Heimaey
The lava from Heimaey's historic explosion stopped just short of the Landskirkja in the middle of town. The church’s carved wooden doors feature scenes…
Must-see attractions in Scandinavia
Bohuslän
Out at the tip of the Stångenäs peninsula, the Stångehuvud Nature Reserve, crammed with coastal rock slab, is worth a stop for its secluded bathing spots…
Southern Sweden
Inspired by Rome’s Pantheon, this gorgeous church built between 1697 and 1709 looks somehow out of place on the vast and juxtaposing Stortorget.
Central Norway
These slag heaps make an unlikely protected monument, but they're an important illustration of what was left after the copper smelting process. They also…
Helsingør
Restored in 2015, the attractive, brick, Gothic 1852 town hall building is particularly appealing at night when light strained through the stained-glass…
Southern Norway
Coming from the south, Rysstad's main Setesdalsmuseet is a fine, refurbished exhibition space displaying period interiors and cultural artefacts,…
Stavanger
This opulent manor was constructed for the merchant shipowner Lars Berentsen. Its authentic late-19th-century interiors include old farming implements,…
Heimaey
Helgafell (226m) erupted 5000 years ago. Its cinders are grassed over today, and you can scramble up here without much difficulty from the football pitch…
Bornholm
Pretty in pink, this merchant's house from 1806 is a photogenic half-timbered idyll on a cobbled lane. There are short opening hours, when you can view…
Uppsala
Bror Hjorth’s House, the studio of beloved local artist Bror Hjorth (1894–1968), is jam-packed with Hjorth’s charming paintings and sculptures. Hosts…
Gotland
Torsburgen, 9km north of Ljugarn, is a partly walled hill fort (the largest in Scandinavia) measuring 5km around its irregular perimeter.
Svalbard
Gravelly Moffen Island is known for its walrus population, though the 300m boat-exclusion zone around the island means that any views of these great…
Longyearbyen
Attached to the Galleri Svalbard is the Kunstnersenteret, which serves as a workshop for local artists, with many of the works on sale.
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Mildly interesting display telling the story of the town’s development as a trading centre, and has an on-site handicraft shop and cafe (coffee included…
Western Finnmark
The Altaelva hydroelectric project has had very little effect on the most scenic stretch of river, which slides through 400m-deep Sautso, northern Europe…
Tromsø
The Tromsø branch of this national contemporary art foundation makes the most of its late-19th-century premises and promotes rotating exhibitions of…
Oslo
The westside's best commercial gallery. Set in a former garage, it represents an interesting line-up of emerging and established conceptual artists,…
Gothenburg
Constant surprises, mainly from Scandinavian artists such as Per Cederbank, Emil Olsson and Yrjö Edelmann, plus works by internationally renowned…
North Iceland
Sauðaneshús, the old vicarage on the church estate 7km north of town (en route to Langanes), provides insights into how locals lived a century ago, and…
Uppsala
A reconstructed version of Sweden’s oldest botanical garden – Linné’s playground – with more than 1300 species arranged according to the system he…
Helsinki
Host of the 1952 Summer Olympics, this still-attractive functionalist stadium is a city landmark. The complex is closed for major renovations and will…
Odense
For one of Odense's prettiest street scenes, stand at the corner of Adelgade and watch the little cottages tumbling down Paaskestræde towards the…
Gothenburg
Sweden’s largest botanical garden breathes easy with around 16,000 plant species. Look for outdoor sculptures, and check online for special events and…
Odense
With a stepped-brick tower, this church is often cited as Odense's oldest. Though records are hazy, most of the whitewashed interior dates back to the…
Central Norway
This collection of 90 historic buildings from the Glomma valley is one of the better examples of Norway's numerous 'folk' museums. It's 2km west of the…
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…
Stockholm
The Royal Academy of Fine Arts has a beautiful gallery space and puts on several exhibitions a year, well worth investigating if you're interested in…
Bornholm
A short five-minute climb up a heather-covered hill (take the path from Løkkegade), Bokul provides a fine view of the town’s red-tiled rooftops and out to…
Central Jutland
The marina is a good spot for wandering and eating. Here, old fishing huts contrast with modern development; to reach it, head down Vester Strandgade from…
Lund
The 8-hectare Botanical Gardens, east of the town centre, feature around 7000 species and nine climate zones. The tropical greenhouses are open from 11am…
Malmö
The city hall, dating from 1546, has undergone some notable renovations. It's used for administrative and civil functions and not open for visitors, as…
The Westfjords
Eight kilometres west of Breiðavík, the tiny hamlet of Hvallátur has a gorgeous white-sand beach, but no services.
Ålesund
About 20km north of the town centre, Vigra is home to Ålesund's airport as well as a long white-sand beach called Blindheimssanden (also called Blimsand).
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Just where Rte 54 curves between the Snæfellsnes Peninsula and the mainland, you'll find the dramatic basalt towers of Gerðuberg rising from the plain.
Bornholm
The town's elevated landmark has a distinctive witch's-hat tower. Its present form dates from 1918, though it sits on the site of a 13th-century chapel.
Tromsø
The Nordnorsk Kunstmuseum displays mainly 19th-century to present-day sculpture, photography, painting and handicrafts by artists from northern Norway.
Tromsø
Tromsø's library is a wonderful example of contemporary Norwegian architecture, airy and streaming with light. There's also free internet access here.
Lappland
Wander around the 20 old buildings that make up this outdoor community museum down by the water. On site, Cafe Tomten serves up coffee, tea and snacks.
Bergen & the Southwestern Fjords
In a field around 150m southeast of the tourist office stands the weathered stone erected in 1023 to commemorate the local conversion to Christianity.
Gothenburg
The red-and-white ‘skyscraper’ Göteborgs-Utkiken, nicknamed ‘The Lipstick’ for obvious reasons, has killer views of the harbour from the top.
