Scandinavia
COMPILED BY GABE WEBB
Glaciers, volcanoes and the Golden Circle
Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, is not a large
city (population: 123,000), and its location
just outside the Arctic Circle means the
shortest winter days have only a few hours
of sunlight. But what Reykjavik lacks in
numbers, it makes up for with a fascinating
history, vibrant nightlife, natural beauty and
a creative spirit.
Reykjavik can serve as a hub for visitors
looking to explore the island’s unusual land-
scapes, volcanoes, glaciers and hot springs.
NTA member and receptive tour operator
GJ Travel Iceland is very experienced with
immersing the city’s visitors in the country’s
wonders (and in those hot springs). On the
company’s Northern Lights-themed evening
tours, guides take into account cloud cover
Gullfoss waterfalls
and the aurora forecast, and their guests are
taken away from the city’s light to maximize
includes the Golden Circle’s Thingvellir National Park, the
their chances of seeing the colorful streaks that light up the
volcanic Reykjanes Peninsula and the powerful Gullfoss
Arctic skies. Other popular day-trip options include whale-
waterfalls, as well as glaciers and the black-sand beaches of
watching, puffin spotting and horseback riding tours.
the southern coast.
GJ Travel also offers multi-day packages that focus on par-
For more, email Renato Gruenenfelder at [email protected]
ticular regions of Iceland. Its Best of South Iceland itinerary
or go to gjtravel.is.
Get to know Norway with Scandinavia Tours
Scandinavia Tours, based in Vågå, Norway, custom designs
all its itineraries that feature Norway, Sweden and Denmark.
While the winters of the Nordic world might intimidate some,
Managing Director Monique van Dijk-Seppola says she has
seen increased interest.
“We have started to promote the winter season more—
hunting, the Northern Lights, skiing, dog sledding and win-
ter cruises,” she says, attributing some of the interest to the
Disney film “Frozen.” The movie even serves as the inspiration
for a high-end tour offering the company packages.
“Norway is the Scandinavian country
Bergen, Norway
with the highest peaks and the deep-
est fjords,” she says. As groups travel
through the Gudbrandsdalen region on
one of the company’s popular routes,
they can see the network of valleys as
they take in the culture, history and cui-
sine of Norway.
“We end our journey in the beauti-
ful Hanseatic city of Bergen, or we pro-
long our journey with a cruise with the
famous Hurtigruten.” The passenger line
has been ferrying people and cargo along
the Norwegian coast since the 1890s, and
ships depart Bergen daily.
To learn more about Norway and other
destinations across Scandinavia, contact
van Dijk-Seppola at monique@scandinavia
tours.no or go to scandinaviatours.no.
NTAonline.com
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