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Information on Scandinavia
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You may
like to explore the web sites of our partners
in Scandinavia..
Useful
Links:
Here are some useful
links to know more about Scandinavia, its people and
rich culture.
Catch up on the latest
events coming up in the major Scandinavian capital cities.
Visa
formalities
for your country for coming to Scandinavian countries
Frequently
asked questions on your trip, climate in Scandinavia,
our services, etc.
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Links on various countries in Scandinavia
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Sweden
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Finland
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Norway
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Denmark
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Iceland
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Links on Sweden
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Sweden
- Consular Information Sheet
Text information page with information on
crime, traffic rules, and general regulations with regard to Swedish law.
Sweden.com
- Tourist Tips
Things to do in Sweden that you may not have thought
of.
Sweden:
Tourist Information
The official Swedish website for tourism and travel
information. Good source for cultural events and info on Stockholm.
Vasamuseet
- The Vasa Museum - Stockholm
Scandinavia's most visited museum, located
in Stockholm. Features the warship Vasa - the only remaining, intact 17th
century ship in the world. |
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Links on Denmark
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Danish
Museums Online
From the dropdown list, you'll have access to all the
museums in Denmark.
Denmark
Castles and Gardens
A site devoted to Danish Castles and Gardens, with
pictures, maps, and historical description of castles you can visit in
Denmark.
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Links
on Finland
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Finnish
Art and Culture on the Web
Links to many Finnish art and culture web
sites. A good resource for finding out more about Finnish art.
The
Finnish Sauna
Here's some advice on how to use a sauna. Also you can read
up on sauna culture so you don't make a naked faux pas.
Virtual
Finland
Find out about Finland and get the latest news in English. Not a
travel site, the articles go deeper into the culture than many travelers would
like--but if you'd like an insight into the people and their culture this would
be a place I'd go. |
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Links on Norway
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Fishing
in Norway
Links to trips and techniques for fishing in Norway.
Virtual
Oslo - Travel Guide for Oslo, Norway
Good information on where to go in
Oslo and how to get there.
Oslo
Travel - City Guide
Concise information on what to see and do in Oslo and
when to do it.
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Links on Iceland
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Visit
Iceland
Practical information and
details for planning your trip to Iceland.
History
of Iceland Interesting brief history
of Iceland
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Visa
Formalities: Some
of the questions regarding your visa requirements to
Scandinavia are answered below:
Do
I need a visa?
Where and how to apply for a Schengen visa?
Typical
documents required for visa to Sweden
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Do
I need visa?
Scandinavian
countries are a part of Schengen treaty. Citizens from the following countries/territories require a visa when entering
Sweden / any other county in Scandinavia, check
the list.
Where and how to apply for a Schengen visa?
You should apply at the Embassy in your
country of residence.
If you want to visit one Schengen country, apply
for a visa at the Embassy of that country. If you want to visit several Schengen
countries, apply at the Embassy of the country of your main destination. If you
intend to visit several Schengen countries but do not have a main destination,
apply at the Embassy of the Schengen country of your first port of entry.
You must apply in person at the Embassy during the opening
hours to lodge your application.
Your application should be lodged at the
Embassy at least 30 days before the proposed journey is
undertaken.
Please note that holders of Schengen visas are still subject to immigration
control and are not guaranteed entry into any of the Schengen countries, even
though they may hold a valid visa for these countries.
Typical
documents required for visa to Sweden
When applying for a Tourist visa for
Sweden, you must submit all of the following documents:
Please note that all documents are
required at the same time, or your application will
not be accepted. Please bring all of the originals as
well as a set of photocopies.
Application for Schengen Visa completed, signed and dated
Appendix B: Questionnaire for Visa
Applicants
Appendix D: Family Appendix for Applicants
Passport. The passport should be valid
for three months after departure from the territory
of the Schengen countries and contain a blank visa-page.
Two (2) recent passport photographs
with a light background.
Proof of purpose of the visit: evidence
of accommodation, e.g. confirmed hotel reservation or
confirmation of organised tour
Evidence of occupation/student status.
Proof of your current occupation, i.e. an
original letter from your employer, a solicitor a recent bank statement,
etc.
Evidence that you have sufficient
funds to support yourself during your stay, i.e. original
recent bank statement, traveller's cheques or postal
order
A valid personal travel medical insurance
covering
– 30,000 Euro
– emergency treatment by a doctor
– urgent ambulance transportation
– transportation back to the applicant's
home country if required for medical reasons
– (or E111 for EU-family member)
Parental consent is required for minors.
Your entry visa must be entered in
your passport before your arrival in Sweden.
Please note the above is only an example
and you must contact the local Embassy in your country
for the specific details and information.
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Tourism
related events
in Scandinavia
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Stockholm is never boring around the year. There's something
going on in Stockholm around the year.
Find
more..
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Helsinki is an active and energetic city in which many events are held
throughout the year.
Find
more.
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Copenhagen Events: 2006 - Wonderful city with so much happening everyday.
Find more..
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Oslo
is host to a number of annual festivals of: theatre,
chamber music, jazz, rock, contemporary music.
Find
more..
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Frequently
asked questions on Scandinavia
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What
is the general nature of your
tour?
Our tours are broadly
of two categories:
I.
Independent (self guided):
These are open throughout
the year. As per your individual
travel plan we arrange stay with
breakfast, surface transport
in Scandinavia and standard
city sightseeing tours. As an
option to the sightseeing tour,
we can provide
City Card for free usage of public transport
and entrances to most of the
museums.
II:
Fixed group: These
are with fixed itinerary and
on prior announced dates. You
may like to join in and match
these dates to suit your travel
plan. You can request for extra
days in specific cities or join
only a portion of the trip.
What is the booking procedure for your
tour?
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1.
You
send us broad details of your travel
dates and places you would like
to visit by email
/ general enquiry
form or individual booking forms for
the standard packages.
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2.
We
work out the details and on
finalization of tour plan send you an
estimate.
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3.
You
provide
us the final approval and payment through bank wire transfer
(online credit
card payment
coming soon).
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4.
We
send you the final tour confirmation
by email with a detailed itinerary, tickets and travel
vouchers.
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What is the deposit amount to be paid at the time of booking the
Tour?
We do not expect
any advance deposit at the time
of booking request but you need to make
full payment before we can confirm
all the arrangements and provide
you a detail itinerary.
How early / late can I book on your
tour?
You can book as early as 365 days prior to departure and as late as
7 days prior to your departure date.
What is your procedure for full payment?
On receiving your
enquiry
form, we send you an invoice and
hold your place for 45 days
before the departure date. In case the payments
are not made in this period,
we drop your bookings automatically.
Where
should I book my Airline tickets?
You are expected to book your airline tickets with your
own Travel Agent or use our preferred Sales Agent in your country. You may contact
us for suggesting an
appropriate agent in your region
How do I get my Visas for Scandinavia?
All the countries
in Scandinavia are covered by
Schengen agreement. You may
refer to Visa
information pages for
details. It would be best to check with your own Travel Agent for any advice and information. You are expected to send
us a copy of your
Travel documents before your departure.
Do you take reservations on fixed dates?
We
have fixed date as well as independent tour so are flexible to accommodate any desired dates.
Please follow our enquiry
form
for the available dates that
suit you best.
Do you take reservations for single families?
We welcome
single families as well large groups travelling together.
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What is your cancellation
procedure?
We allow cancellations as per our
terms.
What is your cancellation policy?
Cancellation refunds are
offered as per our refund policy.
Please study our Terms & Conditions.
Can we make any
changes in our tour plan?
You can make any amendments / changes before
the final bookings have been
confirmed. | |
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Do you have Tour Managers?
For a group of over 15 persons, we always have a Tour Manager escorting our group tours in
Scandinavia. For independent
tours you are helped by our instructions.
What language do your Tour Managers Speak?
All
our Tour Managers speak English very
fluently
Do you have guides on your tours?
Yes
for Group travel we have guided facility
in selected cities as
mentioned in your tour itinerary.
What are optional
tours?
Optional tours are excursion, which are not included in your Main
tour cost. If you want to avail of these optional excursions then you have to
pay an additional amount.
Tell us about sightseeing?
We include regular
sightseeing tours in cities as per the detail
itinerary. As an option to bus
sightseeing, we can provide
City Cards for free usage of
public transporttation and entrance
to museums
Tell
us about your hotels / accommodation?
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For independent and group tours all hotels are
3 / 4 star category in all
destinations throughout
Scandinavia. We
have taken care
that they are accessible
to the city center.
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Mostly in Europe due to the favorable weather conditions, practically all
hotels do not have air conditioners or fans. |
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In Europe all hotels have twin-bedded rooms and are comparatively small.
(Single rooms if available are much smaller than twin-bedded room). We recommend
a maximum of only three persons in one room.Please contact
us
for any special
bed requests |
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Triple rooms are usually no larger than twin room and the third
bed is often a rollaway bed or cot placed in a twin room. Modern facilities such
as attached toilets with showers/ bathtubs and telephones are provided in each
room. |
What is the
category of your hotels / accommodation?
The hotels provided to you are
clean, decent tourist class hotel with attached bathroom and modern
amenities. To provide genuine Scandinavian environment, we sometimes make special
arrangements in Swedish houses
"stugas". All our accommodations
are comfortable with sometimes
self cooking facility. Please
check this option at the time
of enquiry.
What are the
check-in & check out timings?
| Check in & check out time differs from country to country but mostly
check in time is around 2 p.m. and check out time is around 12 noon.. |
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What are the types of meals
offered on the tour?
We serve continental breakfast
in the hotel / aboard your cruise.
Lunch
/ Dinner are
offered as supplement mainly
for groups. Meals will be a
two course buffet with a choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, unless
specified otherwise in your itinerary.
Pure Vegetarian meals
We
also offer special Pure Vegetarian food as a supplement in group tours. In case if you require any item
not forming part of the group menu, then you will have to buy the same on your
own e.g. mineral water etc. SP reserves the right to change the food and
breakfast arrangements on any tour and the time of service, if circumstances
make it necessary to do so.
Is tap water safe
for drinking?
Normally,
tap water is safe for drinking throughout Scandinavia. However, we suggest you
buy mineral water bottles at your own cost if you so desire. Most hotels,
restaurants and rest stops do not serve water unless you buy it.
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Is
eating allowed on the coach?
It is not permitted to eat on the coach,
but however clients do, which inevitably results in the coach being in a mess.
The driver can only get a chance to clean the coach only in cities where you
spend more then one night in a hotel. Hence if possible avoid eating on the
coach as you spend most of your time on the coach.
Is
smoking allowed on the coach?
Smoking is strictly not allowed on the
coach, you can smoke during the frequent comfort stops. |
What
is the carrying capacity of
the bus?
Our buses have seating capacity
from 15 to 50 seats depending
on the group size. |
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People who travel on your tours? Passengers who
book on our tour are group of families / friends who like to travel together
for vacation from all parts
of the world.
Do you accept
physically challenged / handicapped people?
Any disability requiring special attention should
be reported to us by you at the time the booking the tour. We will try to make
efforts to accommodate the special needs of the disabled tour participants, but
it is not our responsibility in the event if we are unable to do so, nor is it our
responsibility for any denial of services by carriers, hotels, restaurants, or
other independent suppliers. We regret that we cannot provide individual
assistance to a tour member for walking, dining, and getting on and off
motorcoaches and other transportation vehicles, or other personal needs. A
qualified companion must accompany travelers who need such assistance. People in
need of wheelchairs should carry the folding variety as it saves on space and is
easier to carry it on the coach. | |
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How many children are allowed per room in
Europe?
As per the fire regulations in Europe, a
maximum of 3 persons are allowed in a room. The rooms in some hotels are
comparatively small, hence we recommend only 3 persons in one room. Triple rooms
are usually no larger than twin rooms and the third bed is often a rollaway bed
or cot placed in a twin room.
What are the rules for child bedding ?
A child below 12 yr. can
share the
bed or is give an extra cot with his/her parents. A maximum of 3 persons may
be allowed in a twin room..
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What about the
safety of my personal belongings?
| a. |
Passengers are
advised to take care of all their personal belongings, even in the coach,
particularly, their tickets, passports, cameras and foreign
exchange. |
| b. |
In case you
lose your passport, please report it to the nearest Consulate office
after registering the loss / theft at the nearest local police
station. |
| c. |
Usually
consulates issue an emergency certificate - which is sufficient for you to
travel back to home. It could take between 24-72 hours, keeping in mind the
working days available. |
| d. |
For the loss /
theft of travelers checks, please report the same to the issuing company. In
both cases, it helps if you have photocopies of all your
documents. |
| e.. |
Please bear in
mind, that in case of such an incident, the consequential problems and costs
will have to borne by you. It is not possible for the tour Manager to accompany
you, as the tour has to proceed as per the schedule.
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What about the
safety of my travel documents/valuables?
| a. |
Before leaving
home, please make two sets of photocopies of all your travel documents i.e. your
entire passport and traveler's checks. |
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Leave one set
at home and carry the other set in your baggage but never with the
originals. |
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Avoid carrying
too much money in person. |
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We suggest that
you do not keep all money, credit cards or travelers checks in one wallet or
purse. |
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Always take
extra care of your luggage and handbags in crowded places like stations and
sightseeing spots where pickpockets abound. |
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Most hotels
have lockers (either free of cost or at a nominal charge). You should store all
your valuables in these lockers. | | |
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What about First Aid?
We
strongly recommend that you carry a small first aid kit such as tablets that are
useful for fever, headache, cold, and cough.
Do I need insurance?
Medical
Insurance is compulsory, as treatment abroad can be very expensive. You have to
take an extensive Travel Insurance policy to cover yourself and your belongings
for the entire length of your journey. Such policies include medical costs, loss
or damage to baggage or property, traveler's checks, personal
injuries/accidents, etc.
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Punctuality on tour?
Time management
is of utmost importance to ensure that we cover all places mentioned. Delays on
the part of a few passengers could result in the entire group missing out on
sightseeing and other services.
Exchanging currency?
Credit
cards are accepted in most places
in Scandinavia. Since each Scandinavian
country has its own currency,
we recommend you to use credit
card as it is mostly accepted
at all places. You may easily
change
money (USD / Euro) at banks or foreign exchange bureaus as they give a better rate than
hotels.
Is portage included in our tour?
The cost of portage is not
included in the tour cost.
What about tipping?
Tipping is
not included in your tour cost.
How do I call back home?
You can make telephone calls either
from your hotel room or from phone booths found in all cities. Telephone calls
from the hotel room involve a high service charge. The telephone booths or
kiosks are usually of 3 types - those that accept coins, phone cards or credit
cards.
What is VAT?
VAT means Value Added Tax. Vat are refund of
taxes on your purchase in Europe, Britain and other European countries, Value
added Tax (VAT) is charged on most goods and the same varies from country to
country so it is best to check with the shopkeeper before any purchase. Some
stores offer relief from VAT, under the retail exports scheme. The counter
export scheme enables you to take possessions ones of your purchases
immediately, together with retail export scheme form. This form must be filled
by the shopkeeper and presented, together with goods you are exporting to the
customs officer for certification by departing the country border / airport,
from one country to another. After the bill is certified by the customs, send it
to those shopkeepers from whom you made those purchases. The refund will be sent
to your address. It is advisable to tell the shopkeeper before making a purchase
that you want to claim refund of VAT. You need to show your passport if you wish
to take the advantages of the scheme. So do not forget to take it with you when
you go shopping. Some stores specify a minimum value for goods purchase under
the scheme.
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Climate
in Scandinavia
Denmark: Considering its northerly location the climate
is relatively mild, moderated by the effects of the warm Gulf Stream
which sweeps northward along the west coast. Expect wet weather year
round. The most pleasant months in which to visit are from May to
August, when temperatures can hover around 25 degrees and daylight
lasts almost 18 hours. In the coldest winter months of January and
February, the average daily temperature lingers around freezing point -
and while that may be cold, it's nearly 10 degrees Celsius above
average for this latitude.
Sweden: Summer extends from June to August. Winter is
from December to March, wet with long periods of frost. February is the
coldest month. Spring and autumn are generally mild. Monthly average
temperatures in Stockholm are highest in July at about 22°C (70°F),
when you can rely on nine hours of sunshine. The average temperature in
the northernmost mountains at this time is about 11°C (52°F), but you
should be prepared for occasional sub-zero temperatures and snow falls,
even in summer; the range of temperatures north of the Gulf of Bothnia
is almost 30°C (86°F). Sweden's northern latitude means that it never
gets really dark from mid-May to late July, with the trade-off being a
pervasive December dimness. Annual rainfall is greatest around
Gothenburg at well over 700mm (28in) and falls mainly as snow in
Lapland, blanketing the region for 200 days of the year. Many coastal
ports are frozen all winter, while the Stockholm archipelago can be
iced in for a couple of months.
Norway:
Norway's coastal areas have a surprisingly temperate climate thanks to
the Gulf Stream, especially in the summer months. The mountainous
inland regions experience more extreme ranges of temperatures, and the
northern highlands suffer Arctic conditions. The country is at its best
and brightest from May to September, and at its worst between November
and March when average temperatures are below freezing. Midnight-sun
days, when the sun never drops below the horizon, extend from May 13 to
July 29 at Nordkapp in the far north, and from May 28 to July 14 in the
Lofoten islands. Even southern Norway has daylight from 4 am to 11 pm
in midsummer. On the other hand, the sun does not rise in the north
from the end of November to the end of January.
Finland: Finland can get very cold - in the south it gets
down to -15°C in January and February, while in the north it's often
below -30°C during the winter months. It's also dark most of the day
during this time. During the summer months, expect about 15°C in the
north and around 20°C in the south (although it can get above 30°C).
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Security
of bookings
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When
you buy a trip through ScandinavianPackages.com,
the trips are entirely secured
as per Swedish travel
package law .
Scandinavian Packages AB has
placed their travel guarantee
with Legal, Financial and Administrative
Services Agency in Sweden to
protect our customers.
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Disclaimer: We have publshed
the above information in good faith and to the best
of our knowledege and assume no liability and damage
as a consequence of using this information, user should
verify the facts directly.
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