Traveling Huntleys

Inspiring travel stories, tips, and guides from a couple exploring the world one destination at a time.

Baltic Cruise

Copenhagen & Skagen, Denmark: Little Mermaid, Nyhavn, Grenen & Baltic Cruise

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Last Updated: May 2026

Copenhagen is the capital and largest city in Denmark, with a population of about 1.4 million people spread across the city and its surrounding metropolitan area. Settlements dating back to the Stone Age have been found here, making it one of Scandinavia’s oldest inhabited places. Originally a Viking fishing village established in the 10th century, the city flourished over the centuries into a major trading hub and royal capital — surviving devastating fires, waves of plague, and wars — to become the cosmopolitan, design-forward metropolis it is today. Copenhagen consistently ranks among the world’s most livable cities, celebrated for its cycling culture, sustainability, world-class cuisine, and remarkably preserved historic core. On our Baltic cruise aboard the Sky Princess, we had a full day to explore before the ship continued north. From Stonehenge we had sailed to Denmark.

Copenhagen, Denmark cityscape viewed from the Sky Princess cruise ship
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Stonehenge & Salisbury, England: Ancient Stone Circle, Magna Carta & Salisbury Cathedral

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Last Updated: May 2026

Stonehenge, the mysterious stone circle that rises from the Salisbury Plain in England, has captivated the human imagination for millennia. Its sheer scale, precise astronomical alignment, and stubbornly unknown purpose continue to baffle and intrigue in equal measure. We visited as a shore excursion from Southampton — the ship had returned from Norway and paused in England before heading back into the Baltic — which made for an extraordinary day: prehistoric mystery in the morning, medieval grandeur in the afternoon, and a pub lunch that reminded us exactly which country we were in.

The iconic Stonehenge stone circle rising from the open Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England
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Stavanger & Kristiansand, Norway: Lysefjord, Pulpit Rock & the Øresund Bridge

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Last Updated: May 2026

Stavanger and Kristiansand are both in southern Norway, separated by about 230 kilometers of coastline, and they could hardly feel more different from each other. Stavanger is Norway’s oil capital — prosperous and serious, with an extraordinary natural setting on the edge of the Lysefjord that draws hikers and boat tourists from around the world. Kristiansand is its more relaxed southern neighbor, known for long sandy beaches, a charming city center, and the kind of warm, sunny summer weather that feels almost like a Scandinavian anomaly. We visited Stavanger first as part of our Baltic cruise aboard the Sky Princess, then returned to Kristiansand toward the end of the trip as the ship looped back south through the Norwegian coast.

A powerful waterfall cascading down the sheer Lysefjord cliff face near Stavanger, Norway
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Olden & Skjolden, Norway: Sognefjorden, Åsafossen Waterfall & Loen Skylift

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Last Updated: May 2026

Olden and Skjolden are two small villages on Norway’s western coast, each sitting at the end of a different fjord system north of Bergen. Skjolden occupies a dramatic position at the innermost tip of the Lustrafjorden — a branch of the Sognefjorden, the longest and deepest fjord in Norway — while Olden sits on the southern shore of the Nordfjorden, the country’s sixth longest. Both are surrounded by rugged, cloud-draped mountains with glaciers and waterfalls dropping directly into the valleys below. Neither village is large — Skjolden has around 200 residents, Olden under 900 — but for a cruise passenger, that small scale works in your favor. The scenery is the whole point, and with far fewer crowds than Bergen, you can actually stand still long enough to take it in. We visited both as part of our Baltic cruise aboard the Sky Princess, and found them to be among the most purely beautiful stops of the entire trip.

Scenic Norwegian fjord village surrounded by rugged green mountains and still water, Olden, Norway
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Bergen, Norway: Bryggen, Fjord Cruise & Sky Princess Baltic Cruise

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Last Updated: May 2026

Bergen is located in the southwestern region of Norway. It’s the second largest city in Norway, next to Oslo, with a population just under 300,000. Surrounded by seven mountains and located near fjords, it is a very picturesque location. Even though the Gulf Stream provides mild winters, there is significant precipitation and days are often cloud covered. Its colorful wooden houses lining the Bryggen waterfront really help to brighten the city up.

Colorful wooden houses of Bergen's historic Bryggen waterfront with Norwegian mountains behind, Norway
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