Day 1 Arrive Helsinki

Upon arrival in Helsinki make your own way to Klaus K Hotel, a Design Hotel located in the City Centre. Inspired by Finland’s national epic, The Kalevala, the interiors of Klaus K express the emotional themes of mysticism, passion, desire and envy.

Helsinki has been named the World Design Capital of 2012 by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid). The chosen city makes exemplary use of design toward cultural, social and economic development.

Design plays an integral role in Helsinki and is manifested through city planning, architecture, industrial design and service design. ”We are open. For us, openness equals transparency, global responsibility and innovation. Liability, sustainability and desirability. That is what we are looking for. We design for a better life. “

There are no activities planned this day. However, for those who have arrived early you can join a gentle walk through the Design District of Helsinki in search of some great Finnish design secrets, as well as a bite to eat. The Design District is located in the centre of town and only a short walk from our hotel. It is an area full of fashion stores, antique shops, art galleries, showrooms, design studios and restaurants, and is a perfect blend of creativity, uniqueness and Finnish city culture. This is an ideal place to get a first hand insight into contemporary top class Finnish design products, and one of the stores we will be sure not to miss is the Aero Design Furniture store.

In the evening we have organised a welcome dinner at one of Helsinki’s many great restaurants.

Accommodation

Overnight at Klaus K Hotel in superior/deluxe rooms (or similar)

Meals Included

Dinners1

Day 2 Helsinki - Marimekko Flagship, Design Museum & Artek

In the morning we visit the Artek store. Artek was founded in 1935 by four young idealists, Alvar and Aino Aalto, Maire Gullichsen and Nils-Gustav Hahl. The business idea of the company was “to sell furniture and to promote a modern culture of habitation by exhibitions and other educational means.” The founders of Artek advocated a new kind of environment for everyday life. They believed in a grand synthesis of the arts and wanted to make a difference in town planning as well as architecture and design.

Today Artek is renowned as being one of the most innovative contributors to modern design, building on the heritage of Alvar Aalto. Functionality and timeless aesthetics are the essential elements in the creation of every product that bears the Artek name.

Later this morning we travel by tram to the Design Museum of Helsinki, a specialist museum that selects and maintains a collection of design exhibitions. There will be ample time to wander through and enjoy the exhibits at your leisure.

The Design Museum is part of the Design District which is located in the centre of town and only a short walk from our hotel. It is an area full of fashion stores, antique shops, art galleries, showrooms, design studios and restaurants, and is a perfect blend of creativity, uniqueness and Finnish city culture. This is an ideal place to get a first hand insight into contemporary top class Finnish design products, and one of the stores we will be sure not to miss is the Aero Design Furniture store.

After lunch we visit the Marimekko Flagship store. Marimekko, established in 1951, is a Finnish textile and clothing design company renowned for its original prints and colours. The company designs and manufactures high-quality clothing, interior decoration textiles, bags and other accessories.We get a short introduction to the history of the Marimekko brand.

Rest of the afternoon free to explore Helsinki, before we meet for dinner this evening at Restaurant Savoy. The dining hall of Restaurant Savoy is an important part of Finnish design history. The interior was initially designed by Aino and Alvar Aalto in cooperation with textile artist Dora Jung and the then newly established Artek. Its pure and austere minimalism has remained in vogue for decades without becoming museum-like. The perfect proportions of space and furnishings coupled with genuine elements create an interior that refines with time.

Accommodation

Overnight at Klaus K Hotel in superior/deluxe rooms (or similar)

Meals Included

Breakfasts1, Lunches1, Dinners1

Day 3 Helsinki - Finlandia Hall, Monuments & lifestyle

In the morning we embark on a 3-hour-guided tour of Helsinki’s main attractions, including Temppeliaukio church, the Sibelius Monument and Finlandia Hall.

Helsinki’s architecture is typified by Nordic minimalism and refinement. Modernism, functionalism and the largest concentration of Art Nouveau buildings in Northern Europe make Helsinki a major city of architecture. The city centre, especially around Senate Square, forms a unique and cohesive example of Neoclassical architecture. Uspenski Cathedral, the largest orthodox church in Western Europe, represents Helsinki’s Byzantine-Russian architectural heritage. The latest architectural trends are represented by the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma and Sanomatalo in the city centre.

We visit Temppeliaukio Church – called the “Rock Church”. This unique church - carved out of the granite bedrock and covered by a copper dome - was designed by Finnish architects Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen. Although the original design initially provoked a lot of opposition, the critics were silenced by the stunning end result.

One of Helsinki's landmarks, the Sibelius Monument to honour national composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was the result of a public fundraising campaign and a two-stage competition in 1961-62. At all stages, the project stirred an unprecedented public debate, as the entire Finnish population seemed to be divided into two camps, the conformists urging for a figurative solution, and the modernists accepting an abstraction as well. Although Eila Hiltunen was declared the winner, only after months of heated public debate was she commissioned to realize her project. The Sibelius Monument was unveiled on September 7, 1967. The main part of the Sibelius Monument consists of approx. 600 acid-proof stainless steel tubes of various diameters, welded together individually and hand-textured by Eila Hiltunen.

Its silvery pipes reflect the change of season and light, echoing birds' song, sighing in the sea breeze and resonating furiously during a storm. People walk below it, place their heads to the tubes, pose for pictures or just choose one of the nearby benches to enjoy the season.

Just before midday we have a guided tour of Finlandia Hall, designed in 1962 by Alvar Aalto and built between 1967-72. The plan for the congress wing was drawn in 1970 and it was constructed between 1973-75. Finlandia Hall itself exhibits many of the ideas that Aalto experimented with during his lifelong preoccupation with monumental building construction. lt is not a functional creation, if the term is taken to signify a building whose forms are dictated solely by its practical functions and associated structural solutions. In contrast it is a decoratively conceived composition of cubistic forms that constitutes a multifaceted whole. None of these elements are, however, purely decorative; Aalto remained faithful to functionalism to the extent that he always sought a practical reason for his forms.

Rest of the day free, and we can recommend a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma which is open till 5pm.

Accommodation

Overnight at Klaus K Hotel in superior/deluxe rooms (or similar)

Meals Included

Breakfasts1

Day 4 Helsinki

In the morning we hop on the tram to visit to Arabianranta, Arabia factory & gallery and Fiskars display gallery.

Arabia is a trailblazer in modern Finnish design. Its product selection consists of popular ranges of dishes and design gift products. For almost 140 years Arabia has produced ceramics characterized by a timeless beauty as well as high quality and functionality. Arabia dishes hold a central position in Finnish lives: thanks to their innovative and distinctive design, they are equally at home on the kitchen table and at festive occasions.

Founded in 1649, Fiskars is Finland's oldest company. We will visit its birthplace, the village of Fiskars, on our way to Turku. Fiskars' consumer products for the home, garden, and outdoors are renowned for their functionality and cutting-edge design.

The suburb of Arabianranta has been determinedly developed towards “Art and Design City” already over 10 years. Arabianranta is a home for 10,000 people, a workplace for 5,000 and a campus for 6,000 students and know-how professionals. “Art and Design” (unique artworks) can be seen in the built environment, in buildings, public yards and premises. The arts and culture are actively introduced to people of Arabianranta by educational institutes such as the performance art of Metropolia, The University of Art and Design and Helsinki Pop & Jazz Conservatory. The educational institutes offer The Masters of Arts Festival, which has become the biggest single event in the area.

Rest of the day free. We recommend an excursion to Suomenlinna, one of the world’s largest historical maritime fortresses. Built on six islands in the 1700s, the garrison town is among the most popular sights in Finland and a living district that is home to around 850 city residents. Suomenlinna has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991.

We will finish our stay in Helsinki with a dinner at our hotel.

Accommodation

Overnight at Klaus K Hotel in superior/deluxe rooms (or similar)

Meals Included

Breakfasts1, Dinners1

Day 5 Helsinki - Fiskars - Turku

Early morning departure to Fiskars. Fiskars Ironworks was founded in 1649 by Peter Thorwöste, when Queen Christina of Sweden granted the Dutch businessman a privilege to manufacture cast iron and forged products. Manufacturing at Fiskars ended in the 1980’s. As the industry moved from Fiskars Village, its inhabitants followed and many of the buildings were left empty. The operations that remained in Fiskars Village were streamlined and modernized, but Fiskars Corporation never forgot its roots or the important role Fiskars Village had played since 1649.

The beautiful setting and surrounding countryside made a unique environment and the old buildings offered opportunities that appealed in particular to crafts people, designers and artists. The architecture of Fiskars differs from that of other villages in Finland. Built on the banks of two sets of rapids along the Fiskars River, most of its buildings date from the early nineteenth century, and were designed by some of the most notable Finnish architects of the time, including C.L. Engel, J.E. Wiik, A.F. Granstedt, W. Aspelin, Charles Bassi, and A. Peel. The centre of the village has an urban aspect, with fine old manor houses and production plants, some of which are almost two centuries old.

By 1993, professionals from more than 20 fields of the arts had moved to Fiskars Village and the idea of a joint exhibition had begun to grow among them. In April 1996, the Artisans, Designers & Artists of Fiskars Co-operative was founded. Over the years its membership has increased, and today the Co-operative has more than a 100 members whose work represents most areas of the arts, crafts and design. The largest professional groups are artists, cabinetmakers, ceramicists, and industrial designers.

Our first stop is at Nikari. Nikari, founded in 1967, is a leading Finnish solid wood design company and a manufacturer of internationally acknowledged wooden furniture with a vast knowledge and experience in producing ecological, demanding wooden constructions, special furnishings and furniture pieces for public premises as well as private homes. All Nikari products are known for their timeless design and uncompromising craftsmanship.

Company’s founder - master cabinet maker, designer Kari Virtanen has worked with the greatest Finnish architects and designers such as Alvar Aalto and Kaj Franck. Through decades his determination to concentrate on wood and its ecological benefits has gained the company a very strong position in the Finnish market. Kari is actually the only cabinet maker who has ever received the Pro Finlandia award by the President of the republic of Finland. Nikari Japan license manufacturing company started in 2010 in Kyoto and the company is now actively looking for possibilities in other countries, too.

In 2012 Nikari is celebrating the Helsinki World Design Capital 2012 year with a special “12 designers @ NIKARI” project. Nikari will introduce a new wooden design piece every month from 12 different designers around the world, including Jasper Morrison (UK), Martí Guix (Spain), Alfredo Häberli (Switzerland) and Louise Campbell (Denmark) among others.

Our visit to Nikari is followed by a guided tour in the Fiskars Village. Afterwards we have some free time to wander around before lunch at the Kuparipaja Restaurant.

After lunch we continue to Turku, the 2011 European Capital of Culture. Before arrival at our hotel, we stop at the island of Hirvensalo to visit St.Henry’s Ecumenical Art Chapel. We have a private guided tour of the Chapel including a short organ recital.

Completed in 2005, St. Henry's Ecumenical Art Chapel is better known as the Fish Chapel for invoking all the imagery of the sea while simultaneously appearing as a natural extension of terra firma. The architect Matti Sanaksenaho is best known for his unique operation of sculptural form and line and richly nuanced use of space.

Timber has traditionally defined the image of Finland in both the natural and built environment: two thirds of the land is covered by forest, and Finnish chapels have been made from wood since the twelfth century. Sanaksenaho exploits the special ambience of timber to its full capacity, creating a sublime ambiguity of topography and form. The individual texture and pattern of each piece of bark, each plank of timber, fills visitors with a mutual sense of familiarity and awe with the natural and spiritual world. (source www.specifier.com.au)

In the late afternoon we continue to our hotel for check in and dinner.

Accommodation

Overnight at Radisson Blu Marina Palace with river view (or similar)

Meals Included

Breakfasts1, Lunches1, Dinners1

Day 6 Turku

We enjoy a 3½ hour guided tour of Turku including the Turku Cathedral, the Castle and Luostarinmäki Handicrafts Village.

Turku Castlewas founded at the end of the 13th century and seems to have grown ever since. Attractions include two dungeons and some truly impressive banqueting halls. There is also an interesting castle museum, based around a selection of restored rooms within the castle's Old Bailey area.

The Cathedral of Turku, which presides over both the city and the Aura River. The cathedral is a rather imposing Evangelical Lutheran building and is actually the important seat of the city's Archdiocese, being filled with historic attractions and interesting chapels. The ceiling of the cathedral's interior is extremely high and boasts a lofty vaulted nave and many splendid wall arches. The side chapels are of particular interest and contain the tombs of Swedish war heroes and even a former queen of Sweden, Catherine Mansdotter.

The Luostarinmäki Handicrafts Museum is situated in the “old town” of Turku and it differs from other open air museums in that the 200 years old houses are preserved exactly where they were built. The area consists of 18 small plots and it can be considered as an old town because nowadays it is the only part left after the disastrous fire in 1827.

The afternoon is free to explore Turku. We recommend a visit toAboa Vetus & Ars Nova, a museum of archaeological history and contemporary art. Tucked away inside Aboa Vetus visitors will find a piece of old Turku. Ars Nova offers an exciting array of exhibitions and a fascinating collection.

Or if you are more into shopping, make sure you pay visit to Brinkkalan Outollintu. The members of thishandicraft shop make products and works of art from various kinds of materials including fabric, wood, glass and clay. The shop is located by the Old Great Square of Turku, in the inner court of Brinkkala Mansion. It's a traditional place for handicraftsmen. The first handicraftsmen settled down around the Old Great Square in the 14th century.

Accommodation

Overnight at Radisson Blu Marina Palace with river view (or similar)

Meals Included

Breakfasts1

Day 7 iittala – Helsinki and overnight ferry to Stockholm

We depart in the morning by bus for a 2 hour drive to the Iittala Glass Centrewhere we have a guided tour of the factory and museum. The iittala factory was built by a lake in a Finnish village Iittala in 1881. All essentials were close at hand -wood, water and sand. Today Iittala is a leading Scandinavian design brand.

At the iittala Glass Center you will find the timeless Aalto Vase being produced along with other signature iittala pieces. The history of iittala glass is on display at the iittala Glass Museum with works of such great artists as Tapio Wirkkala and Timo Sarpaneva. You’ll also get to see how these glass pieces were made – wood molds and glass blowing tools line the walls. In the iittala Factory Outlet you can find great deals on iittala products as well as the entire collection of the iittala brand.

We enjoy lunch before driving on to Helsinki and board the Silja Lineferry to Stockholm. As the days are long in Scandinavia this time of year you will get a chance to admire thethousands of islands in the picturesque archipelago on the way to Stockholm

Accommodation

Overnight deluxe exterior cabins with private facilities

Meals Included

Breakfasts1, Lunches1, Dinners1

Day 8 Stockholm - Milles’ Sculpture Garden, Old town guided tour

Enjoy breakfast while sailing through the Stockholm archipelago. We are due to arrive in the Swedish Capital at around 9am.

After arrival we head to Milles’ Sculpture Garden, the estate of sculptor Carl Milles’ which was built for him and his wife in 1908. When you enterMillesgården you are welcomed by two wrought-iron gates displaying the words and motto of Carl Milles: “Pray, let me work while the day is bright which he borrowed from a poem by his sister Ruth Milles.In the late 1930’s the Carl and Olga Milles foundation was established and Millesgården was opened to the public. Millesgården contains fountains and sculptures by Milles himself beautifully arranged on terraces in a series of small gardens overlooking the Baltic. Enjoy the garden, the charming sculptures, all with their own stories.

As we leave Millesgården, we will have a short panoramic sightseeing tour before heading to Gamla Stan, Stockholm’s oldest quarter. After a guided walk in the Old Town, we will enjoy lunch in one of the cozy restaurants.

Rest of the day free to explore Stockholm and the many interesting design shops located in the vicinity of our hotel.

During your spare time a place to visit is SoFo, an area “south of Folkungagatan Street” on Södermalm where you will find many interesting, trendy, creative stores with fashion, design, furnishings, jewellery, curios, vintage/second hand, modern antiques, books, magazines, records and more. Several contemporary fashion labels have stores here. There is an abundance of restaurants, bars, cafes and malls. The atmosphere is very consciously laidback.

Another well worth visit is the classic interior furnishings boutique ‘Svenskt Tenn’ situated on the beautiful shoreline boulevard Strandvägen Street on Östermalm. The timeless, patterned and brilliantly colored fabrics and furniture by Swedish/Austrian Josef Frank still cause people to make pilgrimages to the store. The store originated with the fortunate combination of two courageous people with fresh ideas; stylist and businesswoman Estrid Ericsson and designer Josef Frank. The store has modern classics, a lovely gift department with glass, pottery and objects by young established designers.

Nobis Hotel is located in two magnificent late 19th-century buildings, both representing the finest of Stockholm’s unique bourgeois stone city that emerged in the latter half of the 1800s, at the outset of Sweden’s industrial revolution.

The design by renowned architect and design studio Claesson-Koivisto-Runehas given the hotel timeless contemporary elegance.The new design interacts and contrasts effectively with the buildings’ magnificent, culturally protected late 19th century original interiors. Nobis Hotel is a member of Design Hotels.

You will have the evening at your leisure.

Accommodation

Nobis Hotel

Meals Included

Breakfasts1, Lunches1

Day 9 Stockholm

After breakfast we are invited to a behind-the-scenes tour at Design House Stockholm.

Founded by Anders Färdig, Design House Stockholm started as a creative product development company for other brands in 1992. Using his vast knowledge in design management from prior experience managing companies such as Boda Nova and Höganäs, Färdig created a network of independent designers that remains the platform from which they operate today. In 1997 the Design House Stockholm product collection was launched, starting with Harri Koskinen’s Block Lamp that immediately became a worldwide success. The Block Lamp has remained one of their top selling products to this day, and is represented in MoMA’s permanent design collection.

Afterwards we travel by bus to Skogskyrkogården, the Woodland Cemetery.Skogskyrkogåden is considered one of the most important creations of modern architecture, and is included on the UNESCO's World Heritage List.

Skogskyrkogården is considered a shining example of the “designed experience”, meaning that the design is created around the visitor’s experience of the site. When Skogskyrkogården’s architects Sigurd Lewerentz and Gunnar Asplund designed the landscaping and the buildings, they started with the experience of the visitors – the concept of mourning and the feelings surrounding it.

This is expressed in various ways. For example, the processional routes leading to the chapels are designed to create the appropriate mood for mourners prior to the funeral service. After the service, attention is drawn to the natural surroundings, to help reconcile the mourners with the sadness of their loss as part of the circle of life.

The clearest example is the Seven Springs Way leading up to the Chapel of Resurrection, which is lined first with birches and then with conifers, the nearer the mourners get to the chapel. The idea is that this will make them more solemn as they approach the chapel and the funeral ceremony. After the ceremony, the mourners are led out of the chapel’s west door and take a different path back. This is meant to help the mourners let go of their grief and gradually return to their normal lives again.

Another example of the designed experience is the steps up to the meditation grove. The higher you come up the steps, the lower each step becomes. This is so that visitors are not tired out by the climb, instead feeling calm when they reach this place of meditation.

Even the minor details have been carefully considered. For example, the benches in and around the three chapels of the Woodland Crematorium are designed so that they are not completely straight. They have a slight kink in the middle. This is so that the mourners do not feel alone at this difficult time. They can see each other and feel a sense of togetherness.

At midday we will take an hour’s boat cruise from the City to Drottinigholm and enjoy lunch onboard.

Drottningholm with the Drottningholm Palace, the Court Theatre, the Chinese Pavilion and last but not least the beautiful French and English gardens, was the first Swedish site to be placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It was appointed as the best-preserved example of an 18th century palatial setting in Sweden and is also representative of all European Royal architecture using Versailles as a model.

For the afternoon we have planned a visit to a new exciting venture in Stockholm. It is so new that it is not even open yet!

The idea sparked to life in the year 2000. Björn Jakobson, founder of the BabyBjörn Company, had long contemplated how one could combine the unique nature of the Swedish archipelago with first-class art and culture in a single complex of international standard.

The result was Artipelag, which is now being built at Hålludden, just 15 minutes by car from Stockholm. The idea was to shape a new type of cultural centre with a variety of different experiences collected under one roof. The building, with its 99,000 square feet, is comparable in size to Sweden's largest state-owned museums and art exhibition institutions. Despite this, architect Johan Nyrén has managed to design a building in harmony with the natural surroundings. It is dressed in pitched pine planks and carefully located between the pine trees and the cliffs with a view over Baggen’s Bay.

There is space here for the c. 32,000 square foot art hall and a shop with both its own and Swedish-designed products. There is also a concert- event -and studio locale with 13,000 square feet and accompanying artists’ space.

You will have the evening at your leisure.

Accommodation

Nobis Hotel

Meals Included

Breakfasts1, Lunches1

Day 10 Stockholm-Malmö-Copenhagen

In the early morning we travel by fast train through the Swedish countryside southwest to Malmö.

While in Malmö we visit the Ekostaden Augustenborg project. Ekostaden Augustenborg is the collective name for a program to make Augustenborg into a more socially, economically and environmentally sustainable neighbourhood. Ekostaden Augustenborg, one of Sweden´s largest urban sustainability projects, was supported by the government´s Local Investment Programme and also financed by key local partners within Malmö City and the MKB housing company.

Ekostaden is working within the residential area of Augustenborg in Malmö, Sweden, as well as with the school, industrial area and other local businesses. One of the key aims of the project is to enable residents to take a leading role in the ideas, design and implementation of the project. The project was launched in 1998 and the results so far indicate that Augustenborg has become an attractive, multicultural neighbourhood in which the turnover of tenancies has decreased by almost 20% and the environmental impact has decreased to a similar degree.

Our tour will take us to an area built in the 1950s that was redeveloped in the late 1990s involving the residents in the planning process. It is now a prime example of climate change adaptation measures with green roofs and open storm water management. You will also hear about multiple use green areas and the local water management. This will give you an insight into how City of Malmö works with mitigation, adaptation and increasing sustainability in existing areas.

In the late afternoon we catch the commuter train taking us across the giant Öresund Bridge to Copenhagen in Denmark.

Check in at First Hotel Skt Petri. First Hotel Skt.Petri is Copenhagen’s leading design hotel and is located in the heart of the Latin Quarter and its downtown boutique shopping.

Evening at your own leisure

Accommodation

Overnight at First Hotel Stk Petri (or similar)

Meals Included

Breakfasts1, Lunches1

Day 11 Copenhagen - Louisiana, the Museum of Modern Art and Finn Juhl’s estate

In the morning we drive north to visit Louisiana, the Museum of Modern Art located 2 hours north of Copenhagen. Once we reach Louisiana we have time to take in the rich collection of modern art, as well as the wonderful surrounding area.

We have lunch at Restaurant Sletten which is located in the heart of the old and idyllic Sletten Harbour. Surrounded by small cosy fisherman’s cottages and with a waterfront view of the harbour and Øresund, the place oozes of charm and nostalgia. The interior was created in cooperation with designer Søren Vester. The furniture is designed by Icelandic designer Erla Sólveig Òskardòttir and Finn Juhl. The lighting fixtures are from Louis Poulsen Lighting while the crockery is from Royal Copenhagen.

After lunch we will visit Finn Juhl’s estate at Ordrupgaard. This is a unique opportunity to view some of Finn Juhl’s excellent furniture design. There is also time for a wander through one of the newest buildings at Ordrupgaard designed by the prize-winning Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid. The building opened in 2005, and with its special architectural style it adds an extra dimension to our visit.

We return to Copenhagen in the late afternoon. Dinner at Brasserie Petri at our hotel.

Accommodation

Overnight at First Hotel Stk Petri (or similar)

Meals Included

Breakfasts1, Lunches1, Dinners1

Day 12 Copenhagen - Room 606, Ørestad City and fine dining

After breakfast we will be taken on an architectural tour visiting two latest sustainable urban projects in Copenhagen. First we will take the Metro to Ørestad.

Ørestad is – till now -the biggest overall city development project in the history of Copenhagen.

Today 5.000 people live in Ørestad. There is a vision for Ørestad as a mixed urban area with housing and businesses built side by side. About 10,000 people are employed in Ørestad businesses today. 
In 15-20 years from now, Ørestad is expected to have approximately 20.000 inhabitants and 60.000 - 80.000 people employed in businesses in the area.

The area is divided in three districts: Ørestad North, Ørestad City and Ørestad South. Each designed according to individual principles.

The closest to the central Copenhagen is Ørestad North, created with the ambition of giving the city a new centre for culture, media and information technology. Besides from the University ofCopenhagen, the IT-University, several student residences and the DR Byen, the Koncert Hall designed by Jean Nouvel are located here.

The Ørestad City is about to be developed. Here you find the Mountain and the VM Buildings (designed by BIG), the Ørestad Gymnasium (designed by 3XN) and the hotel Bella Sky, also designed by 3XN.

Finally the southern part, Ørestad South, is still partly bare field, but on its way. Here the metro line ends and you have a great view to the green Kalvebod common and the 8 House (designed by BIG).

We will continue our tour to Sluseholmen located in the southernmost part of Copenhagen. Like the old Christianshavn in Copenhagen, Sluseholmen is a canal town, composed of blocks arranged around semi-open courtyards. Most buildings give directly on to the water in the artificial canals. Bridges, wharfs and waterside steps provide proximity to the water.

The facades are greatly varied and the residential blocks have different heights. Behind the facades, the dwellings are relatively uniform but with different types of ownership they promote greater neighborhood diversity. The varied facades in Sluseholmen are intended to give every new resident a sense of belonging in one particular place in the new large district. The masterplan of this new area of Copenhagen was created by two architectural studios -the Dutch Soeters -Van Eldonk- Ponec together with Danish Arkitema.

On your way to the Sluseholmen area, you will be passing iconic pieces like the Gemini Residence and the Metropolis. In addition to that, the tour gets you close to the harbour baths and the Brygge Bridge – both symbols of sustainable solutions.

We will finish our tour with lunch at the Royal Café. The Royal Café was created and is owned by Lo Østergaard and Rudi Christiansen. Their aim was to offer a stunning visual experience with a mixture of design from baroque times to present day Denmark. The Royal Café has “soul” and the owners like to call it “Funky Baroque –design confusion, humorous and chic”! The café houses a design shop and focuses on traditional Danish food that has been around for more than 300 years.

We are going to enjoy a selection of their signature dish “Smushis”. “Smushi” is a new take on the traditional Danish open-faced sandwich (smørrebrød). The name for these bite-size sandwiches is created from the two words of “smørrebrød” and “sushi”.

Rest of the afternoon free for you to explore the Danish capital.

In the early evening we walk through the old town of Copenhagen to the former SAS Royal Hotel (now Radisson Blu Royal Hotel)built in the 1960’s with every facet designed by Danish architect Arne Jacobsen. Only room 606 features the original Arne Jacobsen décor with grey, blue-green colors, wengé wood and a selection of representative furniture.

We will have a private tour of the hotel including a visit to the room 606 and a slideshow about Arne Jakobsen’s life and work.

After the tour we enjoy dinner at Alberto K Restaurantat the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel. Alberto K is named after Alberto Kappenberger, who managed the hotel for 25 years since its opening in 1960. It was also Kappenberger who commissioned Arne Jacobsen, one of the twentieth century’s most prominent Danish architects, to design the big hotel project. The restaurant’s furnishing bears the stamp of the design heritage, and you will enjoy your 5-course dinner with Arne Jacobsen’s cutlery and see examples of his furniture design when you look around the restaurant.

Accommodation

Overnight at First Hotel Stk Petri (or similar)

Meals Included

Breakfasts1, Lunches1, Dinners1

Day 13 Copenhagen - more fine dining and exploration of this magnificent city

Today is your free day to explore the Danish capital. Visit the various design shops like Royal Copenhagen, Illums Bolighus and Georg Jensen.

If you prefer a more cultural experience, we recommend a visit to Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek is an art museum founded in 1888 by the brewer Carl Jacobsen (1842-1914). Today, the museum houses the largest collection of ancient art in Northern Europe. The collection consists primarily of sculpture, from Egypt, the Near East, Greece and Italy but during the more than one hundred years of its existence, the museum has also expanded the collection of French and Danish art from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The Impressionists, Paul Gauguin and Auguste Rodin are particularly well represented.

Or you might want to visit the exhibition ”Denmark by Design” at the Danish Design Centre. The exhibition shows the development in Danish design from 1945-2010. It explores the questions ‘what is Danish Design?’ and ‘how has design become an integrated part of everyday lives and mindset in Denmark? Decade by decade you will be able to follow Danish design's focus on the individual, the home, the workplace, the public space and resolutions to societal issues. The exhibition explores various trends and how these trends have influenced the designers' solutions and modes of expression.The exhibition also explores the new generation of designers and companies that will design the decades to come - and maintain Denmark’s position as a leading design nation.

As it is our last day together and the end of this wonderful tour, we will have a special farewell dinner at the Mielcke & Hurtigkarl restaurant. Their unique cuisine is garnered from travels and developed by culinary experts with nature as its focus. The interior design of the restaurant is almost Salvador Dali –like – you will love the toilets! The restaurant is situated in the separate garden “Haveselskabets Have” in Frederiksberg Garden. More than 300 years old Frederiksberg Garden is one of the most romantic landscape gardens in Denmark. “Haveselskabets Have” is famous for its beautiful flowers and many roses of numerous kinds. Many newly weds come here to have their wedding photos taken. We will have time to take a walk around the beautiful gardens before the dinner.

Accommodation

Overnight at First Hotel Stk Petri (or similar)

Meals Included

Breakfasts1, Dinners1

Day 14 Depart Copenhagen

Transfer to the airport for your flight.

Meals Included

none