Viking Exploration

A Borton Overseas Scandinavia Specialist will meet and travel with the group from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport on an overnight flight. Borton Overseas can assist with departure arrangements from other US locations – please inquire!

Arrival into Kastrup Airport in Copenhagen, Denmark. Coach transfer for the group from airport to hotel. After some time to relax and get settled, the group will gather for a Welcome Dinner at a restaurant inside the beautiful Tivoli Gardens Amusement park. Tivoli is one of the oldest amusement parks in the world, dating back from 1843. It is full of flowers, food & restaurants, boutiques, music, entertainment, rides, games, striking structures, and more. After dinner there is time to explore this gem of Copenhagen before returning to the hotel. Overnight at Copenhagen hotel

After breakfast, depart Copenhagen by coach, heading west on Sealand (Denmark’s main island). First visit is Sagnlandet Lejre, the Land of Legends with the largest King’s Hall that we know of from the Viking Age in Denmark, as well as houses and settings from the Iron Age, Stone Age, Viking Age, and the 19th century. You can also experience historic workshops. We then continue to Trelleborg, an old Viking city, to see the impressive remains of one of the Vikings’ great ring fortress, originally constructed around AD 980 by King Harald Bluetooth. The museum at Trelleborg includes models, archaeological finds, and reconstructions that give a vivid impression of Trelleborg’s history, inhabitants, and the function of the fortress.
Onward by ferry, crossing the strait known as the Kattegat, which divides Denmark’s main peninsula of Jutland from the other main islands. Arrival into Aarhus, the country’s second largest city and the main town on Jutland. Dinner and Overnight at Aarhus hotel

Visit to the Moesgaard Museum in Højbjerg, where prehistory is presented innovatively in a breathtaking architectural setting with its location in the beautiful surroundings overlooking the forest and the sea. Next we visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Jelling. In the tenth century, King Harald Bluetooth had Denmark’s name engraved on a rune stone in Jelling and erected two barrows and a church. The stones are considered Europe’s finest Viking Age monuments. Continue on to the island of Funen and its main city of Odense, birthplace of famous writer Hans Christian Andersen. Enjoy a visit to his home and museum, featuring a unique collection of more than 32,000 items representing his entire life and life’s work. Dinner and Overnight at Odense hotel

Driving from Odense this morning, we depart Funen island via the impressive Great Belt Bridge, and back to the main island of Sealand, then onward to the town of Roskilde, which was once the capital of Denmark. We will enjoy a guided tour of the city, featuring the impressive Roskilde Cathedral, and the Viking Ship Museum, built around the five original Viking ships from Skuldelev, and focusing on the history of how the Vikings changed the world with their ships. From Roskilde and the museum, you have a magnificent view of Roskilde Fjord – the Vikings’ waterway out to the rest of the world. Continue on to Copenhagen – evening free. Overnight at Copenhagen hotel

Today is open for exploring Wonderful Copenhagen! Our local guide can make suggestions. You may wish to check out the famous Little Mermaid statue, the picturesque harbor area of Nyhavn – where one can also take a canal boat excursion, visit the castles of Rosenborg or parliament-housing Christiansborg, view the Royal Palace of Amalienborg, stroll down the walking/shopping streets of the city, take the train to a northern suburb and experience Fredriksborg Castle, or visit one of several excellent museums in town. Overnight at Copenhagen hotel

Breakfast at hotel this morning prior to check-out. Coach transfer to Copenhagen airport for our flight to Reykjavik, Iceland with an afternoon arrival. The group will be met by a local guide and transferred via coach via the whale fjord up to the village of Borgarnes in West Iceland. Overnight at Borgarnes hotel

Today, enjoy touring around the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, which juts out from Iceland’s West Coast, and is known for its dramatic landscapes. Here you can find samples of some of Iceland’s natural wonders for which the country is known. This includes black beaches, magnificent mountains, birdlife, dramatic cliffs, Snæfellsjökull glacier & volcano, and idyllic seaside fishing villages. Overnight at Borgarnes hotel

A visit to Erik the Red’s reconstructed farm. Hidden away in West Iceland, the Dalabyggð region was the starting point for one of the most exciting chapters in the history of mankind: The Viking Age. Their expansion continued westward from Iceland and took explorers first to Greenland and later to the shores of North America. Learn more about Erik the Red, his history, and experience the real viking life. Next, we will pay a visit at Snorrastofa, the home of Snorri Sturluson from 1206-1241. Snorri was quite possibly the most influential Icelander ever. He was a Saga writer, politician, historiographer and poet. We then drive down to Iceland’s capital. Overnight at Reykjavik hotel

Day excursion to see the iconic Golden Circle sights. The tour starts with a stop in Þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site listing and the birthplace of the oldest existing parliament in the world. This is also where the gigantic tectonic plates of America and Eurasia have pulled apart and the resulting rift valley is right there before your eyes on the shores of Iceland’s biggest lake. The next stop is one of Iceland’s most beautiful natural wonders: Geysir Hot Springs, the home of the original geyser. Steaming hot water spouts spectacularly skywards from Strokkur Geyser every few minutes. The tour continues to the impressive Gullfoss Waterfall. Here a powerful glacial river cascades down 32 meters on two levels and into a narrow canyon with a thunderous roar.
In the evening, farewell group dinner at Fjörukráin Restaurant in the Viking Village, just outside Reykjavik. Here, the emphasis is on the Viking Era and as you enter you step into the world of the past. The décor is in the Viking style and you will experience a true Viking feast with traditional meal. Overnight at Reykjavik hotel

Morning visit to the Blue Lagoon, a geo-thermal spa set in a lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, with minerals turning the naturally heated waters a milky light blue color. After relaxing in this unique, other-worldly place, coach transfer to nearby international airport Keflavik for return flight in the afternoon back to Minnesota, USA.