Alumni and Friends Travel Program Alumni Association Along the Viking Trail: May 2017

Program leadership by Eric Dregni Eric Dregni is an associate professor of English and Journalism at Concordia. Dregni’s written 16 books including Vikings in the Attic: In Search of Nordic America, Weird Minnesota, Never Trust a Thin Cook, and By the Waters of Minnetonka. As a Fulbright fellow to , he wrote about the “Norwegian Dream” in In Cod We Trust: Living the Norwegian Dream.

Provisional dates: May 13 - May 24, 2017 Itinerary DAY 1 MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL DEPARTURE Leave on an Icelandair evening flight to Reykjavik, nonstop service with meals available for purchase. DAY 2 REYKJAVIK ARRIVAL Arrive at Reykjavik this morning, with a breakfast before a leisurely soak in the famous Blue Lagoon. After a few hours at the Blue Lagoon, transfer into the city of Reykjavik for a panoramic drive through the city with stops at Hallgrimskirkja Church, Old Town and the harbor area. Arrive at a hotel with central location for check-in, early dinner and overnight. (B,D) DAY 3 REYKJAVIK Capture the essence of this island country exploring the Golden Circle of Iceland. Visit historic Thingvellir, a landmark and the most popular national park in the country where Iceland’s national identity was forged thousands of years ago by peaceful Vikings. See the Queen of Waterfalls, the majestic, dual-folding Gullfoss. At the Geysir hot springs area, marvel at Strokkur geyser which spouts steam every few minutes with amazing force and visit the Geysir Multimedia Museum. Return to Reykjavik hotel for evening free with dinner on own. (B) DAY 4 REYKJAVIK - Transfer to Reykjavik airport for flight to Bergen. Plan for a midday arrival in Bergen with welcome from a Scandinavian tour manager and awaiting motorcoach. Visit to Troldhaugen, the home of the Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg. Walk among the grounds and discover the main house, a small concert hall, the composer’s hut, tomb of Grieg and his wife along with a museum housing belongings and details about his life. Arrive at a hotel located near or in the historic waterfront area of Bryggen, for dinner and overnight. (D) DAY 5 BERGEN Explore historic Bergen on a morning walking tour of the waterfront, the Bryggen. Enterprising merchants and traders in the 12th and 13th centuries brought great wealth, influence and privilege to the city through the Hanseatic League. The League’s lasting influence remains today in the structure of the gabled, parallel buildings that line the wharf and face the sea. Visit both the Hanseatic and Bryggens Museums. Walk by St. Mary’s Church, dating from 1150. Afternoon at leisure. Consider riding the funicular, or Fløibanen, up the steep mountainside for an aerial view of the city and harbor. Dinner on own to try a local restaurant. (B) DAY 6 BERGEN TO Leave Bergen traveling to the Naeroydal Valley stopping at the historic Stalheim Hotel for a breathtaking view from the hotel garden, with time for a coffee break. Continue down the windy Stalheimskleiva Road to Gudvangen. Board a modern fjord ferry for a two-hour cruise on the impressive Aurlands and Nærøyfjord. Arrive in the fjord village of Flåm to board the famous railway which ascends almost 3000 feet in 45 minutes, giving it claim to being the world’s steepest normal-gauge railway. After reaching Myrdal Station, change trains to the railway between Bergen and , considered one of the most scenic in Europe with over 300 bridges, 200 tunnels and 18 miles of snow sheds in 300 miles. Ride the section of this railway into the mountain resort town of Geilo where the motorcoach is waiting for a transfer to hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,D) DAY 7 GEILO TO OSLO Travel into the wild and barren , a mountain plateau above the tree line that provides grazing land for Europe’s largest herd of reindeer. Continue through the historical Numedal Valley where 39 medieval buildings include the . Special arrangements for a visit inside the Stave Church with time for devotions. Drive on to the old silver mining town of , including a visit to the church. Arrive late this afternoon into Oslo and discover the famous sculpture park containing a lifetime of work by Gustav Vigeland, considered Norway’s greatest sculptor. Arrive at a hotel located in central Oslo for check-in, dinner and overnight. (B,D) DAY 8 OSLO Today an exploration of Oslo includes the Resistance Museum located at the medieval Akerhus Castle. The museum documents Norway’s occupation during WWII and presents the story of Norwegians efforts at resistance. On the peninsula of Bygdøy, visit the Viking Ship Museum and view the ships dating to 800AD along with artifacts from the Viking age. Marvel at City Hall’s colorful murals depicting the modern history of Norway and the location from where the Nobel Peace Prize announcement is made annually. When finished in the 1950s, Norway’s leading artists, including Edvard Munch, contributed to the interior artwork. Dinner on your own this evening to try a local restaurant. (B) DAY 9 OSLO TO STOCKHOLM Early morning transfer to the Oslo train station for the day’s first non-stop train to Stockholm, Sweden. Enjoy views of the Swedish countryside and mingle with local Scandinavians and other travelers aboard the train. Early afternoon arrival into Sweden’s capital city where a private motor coach and local guide await the group. Stockholm is comprised of fourteen islands with over two thirds of the city consisting of water, forest or parks. Drive to Djurgarten Island for a visit to Skansen, an open-air history museum depicting Swedish life and culture from the 19th century. Explore the grounds with rebuilt traditional cottages, farms and workshops. End day at the Vasa Ship museum displaying the 200 foot warship that sank on her maiden voyage 400 years ago. The ship was salvaged in 1961 and restored using nearly all original materials. Check into hotel for dinner and overnight in Stockholm. (B,D) DAY 10 STOCKHOLM Begin the morning with a walking tour through the cobblestone streets of Gamla Stan (Old Town) lined with cafes, antique shops, lanterns and museums. View Stockholm’s Cathedral, the Royal Palace, which is the largest castle in the world still in use by a king, and Stortorget Square, the heart of Old Town. Free time for lunch on own. This afternoon, enjoy a leisurely one-hour boat cruise on Lake Malaren to Drottningholm Palace, the former summer residence of the royal family and now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit the magnificently appointed state apartments and linger in the baroque Park and gardens. Return to Stockholm for a late summer evening at leisure with dinner on own to try a local restaurant. (B) DAY 11 STOCKHOLM - UPPSALA EXCURSION After breakfast, travel to Uppsala, about a one-hour drive, for visits to the cathedral, Old Uppsala burial mounds, Dag Hammarskjöld’s grave and the botanical gardens of Carl Linnaeus. Enjoy a group lunch at the Cathedral Cafe and return to Stockholm with the rest of the day at leisure for individual exploration. Farewell dinner this evening at local restaurant. (B,D) DAY 12 STOCKHOLM - RETURN MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL Late morning transfer to Stockholm Arlanda Airport for flight to Reykjavik connecting with a non-stop flight back to Minneapolis/St. Paul. Arrive home in the evening. (B, meals for purchase on Icelandair)

Suggested included meals: B=buffet breakfast, D=dinner

Itinerary is tentative until all travel arrangements are finalized. Learn more about this Some adjustments could be made. unique travel opportunity: Itinerary requires walking on uneven surfaces and steps along with inclines for significant distances and periods during some days. Historic city centers are pedestrian Contact Amanda Och at [email protected] to RSVP. only and visited by foot. AVE.CSP.EDU/TRAVEL2017 Registration for this custom-designed travel program will open in July 2016. Flights are typically not available until approximately 11 months prior to the return date of the program. When flights are confirmed, the program cost will be finalized with details provided in our registration brochure. To receive updates on this travel opportunity, please provide your name and contact information (email address preferred) to Amanda Och at [email protected]. Those on the list will be the first to receive the registration brochure. Questions related to this or other travel opportunities may be directed to Amanda Och at [email protected] or 651-641-8728. Travel programming provided by Seminars International, Inc.

[email protected] 651-641-8728 | 866-476-9277 - Drottningholm Palace Stockholm Alumni Association