Our Scandinavian itinerary traces a path through Finland, Sweden, and Denmark—each distinct yet deeply connected by nature, heritage, and design.
Begin in Helsinki, where neoclassical elegance blends with contemporary calm, then cross to Stockholm to wander medieval alleys, cruise its island-dotted archipelago, and immerse yourself in Swedish craftsmanship and fika culture. In Copenhagen, your final chapter unfolds among castles, cutting-edge design, and easy coastal charm.
With a private guide and seamless travel throughout, this itinerary offers not just highlights—but a rhythm, a mood, and a memory of the true North.
Destinations on Your 10-Day Helsinki, Stockholm & Copenhagen Private Tour
Day 1: Helsinki – City walking tour, Senate Square, Rock Church & Oodi Library
Day 2: Helsinki – Design District exploration, Iittala & Marimekko, Suomenlinna Sea Fortress
Day 3: Porvoo – Guided Old Town tour, artisan shops, forest walk & wild food tasting
Day 4: Stockholm – Gamla Stan walking tour, Royal Palace, Vasa Museum & Djurgården
Day 5: Stockholm – Södermalm lifestyle walk with Fika, a private archipelago boat charter
Day 6: Drottningholm – Palace visit, Skansen or Nordic Museum, evening transfer to Copenhagen
Day 7: Copenhagen – Nyhavn, Amalienborg Palace, Little Mermaid & smørrebrød tasting tour
Day 8: Copenhagen – Rosenborg Castle, royal treasures, modern architecture & design by bike
Day 10: Copenhagen – Private transfer to the airport
Day 1: Arrival in Helsinki – Nordic Calm & Culinary First Impressions
Begin your Scandinavian journey in Finland’s stylish capital, where design meets nature and history unfolds along quiet Baltic boulevards.
City Icons & Architectural Balance
After arrival, your private guide welcomes you for an insightful exploration of Helsinki’s heart.
Walk the neoclassical symmetry of Senate Square, where pale stone buildings glow in the northern light, before entering the famed Temppeliaukio—or Rock Church—carved directly into granite.
At the striking Oodi Library, marvel at a space that feels more like a civic cathedral than a public building, where books, light, and minimalist wood design invite you to slow down.
Tastes of the Baltic North
Later in the day, immerse yourself in Finland’s food culture on a guided tasting walk through the historic Old Market Hall.
Beneath its timbered arches and warm lighting, sample smoked fish, creamy salmon soup, reindeer charcuterie, and sweet rye pastries as your guide explains the deep connection between Finnish cuisine and the forest, the sea, and the seasons.
Day 2: Helsinki Design District & Maritime Heritage
Discover how Finland’s design heritage shapes everyday life—from handcrafted glassware to centuries-old fortresses set upon sea-swept islands.
Design District Exploration
This morning’s private walking tour leads you through the creative heart of Helsinki.
In the Design District, your guide introduces you to the elegant minimalism of Finnish brands like Iittala and Marimekko alongside up-and-coming local studios and galleries. Each storefront tells a story—of craftsmanship, quiet innovation, and a national pride that values beauty in simplicity.
Suomenlinna Sea Fortress by Ferry
In the afternoon, hop aboard a ferry for a short ride to Suomenlinna, a UNESCO-listed sea fortress built across a cluster of islands.
With your guide, explore cobblestone paths, old artillery posts, and windswept lookouts, uncovering how this military outpost has evolved into one of Helsinki’s most beloved cultural sites.
Pause for coffee and pastries at a local café tucked between stone walls and seagrass before returning to the mainland by early evening.
Day 3: Porvoo – Painted Houses, Wild Forests & Farewell to Finland
Today is a poetic farewell to Finland—a day of old towns, forest air, and foraged flavors before crossing the Baltic to your next Nordic chapter.
Porvoo Old Town & Artisan Traditions
Travel eastward to the riverside town of Porvoo, one of Finland’s oldest settlements.
With your local guide, wander cobbled streets lined with painted wooden houses, visit artisan shops filled with handmade candles, books, and chocolates, and hear how poets, painters, and traders once shaped this quietly magical place.
Forest Walk & Wild Food Tasting
In the nearby woods, join a nature guide for a forest walk attuned to the senses. Depending on the season, you may forage berries or wild herbs or simply breathe in the scent of spruce and earth while enjoying a rustic picnic with regional flavors.
It’s a moment of stillness and connection, a final taste of Finland’s deep bond with nature.
Later in the day, return to Helsinki and transfer to the ferry terminal or airport for your evening departure to Stockholm—ready to greet Sweden with a heart full of Finnish calm and quiet wonder.
Day 4: Stockholm – Royal History & Seafaring Legends
Arrive in Sweden’s capital and step into a living tapestry of medieval alleyways, elegant palaces, and bold maritime stories.
Gamla Stan & The Royal Quarter
Begin your Stockholm experience in Gamla Stan, the city’s atmospheric Old Town, where golden-hued buildings lean into cobbled lanes and centuries of history echo in every stone.
Your private guide leads you through narrow passages and into Stortorget Square before arriving at the Royal Palace. Inside, explore the opulent halls and ceremonial rooms that continue to host royal functions today while your guide weaves together tales of Swedish kings, queens, and dramatic turning points in the nation’s past.
Vasa & Djurgården Cultural Walk
In the afternoon, continue to Djurgården Island, where leafy paths and museums dot Stockholm’s cultural heart.
At the Vasa Museum, witness the awe-inspiring remains of a 17th-century warship—painstakingly preserved and presented like a ghost from the deep.
Afterward, enjoy a leisurely walk with your guide through the park-like island, passing stately buildings, gardens, and water views that reflect Sweden’s balance between culture and nature.
Day 5: Södermalm Vibes & Archipelago Horizons
Experience the layered spirit of Stockholm today—from the artistic edge of Södermalm to the quiet beauty of the archipelago beyond the city.
Swedish Lifestyle in Södermalm
Begin your morning in Södermalm, the city’s effortlessly cool district known for creativity and community.
With your guide, explore independent boutiques, vibrant street art, and historic courtyards, stopping for fika, the beloved Swedish ritual of coffee and cake break, at a local café where conversation flows as easily as the cardamom-scented air.
Private Boat Cruise through the Archipelago
Later, step aboard your privately chartered boat for an unforgettable half-day cruise through the Stockholm Archipelago.
As your skipper and guide navigate among the region’s 30,000 islands, you’ll pass pine-covered islets, summer cottages, and quiet stretches of open water. Stop for a relaxed waterside lunch, perhaps at a charming island café or a secluded bay where time feels suspended. This is where Stockholm breathes—and invites you to breathe with it.
Day 6: Palaces, Folk Traditions & Farewell to Sweden
Before departing Sweden, immerse yourself in its royal heritage and cultural traditions, where opulence meets the everyday past.
Drottningholm Palace & Gardens
Travel just outside the city for a guided visit to Drottningholm Palace, the official residence of the Swedish royal family and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wander through manicured gardens and ornate rooms filled with tapestries, portraits, and polished parquet floors. Your guide reveals both the ceremonial and personal layers of palace life, from courtly rituals to summertime retreats.
Nordic Traditions at Skansen or the Nordic Museum
In the afternoon, choose between two enriching experiences.
At Skansen, the world’s first open-air museum, stroll through historic wooden farmhouses, glass workshops, and old townhouses while watching traditional crafts come to life.
Alternatively, visit the Nordic Museum with your guide to explore deeper cultural themes, including folk dress, seasonal festivals, and the quiet endurance of Nordic identity through centuries of change.
As evening falls, transfer to the airport for a short flight—or to the harbor for an overnight ferry—bound for Copenhagen, ready to begin the final chapter of your Nordic journey.
Day 7: Copenhagen – Canals, Color & Nordic Flavors
Arrive in Denmark’s capital, where royal charm, waterfront life, and a flair for design unfold at a welcoming, human scale.
Copenhagen Highlights Tour
Your private guide meets you for an orientation through Copenhagen’s most beloved sites, beginning at Nyhavn, where brightly painted townhouses reflect off canal waters and historic ships sway gently at their moorings.
Walk onward to Amalienborg Palace to witness the Danish Royal Guard and learn about the world’s oldest monarchy still in operation.
Then, continue to the iconic Little Mermaid statue—quiet, poetic, and surprisingly understated—before winding through cobbled streets to charming neighborhoods alive with cyclists and café chatter.
Danish Food Tasting & Smørrebrød Culture
In the afternoon, dive into Denmark’s culinary identity with a privately guided food walk.
Sample creamy cheeses, pickled herring, and crisp rye-based smørrebrød in traditional and modern forms. As your guide shares the origins of these dishes and the evolution of the New Nordic food movement, you’ll gain insight into how the Danish palate mirrors its design ethos: clean, balanced, and deeply rooted in place.
Day 8: Royal Treasures & Future-Facing Design
Today, Denmark’s royal past is contrasted with its bold embrace of modern aesthetics and urban planning.
Rosenborg Castle & Royal Jewels
Step into the Renaissance jewel box that is Rosenborg Castle built as a summer home for King Christian IV.
With your private guide, explore rooms adorned with intricate tapestries, ornate furnishings, and the legendary Crown Jewels housed beneath vaulted ceilings that shimmer with historic significance.
Stories of Denmark’s golden age come to life as you move from hall to garden, with each corner reflecting royal artistry and ambition.
Contemporary Design by Bike
Later, discover the modern face of Copenhagen on two wheels.
Join your guide for a privately guided cycling tour through neighborhoods like Ørestad and Refshaleøen, where cutting-edge architecture rises from former industrial zones and canals sparkle beside glass-fronted buildings.
Visit landmark projects by BIG and other renowned Danish firms while pausing at cafés and waterfront parks that embody the city’s effortless blend of sustainability, creativity, and community life.
Day 9: Castles & Coastal Culture Beyond the City
Step outside Copenhagen today for a journey into Denmark’s historic heart and coastal creativity.
North Zealand Castle Tour
With your private driver-guide, travel north to the elegant region of North Zealand.
Explore Frederiksborg Castle, a fairytale-worthy palace surrounded by lakes and manicured gardens, home to Denmark’s Museum of National History. Then continue to Kronborg Castle, perched dramatically on the Øresund strait—the setting for Shakespeare’s Hamlet and a symbol of Danish resilience and naval power.
Art & Atmosphere at Louisiana or Coastal Villages
In the afternoon, choose your perfect closing experience.
Art lovers can visit the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, situated on a clifftop with stunning sea views and a world-class collection, all set within a minimalist architectural setting. Alternatively, visit a nearby coastal village, where thatched cottages, boutique shops, and sea breezes invite you to slow down and savor your final hours in Denmark.
Day 10: Farewell to Scandinavia
Your private transfer brings you to the airport with ample time to depart, carrying home memories of fjords, forests, castles, saunas, and slow-brewed Nordic moments—an unforgettable trio of countries experienced deeply, personally, and entirely at your pace.
