Sweden & Finland: Stockholm to Helsinki

3-4 miles, easy and 1-2 miles, easy

After enjoying an included breakfast your guides meet you in the lobby of the hotel at 9:00 a.m. They’ll be wearing Country Walkers shirts. Please be dressed for walking. After brief introductions you begin your adventure.

You will kick off your day with a short ferry ride from your hotel on Skeppsholmen Island to the adjacent green oasis of Djurgården. This peaceful island in the middle of Stockholm has long been a favorite of the city’s residents. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, it served as a royal game reserve before assuming its current status as an urban getaway for cultural entertainment and outdoor recreation. Here, you’ll find a wide variety of museums and other venues – the Vasa maritime museum, the Skansen zoo, the Cirkus performance space, ABBA The Museum, and the Gröna Lund amusement park – all immersed in a vibrant natural setting.

This morning’s walking excursion across the island gives you a close-up look at Djurgården’s appealing mix of natural and man-made features. You’ll follow a combination of walking paths and sidewalks through mature parkland with views of the bustling archipelago and its surrounding waters, passing yacht clubs, beautifully tended gardens, and families enjoying a day out in nature. On the furthest end of Djurgården, enjoy an alfresco lunch at a harborside café, taking in the view of the Fjäderholmarna, or ‘feather islands’ in the distance.

Afterward, continue walking with your guide along the south shore of Djurgården or return directly to your hotel on its leafy inner island. You may also wish to stay longer and spend an hour or two exploring Djurgården’s museums, galleries, and other attractions on your own.

Another short ferry ride across the harbor brings you to Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s captivating, pedestrian-friendly Old Town. Here, on the first-settled island in the archipelago, history becomes tangible as you wander through narrow medieval streets and admire the charming ensemble of saffron-, ginger-, and cinnamon-colored façades framing Stortorget, the city’s oldest square. Your guide will accompany you on a short, guided walk, pointing out Stockholm’s 13th-century cathedral, the Nobel Museum, or the Kungliga Slottet, an opulent baroque Royal Palace. Enjoy dinner in this historical setting, savoring inspired seasonal offerings like artichoke soup with onion cream, roast venison with fennel sausage and wild mushrooms, or gooseberry sorbet with vanilla-cardamom cream.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

4-7 miles, easy

Begin today with a five-minute ferry ride from Skeppsholmen, followed by a 10-minute walk to Slussen Station. From here, you take the local bus approximately 15-20 minutes to Hellasgården, the hub of the Nacka Nature Reserve. Situated just outside central Stockholm, Nacka is a popular getaway for locals looking to get away from the bustling city. A network of trails criss-cross the reserve leading through forests of oak and evergreens and along the shores of several lakes including picturesque Källtorpssjön and Söderbysjön, the latter with a pretty footbridge across it. As you stroll the packed-dirt trails, look for wildlife including jackrabbits, squirrels, and roe deer as well as birdlife such as woodpeckers.

Return to Hellasgården for a relaxing lunch, perhaps dining alfresco, gazing out at views of the reserve. This afternoon, you have several options to choose from—continue exploring the many trails in Nacka, go for a swim in a nearby lake, or perhaps make a visit to a local sauna.

In the late afternoon, return to Stockholm to enjoy a sumptuous dinner on your own, perhaps at your hotel’s superb restaurant.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

3-5 miles, easy

Transfer via public ferry this morning and continue on foot to Långholmen, another of the 14 urban islands on which Stockholm is built. Surrounded by Lake Mälaren, Långholmen served as a “prison island” for two centuries before it was reclaimed as public parkland in 1974. These days the old prison has been converted into a hostel and museum, while the island’s green spaces have become a popular recreation destination. Your route this morning follows walking paths along Långholmen’s waterfront, passing historical prison buildings, the slips of the local boating club, and garden allotments where Stockholmers lovingly tend their vegetables and flowers. Along the way, you may break your journey to partake in one of Sweden’s tastiest traditions: the late morning “fika,” a time-honored ritual in which friends gather for coffee, conversation, and a sweet treat of cardamom-laced cinnamon buns or Swedish cookies.

After free time for lunch and relaxation, travel to Stockholm’s ferry terminal to board the overnight ferry to Helsinki. This scenic voyage takes you through the picturesque archipelago in the sun’s waning light before crossing into the Baltic around midnight.

Settle into your sea-view cabin and enjoy dinner on the water in the ship’s fine-dining restaurant. Afterward, choose from numerous on-board activities, including shows, gambling, and duty-free shopping, or head for the open deck, where you can share drinks and conversation while contemplating views of islands and channels illuminated by the late evening sun.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

3-4 miles, easy

Your overnight ferry docks before 11:00 a.m. in Helsinki’s historic port. Here, you’ll get your first glimpses of Finland’s sophisticated capital, with its grand, powder-blue city hall backed by the imposing, domed, white Lutheran Cathedral and the striking, red-brick Russian Orthodox church, topped by green and gold onion domes.

A short stroll from the ferry terminal leads you toward the Kauppatori area of Helsinki’s city center. Your local guide points out some of the city’s famous sites, including Esplanade Park, the Parliament House, and Finlandia Hall. Once at Kauppatori harbor, you board

a public ferry to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Suomenlinna. A 15-minute jaunt through the island-dotted seascape of Helsinki’s harbor brings you to this 18th-century sea fortress, inspired by French military architect Vauban and built over six fortified islands interconnected by bridges. Designed by the Kingdom of Sweden to protect against Russian expansion, it eventually fell into Russian hands for over a century before passing to the new nation of Finland in 1918. The fortress now offers a fascinating glimpse into the region’s history and is a beautiful spot, enjoyed by locals and visitors alike for strolling, picnicking, dining, and relaxing.

Upon arrival, enjoy a 3-course lunch at the island’s brewery. Afterward, your guide provides an overview of the island’s most famous sights including the characteristic pink barracks built during the Russian period, the 19th-century Russian church (whose steeple doubles as a lighthouse), the naval dockyard (the world’s largest at the time of its construction in the 1760s), and the King’s Gate entryway. This entry is Suomenlinna’s enduring symbol, constructed in 1753-54 and rebuilt after substantial damage suffered in the Crimean War.

After ferrying back to the mainland, you may wish to join your local guide on a walk to some of Helsinki’s other main sights, including the Oodi Library and Senate Square. Or, you may want to walk directly to your hotel to relax and refresh. Dinner is on your own tonight. Your guides help you choose among Helsinki’s many fine-dining restaurants within easy walking distance of your hotel. There’s also time to enjoy the hotel’s spa facilities.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

4-6 miles, easy

After a hearty breakfast, you meet your guides and transfer around one-and-a-half hours to charming Fiskars Village. Here, you begin this morning’s walk along a nature trail, which starts from the village and leads into the surrounding forests. Make your way up the twisting trail, along several inclines and declines, through thick forest, and along dirt roads to the serene Rissla waterfall. Along the way, you pass the old Rissla power station and the Rissla dam.

Enjoy lunch on your own at one of several local restaurants in Fiskars, and after, you have free time to explore the village and its many shops and boutiques. Established as an ironworking town, Fiskars is named for the famous Fiskars scissor and knife company. Today the ironworks are long gone, and the village is home to world-class artisans and crafters. The village even has an application process for would-be residents to ensure their artwork meets certain standards. Truly an art-lover’s paradise, Fiskars is home to numerous galleries and studios, as well as museums.

This afternoon, a one-hour transfer brings you to Kopparnäs, where you’ll follow a coastal trail through a landscape of rocky outcrops, sandy beaches, and sweeping sea views. As you hike through fragrant pine forests and along seaside cliffs, gaze out at the pristine archipelago, where you may spot locals fishing or kayaking out on the water.

Return to your hotel in Helsinki with time to relax before dinner on your own tonight.

Included Meals: Breakfast

3-5 miles, easy

This morning you transfer about an hour northwest of Helsinki for a walk in the vast expanses of Nuuksio National Park. Small lakes, craggy outcroppings, and hushed fir forest make up the park’s upland geography, offering a sense of Finland’s wild places surprisingly close to the nation’s capital. These woodlands are home to elk, lynx, and the park’s diminutive mascot, the Siberian flying squirrel. Your walking trail winds through this serene landscape and ends at a forest hut, where we’ll gather by the fire for a traditional Finnish lunch that may include wild game, mushrooms, and berries hunted and foraged from the nearby forest.

For tonight’s farewell dinner, you walk to a local Michelin-starred restaurant that focuses on seasonal and locally grown Scandinavian produce. Here, perhaps over a meal of grilled langoustine topped with basil pesto and wild herbs, you toast with your fellow walkers, reminiscing over your adventures in Stockholm and Helsinki.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Your tour concludes after an included breakfast. Take the rest of the day to continue exploring Helsinki. Admire the cutting-edge fashion, furniture, and homewares in the city’s renowned Design District, browse the bakeries, cafés, and market stalls at Vanha Kauppahalli (the city’s late 19th-century market hall), or take a relaxing steam bath in your hotel’s sauna. Lunch and dinner are on your own today.

Country Walkers provides you with city information including recommendations on what to see and do in Helsinki during your stay.

Included Meals: Breakfast

3-4 miles, easy and 1-2 miles, easy

Meet your guides and fellow travelers in the lobby of Hotel Skeppsholmen at 9:00 a.m. Your guides will be wearing Country Walkers shirts. Please be dressed for walking. After brief introductions you begin your adventure. 

 You will kick off your day with a short ferry ride from your hotel on Skeppsholmen Island to the adjacent green oasis of Djurgården. This peaceful island in the middle of Stockholm has long been a favorite of the city’s residents. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, it served as a royal game reserve before assuming its current status as an urban getaway for cultural entertainment and outdoor recreation. Here, you’ll find a wide variety of museums and other venues – the Vasa maritime museum, the Skansen zoo, the Cirkus performance space, ABBA The Museum, and the Gröna Lund amusement park – all immersed in a vibrant natural setting.

This morning’s walking excursion across the island gives you a close-up look at Djurgården’s appealing mix of natural and man-made features. You’ll follow a combination of walking paths and sidewalks through mature parkland with views of the bustling archipelago and its surrounding waters, passing yacht clubs, beautifully tended gardens, and families enjoying a day out in nature. On the furthest end of Djurgården, enjoy an alfresco lunch at a harborside café, taking in the view of the Fjäderholmarna, or ‘feather islands’ in the distance.

Afterward, continue walking with your guide along the south shore of Djurgården or return directly to your hotel on its leafy inner island. You may also wish to stay longer and spend an hour or two exploring Djurgården’s museums, galleries, and other attractions on your own.

Another short ferry ride across the harbor brings you to Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s captivating, pedestrian-friendly Old Town. Here, on the first-settled island in the archipelago, history becomes tangible as you wander through narrow medieval streets and admire the charming ensemble of saffron-, ginger-, and cinnamon-colored façades framing Stortorget, the city’s oldest square. Your guide will accompany you on a short, guided walk, pointing out Stockholm’s 13th-century cathedral, the Nobel Museum, or the Kungliga Slottet, an opulent baroque Royal Palace. Enjoy dinner in this historical setting, savoring inspired seasonal offerings like artichoke soup with onion cream, roast venison with fennel sausage and wild mushrooms, or gooseberry sorbet with vanilla-cardamom cream.

Included Meals: Lunch, Dinner

4-7 miles, easy

Begin today with a five-minute ferry ride from Skeppsholmen, followed by a 10-minute walk to Slussen Station. From here, you take the local bus approximately 15-20 minutes to Hellasgården, the hub of the Nacka Nature Reserve. Situated just outside central Stockholm, Nacka is a popular getaway for locals looking to get away from the bustling city. A network of trails criss-cross the reserve leading through forests of oak and evergreens and along the shores of several lakes including picturesque Källtorpssjön and Söderbysjön, the latter with a pretty footbridge across it. As you stroll the packed-dirt trails, look for wildlife including jackrabbits, squirrels, and roe deer as well as birdlife such as woodpeckers.

Return to Hellasgården for a relaxing lunch, perhaps dining alfresco, gazing out at views of the reserve. This afternoon, you have several options to choose from—continue exploring the many trails in Nacka, go for a swim in a nearby lake, or perhaps make a visit to a local sauna.

In the late afternoon, return to Stockholm to enjoy a sumptuous dinner on your own, perhaps at your hotel’s superb restaurant.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

3-5 miles, easy

Transfer via public ferry this morning and continue on foot to Långholmen, another of the 14 urban islands on which Stockholm is built. Surrounded by Lake Mälaren, Långholmen served as a “prison island” for two centuries before it was reclaimed as public parkland in 1974. These days the old prison has been converted into a hostel and museum, while the island’s green spaces have become a popular recreation destination. Your route this morning follows walking paths along Långholmen’s waterfront, passing historical prison buildings, the slips of the local boating club, and garden allotments where Stockholmers lovingly tend their vegetables and flowers. Along the way, you may break your journey to partake in one of Sweden’s tastiest traditions: the late morning “fika,” a time-honored ritual in which friends gather for coffee, conversation, and a sweet treat of cardamom-laced cinnamon buns or Swedish cookies.

After free time for lunch and relaxation, travel to Stockholm’s ferry terminal to board the overnight ferry to Helsinki. This scenic voyage takes you through the picturesque archipelago in the sun’s waning light before crossing into the Baltic around midnight.

Settle into your sea-view cabin and enjoy dinner on the water in the ship’s fine-dining restaurant. Afterward, choose from numerous on-board activities, including shows, gambling, and duty-free shopping, or head for the open deck, where you can share drinks and conversation while contemplating views of islands and channels illuminated by the late evening sun.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

3-4 miles, easy

Your overnight ferry docks before 11:00 a.m. in Helsinki’s historic port. Here, you’ll get your first glimpses of Finland’s sophisticated capital, with its grand, powder-blue city hall backed by the imposing, domed, white Lutheran Cathedral and the striking, red-brick Russian Orthodox church, topped by green and gold onion domes.

A short stroll from the ferry terminal leads you toward the Kauppatori area of Helsinki’s city center. Your local guide points out some of the city’s famous sites, including Esplanade Park, the Parliament House, and Finlandia Hall. Once at Kauppatori harbor, you board

a public ferry to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Suomenlinna. A 15-minute jaunt through the island-dotted seascape of Helsinki’s harbor brings you to this 18th-century sea fortress, inspired by French military architect Vauban and built over six fortified islands interconnected by bridges. Designed by the Kingdom of Sweden to protect against Russian expansion, it eventually fell into Russian hands for over a century before passing to the new nation of Finland in 1918. The fortress now offers a fascinating glimpse into the region’s history and is a beautiful spot, enjoyed by locals and visitors alike for strolling, picnicking, dining, and relaxing.

Upon arrival, enjoy a 3-course lunch at the island’s brewery. Afterward, your guide provides an overview of the island’s most famous sights including the characteristic pink barracks built during the Russian period, the 19th-century Russian church (whose steeple doubles as a lighthouse), the naval dockyard (the world’s largest at the time of its construction in the 1760s), and the King’s Gate entryway. This entry is Suomenlinna’s enduring symbol, constructed in 1753-54 and rebuilt after substantial damage suffered in the Crimean War.

After ferrying back to the mainland, you may wish to join your local guide on a walk to some of Helsinki’s other main sights, including the Oodi Library and Senate Square. Or, you may want to walk directly to your hotel to relax and refresh. Dinner is on your own tonight. Your guides help you choose among Helsinki’s many fine-dining restaurants within easy walking distance of your hotel. There’s also time to enjoy the hotel’s spa facilities.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

4-6 miles, easy

After a hearty breakfast, you meet your guides and transfer around one-and-a-half hours to charming Fiskars Village. Here, you begin this morning’s walk along a nature trail, which starts from the village and leads into the surrounding forests. Make your way up the twisting trail, along several inclines and declines, through thick forest, and along dirt roads to the serene Rissla waterfall. Along the way, you pass the old Rissla power station and the Rissla dam.

Enjoy lunch on your own at one of several local restaurants in Fiskars, and after, you have free time to explore the village and its many shops and boutiques. Established as an ironworking town, Fiskars is named for the famous Fiskars scissor and knife company. Today the ironworks are long gone, and the village is home to world-class artisans and crafters. The village even has an application process for would-be residents to ensure their artwork meets certain standards. Truly an art-lover’s paradise, Fiskars is home to numerous galleries and studios, as well as museums.

This afternoon, a one-hour transfer brings you to Kopparnäs, where you’ll follow a coastal trail through a landscape of rocky outcrops, sandy beaches, and sweeping sea views. As you hike through fragrant pine forests and along seaside cliffs, gaze out at the pristine archipelago, where you may spot locals fishing or kayaking out on the water.

Return to your hotel in Helsinki with time to relax before dinner on your own tonight.

Included Meals: Breakfast

3-5 miles, easy

This morning you transfer about an hour northwest of Helsinki for a walk in the vast expanses of Nuuksio National Park. Small lakes, craggy outcroppings, and hushed fir forest make up the park’s upland geography, offering a sense of Finland’s wild places surprisingly close to the nation’s capital. These woodlands are home to elk, lynx, and the park’s diminutive mascot, the Siberian flying squirrel. Your walking trail winds through this serene landscape and ends at a forest hut, where we’ll gather by the fire for a traditional Finnish lunch that may include wild game, mushrooms, and berries hunted and foraged from the nearby forest.

For tonight’s farewell dinner, you walk to a local Michelin-starred restaurant that focuses on seasonal and locally grown Scandinavian produce. Here, perhaps over a meal of grilled langoustine topped with basil pesto and wild herbs, you toast with your fellow walkers, reminiscing over your adventures in Stockholm and Helsinki.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Näkemiin! After an included breakfast, bid farewell to your group as your tour concludes. Explore Helsinki on your own or prepare for onward travels.

Included Meals: Breakfast