Rick Steves Scandinavia

by Rick Steves

Experience a smorgasbord of Viking ships, brooding castles, and emerald fjords with Rick Steves! Inside Rick Steves Scandinavia you'll Comprehensive coverage for spending a week or more exploring Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and EstoniaRick's strategic advice on how to get the most out of your time and money, with rankings of his must-see favoritesTop sights and hidden gems, from the Tivoli Gardens, the Viking Ship Museum, and Hans Christian Andersen's house, to prehistoric monoliths and sleepy fjord villagesHow to connect with local Admire the fjords on a summer day, bask in the hygge of a cozy cabin café, grab a picnic of Nordic cheese and smoked fish from a farmers market, and chat with friendly locals over a glass of avkvavitBeat the crowds, skip the lines, and avoid tourist traps with Rick's candid, humorous insightThe best places to eat, sleep, and relax with a cup of coffeeSelf-guided walking tours of lively neighborhoods and incredible museumsDetailed maps for exploring on the goUseful resources including a packing list, phrase books for Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, and Estonian, a historical overview, and recommended readingUpdated to reflect changes that occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic up to the date of publicationOver 400 bible-thin pages include everything worth seeing without weighing you downComplete, up-to-date information on Copenhagen, Roskilde, Æro, Odense, Justland, Oslo, Flåm, Aurland, undredal, Sognejord, Gudbrandsdal Valley, the Jotunheimen Mountains, Bergen, Stavanger, The Setesdal Valley, Kristiansand, Stockholm, Sigtuna, Uppsala, Vaxholm, Grinda, Svartsö, Sandhamn, Växjö, Glass Country, Kalmar, Öland, Helsinki, Tallinn, and moreMake the most of every day and every dollar with Rick Steves Scandinavia.Cruising Scandinavia instead? Try Rick Steves Scandinavian and Northern European Cruise Ports.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction

1486 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 20, 2021

About the author

Rick Steves is an American travel writer, television personality, and activist known for encouraging meaningful travel that emphasizes cultural immersion and thoughtful global citizenship. Born in California and raised in Edmonds, Washington, he began traveling in his teens, inspired by a family trip to Europe. After graduating from the University of Washington with a degree in European history and business, Steves started teaching travel classes, which led to his first guidebook, Europe Through the Back Door, self-published in 1980.
Steves built his Edmonds-based travel company on the idea that travelers should explore less-touristy areas and engage with local cultures. He gained national prominence as host and producer of Rick Steves' Europe, which has aired on public television since 2000. He also hosts a weekly public radio show, Travel with Rick Steves, and has authored dozens of popular guidebooks, including bestselling titles on Italy and Europe at large.
Beyond travel, Steves is an outspoken advocate for drug policy reform, environmental sustainability, and social justice. He supports marijuana legalization and chairs the board of NORML. He has funded housing for homeless families and donates to anti-hunger and arts organizations. In 2019, he pledged $1 million annually to offset the carbon emissions of his tour groups.
Steves is a practicing Lutheran with Norwegian ancestry and continues to live in Edmonds. He has two adult children and is in a relationship with Reverend Shelley Bryan Wee. Despite health challenges, including a prostate cancer diagnosis in 2024, Steves remains committed to his mission of helping Americans travel with greater purpose, empathy, and understanding of the world. His work reflects a belief that travel, done right, can be both transformative and a force for peace.

Reviews

[Linnea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this basically cover-to-cover so I’m counting it in my reading goal lol (skipped Estonia & Finland but I’ll be back to my fellow Nordic nations)

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best traveling book series. Download his free podcasts for walking tours and other tourist sites.

Covers all the Scandinavian countries in detail and also includes non-Scandinavian cities, Helsinki and Tallinn. The reason is that you can take an overnight cruise from Stockholm to either location.

[Caitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this guide for the portion on Oslo for our trip to Norway, and found it, as always, very helpful! However, the only other part of Norway particularly covered is Bergen and the surrounding fjords, which we did not decide to include in our trip, instead choosing to go to Bodø and the Lofoten Islands in the far north, which are not covered at all in this guide. I found this glaring lack of coverage a bit surprising for a Rick Steves book, and had to try to supplement with other travel guides and blogs, which turned out fine. It was overall a great trip!

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rick Steves’ guidebooks have been my first choice for travel planning for about twenty years. I appreciate their practical advice and recommendations. Scandinavia (16th edition) fell a bit short for me as it had no mention of Norwegian places above “fjordland” and our upcoming trip includes several stops in northern Norway including two above the Arctic Circle.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always a good resource for travel planning!

[Emily]

Sweden

[Leslie Ferrari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent information on Bergen, but no information about smaller towns I'll be visiting.

[Jessica Lange · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped my family plan an awesome 9-day trip to Denmark. Never travel to Europe without Rick Steves!

[Amit Doron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruck Steves is always on point, interesting and informative!

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of the highlights, history, and culture of this beautiful and interesting area.

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Super helpful and informative!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

We check in with Rick Steves for all our out of country trips. Scandinavia is a dream destination, that may someday come true.