A trip that has been on my bucket list for the last 5 years. As the quote goes
“You usually have to wait for that which is worth waiting for.”
-this trip was worth the wait.
The trip starts from Munich, where Uniflucht-our tour agency had arranged a short trip to Stuttgart via Flix Bus. After a short journey, we reached Stuttgart around 4 a.m. Our bus for the trip arrived at 5.30 and as usual, I took a seat at the back. After around 45 mins, we started our journey to pick up other passengers stationed at Mannheim and Frankfurt.
- Note: Those who are planning to take this Magical Lapland should keep in mind that the majority of the travelling will be by Bus. So be prepared to sit for a loooooong time.
Once, we had a short refreshment in Frankfurt, we were ready to start the epic 12hr journey to Stockholm. From Frankfurt, the Uniflucht bus takes travellers to the northern German town of Puttgarden, where they board a ferry to cross the Baltic Sea to Sweden.
One can experience the beautiful countryside of Germany and take this time on the bus to meet new people and make new friends. Luckily, there were some like-minded people who decided to sit at the back.
After a half day’s journey, friends at the back who were about to make this trip memorable to the last day just got bored of sleeping and started playing music. This was the start of a new group that formed during the trip- The Backbenchers. People of different ages and different wakes of life randomly formed a group that shared a common motto- ENJOY 😁.
We started to get to know each other slowly and as the day went by the group got active and everyone just lost track of time by playing games, listening to music and just chit-chatting. As time went on, we reached Puttgarden, a ferry harbour and a village in northern Germany that forms the link between Germany and Denmark. We took the Puttgarden ferry to Rødby, Denmark. It was my first time on a ferry ship and it was freezing cold on December nights. It took us 45mins to reach Rødby, from where the next 12hr journey to Stockholm was about to begin. So, we spent Day 1 on the bus and Ferry and reached Stockholm on the morning of Day 2.
DAY 2- Stockholm
The bus reached Stockholm around 8 in the morning and we had seven hours to enjoy Stockholm, our tour guide had provided us with some famous places to visit. I waited for my friend to arrive, who is joining the trip from Stockholm. Once he arrived, we had a small refreshment and planned the places to visit. So, we walked toward Gamla Stan- Stockholm’s Old Town. This historic quarter dates back to the 13th century and is one of the best-preserved medieval city centres in Europe. Walking through the cobblestone streets of Gamla Stan, you’ll see charming old buildings, narrow alleys, and colorful squares.
We stopped at Espresso House- One of the famous Coffee chains in Scandinavia, founded in Sweden. We stopped for breakfast and one of the best bread and coffee.
After breakfast, we continued exploring the centre which offered stunning views of the city along the waterfront and different architectural styles.
We reached the hotspot of the city where on one side lies the Royal Palace and to the other lies the Grand Swedish Parliament building.
We were on time for a rare spectacle- Changing of Guards, a tradition followed by the Royal Guards of Sweden at 12.15 p.m. every day. It is a 45-minute ceremony where the guards rotate their duties with a new set of Royal Guards.
As the ceremony ended, we got entry tickets to the Palace to witness the beautiful interiors decorated with chandeliers and paintings along with ceiling frescos. With over 600 rooms, the palace is one of the largest royal palaces in Europe. The palace has several highlights that visitors should not miss. One of the most impressive rooms is the Hall of State, which is used for official receptions and state banquets.
Each room features a different colour palette and gives a unique outlook.
After the palace, it was almost time for us to return to the bus to continue our journey to Helsinki on a cruise. On the way, we decided to stop at a cafe to try the traditional Kanelbullar– a cinnamon roll laced with sugar and filled with cinnamon sugar powder.
After a tasty treat, we arrived at the bus to collect the luggage and board the Viking Line Gabriella.
First time on a cruise and we had the whole night to explore the cruise. Once everyone had refreshed, we decided to meet for dinner and later visit the bar where it was a karaoke night. As the night went on, we came to know that it was one of our group members’ birthdays. We celebrated his birthday on the cruise and after a long night, everyone was tired and decided to hit the bed. Everyone was looking forward to the next day in the Finnish capital of Helsinki.
