ADVENTURES IN Scandinavia September 8– 21, 2021 Hosted by John & Lynda Witte From magical town squares to mighty mountain ranges, Scandinavia never ceases to amaze in all its majestic splendor. Join John and Lynda Witte on a spectacular tour through this beautiful European region. From charming Copenhagen to sleek and sophisticated Stockholm and from innovative Oslo to scenic Bergen — Your Hosts Johannes and Lynda Witte with breathtaking nature between Passionate about expanding their own horizons and those of every leg of the journey — this tour is others, Johannes (John) and Lynda Witte have been leading tour groups to destinations in North and South America, Europe, bound to impress, inspire and imprint a Africa, and Asia since 1985. Both former educators, Lynda lasting chapter in your life. became an at-home mother after leaving education, and John joined Witte Travel & Tours as a group sales consultant and tour leader. They are parents of five children and 15 grandchildren. Tour Cost John and Lynda’s knowledge and experience have earned them a $6,635 per person reputation as top-notch tour leaders. Group members appreciate from Grand Rapids, based on double occupancy the way they cater to each individual’s needs and interests. They especially enjoy leading small groups. Register online at bookings.wittetravel.com John & Lynda Witte | 616.304.0504 | [email protected] use booking code 090821WITT MODERATE – Activity levels vary or complete and return the printed registration form. from day to day. Sightseeing is often a brisk walk over distances of several miles on cobblestone streets and uneven ground. *See Terms and Conditions for more details. SEPTEMBER 2021 9, Thursday 10, Friday Arrival, Copenhagen Copenhagen 8, Wednesday Departure Good morning! After a change Now that we’ve had a good royal residence. We’ll also of planes in Europe, we’ll night’s sleep, we’re ready have a glimpse of Rosenborg Today we meet at the airport continue to Kastrup Airport to see more of the Danish Palace, the spring and autumn for our overnight flights to on Sjælland, the largest of capital. Our local guide will residence of the royal family. Scandinavia. Denmark’s many islands. show us several sites including In the afternoon we’ll be Following customs formalities, Grundtvig’s Church, one of “set free” on the Strøget. we’ll meet our tour manager the most beautiful sights in This delightful, pedestrian- and transfer into Copenhagen. Copenhagen. The massive only district is a series of We’ll have time to get a bite to yellow brick church, which short streets running into one eat and stretch our legs in the boasts one of the largest another and lined with lovely Nyhavn – New Harbor – area. organs in Scandinavia, is shops and friendly cafés. For Once the domain of sailors and often used for concerts and the evening, we recommend shady characters, this colorful recitals. We’ll also see Town heading for Tivoli Amusement waterfront district is now one Hall square, dominated by the Park. A favorite meeting place of the city’s top attractions. The Town Hall with its 350-foot-high for Copenhageners and visitors famous Danish writer, Hans tower. We’ll then proceed via from around the world, Tivoli’s Christian Andersen, lived and Christiansborg Palace – seat of attractions include concerts, worked in Nyhavn for many the Danish Parliament – to the variety shows, pantomime and years. Of course, we’ll see the Thorvaldsen Museum with its restaurants. (B) statue of Andersen’s beloved collection of the work of the Little Mermaid. After a break great Danish sculptor, Bertel for lunch, we’ll enjoy a fun and Thorvaldsen. A tour of the informative harbor cruise. Then museum is followed by a drive we’ll check in at our hotel with via Charlottenborg Palace to time to rest before dinner is Amalienborg Palace, the official Aurlandsfjord, Norway served. (B – in flight, D) Nyhvan, Copenhagen, Denmark Cover: Bergen, Norway 11, Saturday 12, Sunday 13, Monday buildings have been brought Copenhagen > Jönköping > Stockholm from all over the country and reassembled. Grab a quick Jönköping, Sweden Stockholm This morning we’ll board our bite in the self-service café or This morning we’ll travel Let’s “hit the road” this private motorcoach and drive something more substantial northward to Helsingør, morning for our northeasterly into the city center. After at one of the museum’s Denmark’s oldest town and drive via Linköping, Norrköping picking up our local guide, restaurants. Then set off on the site of the world-famous and Nyköping. We are, of we’ll visit the Stadhuset— a fascinating walk through Kronborg Castle, the fictional course, headed for Stockholm, Stockholm’s City Hall. Our tour Swedish history. Late this setting of Shakespeare’s which lies on a string of 14 includes the dazzling Blue Hall afternoon, we’ll transfer back Hamlet. Kronborg was built at islands where the fresh waters and the Golden Room with its to the hotel, where we’ll enjoy the narrowest point between of Lake Mälaren meet the salty stunning gold-leaf and glass another wonderful dinner. (B, D) Denmark and Sweden to exact Baltic Sea. Arriving at midday, mosaic. Then it’s on to the tolls from passing ships. Deep we’ll have time to get a bite Vasamuseet, which was built inside the fortified walls of to eat. Next on our agenda is to house the Vasa. Intended to Kronborg, we’ll find a ghostly the Royal Canal Tour, a short, be the most powerful warship statue of a powerful Viking guided cruise from Strömkajen ever, the Vasa was launched hero, Holger Dansk. Legend along the shady canals and in 1628. Within minutes, the has it that, if Denmark is the shores of the Baltic. What great ship tipped over and threatened, this sleeping giant better way to gain a sense of sank. For more than 300 years, will come to life to save the the amazing Swedish capital! it lay at the bottom of the sea country. After our tour of the Then we’ll get settled at our until it was salvaged in 1961. castle, we’ll ferry across the hotel and have a traditional Now completely restored, the Øresund to the busy port city smörgåsbord dinner. (B, D) majestic Vasa can be admired of Helsingborg, Sweden. From from a series of galleries. At here we’ll travel east and north midday, we’ll head for Skansen, to Lake Vättern. We’ll have the world’s oldest open-air dinner and spend the night in museum, where a variety of the lovely town of Jönköping. authentic dwellings and other (B, D) Stockholm, Sweden Akershus Festning, Oslo, Norway 14, Tuesday 15, Wednesday this impressive fortress has Stockholm > Karlstad > Oslo become a national symbol and is still the venue for official Karlstad On the road again, we’ll travel functions. Our local guide will This morning we’ll travel into into Norway. We plan to be also walk us through Frogner the city center. There will be in the enchanted capital city, Park, a truly extraordinary sight free time to shop for Swedish Oslo, by early afternoon. After comprised of 150 sculpture handcrafts and souvenirs. You time for lunch, we’ll drive up groups by Gustav Vigeland. can also walk through Gamla to the Holmenkollen, a hill that The afternoon will be at leisure Stan, the Old Town, which is affords a lovely view over Oslo to shop in and around the situated on three little islands and its fjord. Then we’ll get bustling Karl Johans gate, one in the center of the city. settled at our hotel for dinner of the best-known streets This picturesque area boasts and a two-night stay. (B, D) in the city. There are also buildings from the 1200s to 16, Thursday several compelling museums the 1600s, clustering along in Oslo, among them the narrow, cobblestone streets. Oslo Ibsen Museum (housed in The narrowest of all, Mårten Our formal introduction to the renowned dramatist’s Trotzig’s Alley, is only three feet Oslo includes a visit to the apartment) and the Munch wide. It’s also in Gamla Stan Rådhuset—Town Hall, a tall, Museum. The prolific but that we’ll see the 13th-century red brick building lavishly troubled artist Edward Munch Storkyrkan, Stockholm’s Great decorated by Norway’s leading (The Scream is probably his Church, and the Royal Palace. painters and sculptors. Every most famous painting) left all Then, we’ll drive almost due year on December 10, the his paintings, drawings and west, passing Bofors, the site Nobel Peace Prize award letters to the city. (B) of Alfred Nobel’s ammunition ceremony takes place here. factory, to reach Lake Vänern. We will also visit Akershus We’ll make our home in Festning. Originally built as the Karlstad on the northern shore royal residence and later used of this vast and beautiful lake. as the seat of government, (B, D) 17, Friday 18, Saturday 19, Sunday we’ll pick up our motorcoach Oslo > Lillehammer Lillehammer > Sogndal > Bergen and continue to Bergen. Called the “gateway to the We’ll spend part of the morning Sogndal Another “red letter” day fjords,” Bergen is a captivating exploring Norway’s long Our travels today will take us lies ahead! First off, we’ll city with a cluster of brightly maritime history at the Bygdøy through a less-traveled and drive to Kaupanger where painted houses nestled Peninsula, which is located marvelously scenic part of we board a ferry for a cruise between the harbor and just outside Oslo. Here we’ll Norway. Be sure to have your on the Sognefjord and the surrounding mountains.