Finland & Iceland
Finland & Iceland With optional extension trip to Greenland July 13 - 27, 2016 Tour leader: Robert Veel Finland & Iceland Overview This 15-day tour captures the essence of two remarkable Nordic countries, Finland and Iceland. Each is highly distinctive and very different from mainstream European culture. Both offer a compelling amalgam of mythology, history, outstanding natural scenery, art, architecture and design. First and foremost, it is the natural beauty of Finland and Iceland that attracts visitors – forests, lakes, thousands of kilometres of pristine coastline in Finland, and the wild landscape of Iceland, with lava fields, long stretches of remote coastline, glaciers and many active volcanoes. Nature is ever present in Nordic culture: in Norse and Finnish myths and legends, in the painting of the Finnish school, in the music of Jean Sibelius, in the decorative flourishes of Art Nouveau architecture, in the natural timbers of Scandinavian design and in the spectacular northern school of modern and contemporary architecture. History, myth and nature are also used to create national identity in both countries. For the Finns it is the image of the independent, practical Karelian peasant, celebrated in the literature of the Kalavela and through painting, architecture and music. For Icelanders, it is the Viking sagas, documenting the occupation of Iceland since the tenth century that provide ongoing inspiration for Icelanders and a unique sense of place for visitors. In Finland we explore the history, architecture and design of the capital, Helsinki, before travelling north to the lakes to enjoy an opera at Savonlinna, a 15th-century castle. Our nine days in Iceland include excursions in and around the vibrant capital Reykjavík, the fjords of Akureyri in the north and the outstanding scenery of the Snaefells peninsula.
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