Organized, friendly and knowledgeable guidanc...

Norway | May 20 - May 29, 2023

This is a good location because you are within a ten minute walk to anything you would want to see or do but it's a quiet street. We were there the weekend the local football team won the Norway cup and the town was going nuts but we couldn't here any of it from our hotel. Staff is helpful if not overly friendly. The lobby is nice to hang out in with tea and coffee available and the breakfast was high quality with lots of selection and good food. They do need to do a little bit of work on their rooms. The furniture is in noticeably poor shape and there are no black-out shades which can make sleeping in the summer months a bit difficult.

Hotel Britannia is a luxury hotel that really lives up to its reputation. The rooms are beautiful. The facilities--gym, pool, sauna and spa--are well-appointed. The whole place smells good. The staff is friendly and professional. The breakfast is out of this world good.

This hotel is a located in Nyhavn which is a very busy area. The hotel is near the sound, just around the corner from the theater and Ofelia Plads, a five minute walk from a pedestrian bridge that crosses the sound and about an eight minute walk from Kongens Nytorv, where the Royal Ballet is. The area between those points can be packed but it's about one of the prettiest areas in the city. We were in junior suites on the top floor, each had a sitting area or desk with a sleeping area upstairs under the eaves. The rooms were very comfortable, pretty and sunny. They can get warm from the sun and being at the top of the building but there is a window that opens and air-conditioning. The staff were EXTREMELY helpful, going out of their way to make sure we were aware of issues with road closures the day of our departure and helping us strategize the best way to get to the airport. The breakfast is very nice with lots of options and good coffee.

We are not people who go on cruises so we were pleasantly surprised with our over all experience. The MS Richard With is a working cargo ship as well as a cruise ship so it's a pared down cruise experience is my impression. Lots of folks sitting with their knitting looking out on the fjords as we sailed by. As for food, we only opted for breakfast, which was excellent. We were very comfortable and had a very nice time. The best part was when a crew member spoke about certain islands we were passing and their history.

Madga did an excellent job of explaining the history of Bergen and Norway. Her comments on Byrggen and Hanseatic heritage were especially enlightening. We covered a fair bit of ground, but the pace is gentle and she took care not to exhaust the members of the tour.

I would recommend this for people who have some familiarity with kayaking. You don't need much experience but there are some tricky spots where it helps to know how to handle the kayak. That said, our guide did an excellent job of covering the basics, getting us geared up and in the kayaks.

We loved this tour and the tour guide. It is a two and a half hour walking tour that is worth every minute so wear comfortable shoes and maybe do some extra miles at home before your trip. Our guide had lived in the US for many years so her English was excellent. Her knowledge of the history of Denmark and Copenhagen is extensive but she is such a good story teller that she makes it come alive in interesting a surprising ways. She was able to customize the tour on the spot according to our interests which she picked up on through conversation.

Tivoli Gardens is the 19th century prototype for our modern day theme parks. It is smaller than modern ones but it is so well designed that it feels much bigger than it is. The rides are fun, there is excellent food to be had and the landscaping is incredibly beautiful. We were there in spring when the flowers were in early bloom. We went on a Friday night when they have free concerts. The concert area was packed with locals coming to hear a very popular Danish rock band. There's also a laser show, a philharmonic and panto. Or if shopping is your thing, there are tchotchke shops galore.

We used the Copenhagen card to travel out to the Louisiana Museum, it covered both the train and entrance to the museum. We also used it for the Rosenberg Castle and the metro. The number of attractions are staggering. We were biking around the city, but if you are relying on trains and busses or want to take day trips this is must have.