No one thought very much about Scandinavian dining until the arrival of New Nordic Cuisine and its flagbearer Noma – the three-Michelin star restaurant in Copenhagen voted best in the world several times since it opened a decade or so ago. Tucked into the far north of Europe and almost entirely surrounded by seas, Scandinavian cuisine is heavily reliant on seafood, local crops which can be grown in the short summer season, and the foraging of wild fruits and nuts. This makes it unique and a must-try during any visit to the region. Relatively simple in form, it is known as farmers fare (husmans ..read more

Tours of the Norwegian Fjords Christmas and Scandinavia go together like snatched kisses and sprigs of mistletoe, with frequent snowfalls ensuring a wondrous wintry backdrop. But don’t worry, because the region’s traditions and seasonal events will keep you feeling all warm and festive. Add to this the real-life home of Santa Claus in Finnish Lapland and the chance to soak up the otherworldliness of the Northern Lights, and you’re all set for an unforgettable Christmas in Scandinavia. Scandinavian Christmas traditions Although the Christmas trees of towns across Scandinavia tend to appear by ..read more

The fjords are a must-see attraction for anyone traveling to Norway. But with at least 1,700 of these named deep-water sea inlets to choose between, it can be difficult for travelers to know where to spend their time. If this is the case, our guide to the Norwegian Fjords for Travelers should be especially useful. Although the fjords stretch right along Norway’s coastline for 100,000 kilometer (60,000 mile), many of the most attractivecan be found in the country’s south and central areas. It’s therefore incredible easy for visitors to the country to absorb their wonder on tours from Norway’s ..read more

On my way to Iceland… finally! In January of 2020 I returned home from Iceland, after a great tradeshow, not knowing that visiting Iceland anytime in the foreseeable future would simply be impossible. I did not know what was about to hit us. No one knew. Much uncertainty took place and many months passed until an announcement was made on March 16th, 2021 (my 48th birthday), that Iceland would once again welcome tourists from the USA. Music to my ears! Fast forward 7 more months and I was boarding a plane, once again, to Keflavik. The trip was for another tradeshow, Vestnorden 2021, taking pl ..read more

by Marcelo Guimaraes – Founder & Owner of Discover Scandinavia Tours Pulpit Rock If someone were to ask me: “Marcelo, what are the top-three Scandinavian attractions that your clients want to experience?” my answer certainly would include the Norwegian fjords. The other two would be the Northern Lights and a tie among Viking sites, castles and natural scenery (I know… that’s more than three. Yes, I cheated.) Instead of trying to answer how many fjords exist in Norway, or what the 17 prettiest ones are, or any such nonsensical questions typical of many blogs out there, I will focus on my ..read more

by Veronica Lanzer & Marcelo Guimaraes Easter is a time of much celebration in Sweden Easter – or Påsk in Swedish – is a fun time of the year. People are enjoying spring, kids are off school and families are getting together to celebrate. There are many Scandinavian Easter traditions, but we will focus on three of them here. 1. First Tradition: Påskris This Swedish Easter tradition consists of putting colorful feathers and Easter ornaments in branches (usually birch branches). It is a way to decorate for Easter and to bring a piece of nature into our homes to celebrate spring. In fact ..read more

by Marcelo Guimaraes – Founder & Owner of Discover Scandinavia Tours On my way to Scandinavia! (2018) Scandinavia offers a robust and diverse transportation system, which allows you to travel efficiently and comfortably… if you know how to get around. The good news is: if you don’t, you may end up enjoying more scenery than you planned. ? Let’s look at the many ways you can move from country to country and also within each of the 5 Scandinavian nations: Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. TRANSPORTATION IN ICELAND First things first: Iceland is an island in the North Atlantic ..read more

by Marcelo Guimaraes – Founder & Owner of Discover Scandinavia Tours Introduction – Travel Money I still remember being a preteen and going with my dad to the bank to buy traveler’s cheques for our upcoming international family trip. But that was the early 80s and things have changed much since (I miss the music, tough… and Atari). It has become much simpler to travel abroad and pay for goods and services, but that aspect of traveling is still a source of questions when preparing for an international adventure. Many questions from our clients who are about to travel to Scandinavia have t ..read more

by Marcelo Guimaraes – Founder & Owner of Discover Scandinavia Tours Introduction Vacationing here, in the USA, generally involves a lot of tipping. Depending on where you stay and what you do, you are expected to tip your waiters, guides, drivers… the list goes on and on. In fact, preparing a gratuity budget is not a bad idea. That is different when you vacation in Scandinavia, though. Let’s take a look into the expectations and etiquette for tipping in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland, for various services.   Gratuity in Scandinavia – Travel and Hospitality in General ..read more

by Marcelo Guimaraes – Founder & Owner of Discover Scandinavia Tours INTRODUCTION – Is an Ice Hotel Stay for Me? The Snow Igloo was melting when I got there… Great news: you have decided to go on an awesome winter vacation in Lapland! Now you are thinking about all the fun things you will see and experience there, so these questions are inevitable: how about those hotels made of ice? Should I try that? The answer is: YES! Well, perhaps if you are like my mother, who strongly despises the cold more than anything, you should rethink the whole trip… but otherwise, the experience is somethin ..read more