There are lots of places to see and experience in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. So much that spending hours to plan a vacation and choosing places to see takes all the fun out of the expectations.
The Daily Scandinavian’s Bucket List makes the planning and choices easy for a fantastic vacation.
Welcome to our 2014 Summer Bucket List!
Denmark
Legoland. Billund, Denmark
Win eternal admiration by taking your children to Legoland, with waterpark, rides and the marvelous Miniland, created from 20 million bricks.
Tivoli. Copenhagen, Denmark
Utterly delightful theme park and gardens, right in the heart of the capital city. Fountains and fairground as well as jugglers and acrobats make this a fun family day out for everyone. Related article.
Fairy-Tale Island of Funen
If something is rotten in the state of Denmark, it certainly isn’t the garden island of Funen. Nor is it the island’s regal and privately owned Egeskov Castle, widely held to be Europe’s best preserved Renaissance island castle. The castle opened again last week.
Denmark’s Former Royal Capital
A onetime ecclesiastical seat and the royal capital of Denmark until 1455, fjord-side Roskilde recently marked its 1,000th anniversary, and some of the jubilee air lingers on.
Hamlet’s Elsinore (Kronberg) Castle
So Elsinore Castle’s real name is Kronborg Slot, and so it was built centuries after the time of the Danish prince in whom Shakespare based his tormented, brooding Hamlet. But his fortified Nordic icon of secret passages, with its suitably dungeon and canon-studded battlements, could not have been a better backdrop for Shakespeare’s dark tragedy. 
The Natural Beauty of Aero Island
If Denmark is in your sights as a travel destination, consider a visit to one of the islands to see Danish life at a slower pace while you enjoy fresh air, natural beauty and plenty of options for exercise. 
Norway
Frogner (Vigeland) Park. Oslo
Oslo is a very family-friendly city, with outdoor pools, an adventure playground and the Vigeland sculpture park.
Viking Ship Museum – Oslo
presents great Viking ship discoveries from Gokstad, Oseberg and Tune as well as other finds from Viking tombs around the Oslo Fjord.
The Opera House – Oslo
The highlights of the architectural route are one of the new prides of Oslo, Snöhetta’s opera building at Björvika.
Ekeberg Art Park/Restaurant – Oslo
Ekebergparken is a sculpture and national heritage park for the people of oslo and visitors looking for a unique experience.
Oslo –Flåm Rail/Fjord Cruise – Bergen
The mountain railway from Myrdal to Flåm packs the most dramatic scenery – ravines, rivers and toppling waterfalls – into its 12 miles (20 km) route. This part of the “Norway in a Nutshell” trip that adopts a variety of forms of transport to experience Norway’s exhilarating natural beauty.
Bryggen – Bergen
The tourist website for Norway captures the spirit and history of Bergen with its description of this city as “a spectacular amphitheatre clambering up the mountainsides.”
Sweden
A Castle, a Special Inn and a Picture-Perfect Town
The endearing lakeside village Marienfred in Svealand, with its main attraction, the impregnable redbrick Gripsholm castle, is Stockholm’s perfect day trip.
The Versailles of the North
Clearly inspired by the style of Versailles, the official year-round home, Drottningholm Palace, of Sweden’s present-day King Carl Gustav XVI and Queen Silvia is widely held to be one of the most delightful European palaces.
Stockholm archipelago
Water, fire and ice have combined to make some of the most spectacular scenery in the world — from giant crystal caves to mud volcanoes and rock formations that look like works of art.
The World’s Oldest Preserved Man-of-War
On August 10, 1628, the magnificent royal warship Vasa sank on her maiden voyage in front of thousands of horrified onlookers before she even left the Stockholm harbor. Sudden gusts of wind and not enough ballast are the most popular explanation.
Birka — The Swedish Viking trading center
One of the most important trading centers in Scandinavia during the Viking Age
In Lake Mälaren, 18 miles west of Stockholm, Sweden, lies the small island of Björkö. Its size belies its importance in the Viking world of 1,100 years ago.
A Swedish Island Retreat in Medieval History – Visby, Gotland
It has taken very little time to fall in love with Gotland, a mysterious sea-swept island in the middle of the stony grey Baltic, off the southeast coast of Stockholm.
Enjoy!
Compilation: Lars Thomas Tanskanen