Nordic Countries Travel Guide: 1-Week in Lapland, Finland, 2 Days in Stockholm, Sweden and 3 Days in Copenhagen, Denmark

Picture this, you are sitting in a small cabin in the woods on a snowy day. There's a fire burning in the hearth, with a pot of blackcurrant juice heating up over it. You’ve just come inside from the snow, and you shed layers and warm up by the fire with a sweet drink. Not your vibe? No problem. You are in a small coastal city with a group of friends. The sun is shining and the weather is perfect for a picnic, so you pack up your things and you all head to the canal, rent a boat and picnic in the middle of the harbor. Still want more? Okay try this. It’s nearing midnight, and you’ve just woken up from a nap. Your bag is packed by the door while you heat up a drink to put in your thermos. Your phone starts buzzing with alerts, and you look out your window into the sky to see the faintest streak of green light cut across the starry night sky. You grab your things, race to your car and drive just 10 minutes away from town to an open clearing. The sky is ablaze with lights of green, pink, red, and purple. If you like any or all of those things, then check out our Nordic Country Travel Guide, which covers Finland, Stockholm, and Copenhagen. If you want to plan an even longer trip, you can check out our Norway and Faroe Islands Travel Guide!

tIPS FOR vISITING lAPLAND, fINLAND

• Visit near the equinoxes for the perfect mix of having daylight for activities and nighttime for chasing auroras. The spring and fall equinox have higher chances of seeing the northern lights because of the changing magnetic fields. We also found that a lot of hotels had spring specials and discounted rates because some of the activities were closing down for the season. While that did make it a bit trickier to book our reindeer sleigh ride and husky sled activity (we planned our itinerary based on the last availability dates, many of which fell right during our trip), it ended up saving us money and working out perfectly!
• Rent a car. While there were a lot of tourists on busses, we loved the flexibility of having our own car. It allowed us to change activities if needed, go to different restaurants, go grocery shopping, and of course, the most important - drive out to chase the northern lights. All cars are fitted with winter tires so it's not too difficult to drive, but it does help to have some experience driving in the snow. The roads are typically plowed, but oftentimes the lanes are still covered in snow. Make sure to also clean the outside of the car regularly of ice, as it can build up quickly!
• Use contactless card for purchases. All the restaurants and stores we went to accepted contactless, the only time we couldn't use contactless payment was at the gas station. Cash is not needed.

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Tips for Chasing the Aurora in Finland

• ​Download aurora apps. We used My Aurora Forecast, Hello Aurora, Northern Lights Alert, and Aurora Alert Realtime. You can also check the 1-hour forecast online. The night that we saw the most incredible northern lights show was when we saw a KP-index forecast of 5 (other nights it was 2-4).
• Plan your locations according to how much you want to see the northern lights. It's a delicate balance between planning activities and making sure you get to enjoy the trip whether or not you see the northern lights! However, we did notice that the aurora was visible in Levi (through the real time cameras) far more often than it was in the other places we visited (Pyha and Kuusamo).
• Check cloud cover forecasts. While the aurora shows up 200 nights a year in Lapland, most of the time it's covered by clouds! So it's important to check cloud forecasts, and possibly even plan to drive out to a different location to escape the clouds if you really want to chase the aurora. We used Foreca.fi and the Finnish Metereological Institute to check the weather.
• Plan your sleep accordingly. We read that 12-2am was the best time to spot auroras, so we would sleep early and set our alarms. You can also set some apps to alert you even in sleep mode.
• Scout out locations with open views facing north. If you're covered by trees, you won't see anything! We would look for open view locations like lakes on Google Maps so we were prepared in case we needed to drive out last minute.
• Plan your camera settings ahead of time. To avoid rushing to get photos, it's best to research what settings you'll need on your camera so you don't miss it! Auroras also show up much brighter on camera, so looking through your viewfinder can be an easy way to scan the skies.

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tIPS FOR vISITING sTOCKHOLM

• Download the SL app to purchase 24-hour of 72-hour tickets, or use contactless card for individual tickets. If you are using public transportation a lot, buying the 24-hour or 72-hour ticket can save you some money. If you aren't using public transportation a ton, you can just tap your card on the reader to pay for individual tickets. If you want to only use one credit card but have two people, one person can use the physical card and another person can use the card on Apple Pay since Apple Pay generates a different card number.
• To get from the airport to the city center, purchase Arlanda Express tickets (20 minutes to city center) or Flygbussarna bus tickets (50 minutes to city center) online. If you're in a rush, you can use the Arlanda Express which is more expensive but much quicker. We weren't in a rush so we used Flygbussarna. You can load the bus tickets to your mobile wallet and scan them on the bus.
• Use contactless card for purchases. All the restaurants and stores we went to accepted contactless. Cash is not needed.
• If making a purchase over 200 SEK, ask if the store provides a VAT refund receipt. Since VAT (tax) is included in the purchase price, you can save about 13-17% as a tourist as long as you make a single purchase at a single store over 200 SEK. Not all stores offer this service, but it's always good to ask!

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tIPS FOR viSITING coPENHAGEN, dENMARK

• Download the DOT app to purchase a city pass. We purchased the 72-hour city pass. When you buy the pass on the app, it generates a QR code that you can show if asked. What's interesting about Copenhagen's public transportation system is that it's based on an honor system! So you don't need to tap in or out with the city pass, but you may be asked onboard to show proof of ticket.
• To get from the airport to the city center, use the city pass. One of the great things about CPH is that it's only 15 minutes from the city center. You can use the Copenhagen city pass small (zones 1-4) to get to the city without paying any extra fees.
• Use contactless card for purchases. All the restaurants and stores we went to accepted contactless. Cash is not needed.
• Budget more if you're planning on eating out and shopping. We found Copenhagen to be more expensive than Finland and Sweden - a coffee would be about $7, a pastry would be about $6, a meal at a popular restaurant would be about $25-50 per person, or even $100-300 per person for higher end restaurants.
• Allot 15-20 minutes for travelling between locations and lots of walking. Even though we mostly went to tourist locations and booked a hotel near the main station (Kongens Nytorv), we found that travelling within the city still took some time. We almost always still ended up walking 5-15 minutes from the station to where we wanted to go.
• Bring water with you. Some restaurants will charge for water, so it's always best to bring your own. We found that sometimes it was clear on the menu, and other times it was a hidden charge.
• If making a purchase over 300 DKK, ask if the store provides a VAT refund receipt. Since VAT (tax) is included in the purchase price, you can save about 10-19% as a tourist as long as you make a single purchase at a single store over 300 DKK. Not all stores offer this service, but it's always good to ask! We used the Global Blue desk at CPH Terminal 2 to get the refund back to our credit card. There's also a Global Blue desk after security at CPH Terminal 2 as well. The agent may ask you to show the purchases, so don't pack them away in your luggage!

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Day 1 + 2: Levi, Finland

• Stay at least 2 nights at the Northern Lights Ranch
• ​Take advantage of the free activities onsite at Northern Lights Ranch - feed the baby reindeer, borrow snowshoes, take a look into the ice chapel

To start off our trip with a bang, we booked our first two nights at Northern Lights Ranch with half board since they had a great spring discount. Each individual cabin had 3 walls of windows, perfect for seeing the aurora if you were lucky. While we didn't see the aurora the nights we were there, we still loved our stay. The half board package included a delicious buffet breakfast and 3 course meal, all of which were served in view of the baby reindeer farm! In the reception, you can grab a cup of food to feed the reindeer as well. During our stay, we borrowed their snowshoes to take a walk down one of their trails, tried on their ice skates, cozied up by their fire, and took a look into the ice igloo that they built for wedding ceremonies. During peak winter season, they do offer activities such as husky sled rides and snowmobile rides. Though these were all closed at the time, we still had plenty to do!

A note on eating in Lapland - there aren't a ton of restaurants in the area, and most of them are pretty expensive. One of our favorite finds was supermarket sushi at K-Supermarket! It was great value and honestly not bad for supermarket sushi, so we ended up going twice. We also packed hot cider packets with us, which was perfect for those late nights waiting for the aurora, or afternoons coming back from an activity.

Day 3: Levi, Finland

• Go on a leisurely reindeer sleigh ride
• Ski at Levi Ski Resort
• Or if you don't ski, take the scenic gondola up and snowshoe to Santa's Cabin

We originally booked a reindeer sleigh ride through a different company, but unfortunately with the snow melting, they closed their season a few days earlier. We ended up going with a different company and just took a short 10 minute ride. It was pretty quick and quite a slow ride, so while it was great to have had the experience, there's not much to say about it!

For the afternoon, we rented ski equipment and went to the Levi Ski Resort. This resort has a plethora of trail runs to choose from. We skied 8.4 from South Point Levi, which was recommended for beginners. If you're taking a trail that uses a t-bar instead of a chair lift, make sure you know how to use one! For those who don't ski, you can take a gondola up to the top of the mountain and snowshoe down to Santa's Cabin. This cabin was featured in a Christmas movie. We didn't make to the cabin, but we heard that it's beautiful especially if you get a winter sunset!

Day 4: Pyha, Finland

• Drive a husky sled with Maglelin Experience
• Stay at Pyha Igloos for a more budget igloo stay

Besides seeing the aurora, the activity we were most excited for was husky sledding! And it didn't disappoint. We did the half day experience with Maglelin Experience - we were lucky that it ended up being a private tour as it was just the two of us! After a quick overview of how to drive the sled, we set off. Though it sounded a bit challenging, it was not actually too difficult at all. The huskies mostly know what to do, so you just need to slow down or stop the sled if needed. One person drives the sled, the other person gets to sit in the sled and just enjoy the ride. Halfway through, you can take a break (or really, the huskies can take a break!) and switch drivers if you like. After the sled ride, you get to warm up around a fire where you're served warm juice and snacks.

We stayed the night at Pyha Igloos. This budget igloo hotel doesn't actually have individual igloo cabins - they are more like connected rooms with an igloo window. The bed reclines up and down for viewing the aurora. We did see the aurora that night, and drove 20 minutes north to Lake Aarnilampi in Luosto for a better view!

Day 5 + 6: Kuusamo, Finland

• Rent electric fatbikes at Pyhahippu before making the drive to Oulanka
• Hike the Pieni Karhunkierros Trail at Oulanka National Park​

The Pieni Karhunkierros is a beautiful trail that winds through rivers with suspension bridges and scenic views of the Myllykoski hut. The trail starts here, but you can also take a much shorter route by parking at Oulanka Basecamp (same day parking is free) if you are in a rush. If you take the shorter route, you will miss the first suspension bridge. When you arrive at Myllykoski. there's a public use firepit (with wood provided) you can use. You can even take a step into the hut to get warm! One important thing to note about this trail is that there are a lot of stairs, and these stairs get extremely icy in the winter. If you have trouble with mobility, I would not recommend it. We were able to get up and down by holding tightly to the handrail when going up, sometimes going on side trails next to the stairs, and using the handrail to literally slide down.

Day 7: Rovaniemi, Finland

• Chase the northern lights in Rovaniemi

On our last night in Rovaniemi, we saw that the KP index forecast was 5, and that there was forecasted to be a geomagnetic storm that night. We drove up to Royal Reindeer Ounasvaara (which is temporarily closed) and parked there for a short walk up the hill to Ounasvaaran Lookout. Around 11:30pm, we waited at the top of the hill and saw the most incredible aurora show. Flickers of green would transform into waves that danced across the sky. We watched the show for a good 30 minutes before heading back to our hotel to try to get some sleep for our early morning flight. It was well worth the no sleep!

Day 8 + 9: Stockholm, Sweden

• Walk around Gamla Stan, the picturesque pedestrian-only center
• Start your day off with a croissant and cardamom bun from Lillebrors Bageri
• Have lunch omakase at Miyako Odenplan
• Pick up local ceramics at Erika Petersdotter Keramik
• Shop for home goods at Iris Hantverk, Lagerhaus, and Designtorget
• Try the princess cake at Vete-Katten
• ​Partake in the Swedish tradition of fika at Drop Coffee
• Marvel at the 98% preserved 17th century ship at Vasa Museum
• Get ready for the most fun experience of being a Viking at Aifur (be sure to make reservations)
• Make reservations ahead of time for dinner at Lilla Ego

Our first stop of the day was Lillebrors Bageri, which impressed us with their croissants. While there's not much seating, the pastries were absolutely delicious. We continued onto Pascal Cafe for coffee, and then the nearby Miyako Odenplan for lunch. After lunch, we walked around the famous Gamla Stan (translated as "The Old Town"), which had lots of cute alleyways perfect for photos!

Fika, which means a coffee and cake break, is an important part of the Swedish culture and lifestyle. It's a time to recharge, slow down, and take a conscious break from the day to be with people. A great place to do this is at Vete-Katten, where you can get free coffee to go with pastries - we had the princess cake (which is a Scandinavian cake made with marzipan, delicious as long as you don't have a nut allergy!) and cinnamon roll.

You can't miss the Vasa Museum while on your visit - it's the most visited museum in Scandinavia. Be sure to join the free guided tour and film. This 17th century ship was built for King of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus. It never made it to war - unfortunately it was built too narrow and ended up sinking in 1628. Because of the specific way and location where it sunk, it was well preserved deep in the sea. In 1956, the ship was recovered. Most of the original ship and many of the artifacts remains intact (even the shoes that some of the people wore!)

For dinner, make sure to make reservations for Lilla Ego and Aifur, both of which are very different but unmissable experiences in Stockholm. While Aifur may seem like a tourist trap, it is such a fun experience and much more than just a themed restaurant. Lilla Ego impressed us with their innovative dishes - it ended up being our favorite restaurant of the entire trip!

Day 10, 11, 12: Copenhagen, Denmark

• Wake up early to see the famous Nyhavn Harbor without anyone else around
• ​Start your day off with a croissant and pain au chocolat at Juno the Bakery
• Try the incredible cardamom bun at Hart Bageri
• Get coffee at Coffee Collective, Impact Roasters, or Prolog Coffee
• Go to Omar for their value lunch set menu ($28 for 4 courses)
• Have sushi for lunch at Selfish ($23 for 13 pieces of nigiri and maki)
• Try to Danish dish Smørrebrød, which is an open-faced sandwich, at Schønnemann (reservations required), Palægade, Møntergade, or Aamanns 1921 (if you want to save some money, order takeout from Aamanns Deli & Takeaway)
• Rent a GoBoat and drive your own boat around the canals
• Visit one of the many museums (we chose the Design Museum Denmark)
• See candy made the traditional way at one of the demos at Sømods Bolcher
• Walk down Jægersborggade Street for lots of small boutique shops
• Walk down Strøget, a large pedestrian street for more shopping
• See local ceramics at Tybo Art and Craft, A Door Copenhagen, Arhoj Studio, and Yonobi
• Shop for house goods and clothing at department store Illums Bolighus or furniture at Hay House

While Copenhagen shares some similarities with Stockholm, it definitely has its own unique style and culture as well. We read many "Copenhagen vs. Stockholm" articles, and were glad that we ended up doing both even if our time in each city was short. Since we aren't city people, it was the perfect amount of time to see some major sites, appreciate the beautiful architecture, and get to enjoy the local food and drinks.

Taking a canal tour is a must have in Copenhagen, but did you know that you could rent your own boat? Though you'll miss out on the tour portion, it is such a fun experience getting to drive your own boat. Don't worry if you haven't driven a boat before, the boats only go at a leisurely pace. There's even a table in the center of the boat so you can bring your own food and drinks for an onboard picnic.

The two bakeries we visited were Juno the Bakery and Hart Bageri. Both were very good, with the pastries all having incredible texture and flakiness. The pain au chocolat at Juno the Bakery and cardamom bun at Hart Bageri were definitely our favorites! For coffee, our favorite was Coffee Collective. 

Copenhagen is known for its food and fining dining, so we couldn't leave the city without experiencing some of it. We did try one higher end restaurant, but actually liked the other restaurants we tried better (guess we're just not fine dining people!) Omar, in particular, impressed us with their vegetarian dishes. At just $28 for 4 courses, it was such a good value and left us satisfied. Selfish was another one we loved - since sushi is one of our favorite meals, we had to stop by for their lunch menu. Included in their 13 piece lunch menu was scallop nigiri, ama ebi nigiri, and tuna nigiri. We also couldn't leave the city without trying the local dish of smørrebrød, also known as open-faced sandwiches served on rye bread!

That's the end of our Nordic countries trip! Our trip was exactly 2 weeks leaving from California, which included two days in London since it was easier to fly there than to fly straight to Rovaniemi. Our total costs were about $7k for 2 people (including flights from California and between countries, accommodations, transportation, activities, food, and a lot of coffee). If you're planning a trip to these countries, hope that this blog post inspires you!