Throwback to Scandinavia 2013. We toured the Golden Circle and spent our last days in Iceland before heading home. Here is one final wrap up of my Scandinavian adventure

Scandinavian Wrap Up

At the time, this was the longest and most eagerly anticipated trip I had embarked on. When all was said and done, we were on the road for over a month and had visited five countries. I always wanted to visit the northern European countries because of the mix of modern culture, style and design. I was not disappointed and fell in love with this region. To this day it remains very high on my list of places that I would want to revisit OR even live.

Additionally, this was the most ambitious sibling trip my sister and I had ever taken. The multi-city/country/transport/lodging/activity itinerary could have strained many relationships, but it served only to strengthen ours. It was such a blessing to travel with her! There’s something to be said about going places with someone whom you’re completely comfortable with having known them all your life. In a way, it served to amplify the experiences in each place.

If you’re interested in reading about the whole trip, you can find it here.

Highlights

Summarizing such a trip is always hard. I picked out a few things that truly stood out to me.

Copenhagen

I had no expectations when we arrived in Copenhagen, I assumed it was a modern European city and that was it. However what I found was a city full of amazing character! Maybe it was also because it was our first Scandinavian experience, I fell in love with the architecture, the rich history and the sense of “chill” that I picked up on while here. Of note were the museums that we visited, the places we ate, and the very relaxing vibe I got simply strolling through the different streets and waterways.

Noma

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Noma. There’s a bit of a “prestige” feeling when you can say you’ve eaten at the “best restaurant” in the world. I really didn’t know what to expect when we made our reservations. Given its status I thought there may be some pretentiousness when visiting, but all that went out the window even before we got to the door. We were warmly greeted, treated excellently and served a meal that was worthy of this restaurant’s accolades. The food was true to its Scandinavian roots, and extremely imaginative and creative. It’s a dining experience I will not soon forget.

Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)

Our hike up to Pulpit Rock was probably the most “active” we got during our trip. But it was just fun to do. The hike wasn’t difficult and we were treated to a variety of terrains and views. At the end we were rewarded with an iconic view of the Norwegian Fjords, while sitting atop one of the most unique looking rock formations I’d ever seen. I enjoy hikes and I was super glad I had the opportunity to do this one.

Stockholm

I can’t really pinpoint one thing I enjoyed the most about the city of Stockholm (though push come to shove, I’d probably say IKEA!), but as a whole I really enjoyed the days we spent here. I think the best way (for me) to describe why I loved it so much was it “felt like home”. Its a beautiful city laid out over a number of waterways, with lots of park space, historic buildings, great food and amazing culture. My sister and I (after the touristy things were done) spent a lot of time simply strolling and enjoying the different neighbourhoods this city had to offer. I remember saying that of all the places I’ve travelled, I really could see myself living in a place like Stockholm long term.

Iceland (All of it!)

Just like Stockholm, I really couldn’t nail down one thing in Iceland that I wanted to highlight because ALL of it was amazing. Iceland is simply BEAUTIFUL! The amount of pure natural beauty this little country boasts is immense and of all the places that I visited, this one is the one I want to revisit the most. As I wrote the different posts for this portion of my trip, I found that I was fairly regretful about the things I didn’t get to do or try. This was at the end of a very long trip and at this point we were a bit “travelled out” so there were times where we opted to relax vs adventure. That being said, Iceland is easier to get to from Vancouver and so I’ve already got a few trip ideas in mind that include this wonderful place.

Scandinavian Food

I couldn’t wrap up without mentioning the food of this region. It’s not for everyone, but for me it really struck a chord. I love seafood, I love simple dishes and I love the creativity that goes into these servings. From our first meal in Copenhagen, to our last in Iceland, I LOVED IT ALL. Often times my memories of the things that went into my belly more than the things I see!