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+1 (800) 653-0017 hello@canterburypilgrimages.com
Photograph to come · The Hardangerfjord, the hero shot

Scandinavia Pilgrimages

Copenhagen, Odense, Børglum, Bergen, Eidfjord and Oslo

Ten days through Denmark and Norway, from St. Ansgar’s cathedral in Copenhagen and the Premonstratensian abbey at Børglum to an overnight crossing of the North Sea, the stave churches of the fjordland and St. Olav’s Oslo.

Departures

Current Tours to Scandinavia

Upcoming departures to Scandinavia. Each group has its own host, dates, and itinerary. The route below is our standard.

All current pilgrimages
    The Route

    Nine stops from the Baltic to the fjords

    Copenhagen, Roskilde, Odense, Vejle, Fyrkat, Børglum, Hirtshals, Bergen, Eidfjord and Oslo.

    Itinerary · EU_DK-NO-10D-01

    Our Standard Scandinavia Pilgrimage

    The Danish and Norwegian half of the north, and the route we run most often for groups new to Scandinavia. Your group travels on its own dates, and the itinerary can be adjusted to fit the time you have and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

    DAYS 1–3

    Copenhagen

    Photograph to come · The harbour at Copenhagen
    The harbour at Copenhagen
    Day 1

    Departure

    Our pilgrimage begins with an overnight flight to Copenhagen. Dinner and breakfast are served during the crossing, and there is time to rest before the first morning in Denmark.
    Day 2

    Arrival in Copenhagen

    Our tour escort meets us on arrival and accompanies us to the hotel. The evening is given to a welcome dinner, where the group gathers for the first time and the pilgrimage properly begins.Welcome dinner and overnight in Copenhagen.
    Day 3

    Copenhagen

    A guided tour takes in the Little Mermaid on the harbour and the state rooms of Christiansborg Palace. We celebrate Mass at St. Ansgar’s Cathedral, named for the missionary who first carried the Gospel to the peoples of the north, and end the evening among the lights of the Tivoli Gardens.Mass is celebrated at St. Ansgar’s Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Copenhagen.
    DAYS 4–5

    Jutland and the crossing

    Photograph to come · Børglum Abbey above the Jutland plain
    Børglum Abbey above the Jutland plain
    Day 4

    Roskilde, Odense and into Jutland

    At Roskilde we come to the cathedral, the earliest great brick church in northern Europe and for centuries the mausoleum of the Danish kings, and to the Viking ships raised from the fjord. We continue to Odense for the childhood home of Hans Christian Andersen and Funen Village, then cross to Jutland.No Catholic church lies on today’s route, so Mass is celebrated at our hotel. Dinner and overnight in the Vejle region.
    Day 5

    Fyrkat, Børglum and the night crossing

    In the heart of Jutland we visit the Fyrkat ring fort, raised in 980 under Harold Bluetooth, with its reconstructed Viking farmstead. We continue north to Børglum Abbey, founded about 1060 as a bishop’s residence and later held by the Premonstratensians as their headquarters for Denmark, Norway and Sweden. We reach Hirtshals in the evening for the crossing to Norway.No parish is available aboard, so our chaplain celebrates Mass in a common room on the ferry. Dinner and overnight cabins on board.
    DAYS 6–7

    Bergen and the fjords

    Photograph to come · Bryggen, the old wharf at Bergen
    Bryggen, the old wharf at Bergen
    Day 6

    Bergen

    We disembark into the old Hanseatic port and walk Bryggen, the UNESCO wharf of narrow alleys and overhanging galleries, then ride the Fløibanen funicular for the view across the roofs and the water.Mass is celebrated at the Church of St. Paul, Bergen. Dinner and overnight in Bergen.
    Day 7

    The Hardangerfjord and Eidfjord

    We stop at Fantoft Stave Church, built at Fortun about 1150 and moved here piece by piece in 1883 to save it from demolition, then follow the shoreline road along the Hardangerfjord to Eidfjord and up to Vøringsfossen, which falls 145 metres in a single drop.No Catholic church lies on today’s route, so Mass is celebrated at our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Eidfjord.
    DAYS 8–10

    Oslo

    Photograph to come · Vøringsfossen above Eidfjord
    Vøringsfossen above Eidfjord
    Day 8

    Heddal and Oslo

    Crossing the Hardangervidda plateau we come to Heddal Stave Church, the largest in Norway, raised at the beginning of the thirteenth century and restored in the 1950s. We follow the northern shore of the Oslofjord into the capital.No Catholic church lies on today’s route, so Mass is celebrated at our hotel. Dinner and overnight in Oslo.
    Day 9

    Oslo

    We hear the story of Blanche of Namur, who came north in 1374 as consort of King Magnus VII, and of St. Bridget of Sweden, who served as her Mistress of the Robes before leaving for Rome in 1349. We visit Frogner Park, with its two hundred Vigeland sculptures, and Akershus Fortress, founded in 1299.Mass is celebrated at St. Olav’s Cathedral, Oslo. Farewell dinner and overnight in Oslo.
    Day 10

    Return home

    We transfer to the airport for the flight home, carrying the intercession of St. Ansgar and St. Olav and the memory of two countries that kept the faith in stone long after they lost it in law.

    Why leaders choose Canterbury

    “Canterbury treats you like family! They handle everything, from creating exciting itineraries to managing calls, registrations, and payments.”

    Patrick MadridPatrick Madrid
    Catholic Speaker, Author & Host of The Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio®
    The HardangerfjordMountain slopes fall straight into the water, and the road runs along the edge of it.
    Photograph to come
    Dates

    Your group travels on its own dates.

    Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

    Your pilgrimage includes

    Tour Package Includes

    These inclusions can be easily tailored to the individual needs of your group

    • Daily Mass at the churches we visit
    • Round-trip group airfare
    • Airport transfers on arrival & departure
    • 4-Star hotel accommodations
    • Private motorcoach transportation
    • Breakfast & dinner served daily
    • Wine served with some dinners
    • Dedicated tour manager
    • Licensed guiding & admission fees
    • Porterage service at hotels
    • Whisper headsets when touring
    • Tips for hotel & restaurant staff
    • 9 – 5 PM (EST) reservation support
    • 24/7 travel emergency support
    • Canterbury Mobile App
    For the group leader

    What you get as the group leader

    You travel free.

    Every group earns complimentary places. The more pilgrims you bring, the more you earn. How complimentary places work

    No financial risk.

    If the group does not fill, deposits are returned. You owe nothing and neither do your pilgrims. What happens if a group does not fill

    We produce the promotional materials.

    Flyers, a registration page, and what you need to invite your people. Our guide to promoting a pilgrimage

    We handle your pilgrims.

    Registrations, rooming lists, payment plans and the phone calls. How leading a pilgrimage works

    In your pocket

    The Canterbury Mobile App

    Every pilgrim in your group gets the app. Their itinerary, hotels and flights, the prayers of the day and a way to reach one another, all in one place and kept current as the pilgrimage unfolds.

    • Group chat

      Your whole group in one thread, so a change of plan reaches everyone at once.

    • Their itinerary

      The full day-by-day schedule, always current, in every pilgrim’s pocket.

    • Hotels

      Where the group is staying each night, with addresses and dates.

    • Flights

      Flight details kept alongside everything else, not in a separate email.

    • Daily prayers

      The prayers of the day, including the Liturgy of the Hours.

    • Shrine passport

      A keepsake record of the shrines your group visits along the way.

    • Live updates

      Times and meeting points pushed to everyone the moment they change.

    Photographs
    Photograph to come · St. Ansgar’s Cathedral, Copenhagen
    St. Ansgar’s Cathedral, Copenhagen
    Photograph to come · Roskilde Cathedral
    Roskilde Cathedral, the Danish royal mausoleum
    Photograph to come · The Fyrkat ring fort
    The Fyrkat ring fort, raised in 980
    Photograph to come · Fantoft Stave Church, Bergen
    Fantoft Stave Church, Bergen
    Photograph to come · Heddal Stave Church
    Heddal Stave Church, Norway’s largest
    Photograph to come · St. Olav’s Cathedral, Oslo
    St. Olav’s Cathedral, Oslo

    What group leaders say

    “They’re big enough to handle any problem that arises, and small enough to craft truly unique experiences.”

    Chris StefanickChris Stefanick
    Founder & President of Real Life Catholic
    Before you ask

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When is the best time to travel to Scandinavia?

    Groups travel from late May through September. June and July bring the long northern daylight that makes the fjord driving worth doing, while late August and September are quieter and cooler. Outside that window the fjord roads and the ferry schedules become unreliable, so we do not run this route in winter.

    How physically demanding is this pilgrimage?

    Moderate. Most days involve two to four hours on your feet, with walking on uneven ground, ancient stone, and steps at archaeological sites. Pilgrims who can manage a full day of sightseeing at their own pace do well. If anyone in your group has mobility limitations, tell us early and we will adapt the days around them. What activity level means.

    What is generally not included?

    Travel insurance, lunches, drinks beyond those served with included meals, personal expenses, and gratuities for your tour manager and driver. Any of these can be built into your package on request, so tell us what you would like covered and we will arrange it. Passports and visa fees are the one exception and remain the responsibility of each pilgrim.

    Is there a Catholic church at every stop?

    No, and the itinerary says so plainly rather than pretending otherwise. Scandinavia has been Lutheran since the Reformation and Catholic parishes are sparse outside the cities. Mass is celebrated at St. Ansgar’s Cathedral in Copenhagen, the Church of St. Paul in Bergen and St. Olav’s Cathedral in Oslo. On the Jutland day, the fjord days and the overnight crossing, where no parish is within reach, your chaplain celebrates Mass at the hotel or in a common room aboard the ferry.

    Can our priest celebrate Mass at the churches?

    Yes. Daily Mass is built into the itinerary, and we arrange times and locations in advance with each church. Your priest should travel with a celebret or letter of good standing from his bishop or superior. We handle the scheduling.

    How many pilgrims do you need for a group?

    Most of our groups are between 20 and 50 pilgrims, and we can arrange smaller tours as well. We have also organized pilgrimages for groups as large as 2,500, so whatever size your group turns out to be, we can build for it. Minimum group size for a group flight.

    Enquire

    Interested in Leading a Pilgrimage to Scandinavia?

    A pilgrimage consultant replies within one business day. No deposit or commitment.

      Your Information

      Your Group

      First time? You are in good company. Many of our group leaders start right here, and we guide you through every step.

      Where You Would Like to Go

      Destinations of interest (check all that apply)

      These are some of our most popular destinations, but we build CUSTOM ITINERARIES anywhere in the world. If you do not see your destination, tell us below.

      Italy, Rome and AssisiFrance, Lourdes and ParisPortugal and FátimaSpain and the Camino de SantiagoPortugal, Spain and France togetherGreece and TurkeyThe Holy LandEgypt and Mount SinaiPoland, Prague and Central EuropeMedjugorje and the BalkansIreland and the United KingdomMexico and Our Lady of GuadalupeArgentinaPeruJapan, Nagasaki and AkitaUnited States and Canada shrinesA pilgrimage cruiseSomewhere else, or not sure yet

      When

      Group Size and Budget

      Complimentary places are arranged based on the size of your group. Let us know how many you expect so we can request them from our suppliers from the start.

      A Few Last Details

      Would you like sample itineraries emailed to you?

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