NORWEGIAN SPLENDOR WITH COPENHAGEN JUNE 20 JULY 5, 2017

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1 NORWEGIAN SPLENDOR WITH COPENHAGEN JUNE 20 JULY 5, 2017 Explore the fjords, waterfalls, castles, and city streets of Norway on this 16-day adventure. Begin in the Danish capital Copenhagen, and then spend a day in Elsinore, the famous setting of Shakespeare s Hamlet. Take a ferry to Oslo and transfer to Gaala, your entry into the region of magnificent Norwegian fjords. Journey to Geiranger to the summit of Mount Dalsnibba. Board the Flam Railway for an excursion through the 2,000-foot deep Flam Valley. Travel through breathtaking scenery to one of Norway s largest orchards. Return to Oslo to visit Voringfoss Waterfall and tour the Viking Ship museum, a highlight of this nautical Norwegian city. Optional post-tour extension in Stockholm. STUDY LEADER: James Engell, Gurney Professor of English and Professor of Comparative Literature Since 1978 James (Jim) Engell has taught at Harvard, chairing the Department of English from 2004 to He earlier chaired the honors Degree Program in History & Literature as well as the Department of Comparative Literature and has served as a member of the Committee on the Study of Religion. A faculty associate of the Harvard University Center for the Environment, he began his studies leaning toward science. He has taught environmental seminars at Harvard, the National Humanities Center, and for a consortium of nine North American and Asian Universities, including Harvard. In 2008 Yale University Press published Environment: An Interdisciplinary Anthology, which he conceived and co-edited. His other books include The Creative Imagination: Enlightenment to Romanticism (1981); The Committed Word: Literature and Public Values (1999); and, with Anthony Dangerfield, Saving Higher Education in the Age of Money (2005), which won the 2007 Association of American Colleges & Universities Ness Book Award for best book on liberal education. He has edited more than a half dozen volumes and authored more than forty articles and book chapters. The recipient of four faculty-wide teaching and advising awards, Engell offers courses in General Education (on rhetoric and on the Enlightenment), romantic poetry, eighteenth-century studies, and environmental issues. He has team taught different courses with colleagues in the Department of Economics and the Divinity School. A Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he served as president of the Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers and belongs to the Cambridge Scientific Club.

2 GROUP SIZE: Up to 24 guests PRICING (per person): Double occupancy, air included: $7,174 (From New York) Double occupancy, land only: $5,895 Single Supplement: $1, SCHEDULE BY DAY B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner TUESDAY, JUNE 20 DEPART U.S. FOR COPENHAGEN, DENMARK WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21 ARRIVE IN COPENHAGEN Upon arrival in Copenhagen, meet your fellow travelers and your tour director. In the evening attend a welcome dinner and briefing at Copenhagen s Tivoli Gardens, one of the world s oldest amusement parks. Overnight: Scandic Palace (D) THURSDAY, JUNE 22 COPENHAGEN Delight in the city s architecture in a half-day tour of Copenhagen. Visit Rosenborg Palace and admire the lavish Crown Jewels; see the popular Little Mermaid statue; pass the beautiful houses of Nyhavn along the waterfront; and stroll the historic streets to City Hall Square. In the afternoon, explore the city at your leisure. With a lively arts scene and an abundance of museums, parks, shops, and restaurants, Copenhagen offers diversions aplenty. Copenhagen is also a gastronome s delight; you ll find a host of restaurants and cafés from which to choose for lunch and dinner on your own today. Overnight: Scandic Palace (B) FRIDAY, JUNE 23 COPENHAGEN Embark this morning on a full-day excursion, first to Elsinore, site of Kronborg Castle the infamous setting of Shakespeare s Hamlet. This afternoon, visit the Karen Blixen House and Museum in coastal Rungsted. Save for her years in Africa, the writer known as Isak Dinesen (Out of Africa) spent most of her life here where she was born in The house boasts its original furniture and décor. Return to the hotel late this afternoon. Dinner is on your own tonight. Overnight: Tivoli Hotel (B, L) SATURDAY, JUNE 24 COPENHAGEN/OSLO, NORWAY After a morning at leisure, set off on a mid-day tour that includes a stop at Christianborg Palace, seat of the Danish Parliament, the Prime Minister s office, and the Supreme Court the only such building in the world housing the three branches of government. Visit the cozy fishing village of Dragor, with its historic buildings and cobblestone streets. Later this afternoon, board the overnight DFDS ferry to Oslo, settling in private outside cabins and enjoying dinner and entertainment on board. Overnight: DFDS Ferry (B, D) SUNDAY, JUNE 25 OSLO/LILLEHAMMER/GAALA Upon disembarkation from the ferry, board a coach for the journey north to the mountain region that is one of Norway s oldest and bestknown sports districts. Stop along the way in

3 Lillehammer, the renowned ski resort that hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics. See the open-air folk museum at Maihaugen. Midafternoon, depart for the village of Gaala and your ski lodge hotel. Enjoy time before dinner to stroll the grounds and admire the scenery. Overnight: Wadahl Hotel (B, L, D) MONDAY, JUNE 26 GAALA/GEIRANGER Travel from Gaala to Geiranger along the roof of Norway, a land of jagged snowcapped peaks, blue ice, and emerald lakes. En route, ascend Geiranger Mountain Road along 20 hairpin turns and across several bridges to the summit of Mount Dalsnibba (alt. 4,900 feet) for a bird s-eye view (weather permitting) of Geirangerfjord and the mountains, lakes, and waterfalls beyond. Reach the village of Geiranger mid-afternoon for an up-close look at Norway s most dramatic fjord. Dine at the hotel in Geiranger tonight. Overnight: Hotel Union (B, D) TUESDAY, JUNE 27 GEIRANGER This morning s excursion on Eagle s Road to Herdalssetra promises abundant thrills as you traverse 11 hairpin turns through mountain passes, pausing for a grand panoramic view of Geirangerfjord along the way. Stop for lunch at a historic mountain farm used as an upland pasture for herds of goats, cows, sheep, and horses, then return to Geiranger for a relaxing afternoon at leisure. Before dinner at the hotel tonight, have a private viewing of a vintage car collection. Overnight: Hotel Union (B, L, D) WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28 GEIRANGER/BERGEN On this full-day journey to Bergen, a series of ferry rides takes you across Geirangerfjord. The scenic trip to Norway s most visited site takes you past tiny villages and tumbling waterfalls amid steep mountains plunging into placid fjord waters. Stop en route for lunch on your own. Upon arrival in Bergen this evening, enjoy dinner together. Overnight: Radisson Blu Royal (B, D) THURSDAY, JUNE 29 BERGEN Discover highlights of Bergen this morning, including the old warehouse district of Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage site whose colorful houses are packed tightly together, and the city s colorful Fish and Flower markets. This afternoon is at leisure. You may choose to take the funicular to Floyfjell for spectacular views of this seafaring town or visit Bergen Aquarium. With lunch and dinner on your own, there s ample opportunity to sample Bergen s excellent seafood. Overnight: Radisson Blu Royal (B) FRIDAY, JUNE 30 BERGEN/ LOFTHUS This morning depart Bergen and head to the village of Lofthus, Norway s Western Fjord District of snow-capped mountains, pristine fjords, and abundant orchards. En route, stop at Steindal Waterfall and watch the water cascade more than 150 feet. Continue to the floating Hardanger Akvasenter salmon farm; the deep, clean waters of Hardanger count as one of four major fish farm regions worldwide. Travel to Steinstoe Fruktfarm, one of the largest fruit farms in the area. Producing a fresh array of strawberries, cherries, and apples, Steinstoe is known as Norway s fruit orchard. Leaving Steinstoe, continue to the hotel in Lofthus. Dramatic scenery is in store as you cross over a suspension bridge with views of the fjord. Arrive at the hotel midafternoon and have time at leisure to stroll through the peaceful village of Lofthus, hike in the nearby hills, or enjoy the amenities of the hotel. Tonight enjoy dinner at the hotel. Overnight: Hotel Ullensvang (B, D)

4 SATURDAY, JULY 1 LOFTHUS / FLÅM It s a day of extreme beauty ( Norway in a nutshell ) and diverse transportation. Drive from Lofthus to Gudvangen crossing over the Hardanger suspension bridge once again. Arriving in Gudvangen mid-morning, pick up a boxed lunch and board the ferry headed to Flam. Experience the grandeur of Naeroyfjord, an arm of the stunning Sognefjord, a 125-mile long waterway (and UNESCO World Heritage site) that reaches halfway across Norway. View the Aurland fjords in the Flåm Valley. Arrive in Flam midday and have some time at leisure to explore the city. Early afternoon board the train to Myrdal and enjoy an incredibly scenic ride aboard the Flåm Railway, an excursion that descends through the steep and narrow Flåm Valley, nearly 2,900 feet deep. A masterpiece of engineering along precipitous mountainsides, the railway took nearly 20 years to construct. During the 50-minute ride, speed through 20 tunnels (18 of which were excavated by hand), curve around 21 hairpin bends, marvel at the mighty Kjosfossen Waterfall as it plunges from ledge to ledge, and enjoy truly breathtaking views. Though the ride is less than an hour, it will provide memories to last a lifetime. Once you arrive in Myrdal, you will switch trains and travel to Voss, then travel by coach to the hotel. Enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening. Overnight: Hotel Ullensvang (B, L, D) SUNDAY, JULY 2 LOFTHUS/OSLO This morning, visit the fjord village of Eidfjord to see the much-admired Hardanger Nature Center. After lunch on your own, stop in Fossli for a magnificent view (weather permitting) of the mighty Voeringfoss Waterfall, Norway s largest, with a vertical drop of 600 feet. Then begin the route across the Hardangervidda, a semi-barren mountain plateau that provides grazing lands for reindeer herds. Pass the resort town of Geilo and the farm-dotted Hallingdal Valley and proceed along Lake Kroederen. Arrive in Oslo early evening in time for dinner on your own. Overnight: The Bristol House (B) MONDAY, JULY 3 OSLO Founded in 1050, Oslo is the oldest of the Scandinavian capitals, though it was completely rebuilt in 1684 after a fire destroyed much of the city. The new city has museums, parks, and monuments. On a morning tour, discover the highlights of Oslo, including the Royal Palace, imposing Askershus Fortress and Castle, and Akerbrygge, the redeveloped harbor area. Visit Gustav Vigeland s renowned bronze sculptures of human figures at Frognerpark and the esteemed National Gallery, whose works including Edvard Munch s classic, The Scream encompass the nation s largest collection of Norwegian art. This afternoon is free to explore Oslo on your own. Tour the Munch Museum, visit the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, or sail to charming Bygdoy, with its collection of nautical-inspired museums. This evening is free for dinner on your own to taste Oslo s fine cuisine. Overnight: The Bristol House (B) TUESDAY, JULY 4 OSLO This morning, tour the fascinating Viking Ship Museum, which houses the well-preserved remains of wooden ships that crossed the ocean in search of new lands more than a thousand years ago. Also on display are some of the treasures retrieved from the sunken ships. Tour the nearby Kon-Tiki Museum where Thor Heyerdahl s famed Kon-Tiki raft and the reed boat RAII are on exhibit. The afternoon is free to explore Oslo further on your own before a farewell dinner at the hotel tonight. Overnight: The Bristol House (B, D)

5 WEDNESDAY, JULY 5 DEPART OSLO FOR U.S. Transfer to the airport this morning for your return flight home. Optional Extension: Stockholm- On Your Own WEDNESDAY, JULY 5 OSLO/STOCKHOLM Fly this morning to Stockholm. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel, located in the city center within easy walking distance of many sights. Begin exploring this historic city. Stockholm is wonderful for walking, with canals and bridges reminiscent of both Venice and Amsterdam, and pedestrian-oriented Gamla Stan, the medieval old town whose cobblestone streets are lined with well-preserved historic buildings including the magnificent Baroque Royal Palace. Be sure to make time to fika, as the Stockholmers call their beloved coffee breaks, in one of the city s omnipresent cafés. Overnight: Clarion Sign (B) THURSDAY & FRIDAY, JULY 6-7 STOCKHOLM You are on your own in Stockholm, with the next two days free to explore the many sights of this lively city. One of the best ways to experience Stockholm is by boat, and you ll find many excursions at the nearby harbor. Take a day trip by boat to the royal family s splendid residence, 17th-century Drottningholm Palace, with its elaborate gardens, Chinese Pavilion, and theater. Another fine choice is Djurgården, the world s first national city park, with attractions such as Skansen, the world s first openair museum with exhibits from across Sweden. Still more possibilities include the Strindberg Museum, dedicated to Sweden s most important playwright; the delightful Toy Museum, with toys and dolls from around the world; the Museum of Modern Art, with its superb collection and outstanding architecture; and the Vasa Museum displaying the warship Wasa, which sank on its maiden voyage in 1628 and was raised virtually intact in Overnight: Clarion Sign (B) SATURDAY, JULY 8 DEPART STOCKHOLM FOR U.S. Depart Stockholm this morning for your flight home. (B)