’s the biggest medieval festival in northern Europe and a lively experience for visitors of all ages.

https://www.medeltidsveckan.se/en/welcome/

Day passes are included for August 9th and 10th. 

MEAL INCLUDED:  Breakfast

IMAGE: Medieval Week parade (2016)

Further explore Visby this morning.

In addition to its long history and fascinating ruins, Visby is also known for its gardens, particularly the profusion of roses that bloom in the sunny summer months. In addition to the roses and overflowing flower boxes on Visby’s winding, cobblestone lanes, there’s a collection of roses at the 2.5-hectare Botanical Garden, which dates back to 1855. It also has a large collection of exotic trees and plants that flourish in Gotland’s mild climate. There’s no entrance fee for the gardens, which also contain a herb garden and a Gazebo Garden (an open-sided pavilion).

Following check-out and lunch, transfer less than 5 minutes to the ferry terminal for our afternoon passage to Stockholm (1st class seating is included).

1:30 p.m. Ferry from Gotland to Nynäshamn on the mainland (arrive 4:45 p.m.), then transfer by shuttlebus to Stockholm.

6:00 p.m. Arrive at Stockholm Centralstation and transfer to the hotel (less than 10 minutes by car).

Ferry times are subject to change.

Check in to the Radisson Collection Strand Hotel (4*) for 4 nights

ADDRESS: Nybrokajen 9, 103 27, Stockholm SWEDEN

T: +46 (8) 50664000

RESERVED: Collection Superior Rooms with a choice of one or two beds

Upgrade option: Collection Premium Room with a Seaview: available on request at the upcharge rate of 300 SEK per room per night. 

Dinner and the evening are on your own. A List of Suggested Restaurants will be provided.

MEAL INCLUDED:  Breakfast

IMAGE:  Ferry from Gotland to mainland Sweden

Today will be spent on Djurgården, an island in central Stockholm that was once the Royal Game Park and today is home to historical buildings and monuments, museums, galleries, an amusement park, the open-air museum Skansen, the small residential area Djurgårdsstaden, yacht harbors, and extensive stretches of forest and meadows.

We will have private guided tours at two museums:

Vasamuseet, which displays the only almost fully intact 17th-century ship that has ever been salvaged, the 64-gun warship Vasa that sank on her maiden voyage in 1628. The Vasa Museum opened in 1990 and is the most visited museum in Scandinavia. 

WEB: https://www.vasamuseet.se/en

ABBA The Museum, with interactive audio and video stations that tell the story of one of the best-selling music acts in the history of pop. ABBA topped the charts worldwide from 1974 to 1982, and again in 2021 following their reunion.

WEB: https://abbathemuseum.com/en/

Between the two museums are also:

Liljevalchs konsthall a city-run art gallery designed by architect Carl Bergsten (1879–1935) and inaugurated in March 1916. Considered one of the most appreciated exhibition spaces in Sweden, Liljevalch is renowned for its well-proportioned spaces in a range of sizes and its restaurant Blå porten ("Blue Gate"). Four exhibitions are shown each year.

Vrak - Museum Of Wrecks shows the Baltic sea cultural heritage, especially some of the almost one hundred identified old shipwrecks at the bottom of the sea. 

https://www.vrak.se/en/

Viking Museum, a museum entirely dedicated to the Viking Age, through an exhibition and a Viking Journey - Ragnfrid´s Saga. Vikingaliv is based on historical facts combined with the most recent discoveries of Viking history.  Its Restaurant Glod overlooks the inlet to Stockholm.

https://thevikingmuseum.com/

Nordiskamuseet, dedicated to the cultural history and ethnography of Sweden from the early modern period (in Swedish history, it is said to begin in 1520) to the contemporary period.

https://www.nordiskamuseet.se/besok-oss

MEAL INCLUDED:  Breakfast

IMAGE:  The great ship Vasa

9-10:30 a.m.  This morning take a private walking tour of Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s Old Town, on the city island of Stadsholmen.

Gamla Stan has played a prominent role in the history of Swedish architecture, with many of Sweden's most renowned architects shaping the area; these include figures like Nicodemus Tessin and Carl Hårleman, who worked on the Stockholm Palace, still located in the area.  Other notable buildings in the old town include Tessin's own palace, the Stockholm Stock Exchange Building, Bonde Palace (seat of the Swedish Supreme Court) and the important House of Nobility; the last of these buildings hosted the parliament for many years.

10:30 a.m.  Then head to a nearby boat dock and take an Edwardian-era boat to Drottningholm Palace (Drottningholms slott), situated west of Stockholm on Lovön island, for a full afternoon.   Arrive at the pier 15 minutes before departure.

11:00 a.m. Depart the pier at Klara Mälarstrand (berth 4-5) on board an Edwardian-era boat through scenic Lake Mälaren to Drottningholm.  (one hour)

12 noon Disembark at the boat pier at Drottningholm.

12 noon Lunch on your own at Karamellon, a café located at the boat pier, serving soup, salads, sandwiches, pastries, and coffee. (Open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

https://www.drottningholm.org/english

The Palace is the primary residence of the Swedish royal family and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, mainly because of the Court Theater and the Chinese Pavilion, which we will tour with a private guide along with touring the Palace itself. Time also to visit the shop and, if you are inclined, the marvelous park and gardens.

Return to Stockholm by taxi or ride-share service, or catch the last boat departing at 5 p.m.

OPTIONAL:  OPERA AT DROTTNINGHOLM COURT THEATER

Special opportunity to attend a French baroque opera, Armide, performed in the unique atmosphere of the dimly lit and beautifully preserved old theater at Drottningholm.   The opera begins at 7 p.m. and runs 3 hours.

Add-on Package Price is $180:   Includes best available ticket, interval snack box (cheese pie or ham sandwich with a glass of wine), and return transfer to Stockholm by bus.  The package price is subject to ticket availability for best seats, and may be less depending on ticket availability).

https://dtm.se/armide-eng

Armide is an opera in five acts by Jean-Baptiste Lully,  first performed in 1686 by the Paris Opera at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal for Louis XIV's court. The work is in the form of a tragédie en musique, a genre invented by Lully and Quinault.

About Drottningholms Slottsteater, or the Court Theater of Drottningholm:

Built in 1766 for Queen Lovisa Ulrika, the theater is the only 18th-century venue in the world that still uses the original stage machinery. It is constructed of simple materials and the auditorium is playfully decorated using paint, stucco, and papier mâché. The wooden stage machinery is operated by hand. It includes wind, thunder and cloud machines, as well as traps and moving waves. About 30 stage sets have been preserved, all decorated with themes from 18th-century repertoire.

MEAL INCLUDED:  Breakfast

IMAGE:  The Embroidered Room at the Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm

The morning is at leisure until the first of two important visits today.

11:00-12:30 Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities / East Asian Museum (Östasiatiskamuseet)

WEB: https://www.ostasiatiskamuseet.se/en

ADDRESS: Tyghusplan 4 (city island of Skeppsholmen)

Allow 15 minutes on foot from the hotel to the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities.

Few museums in Europe can match its collections from China, Korea, Japan, India and Southeast Asia.  Johan Gunnar Andersson's pioneering archeological discoveries in China formed the basis of the museum's founding in 1929. Other important figures in the museum's history are art historian Osvald Sirén and sinologist Bernhard Karlgren, as well as King Gustaf VI Adolf, whose generous donation makes up a key part of the collections. 

We will have a brief tour of the Museum with Michel Lee, Curator of the China and Korea collections, followed by time to revisit the exhibitions at your own pace. Then split into smaller groups of no more than 10 for a special session (to be confirmed) to view objects from the Janse East Asian collections of archaeological finds from northern Vietnam.

ABOUT OLOV JANSE

Professor Robert Ture Olov Janse (1892 Sweden – 1985 U.S.) was a Swedish archaeologist. He is notable for his excavation work at Đông Sơn between 1935 and 1939. Though he originally argued a viewpoint for the European origins of Bronze Age culture in Vietnam, he reversed himself in support of Chinese origins after he started excavations at Đông Sơn.  Janse is characterized as having introduced order into the research of the history of archaeology in Mainland Southeast Asia. In 2002, the antiquities donated by his widow, Renee Janse, became the Olov and Renee Jansen Memorial Fund. The Jansen East Asian collections held today include the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm, the Musée Cernuschi in Paris, the Musée du Louvre in Paris, and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

12:45ish Lunch. Options include:

§ Café East Asian at the Östasiatiskamuseet (11 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.)

§ Restaurant at Moderna Museet (11 a.m. – 5 p.m.) – located next door

§ Cafe Blom next to ArkDes and the Picasso Garden

Free time to visit the Moderna Museet and / or ArkDes (a museum of Swedish architecture and design) on your own.

3:00 p.m. Depart by ride-share service to the Ethnografiska Museet.

Östasiatiskamuseet to Ethnografiska Museet: 15 min. by car

3:30-5 p.m. Visit the Ethnografiska Museet (Museum of Ethnography).

WEB:  https://www.etnografiskamuseet.se/

ADDRESS: Djurgårdsbrunnsvägen 34; 102 52 Stockholm

Opened in 1900, its collections date back to the natural history ‘cabinets’ of the 17th century. The museum also features objects that were collected during 18th-century expeditions, as well as the results of the 19th century's round-the-world sailing trips and Sven Hedin's expeditions in the early 20th century. In addition, countless missionaries, diplomats and private individuals have donated objects to the collections. You can see much of this in the museum's permanent exhibitions, particularly in the open storage (Magasinet: An Ethnographic Treasury) that features over 6,000 objects on display.

A Collections Manager will show finds from Tibet, Mongolia and Xinjiang made by Sven Hedin, as well as material at this location from the Olov Janse expedition to Vietnam.

ABOUT SVEN HEDIN:

Sven Anders Hedin (19 February 1865 – 26 November 1952) was a Swedish geographer, topographer, explorer, photographer, travel writer and illustrator of his own works. During four expeditions to Central Asia, he made the Transhimalaya known in the West and located sources of the Brahmaputra, Indus and Sutlej Rivers. He also mapped lake Lop Nur, and the remains of cities, grave sites and the Great Wall of China in the deserts of the Tarim Basin. In his book Från pol till pol (From Pole to Pole), Hedin describes a journey through Asia and Europe between the late 1880s and the early 1900s. While traveling, Hedin visited Turkey, the Caucasus, Tehran, Iraq, lands of the Kyrgyz people and the Russian Far East, India, China and Japan. The posthumous publication of his Central Asia Atlas marked the conclusion of his life's work.

On 29 October 1952, Hedin's will granted the rights to his books and his extensive personal effects to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences; the Sven Hedin Foundation established soon thereafter holds all the rights of ownership. The finds from Tibet, Mongolia and Xinjiang are, among other places, in Stockholm in the Ethnographic Museum (some 8,000 individual items), in the Institutes of Geology, Minearology and Paleontology of the Uppsala University, in the depots of the Bavarian State Collection of Paleontology and Geology in Munich, and in the National Museum of China, Beijing.

Possible visit to the Japanese teahouse Zui-Ki-Tei, located in a scenic location in the museum's park close to the Djurgård Canal. The house is surrounded by a garden shaped based on the tea master Sen no Rikyu's (1522-1591) ideal of the beauty of ultimate simplicity. Various events are held in the house, including tea ceremonies.

https://www.etnografiskamuseet.se/besok/tehuset/

5:00 p.m. Return to the hotel by taxi or ride-share service.(10-15 minutes by car).

Dinner and the evening at leisure.

MEAL INCLUDED:  Breakfast

IMAGE:   Chinese lacquer box and cover. Period: Late 16th century (could be Ming). Design of lychee fruit and leaves. Inside black lacquered. Measurements: D 73mm. Purchased: Bequest of H.M. King Gustaf VI Adolf. 

 This morning we will take a high-speed train from Stockholm to Gothenburg (Gőtenberg), traveling through the beautiful Swedish countryside. The train journey covers 398 km and, reaching the train's maximum speed of 200 km/h (125 mph), it takes only about 3 hours. Business Class seats reserved

9:29 a.m. Depart Stockholm Centralstation on train #427

12:35 p.m. Arrive Gothenburg Centralstation

Lunch On board (at additional cost) or at the hotel

Walk from Gothenburg Centralstation to the Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel 

(3 min. on foot) and check in for one night.

ADDRESS: Södra Hamngatan 59, Box 288, 401 24 Göteborg

WEB: https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-blu-gothenburg-scandinavia

RESERVED: Superior rooms for double and single use

2:00 p.m. Depart the hotel to the Rohsskamuseet (14 min., 1 km on foot; or 8 min. by car).

2:30 p.m. Visit at the Rőhsskamuseet with a curator-guided tour of galleries featuring Chinese and Japanese craft, as well as a display of Swedish craft and design from the 20th century which has been inspired by Asian art.  We will also learn about the origin of the collection and the work that went into creating the exhibition.

ADDRESS: Vasagatan 39 (Gőtenberg University) 

WEB: rohsska.se

The Röhsska Museum opened in 1916 and is the only museum in Sweden specializing in design and craft.  

Röhsska also has one of Europe’s oldest museum collections of Chinese crafts, representing a truly unique snapshot of China’s applied arts history. The oldest objects in the collection are vessels from the Banshan tombs from 2500 BC. The Chinese collection originates in the early 1900s, when the Röhsska Museum commissioned an expedition to China to acquire objects, led by the Swedish adventurer and botanist Thorild Wulff.

For centuries, East Asian crafts have been an important source of inspiration in the Nordic countries, especially older objects from Japan and China. Ever since the Röhsska Museum first opened in 1916, applied arts and crafts from East Asia have been shown on the third floor of the museum. The entire floor has now been refurbished into a more accessible and interactive environment, with the addition of Chinese costumes, textiles and other crafted objects.

SPECIAL EXHIBITION (open until September 15th)

Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom 

The exhibition Let a Hundred Flowers Bloom features textile works by Elsa Pärs-Berglund exhibited alongside contemporary artists Shabnam Faraee and Josefin Gäfvert.

Evening and dinner on our own.

MEAL INCLUDED: Breakfast

IMAGE:  Snuff bottles in ceramic at the Röhsska Museum

This morning take a high-speed train from Gothenburg to Copenhagen, a journey of less than 4 hours. Business Class seats reserved

8:40 a.m. Depart Gothenburg Centralstation on train #1063 

12:29 p.m. Arrive Copenhagen Centralstation

Copenhagen is a city of contrasts, with a rich history and culture, stunning architecture, and a vibrant modern scene filled with many museums and art galleries, historic parks and gardens, and streets lined with beautiful buildings. And for those who are interested in architecture, Copenhagen is a city that simply must be seen. From the medieval churches and castles to the modern skyscrapers and bridges, Copenhagen is constantly evolving. And with some of the world’s most cutting-edge architects working in the city, Copenhagen is sure to continue to surprise and delight visitors for years to come. In fact, architecture is one of the main reasons why you’re sure to love this city — Copenhagen was recently nominated as a UNESCO World Capital of Architecture and celebrated with events throughout 2023. 

Upon arrival, transfer to Hotel Sankt Petri (4*) and check in for three nights.

ADDRESS: Krystalgade 22, 1172 Copenhagen

WEB: www.sktpetri.com

RESERVED: City King or Twin Rooms for double and single use

Originally a department store, today a Copenhagen hotel icon, the hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Copenhagen’s Latin Quarter. With its central location, you can easily explore all the main attractions of the city center, such as the Round Tower which is only three minutes away, and the Nørreport transport hub, just five minutes away. The metro station at Nørreport has a direct link to the airport. The recently revamped rooms are spacious and elegant, with high ceilings, large windows, luxurious furnishings, and tech amenities.

NOTE: The hotel is undergoing renovation during the day on week days.

NOTE: The hotel’s restaurant is open for breakfast only (M-F, 6:30-11 a.m.; Sa & Su. 7 a.m.-12 noon), and does not serve lunch or dinner given the plentitude of restaurants nearby. The Petri Bar is open in the evenings (5 p.m. to midnight or 1 a.m.)

After getting settled, depart to The David Collection. 12 min. on foot, 4 min. by car

Lunch:  Consider Orangeriet, just opposite The David (https://www.restaurant-orangeriet.dk/); or any other of the many restaurants in the area.

3:00 p.m. Arrive at The David Collection (Davids Samling), where we will be greeted by Dr. Joachim Meyer, Museum Director, and one or two curators for a guided tour of the Islamic collection (60-70 minutes). Time on your own to see the special exhibition about Islamic calligraphy and to explore the rest of the museum. 

www.davidmus.dk 

https://www.davidmus.dk/islamic-art 

ADDRESS: Kronprinsessegade 30-32, 1306 Copenhagen 

The Collection of Islamic Art is the museum’s largest. In C. L. David’s day, it consisted of a small selection of medieval ceramics from the Middle East and a few textiles. Now the collection covers virtually the entire classical Islamic world, from Spain in the west to India in the east, and spans the period from the 7th to the 19th century, with all artistic media represented. The Collection of Islamic Art is by far the largest of its kind in Scandinavia and is among the ten most important in the Western world.

5:00 p.m. Depart The David and return to the hotel (12 min. on foot).

The evening and dinner are on your own. A List of Suggested Restaurants will be provided.

Consider visiting Tivoli Gardens after dark, when it is at its most magical! This is more than just an historic and world-famous amusement park – stroll through garden landscapes past exotic architecture and historic buildings, lit after dark by thousands of sparkling lamps that create a luminous atmosphere that is quite unique.

One entrance ticket per person per visit is included in the Tour Price. It is not date specific, so you can use it any time including on Friday night when the price includes a rock concert at 10 p.m. Note: There are fireworks at night on Saturdays, another good time to visit!

Dining in Tivoli Gardens: https://www.tivoli.dk/en/mad-og-drikke/spisesteder

Among sights to see in Tivoli Gardens:

· The Pantomime Theater for free pantomime shows

· The Tivoli Guard Boys stars boys age 9 – 16 who perform music at the park

· Tivoli Aquarium – located below ground level inside The Concert Hall, entrance is at extra charge.

· Amusement Arcades – extra charge.

· Tivoli Jackpot – cash prizes, extra charge.

· Tivoli Festival – takes place from 14 May to 8 September and features more than 50 different events that include opera shows, symphony concerts, chamber music, pop and rock artists, and much more. On Fridays at 10 pm there is a weekly rock concert under the banner Friday Rock.

https://www.tivoli.dk/en/billetter-og-tivolikort/entre

· Concert Hall – there has been a concert hall at the park since day one; the current concert hall was built in 1956 and seats 1660 guests. It was renovated in 1985 and the Rotunda was added then. Extra charge music concerts and shows.

· Glass Hall Theater – The current Glass Hall was built in 1946, following the destruction of the old one in 1944 during the Nazi occupation of Denmark. the hall features all kinds of music events as well as theater shows for kids. Extra charge.

· The Harmony Pavilion – occasionally music performances throughout the year and special events.

· Open Air Stage – this open-air stage hosts both music performances and other kind of shows.

· Promenade Pavilion – occasionally music performances throughout the year and special events.

MEAL INCLUDED: Breakfast

IMAGE:   Miniature pasted on an album sheet. "Lovers in a landscape"

India, Lucknow; 1760-70The miniature: 22.2 × 15.2 cm. Inventory number 50/1981.  Courtesy of The David Collection

This morning we will visit the National Museum of Denmark (Nationalmuseet) for a guided tour of the Asian collections. There will be time to view other galleries on your own. The Nationalmuseet also houses an impressive collection of artifacts from all over Denmark including Viking relics, ancient coins, and furniture pieces from different periods.

The balance of the day is at leisure. Consider:

Explore Nyhavn — The picturesque harbor area is one of Copenhagen’s most popular tourist spots. It’s lined with colorful buildings and boats, making it a great spot for taking photos or just relaxing by the water.

Visit Norhavn – Norhavn has been converted from docks and warehouses to blissful boardwalks and awesome architectural gems in recent years. In warmer weather, you’ll see locals flock to those boardwalks, and in any weather you’ll see them swimming in a harbor that has been rigorously cleaned over the past 20 years. 

Take a stroll through Strøget — This pedestrian street is home to many shops and cafes, as well as some of Copenhagen’s most iconic landmarks such as City Hall Square and Rundetårn (Round Tower). It’s also a great place to people-watch.

Check out Rosenborg Castle — The 17th-century castle is home to some amazing artworks and artifacts from Denmark’s royal past. You can explore the castle grounds or take part in one of their guided tours.

Visit the Danish Architecture Center -- Here some of Copenhagen’s buildings have been reproduced in model form. 

Taking a boat tour through the harbor and canals – Perhaps the best way to see the city, a boat tour passes many of Copenhagen’s key sights, and with some of the tours include an audio guide. The rows of colorful houses that line the waterways are just the start, whether you’re on a bigger tour boat or decide to do the work yourself and kayak. Special tours are scheduled when citywide events take place.

Admire The Little Mermaid Statue — One of Copenhagen’s most iconic landmarks, this bronze statue was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s famous fairytale character and has become a symbol of the city itself.

Go shopping at Magasin du Nord — If you’re looking for some retail therapy during your trip then head over to Magasin du Nord which is one of Scandinavia’s largest department stores with everything from fashion items to electronics available here.

Visit the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art -- If you purchase a Copenhagen Card, then you can travel for free on the 27-minute journey from Oosterport to Humblaek, from where it’s then just a 12-minute walk to this popular museum. The museum contains works by famous modern and contemporary artists, outside is a peaceful sculpture garden overlooking the sea. 

Don't forget the fireworks display at Tivoli Gardens, every Saturday night!

The evening is on your own.

MEAL INLCUDED:  Breakfast

IMAGE:  Object from the Asian galleries at the National Museum

Visit Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, where the private art collection of Carl Jacobsen (1842–1914), the son of the founder of the Carlsberg Breweries, is housed in a monumental building that is a work of art in its own right. Primarily a sculpture museum, as indicated by the name, the focal point of the museum is antique sculpture from the ancient cultures around the Mediterranean, including Egypt, Rome and Greece, as well as more modern sculptures such as a collection of August Rodin's works, considered to be the most important outside France. However, the museum is equally noted for its collection of paintings that includes an extensive collection of French impressionists and Post-impressionists as well as Danish Golden Age paintings.

We will have a tour that focuses primarily on the Egyptian Collection, which is comprised of more than 1,900 pieces, dating from 3000 BCE to the 1st century CE. It was founded in 1882 when Carl Jacobsen made his first Egyptian acquisition, a sarcophagus purchased from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.  Many of the objects in the collection were augmented when the Ny Carlsberg Foundation sponsored excavations in Egypt in the beginning of the 20th century led by the English Egyptologist W. M. F. Petrie. The holdings include several mummies, displayed in a crypt-like gallery below the normal galleries.

The balance of the day is at leisure to continue exploring Copenhagen on your own.

Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner at one of Copenhagen’s top-rated restaurants.

MEALS INCLUDE: Breakfast, Dinner

IMAGE:  Derail from a painted sarcophagus at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek

The tour officially ends. We say farvel and adjő to Scandinavia as we catch our flights home.

MEAL INCLUDED: Breakfast

IMAGE:  Fireworks over the Chinese Pavilion at Tivoli Gardens