Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen by Rail

Our fantastic Nordic adventure begins as we meet our fellow travellers and Tour Manager at London Heathrow ready for our flight to Oslo. Nestled at the end of a pretty fjord, Norway's capital is an innovative green city and is regularly praised for its stylish, modern architecture - although its long history is also prevalent in its churches, palaces and medieval fortress. With a centre that is becoming increasingly car-free with more large green spaces, it is pioneering a new future for our cities.

On arrival at the airport, we transfer by efficient rail to our centrally located 4-Star hotel near Oslo Central station and its historic cathedral. After checking in, we take a short walk to a nearby restaurant to enjoy a three-course dinner and get to know one another better.

• Dinner

After breakfast we embark on a three-hour guided coach tour of Norway's capital. The exploration begins at the modern Opera House. The angled surfaces of this auditorium's exterior are covered with marble and white granite and, as it was inspired by Norwegian landscapes, it appears as if it is rising from the water. People are encouraged to walk on the building's slopes when the weather is appropriate, and those who do are rewarded with some of the best views across Oslofjord.

We also view the grand buildings of Karl Johans Gate, including the Parliament building, National Theatre and Royal Palace, before heading to Akershus Fortress, an imposing medieval castle that protected the city for much of the last millennium. Afterwards, we visit the National Museum, home to historic royal costumes and Edvard Munch's famous expressionist painting, 'The Scream'.

With the rest of the day at leisure, you could take a gentle cruise around idyllic Oslofjord, perhaps stopping to visit the fascinating museums of Bygdøy. This evening is free to dine independently, and you could sample some New Nordic cuisine.

• Breakfast

An early start after breakfast sees us make our way to Oslo Central station and embark on a captivating journey through inland Sweden to its capital, Stockholm. From the comfortable seats of the high-speed train - which includes free Wi-Fi and a bistro car - we enjoy the attractive wilderness of extensive pine forests, remote tranquil lakes and charming red wooden buildings as the beautiful Nordic scenery passes by our windows. Our route winds alongside Norway's longest river, the Glomma, to Kongsvinter, from where we head towards the Swedish border.

Entering a land of picturesque lakes and boreal forests, we skirt the banks of the vast Vänern, Sweden's largest lake, and travel across the heart of the country to its capital. Arriving in Stockholm in mid-afternoon, we have free time to familiarise with our new location. Our 4-Star hotel in Stockholm is centrally located near to the station, close to leafy public squares and the main shopping area, including the pedestrianised Drottninggaten. We check in for three nights and head out for a three-course dinner at a local restaurant this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

We get to know the historic Swedish capital this morning on a guided walking tour of Gamla Stan, Stockholm's Old Town - one of the best-preserved medieval centres in Europe.

Along pretty cobblestone streets, we admire the Old Town's most notable sights, including the Storkyrkan Lutheran cathedral (entry not included) and the Royal Palace, where you may choose to enter. This sprawling, magnificent Baroque palace contains more than 1,400 rooms and is the official residence of Sweden's monarch. We also visit the red-brick City Hall, a dominating landmark with a 347ft tower topped by three golden crowns.

Next, we find out exactly why Stockholm is known as the 'city between the bridges' on a serene cruise around the waterways and islands - a wonderful way to see the city from a different perspective. Afterwards, we stop for 'fika', a Swedish institution where friends gather for a relaxing coffee and cake, before a free afternoon and evening to explore and dine at leisure. Stockholm has a burgeoning reputation for its stylish and inventive cuisine, often employing seasonal produce such as lingonberries.

• Breakfast

You have a full day at leisure today to explore fascinating Stockholm. The city is renowned for its captivating and engaging museums, many of them on the verdant island of Djurgården.

For those interested in Sweden's long seafaring history, you might like to visit the Viking Museum to learn about the notorious raiders. Nearby is the Vasa Museum displaying a salvaged Swedish warship that set sail in 1628. The world's oldest open-air museum, Skansen, is a vast showcase of pre-industrial Swedish life, with idyllic wooden huts, churches, workshops and windmills dotting the parkland. One of Sweden's most successful exports is the Eurovision-winning pop group, ABBA. You can view costumes and memorabilia relating to Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid and the joyous museum honouring the Waterloo hit-makers.

For dinner tonight, you could look for the iconic meatballs, or kjøttboller, served with mashed potatoes, creamy gravy, lingonberry jam and pickled cucumber. Stockholm also offers up some fantastic seafood, or perhaps you might be interested in finding the traditional Sámi dish 'renskav', a creamy reindeer stew with the ubiquitous and delicious lingonberry jam.

• Breakfast

Leaving Stockholm after breakfast, we travel by rail to Denmark. As the train makes its way out of Stockholm, we can enjoy delightful views of the waterways and Gamla Stan before delving deep into the scenic Swedish countryside.

Picturesque red wooden houses, thick forests and peaceful lakes dapple the landscape as we journey through Sweden's atmospheric inland. On the approach to Norrköping look out for the shimmering Bråviken, an attractive inlet that spills out into the chilly Baltic Sea. On leaving Malmö, we cross the iconic Øresund Bridge that links the Swedish city with the Danish capital of Copenhagen. Europe's longest combined road and rail bridge was notably featured in the TV series, The Bridge, which played a key role in introducing the world to the 'Nordic noir' crime fiction genre.

We arrive in Copenhagen in the late afternoon and check in to our 4-Star hotel overlooking the city hall near the famous Tivoli Gardens. The evening is free to explore independently and, with Copenhagen being lauded for its world-class gastronomy, there are many fantastic restaurants to choose from tonight.

• Breakfast

This morning, we get to know our new surroundings better as we embark on a guided tour of Copenhagen, seeing the city's most famous sights.

We visit the dark-brick Christiansborg Palace, the seat of the Danish Parliament, before arriving at the stunning Amalienborg Palace. This large octagonal structure is surrounded by four identical classical palaces - one of which is home to Denmark's monarch. We then head to the world-famous Little Mermaid statue, honouring Hans Christian Anderson's much-loved fairytale.

Afterwards, we set sail on a cruise along the Nyhavn Canal, the 17th-century waterfront bedecked by colourful buildings, charming bridges and historic boats that was once home to Hans Christian Anderson. Today it buzzes with people relaxing at the many restaurants and café bars.

The afternoon gives us free time to continue exploring this pleasing capital. You could find the time to enjoy the Tivoli Gardens near our hotel. Opened in 1843, this magical theme park has enchanted countless visitors of all ages ever since, including Walt Disney. This evening, we gather to enjoy our final dinner together at a local restaurant.

• Breakfast, Dinner

There is a free morning after breakfast to savour our last moments in Copenhagen before we say goodbye to sensational Scandinavia. Transferring to the airport in the afternoon, ready for our flights back to London Heathrow or Manchester, we can look back on some of the incredible moments we have enjoyed on our holiday.

We have explored the fascinating and beautiful attractions of three magnificent Nordic capitals, starting with Oslo's striking Opera House that seems to be emerging from the picturesque fjord. After discovering the sights of Norway's capital, we travelled across Sweden by rail to medieval Stockholm, where we found the picture-perfect Gamla Stan. Here, we sailed the shimmering waters to get a new perspective of the city - as we did after crossing the Øresund Bridge to Copenhagen, viewing the pastel-hued buildings lining Nyhavn Canal.

These stunning cities have provided some unforgettable memories that we have shared with our fellow travellers and Tour Manager.

• Breakfast