Welcome to Routes North
The independent travel guide covering the whole of Scandinavia (that’s Denmark, Norway and Sweden), plus Nordic destinations Finland, Iceland and Greenland. Start here
Latest posts
Surströmming: trying Sweden’s stinky ‘rotten’ fish
Curious about surströmming (fermented herring)? Check out our guide to trying the world’s stinkiest food!
Christmas in Sweden: the ultimate guide
Snowy rooftops, flickering candles and the warm smell of freshly baked gingerbread wafting across the streets: Sweden does…
Sweden vs Switzerland: What’s the Real Difference?
For most Europeans, the difference between Sweden vs Switzerland is obvious. They are two separate countries, each with their own…
Cool Swedish boy names and their meanings
Looking for something unusual to call your newborn baby boy? Well, Swedish boy names are having a bit of a…
Stockholm in Winter: What to See, Do and Expect
Some time around late October or early November, Stockholm begins to transform into a winter wonderland. Even if there’s no…
Lofoten Islands: 6 of the best winter tours
If you’re looking for remote white sand beaches, colourful fishing villages and rugged mountains dropping sheer into the sea, you…
Fun in the snow: the best winter tours in Sweden
Winter may not be the warmest time to visit Sweden, but if you fancy visiting in the snowy season there’s…
Visiting Copenhagen in winter
Have you heard horror stories of dark Scandinavian winters that never seem to end? Don’t despair! If you visit Copenhagen…
Top picks
Where to see the northern lights in Scandinavia
byIt’s the season for chasing aurora! One of the highlights of any trip to Scandinavia is to see the northern…
Tours and tickets
5 of the best fjord cruises from Bergen
Set among majestic mountains and home to colourful wooden houses, Bergen is the gateway to Norway’s breathtaking fjords – and…
10 wild northern lights tours in Tromsø, Norway
High up in the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is one of the world’s best places to watch the spectacular northern lights…
Bergen Shore Excursion (Bergen Walking Tour)
When your cruise ship docks in Bergen, make good use of your time on shore with a city walking tour. Includes medieval houses in the Bryggen area.
City Walking Tour in Bergen
With an informative and inspiring local guide, see important sights of Bergen – fortress Bergenhus, Hanseatic quarter (Bryggen), St.Mary’s Church.
8 of our favourite beer tours and pub crawls in Copenhagen
The Danes are partial to a good beer, and the laid-back capital Copenhagen is the perfect pace to up your…
Scandinavian rail passes: Interrail and Eurail explained
Heading to Scandinavia? We’ve got some good news for you: the railways are amazing! Less stressful and more environmentally friendly…
6 of the best food tours in Stockholm
Stockholm’s culinary prowess doesn’t always get the attention it deserves. And actually, Swedish cuisine is more interesting than many first…
5 of the best photography tours in Rovaniemi, Finland
Many trips to Finnish Lapland begin in Rovaniemi. It’s the ‘official’ home of Santa Claus and the starting point for…
Itineraries
Stockholm on a Budget: 110 Free and Cheap Things to Do
byThe Swedish capital is famously expensive. But we’ve still managed to create this epic guide showing 110 cheap and free things to…
The best day trips from Copenhagen: 2025 guide
byThere’s so much fun stuff to do within Copenhagen’s city limits but sometimes it’s nice to escape the central areas for a while…
16 fun, easy day trips from Stockholm
byThere are enough centrally located sights and activities in Stockholm to keep you occupied for a week or more. Sometimes,…
82 cheap and free things to do in Copenhagen (2024 update!)
byCopenhagen is one of those cities that will make your wallet sigh. Prices are high compared with most other European…
Day trips from Gothenburg
byGothenburg has enough fun activities to keep you busy for a week or more. Travel a few kilometres from the…
Trip report: a budget road trip through Scandinavia
byWith 10 days and a budget of less than £800 (around US $950), how much of Scandinavia is it really…
One day in Copenhagen: the ultimate guide
byIt’s not possible to see everything that Copenhagen has to offer in a single day. But if that’s all the…
Interrailing around Sweden
byForget bumpy bus rides and overpriced domestic flights: if you want to see Sweden comfortably, cheaply and with a can…
Free things to do in Lund
byConsidering its small size, Lund is bursting with things to see and do. And while most of the big museums…
Discount passes
Is the Gothenburg Pass worth buying?
The Gothenburg Pass is touted as one of the best ways for tourists to save cash when visiting Sweden’s second-biggest…
The Helsinki Card: is it worth buying?
Planning a trip to Finland’s capital city? Then you’ve probably heard about Helsinki’s very own discount pass – the Helsinki…
The Reykjavik City Card: is it worth buying?
Planning a trip to Reykjavik? Want to see all the sights for as little as possible? Well, you probably already…
The Oslo Pass: is it worth buying?
If you’ve been researching a trip to Oslo, you’ve probably seen something about the Oslo Pass, known locally as Oslopasset. The…
