Tag: Scandinavia

The Viking Rus’ and the Slave Trade: Trade Routes from Scandinavia to the Silk Road

The Rus’ and Viking Trade Networks In the early Middle Ages, the Viking Rus’ emerged as a formidable power, controlling vast trade routes stretching from Scandinavia as far as the Caspian Sea – a journey of nearly 3,000 miles. Several commodities were shipped south, but the most profitable trade goods were slaves, captured and transported […]

Viking Trade Routes: From Scandinavia to the Silk Roads

Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Roads While much is talked about Viking activity westwards into the North Atlantic, their journeys eastwards are just as – if not more – varied and intricate. From Scandinavia, they travelled across the Baltic Sea, then down a network of rivers through Central and Eastern Europe to reach the […]

Viking Trade: The Merchants Who Connected the Medieval World

Trade in the Viking Age Although the Vikings today have a reputation for being violent raiders and conquerors, they were also peaceful traders in their time. Many individuals combined activities, even switching in the course of their voyages, trading or raiding depending on the circumstance. Their advances in shipbuilding, so important in their success in […]

Vikings and the Carolingian Empire

Vikings and the Carolingian Empire When the Viking Age began in the late 700s, the Carolingian Empire was already established as the mightiest political power in Western Europe. Under Charlemagne, the Franks had expanded the kingdom in all directions, eventually stretching from Saxony to northern Italy. Now sharing a common frontier, you can’t blame the […]

Northern Lights

The science of the Northern Lights Although many are more familiar with the Northern Lights, the natural phenomenon is not exclusive to the Northern Hemisphere. The polar lights are caused by solar activity. When there is a solar storm called coronal mass ejection happening, electrified gas particles travel through space at high speed and reach […]

The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen

The most photographed attraction of Copenhagen is not a royal palace or the world-famous amusement park Tivoli Gardens, but a statue of a mythical figure many may associate with a Disney film: the Little Mermaid. A bronze statue of the princess-cum-fish can be found sitting on a rock at the end of Langelinie Pier on Copenhagen’s harbour and draws countless visitors every year. The famous statue weights 175 kg and truly is little, at only 1.25 metres tall. Over 100 years old, it is an unofficial mascot of the city and remains standing despite numerous vandalism attempts over the decades.

Tivoli Gardens, Denmark

Tivoli, also known as Tivoli Gardens, is an opulent amusement park and pleasure garden in downtown Copenhagen. Opened in 1843, it is the second-oldest amusement park in the world and the most visited in Scandinavia.

Amalienborg Palace, Denmark

In Copenhagen, one will find Amalienborg, the home of the Danish royal family. Consisting of four identical 18th-century palaces with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard, Amalienborg has been home to Danish royals since 1784 and continues to be the queen’s winter residence.

The History of the Settlement of Iceland

Marooned at the top of the globe, somewhere in the North Atlantic Ocean, lies the island nation of Iceland, a land of vivid contrasts where nature reigns supreme in her most dramatic form. Iceland is the world’s oldest democracy and boasts more writer’s per capita than any other country in the world. It is said that many Icelanders still believe in the mythical figures of the Norse past, such as elves, trolls and fairies, which may be due to the country’s literary history including its famous sagas, epic tales based on Iceland’s settlement from around 9-11 AD. 

Discovering Scandinavia & Viking Denmark for Tourists

Discovering Scandinavia Discovering Scandinavia. In this article, we will learn about Denmark with a focus on Viking history, and uncover highlights of Copenhagen. Click here to read our article focusing on Sweden. Small group tours Scandinavia Itinerary This is written as a backgrounder of our Scandinavia tours for mature-aged and senior travellers, where we uncover […]

Questions about Norway for senior travellers

Odyssey has built up a reasonable knowledge bank to answer questions about Norway that travellers are likely to ask, as they make their plans to tour independently, or with us as part of a small group tour.