There's something incredibly special about sailing
through the fjords with towering landscapes either
side, best viewed from the ship's Explorer's Lounge
providing an astounding 180-degree view. A trip on
the Flåm railway from Eidfjord is a must, taking you
up into the mountains for panoramic views from
every angle. In Stavanger, the vivid blue doors stand
out on the bright white wooden houses that line the
old town. Even on a gloomy day it's picture perfect.
Before I knew it, we said our farewell to Norway
and had made our way to Denmark, with our first
stop in Ålborg, hometown of Sydney Opera House
architect Jorn Utzon. The ship docks alongside the
Utzon Centre and it's a very easy town to explore
by foot. Like everywhere in Denmark, beware of
the bikes. Especially in Copenhagen. With elaborate
architecture drawing your eyes at every corner, it's
easy to not see cyclists riding through with the speed
and confidence of cars.
Our day in Berlin was the longest, busiest, and
most demanding, both mentally and physically, but
worth it. After relatively quiet ports in Norway and
Denmark, Berlin brought a big city feel with modern
history, and so much to explore that everyone on
the ship had made plans to revisit again soon. Soon
after was Gdańsk. It was my first visit to Poland, and
I was immediately lured in by all the amber jewellery
that adorned the store windows. I justified a few
purchases by telling myself it was small and easy to
bring back home.
A new port for Viking Homelands was Mariehamn
in the Åland Islands, admittedly somewhere I had not
actually heard of before but was very pleased to have
visited, nonetheless. Steeped with Viking history this
quaint island was the calm we needed before arriving
in our final port, bustling Stockholm.
It was time to disembark. After 15 days of being
blissfully taken care of, having all my meals prepared,
my bed made every day, and being greeted at every
corner of the ship with a friendly smile and hello, I
was heading back to reality. While I felt a little sad as
I stepped off the ship for the final time, I did so with
the pleasure of knowing I would be back on board to
my Viking home again in the not-too-distant future.
GETTING THERE: The 15-day Viking Homelands
voyage sails from Bergen to Stockholm.
From $8,595pp in a Veranda stateroom.
Stockholm
Baltic
Sea
Nor th
Sea
Copenhagen
Ålborg
Mariehamn
Stavanger
Eidfjord
Oslo
Bergen
Berlin
(Warnemünde)
Bornholm
(Rønne)
Gdańsk
NORWAY
SWEDEN
FINLAND
POLAND
GERMANY
DENMARK
–
Cruise
••
O vernight in Por t
Above: The
colourful lanes
of Copenhagen,
Denmark
SHIP HIGHLIGHTS
• Daily visits to relax and unwind in the LivNordic
Spa after a day of exploring
• The extensive menu in Manfredi's — so many
choices, so little time
• Returning to the ship to warm refresher towels
and a sense of calm after a busy day in port
• Watching the world go by from my
private balcony
• The beautiful Viking staff who made me feel
so at home
VIEW
ITINERARY
22
VIKING
