My Scandinavian/Baltic Adventure

Amber Lee Johanson
September 20, 2024

I have always wanted to go to Scandinavia, and with a last name of “Johanson”, my ancestry is Swedish which made Sweden our first stop.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Arlanda Express made it easy to go from the airport to downtown Stockholm with a quick 18 minute journey. The Arlanda Express is an airport rail link connecting Stockholm Central Station with the Stockholm Arlanda Airport.

Keep in mind that between rail and buses, the transportation in Stockholm is very easy you don’t even need a car.

Welcome to Stockholm, Sweden

I am a big fan of the band Abba, so of course I had to go to the Abba Museum, and it did not disappoint.

Our next stop was the Vasa Museum, one of the most visited museums in Scandinavia. Inside we found one of the world’s only preserved 17^th century ships. The particular ship, the Vasa, capsized and sank in 1628 on its maiden voyage. It is very worth a visit.

The Drottningholm Palace is one of the most beautiful palaces in the world it is the first attraction in Sweden declared a UNESCO world heritage site. Sweden has a monarchy, and the palace is the King’s and Queen’s permanent home residence in the southern part of the palace. Surrounded by a lake and park this charming castle is a must see for any Stockholm experience.

The Drottningholms Slottsteater (the Drottningholm Palace theatre) nearby is the best-preserved eighteenth-century theatre in Europe and I highly recommend you stop by.

Downtown Stockholm

In Downtown Sweden you’ll find the Royal palace, one of the largest palaces in Europe. It is the official residence of his majesty the King of Sweden and is the setting for most of the monarchy’s official receptions.

They have a parade of soldiers and changing of the guards every day from late April to late August. The ceremony is held at 12:15 PM on weekdays and 1:15 PM on Sundays and public holidays in the palace’s outer courtyard.

A trip to Stockholm is not complete without visiting Gamla Stan (old town) The old town dates from the 13^th century, but most buildings are from the 1600s and 1700s. It has café’s restaurants, tourist’s shops, galleries, and museums including the Nobel Peace Museum.

I fit right into Stockholm with the women’s love of wearing dresses and serving Coke 0 instead of diet coke.

Skagen & Copenhagen

Our next stop in Scandinavia was Skagen, the northern tip of Denmark. Skagen is a small city, but still very charming where you can actually have one foot in the Baltic sea and one in the Artic sea at the same time.

Next was Copenhagen, the capital and busiest city in Denmark. It is separated from Malmo Sweden by the Oresund strait. The Oresund bridge connects the two cities by rail and road. Like Sweden Denmark has a monarchy the Rosenborg castle this castle was originally built in 1606-1607 what’s unique about this palace is people in period costumes wander the castle, and pose for picture taking. The iconic statue the most visitors want to see is the little Mermaid stature. The sculpture is displayed on rock by the Langelinie promenade.

Warnemunde, Berlin & Lithuania

Warnemunde in the Baltic sea gives access to Berlin, Germany. Berlin is the capital and largest city. World War II evidence can be seen in remnants of the famous wall and check point Charlie.

Berlin isn’t only known for that they have some of the best museums, galleries, and three opera houses. Berlin is almost 9 times bigger than Paris and has more waterways than Venice. The city holds the title of UNESCO city of Design.

Lithuania is the largest of the three Baltic states. There the Curonian spit is a wide sand dune that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic sea. There are other things in the Curonian spit, but the sand dunes are the most impressive.

Klaipeda is located on the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. This is the port city and was part of Prussian Kingdom until 1923, so the architecture is very different.

The riverside of Danes river and historic building of old town are a must to see. Amber is known as Lithuanian gold and there are many pieces of Jewelry and art. It is the most popular souvenir from Lithuania.

I feel like I just scratched the surface for Scandinavia and the Baltic, and I can’t wait to go back and explore more!

If I can help you plan your next travel adventure, please give me a call!

Amber Lee Johanson

I have always loved everything about travel! I began my career as a sales assistant for Funjet/Southwest vacations specializing in Mexico, Disneyland, and Las Vegas. In 1998, I was offered a job with Murdock Travel (now Morris Columbus Travel) and have been a leisure agent ever since. I love getting the best value and price for my clients. When planning for my clients’ trips, I try to view it as though I am planning my own vacation so that every detail will be flawless.

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