Author Topic: Scandinavia Master thread  (Read 21302 times)

Online jj1000

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #20 on: June 19, 2012, 05:08:17 PM »
I'm thinking about taking a trip to the Norway/Denmark/Sweden area this summer (with wife and 1 year old). Any suggestions?! Which place is most recommended? Are these countries anti-Semitic (more or less than Switzerland, for example)? Please give ideas for things to do and places to stay (all the must sees!).
Thanks
Can you squeeze Holland in there? Amsterdam is amazing IMHO.
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Offline ari9

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #21 on: June 19, 2012, 05:10:08 PM »
Perhaps post what kind of things you like to do. Scenery, nature, museum's, etc.
definitely more scenic, nature oriented things. outdoors! hikes (or walks, because of the baby) boat rides, biking, etc

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #22 on: June 19, 2012, 05:12:19 PM »
Can you squeeze Holland in there? Amsterdam is amazing IMHO.
would you would recommend Holland over one of those countries?

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #23 on: June 19, 2012, 05:20:20 PM »
would you would recommend Holland over one of those countries?
Based on your above post no (It's not nature scenic orientated although it is an amazing city see a trip report I made here http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=16188.0 scroll down to the last city.) But Iceland may be more scenic than those 3.
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Offline Galitzyaner

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #24 on: June 20, 2012, 02:16:54 AM »
Copenhagen, Denmark

starting with the price of the flight this trip was great all around besides for the weather. Picked up the JFK-CPH 151.70 ai flight was on delta very old plain. My delta gold status gave me exit row seating (both ways), priority boarding= no lines by security or check-in + lounge access even thought it's not supposed to start till march 1st and I had my plat amex anyhow. Both on the way there and the way back there was a problem with the kosher meal so I was given 5K DL miles each way so total mileage from trip was 25,424.

- CPH is a very nice airport the only airport I remember having wood floors in some places. Train goes strait from airport to the center of town our hotel (Radisson BLU royal hotel) was across the street from the Copenhagen central station. I found the trains really cool, although expensive at round $4 a ride they have free wi-fi soda and coffee vending machines on board. The tickets for the train work on an honor based system there are no ticket gates only once out of the 10 times we were on the train did we see a ticket collector.
 
- Getting around in the city is pretty easy the buses and trains together cover basically cover everything, In the summer there are free bikes provided by the city. In the winter even when it was freezing outside most people still ride bikes. Everyone in the city speaks a perfect English.
the amount of bikes just laying around the streets are crazy, every street has a full bike lane.

Shabbos was very nice at the chabbad house, great atmosphere and of course people who were visiting from all over the world. As far as kosher food goes we didn't even bother looking we just brought our own. prices of food are extremely high a 1L bottle of coke at a regular grocery was $5! Very funny the chabbad shliach asked us if we found the deal on DD  :D , we were again asked by another random visitor if we ever used DD they always have good deals on flights!!

Sunday our flight was early so we took the train to Malmo Sweden just to say we where in Sweden the train takes around 30 min from the airport. We basically just got on and off the train.


****Main Attractions ****

Carlsberg factory- cost was about $12- (2 beers at the bar at the end of the tour included in the price) you basically give your self a tour of the factory. all in all very interesting, they have there the biggest beer bottle collection in the world. they are currently at 19,884 unique bottles. 

Beer collection (partial view)

Tivoli gardens (open from May to September and again around Halloween and from mid-November to Christmas) - This was across the street from the hotel it was closed though

Nyhaven - is the Copenhagen waterfront, very nice area to walk around

Strøget, Europe’s longest pedestrian street. Runs from the Town hall square to Kongens
Nytorv, a total of 3.2 km or 2 miles, with several side streets along. - We walked along this on shabbos it was nice although basically the same as any other shopping street anywhere in the world.

Round Tower - and interesting looking building round in shape the ramp inside looked quite cool. we didn't go in due to the $10 entrance fee (If I remember correctly).

Christiania - A very interesting part of the city, It's basically a bunch of hippies living in a garbage dump everything is spray painted and a dump, there are no paved streets only wide dirt paths. on their "main street" there are street vendors selling drugs, yes in the open!  very interesting to visit check out the Wikipedia article

Rosenborg Castle - when we went they where having a ceremony to welcome back the soldiers from Afghanistan, the actual castle is quite nice and large, we didn't have much time to go in though.

National museum - didn't go

National Gallery - didn't go

Amalienborg Castle / Royal residence in Copenhagen- didn't go
Nice report.

Here some add ons:

ARN (stockholm airport) has way more wooden floor.

Be happy tivoly is closed as it cost about 40 euro entrance, as its a very nicely designed theme park in the middle of town.

Did you notice that some wagons in the train are "quit-wagons" ie made for people that want to read. (Not sure why $4 is expensive).

Malmo has an abnormal high percentage of arabs, and you did good not to visit the place.

Did you see the building that was HQ for the Gestapo, and in fear of being bombed by the allies, they put officers (POW) in the top floor.
Well, they still bombed, just the bottom and middle floor, and the offices (POW) could escape.

I'll be iy"H stopping over in Copenhagen for around 9/10 hours on my way back from TLV.
Would any of you know what I can do in that time?
Anything to see in that time slot which is in middle of the night?
Is it safe at night there?

If only those airport lounges were open throughout the night... ::)

And no, I aint' spending a penny on a ho(/s)tel.

I'd really appreciate your response and Thank you in advance!

Offline ari9

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #25 on: June 20, 2012, 04:13:22 AM »
 Based on your above post no (It's not nature scenic orientated although it is an amazing city see a trip report I made here http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=16188.0 scroll down to the last city.) But Iceland may be more scenic than those 3.
[/quote]
great post on that thread. Venice is also a place I'd like to go. So were looking for a destination and it doesnt have to only be scenic, if I'm going somewhere I want to see what there is to see there.

Offline Galitzyaner

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #26 on: June 21, 2012, 05:01:07 AM »
I'll be iy"H stopping over in Copenhagen for around 9/10 hours on my way back from TLV.
Would any of you know what I can do in that time?
Anything to see in that time slot (which is in middle of the night)?
Is it safe at night there?

If only those airport lounges were open throughout the night...

Offline SLP

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #27 on: April 14, 2013, 02:16:11 PM »
Has anyone been to Scandinavia recently and can give some advice?

Offline ganizzy

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #28 on: April 14, 2013, 02:39:57 PM »
no mention of the little mermaid? or the hans Christian Anderson museum?
theyre not that exciting but a pretty big deal to the danes

on the walking streets, u can see some of the building have Hebrew inscribed (don't remember why though)

the main shul is over 100 years old and beautiful. should stop in and see. (let someone know or u will be questioned by security at the gate)

the chabad shlucha (my sister) does catering. often by requests from the hotels but not sure if guests pay extra for that or...

the chabad house is actually in the building the gestapo used

Offline mendoul

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #29 on: April 14, 2013, 03:56:47 PM »
Has anyone been to Scandinavia recently and can give some advice?

just came back from Oslo, Norway
mendy

Offline SLP

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #30 on: April 14, 2013, 05:44:43 PM »
just came back from Oslo, Norway
Did you spend any time outside the city? Did you visit the fjords?

Offline mendoul

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #31 on: April 14, 2013, 06:48:07 PM »
Did you spend any time outside the city? Did you visit the fjords?

yes but i didn't go to fare from oslo
this time i didnt have time to go to the fjords
but i have been there already another time
its very nice
mendy

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #32 on: April 14, 2013, 07:01:51 PM »
yes but i didn't go to fare from oslo
this time i didnt have time to go to the fjords
but i have been there already another time
its very nice
Would it be possible to post an itinerary and where you stayed?

Offline ChAiM'l

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #33 on: May 23, 2013, 08:53:42 AM »
Has anyone done Norway in a Nutshell tours? Any general information for visiting Oslo/Bergen?

Offline MosheD

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #34 on: April 23, 2014, 12:09:46 PM »
Any advice for a day stopover? Im in copenhagen next week thursday 

Offline ganizzy

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #35 on: April 30, 2014, 12:01:34 AM »
the walking streets
tivoli
the synagogue is pretty old and nice
they have a canal tour which imo was boring
danes make a big deal of the statue of the little mermaid, but it is actually really small

Offline MosheD

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #36 on: May 02, 2014, 10:50:35 AM »
Had a great time in Copenhagen. :))
It seems that everything was very well covered here. The only thing I'll add is the pubs (or restaurant that serve beer) off the canal were fantastic if a bit expensive. (45 dkk for a pint, 85 for .75 li) It seems like everyone in Copenhagen drinks and it is seemed to me that the people were all really "chilled" (in a good way :D)
And the little Mermaid is well little and a stupid tourist attraction.
I didn't do Tivoli or Carlsberg factory.

Offline GTR

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #37 on: March 19, 2015, 10:41:11 AM »
I am considering a trip to Scandinavia in the future and doing research.  As is my custom these days I start with DDF and I was surprised to find such a short Master Thread for Scandinavia (and other specific regional destinations).  What do DDF'ers have against the area?  Is it just too remote and cold?  Are there a higher concentration of religion/ethnic intolerance?  Just found it too much of a information void to not at least inquire as to why...

Offline Aj3042

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #38 on: March 19, 2015, 12:00:43 PM »
I am considering a trip to Scandinavia in the future and doing research.  As is my custom these days I start with DDF and I was surprised to find such a short Master Thread for Scandinavia (and other specific regional destinations).  What do DDF'ers have against the area?  Is it just too remote and cold?  Are there a higher concentration of religion/ethnic intolerance?  Just found it too much of a information void to not at least inquire as to why...
Just pointing out that DDF is good for the religious aspects of a trip but not as good for the general info as there are places with much more and accurate info. Take Tripadvisor or Fodor's for example. Also DDF'ers tend to travel to certain places and avoid others and that doesn't really mean anything. Many or even most of the places I've been to are not covered here given that they were remote and frum people from NYC don't tend to go there.

Offline Love 2 Travel

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Re: Scandinavia Master thread
« Reply #39 on: March 20, 2015, 12:25:23 AM »
I am considering a trip to Scandinavia in the future and doing research.  As is my custom these days I start with DDF and I was surprised to find such a short Master Thread for Scandinavia (and other specific regional destinations).  What do DDF'ers have against the area?  Is it just too remote and cold?  Are there a higher concentration of religion/ethnic intolerance?  Just found it too much of a information void to not at least inquire as to why...
I did a trip to Scandenavia and Iceland a couple of years ago, and I know others that have done it also. I'm not sure how much points and miles are gonna get you in those areas, but it was worth every penny. The route I took was Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland. I don't have the time to write a 3 week trip report but if you have specific questions I can try to answer.