When people plan a vacation to Europe, several cities are popular choices. London, Rome, Paris, Berlin and Madrid are among the most visited European cities, and they have a lot to offer the traveler. But, what about the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Finland and Sweden?
Among the attractions in these countries are four cities that have hosted the Olympics. Lillehammer and Oslo in Norway, Stockholm, Sweden and Helsinki, Finland have hosted the athletes of the world, and these cities are popular tourist destinations in this region of Europe. And, it's convenient to see them all, since a Eurail pass allows unlimited use of the rail system in these countries.
Eurail Pass for Europe Rail Travel
A Eurail Pass can take many forms, but every Eurail Pass shares one common trait: Unlimited rail travel in the countries that the pass is valid in. If travel is limited to Norway, Sweden and Finland, a Scandinavian Pass is the one to get. This pass affords the holder unlimited travel throughout these countries for a one-time fee.
There is something to keep in mind about Eurail. The Eurail Pass isn't available everywhere. Some cities that can be accessed by Europe rail travel don't have any Eurail Pass sales outlets. It is a good idea to make the purchase in advance, online. Then, the pass is in your pocket before the trip begins.
Europe Rail Travel in Finland, Sweden and Norway
Helsinki, Finland is a good place to start this tour of Olympic cities. Helsinki hosted the 1952 Summer Olympics. Helsinki Olympic Stadium is still alive and well, and has hosted almost every big-name musical act in concert. Where Paavo Nurmi once flashed around the track, AC/DC, Tina Turner and Bruce Springsteen pack in the Finnish fans.
Temppeliaukio Church is another Helsinki attraction. How do you turn a big hunk of solid granite into a church? Simple - just get a big rock and cut off all the parts that don't look like a church.
At this point, it's time to head for the next Olympic city, Stockholm, Sweden. Throughout history, engineers haven't had any luck getting trains to travel across water, so it is necessary to take a ferry to Stockholm. (The Eurail Pass is good for 1/2 price on this ferry trip)
Located on a series of islands, Stockholm hosted the 1912 Summer Olympics. It also hosted the equestrian events for the 1956 Olympics, the rest of which took place in Australia. The host stadium still stands, and more world records have been broken here than anywhere else on Earth.
Stockholm is a great walking city, with many sights reachable by foot. If you see four familiar faces in town, don't forget to say Mama Mia. After all, ABBA formed here in 1972.
From Stockholm, the train crosses the countryside of Sweden and into Norway. On the eastern shore of Lake Mjosa, Lillehammer played host to the 1994 Winter Olympics. Among the facilities was Olympic Cavern Hall, a hockey arena built inside a mountain. (Take that, Helsinki!) This Olympiad also included the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan debacle and the Olympic Torch making its entrance in the hand of a ski jumper.
The final Olympic city is to the south, in Oslo. The site of the 1952 Winter Olympics, Oslo welcomed athletes from 30 nations, including the war-torn nations of Japan and Germany. Facilities available for public visitation include Bislett Stadion, which opened in 1922.
Oslo is the capital of Norway, and a frequent host to cruise ships. This means that Oslo has shopping and dining facilities that are built to handle the masses, and Eurail travelers will want to take advantage of the chance to refuel and refresh; One final destination awaits.
From Oslo to Bergen, Norway is 290 miles of highly scenic rail travel. The journey is all about natural splendor, with scenery ranging from rivers and waterfalls to wooded valleys to barren, windswept mountain plateaus.
About the only way to top off a Europe rail travel trip in these three Scandinavian countries would be to take the 7 hour trip back to Oslo and enjoy the scenery one more time, while recalling the sights of the four Olympic cities. Surely the next trip won't have to wait for four years.
Dave Lovejoy - Dave is a graduate of the University of Nebraska. He is involved in farming and has a custom made furniture business that has customers ...
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