The 15 Historical Tours in Scandinavia That Earn Their Price

1.Reindeer Camp and Sami Cultural Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 3,326 reviews · 4 hours · from $141Our pick

Travel about 35 to 40 minutes from Tromsø to a Sámi reindeer camp. Feed a herd of up to 300 reindeer, warm up with hot chocolate and cookies, eat reindeer stew or vegetarian soup, then hear Sámi stories and joik singing from guides such as Johannes, Inga, Igna, or Daniel.

“Amazing time feeding the reindeers - not rushed and able to take plenty of photographs - kids loved it. Nice food, although could have offered second portion, and plenty of hot drinks. Not too far on the coach - 35 mins or so. Meeting point instructions could be clearer - it is underground, on the side of the bus station closest to the harbour.”

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2.Ghost Walk and Historical Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 2,206 reviews · from $31

Walk through Gamla Stan for 1.5 hours with a Swedish or English-speaking guide such as Callum, Chris, Cody, or Reece. Expect narrow lanes, old courtyards, cobbled steps, medieval stories, murders, plagues, ghosts, public executions, and plenty of dark humor. The route begins and ends in Stockholm’s Old Town, though the exact meeting point varies by booking option.

“Callum was an excellent guide! Very fun and entertaining and spooky and was much more than I expected! Would recommend to all ages!”

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3.The Original Stockholm Ghost Walk and Historical Tour – Gamla Stan

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,165 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $38

Walk Gamla Stan after dark with an English-speaking guide such as Chris, Callum, Reese, or Cody. Expect 90 minutes of murders, plagues, executions, myths, crypt stories, and medieval details, told with humor and theatrical flair. The tour covers narrow lanes and courtyards, operates in all weather, and suits adults and older children best.

“Great tour and great tour guide! Highly recommend it! Our guide was terrific and the ending was definitely a surprise.”

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4.Historic Myths & Legends Evening Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 408 reviews · 2 hours · from $42

Start at Oslo City Hall with an English-speaking guide such as Maria or Anastasia, then walk to Christiania Torv, Akershus Fortress, and Bankplassen. Expect Norse folklore, Viking beliefs, tales of trolls and huldra, old punishments, and audacious thefts. The route is relaxed but uneven and weather exposed, so wear warm layers and comfortable shoes.

“We had a great evening hearing all about Oslo's myths and ledgends. Our guide was very enthousiastic about her town and country, and the stories were captivating. We loved seeing Oslo in the evening, all lit up. We were lucky to have an amazing sunset - the sky was on fire!”

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5.Old Town Historical Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 344 reviews · from $52

Meet Kiki at Mynttorget and explore Gamla Stan in a small English-speaking group of up to 10 people. Follow cobbled lanes to the main square, German church, Royal Palace, St. George and the Dragon, and Stockholm Cathedral while hearing stories of medieval Stockholm, royal power, religion, and local life.

“Kiki the guide was extremely knowledgeable, weaving in interesting historical events, architecture with museum and food recommendations. Very fun. Highly recommend.”

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6.Stockholm Viking History Full Day Tour to Sigtuna + Uppsala

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 218 reviews · from $266

Spend 8 to 9 hours tracing Sweden’s Viking past with guides such as Calle, Olof, Åsa, and Gabriel. Visit Broby Bro, Jarlabanki Bridge, Arkils Tingstad, Sigtuna, Old Uppsala, and Uppsala Cathedral. Hotel pickup, transport, and an English-speaking guide are included, while lunch is on your own.

“This was a well organised and relaxed trip. Our guide Calle was really knowledgeable and easy to get on with. It was nice being on a trip with people from all over the world. I would highly recommend this trip for a full day out of the city.”

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7.Sightseeing Cruise of Bergen’s Historic Landmarks

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 194 reviews · from $28

Set out from central Bergen on the 60-minute Eric the Red sightseeing cruise, with English commentary, indoor seating, outdoor decks, and views of Bryggen, Bergenhus Fortress, Skuteviken, Sandviken, and Nordnes. The boat carries up to 92 people, welcomes wheelchairs on the main deck, and sells drinks and snacks.

“Heavy snow, yet the lady cleaned the stairs and upperdeck so we could go there. Provided extra towels”

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8.History, Art and Secrets Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 62 reviews · from $41

Walk downhill from the Royal Palace through Oslo’s main sights, including Aker Brygge, City Hall, Akershus Fortress, the Opera House, and Munch Museum. A local guide such as Anders, Radu, Michael, Magnus, or Luis shares history, city secrets, restaurant tips, and photo stops in a group limited to 10 people.

“great guide! Radu showed us most of the best sites!”

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9.1 Hour Photo & History Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 57 reviews · 1 hour · from $93

Step aboard Hermes II, a restored 1917 wooden cargo boat, for a one-hour cruise from central Tromsø. Your English or Norwegian-speaking hosts share the boat’s story as you view Tromsø, Polaria, the Fjellheisen cable car, and Tromsø Bridge. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, blankets, thermal suits, and a heated lounge help take the edge off the Arctic air.

“Really nice experience, beautiful views and really kind personnel”

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10.Sigtuna and Uppsala Viking History Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 41 reviews · 8.5 hours · from $255

Travel from central Stockholm by van with an English-speaking guide such as Urban, visiting Viking runestones, an old assembly site, Vallentuna Church, Granby Farm, Sigtuna, Uppsala, and Gamla Uppsala. The day blends archaeology, Swedish fika, old churches, royal burial mounds, and free time in Sweden’s oldest town.

“saw a number of runes, old churches and where vikings held council and where a long house once stood.”

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11.Oslo City Walks – Historic River Walk

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $53Top rated

Meet your English-speaking guide at Oslo Visitor Center at 2:00 pm for a two-hour walk beside the Akerselva River. You’ll hear how the river powered Oslo’s industrial growth, see old buildings reused for modern life, stop at Mathallen food hall, and finish at a waterfall near Beierbrua.

“A short and very nice walk along the river while learning about Oslos industrial past and how the buildings have been transformed for today’s modern life.”

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12.Viking Culture and Heritage Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 29 reviews · 3 hours · from $138

Leave central Stockholm for Uppland with an English-speaking guide, stopping at Broby bro, the Jarlabanke Bridge, and Arkils tingstad. You will see 1,000-year-old runestones, burial grounds, ancient roads, and the remains of a Viking parliament. Hotel pickup is included within 5 kilometers of Stockholm Central Station.

“Sehr interessant und historisch anspruchsvoll, kein Film oder Seriengedöns, nur Fakten. Hochspannung!”

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13.A Well Balanced History and Food Tour with Focus on the Scandinavian Kitchen

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 29 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

Walk central Oslo with local guide Tanya-Lisa, linking Norwegian history with food stops at a chocolate shop, gourmet market, canteen, and traditional pub. You’ll see the Opera, Aker Brygge, City Hall, and Akershus Fortress, then pay separately for tastings such as salmon, fish soup, meat, and local beer. Sunday and evening food choices are limited.

“Great combo history/food tour. We covered a lot of ground and saw a lot..l Very informative. The food stops were fantastic. Tanya took us to a salmon fishery company, raising salmon in the fjords attached restaurant, where we got a history lesson on how salmon is raised. We got to sample fiskekaker “fish cakes” and three different prepared salmon 🍣 bites: delicious. We then went to our favorite place, which was a commercial fish market with a tiny attached store, where they sell their products. We got to sample six different meats and fish including whale 🐳. (Whale not my favorite). We also hit an adorable cafe where we had…”

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14.Self-Guided Tour of Ísafjörður: Art, History, and Architecture

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $9Best value

Use the VoiceMap app to follow a 75 to 90 minute GPS walking tour from the Westfjord History Museum to Silfurtorg. A local resident leads you past fishing landmarks, Kerecis, Ísafjarðarkirkja, the old hospital, Whalebone Arch, the Fishermen’s Monument, and more. Download the tour and maps before you start.

“Very informative and interesting tour. It was nice to be able to pause at some points to walk inside some of the places and then pick back up at your own pace. Occasionally the GPS got a little wonky, but the app lets you start the audio manually at each point if needed. Great affordable way to see this beautiful town.”

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15.Jewish Heritage Tour in Oslo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 16 reviews · 2 hours (approx.)

Join Rami of Oslo Photo Tour for a private, English-language walk through Oslo’s Jewish history. You’ll trace early Jewish settlement, visit sites near Parliament and the Royal Palace, hear about wartime life, and possibly enter Norway’s first synagogue. The route lasts about two hours and is priced per group of up to five.

“Rami is an amazing guide. He is informative and personable. Rami gave us extensive insight into the history of the small Jewish population os Norway through WWII. Highly recommended this tour!”

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