Must-see attractions in Scandinavia
Bergen
Bergen's cathedral features stonemasonry in the entrance hall carved by the same artisans who adorned Westminster Abbey's chapter house in London.
North Iceland
The geothermal site Hveravellir, on Rte 87, about 20km south of Húsavík, provides some of Húsavík's hot-water supply and the means of power production…
Finland's West Coast
OK, so it's a hole in the ground. But it's a deep one (23m), caused by millions of years of glacial erosion. You can descend a metal staircase into the…
Southern Sweden
This poignant monument commemorates all America-bound emigrants. Its figures are characters from Vilhelm Moberg’s classic The Emigrants: Karl Oscar,…
Odense
Founded in 1859, the city's ubiquitous Odense beers are brewed by Albani right in the heart of town, though the company is now part of conglomerate Royal…
Statue of Adolf Henrik Lindstrøm
Western Finnmark
Adolf Henrik Lindstrøm was a Hammerfest-born cook who accompanied Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen (among others) and ended up travelling on more polar…
Bergen & the Southwestern Fjords
Bizarrely, Haugesund claims to be the ancestral home of Marilyn Monroe, whose father, a local baker, emigrated from here to the USA. This monument on the…
Southern Norway
Budding geologists will find plenty to get excited about in Evje. This small museum, 2km west of town and across the river in Fennefoss, displays more…
Mývatn Region
Signposted about 100m beyond Reykjahlíð is Stóragjá, a rather eerie fissure (slightly tricky to access) that was once a popular bathing spot. Cooling…
Tampere
There are few displays dedicated to the revolutionary leader here; rather, displays focus on the shared modern history of Finland and Russia. The…
Trondheim
If you're from the USA, the Viking staring out to sea near the Hurtigruten quay may seem familiar. That's because he's an exact replica of the Ericson…
Tampere
The aquarium inside the Särkänniemi amusement park has limited information in English and isn’t especially memorable, with the Finnish fish (including…
Western Finnmark
With a strong claim to being the world's most northerly Catholic church, St Michaels, serving a congregation of barely 90 souls, is immediately…
Turku & Finland's South Coast
Where Bulevardi meets the beach is the Monument of Liberty, commemorating the landing of liberating German forces in 1918. The monument was taken down…
East Iceland
Breiðdalssetur is a small local museum and research centre with exhibits on regional geology and history. At the time of research it was only open to…
Byggðasafn Húnvetninga og Strandamanna
North Iceland
Located, 13km north of Staðarskáli, this regional museum includes the well-constructed interior of a 19th-century homestead and the shark-fishing boat…
Akureyri
The Catholic church is an attractive old red-and-white house built in 1912 and acquired by the church in 1952. On the nearby roundabout is Einar Jónsson’s…
Finland
Ruovesi's local open-air museum is set around a collection of 18th-century farm buildings and includes a simple farmer's house. It's of extremely limited…
The Far North
Outside the Russian consulate, there are two engaging little sculptures of a bear mounting – in every sense of the word, it would appear – a lamp-post.
Southern Norway
This peaceful, open-air folk museum, at the eastern end of town, traces rural Norwegian architecture from the 11th century to the early 1900s.
Trondheim
This small private gallery exhibits the work of modern Norwegian painters; most of what you see is for sale.
Inland
Take a stroll up to the Hringsjá viewpoint from Fénaðarklöpp, for panoramas over the town and surrounds.
Bergen
This small museum is closed for renovations until 2019, which should add new galleries and updated displays.
The Far North
Located up a short hill, this statue is dedicated to the Red Army troops who liberated the town in 1944.
Tröllaskagi
Náttúrugripasafnið is a small natural history museum; it’s Ólafsfjörður’s only formal sight.
Kuopio
Kuopio's 19th-century cathedral is an unattractive stone structure located in the middle of town.
Tromsø
The Tromsø Catholic Church was built in 1861 and is the world's northernmost Catholic bishopric.
Ísafjörður
Of minor interest is the whalebone arch made from a whale’s jawbone in the central town park.
Ålesund
Rollo the Viking founded Normandy in 911; William the Conqueror is his descendant.
The Far North
In the town square, this statue commemorates women's efforts during the war.
Tórshavn
The excellent Føroya Fornminnissavn is split between two sites in the Hoyvík suburb, 3km north of centre. The main site at Brekkutún 6 beautifully…
Faroe Islands
The excellent Føroya Fornminnissavn (Historical Museum) is split between two sites in the Hoyvík suburb, 3km(1.86mi) north of central Tórshavn. The main…
