|
| Visit our website: www.brekketours.com |
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||||
 |
||||||
Brekke Featured ToursCelebrate Syttende Mai in Norway!
Experience the fun, history and excitement of Norway’s Constitution Day this May
with our Spirit of Norway Tour from May 15-24, 2008. In 1814, Norway adopted its
constitution and it is this event that is celebrated on the 17th of May. The first
17th of May celebration was held in 1836 by the Storting, the Norwegian parliament.
The first children’s processions were arranged in 1870, and since 1906, the Royal
Family have gathered on the balcony of the Royal Palace in Oslo to wave to the children
marching by.
Other highlights of the day include: seeing the different forms of bunads as people gather from all across the country to celebrate in Oslo, hotdogs and ice cream, and games, entertainment and film shows after the parade has ended. We invite you and your family to join us on “Spirit of Norway” to celebrate this festive day in Norway! Contact Brekke Tours at 800-437-5302 or email: tours@brekketours.com to sign up for the Spirit of Norway tour! 
Experience the “Best of Norway”June 4—14 June 25—July 5 July 16—26
Have you always wanted to travel to Norway but can’t decide what to do or where
to go? Brekke Tours has utilized their expertise of Norway to bring you the “Best
of Norway” tour, which provides you with all the highlights Norway has to offer:
the best food, the most beautiful scenery, and daily activities that not only leave
you inspired but wanting never to return to your “normal” life.
Arrive in Oslo where you will take a sightseeing tour including a visit to Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Viking Ship Museum and the Norwegian Folk Museum. After a full day in Oslo, travel to the city of Lillehammer, home of the 1994 Olympics. Stop along the way to visit a local family farm where you will get to savor the traditional Norwegian “middag.”
Prepare for a spectacular day of sightseeing on Day 5 as you travel the Gudbrandsdal and Otta Valleys to Lom. Continue across the Grotli Mountains to the fabulous fjord country. If the weather permits, drive to Dalsnibba Observation Point for a view of the breathtaking Geiranger Fjord. Spend the night in Loen at the luxurious Alexandra Hotel. Enjoy the magnificent sights as you take a morning excursion up to the sparkling Briksdal Glacier. Cross the mighty Sognefjord and the Vik Mountains as you travel on to Voss for two overnight stays at Fleischer’s hotel. 
The next morning is filled
with anticipation and excitement as you get ready for the “Norway in a Nutshell”
excursion. Depart Voss by train on the Oslo/ Bergen Railway then switch to the Flåm
Line in Myrdal. The Flåm Line is deemed by some as the most fantastic train ride
in Europe. Descend the Flåm Valley, dropping 2800 feet within 13 miles. Cruise the
dramatic Aurland and Nærøy Fjords from Flåm to Gudvangen. Ascend the 13 hairpin
bends of the thrilling Stallheim road on your way back to Voss.
Drive to Bergen the next morning where you will enjoy a city tour including a visit to Troldhaugen, the home of Norway’s internationally-known composer, the late Edvard Grieg. Take a guided walk through the historic Hanseatic Wharf and then you are free to spend the rest of the day shopping or sightseeing. Travel to Stavanger after taking a stroll through the Bergen Fish Market. The drive to Stavanger is anything but dull as you travel along the coastal road, ferry across waterways and drive through underwater tunnels. After breakfast the next morning, take a tour of Stavanger and the Stavanger Cathedral. The afternoon is free to explore this charming Norwegian city. Join your fellow travelers one last time for a farewell dinner before setting off to the airport the next morning for your flight back home. Although saying goodbye to Norway is never easy, leave knowing that you will always carry with you the memories of the “Best of Norway.” Fun Facts:The Norwegian bunad (national costume) came into existence about 100 years ago when a wave of national romanticism swept across the country. Their design is based on regional folk costumes that were on the verge of disappearing.All of a sudden people wanted to preserve everything that was old and traditional including the old costumes. Rural peasant customs were valued as genuinely Norwegian, and it was these rural areas that had the strongest folk costume traditions. The first bunads were clearly related to the most familiar folk costumes. Where knowledge of old traditions was uncertain, inspiration was drawn from separate parts of costumes or from other regional elements like rose painting, wood carving or embroidery. In recent years, interest in Norwegian bunads and folk costumes has steadily been increasing. This is especially apparent on May 17th, when there is an incredible show of gorgeous costumes from all over the country. See these historic costumes from all parts of Norway on Brekke’s Spirit of Norway Tour! Brekke’s Travel Adventures 2008Travel to lands of unspoiled beauty, set sail to the ends of the earth, walk the path of our ancestors—these are Brekke’s Travel Adventures! If you are searching for a vacation away from the ordinary, we have numerous destinations awaiting your arrival:
Going...Going...Gone?
“When should I book my tour?” is a question we get many times a day here at Brekke
Tours. Our usual response is “as soon as possible” but this year you may hear us
saying “today if possible.” This is not a marketing ploy—the reason behind the urgency
is a reflection on how popular our tours are this year! Applications are coming
in by the dozens and spaces are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please contact
us as early as possible to start booking your tour.
Another important note for our clients looking to travel to Norway this year: airspace for summer months is at a premium and is selling out quickly. If you are interested in extending your stay or flying in ahead of your tour, it is best to make these arrangements now to give you the most convenient itinerary and to be as economical as possible. Our most requested tour to date is the Norway: Scenic & Historic Tour from July 20 to August 1. This tour is now guaranteed and is filling up fast. Multiple requests are received on a daily basis for our other tours as well. Many of our clients are taking advantage of our early booking discount. If you book your tour before February 8, you will receive $50 off per person when you use your promo code of “BT8.” A new service that we are offering to our clients in conjunction with our escorted tours is help with researching family history. From family farm locations to correct spelling of the family name, our team at Brekke Tours will strive to piece together your family’s history. To find out more about our escorted tours, early booking discount, or our genealogy research, please contact us at: tours@brekketours.com or 1-800-437-5302. Know before you go... UNESCOWhen looking through your Brekke Tour Brochure you may run across a term you are unfamiliar with: UNESCO. What is UNESCO, a brand of fancy coffee? No, UNESCO stands for the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Their goal is to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa’s Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world’s heritage. What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located.If you are interested in learning more about UNESCO or would like a complete World Heritage List, visit their website at: http://whc.unesco.org/. To see these sites in person, contact Brekke Tours at tours@brekketours.com or visit our website at www.brekketours.com — we will arrange a visit! Independent Travel Brochure - Now AvailableClick Here to Download the 2008 PDF Brochure
Our 2008 Independent Travel Brochures are ready! If you are wanting to
take a trip to Norway but don’t want to travel on one of our escorted tours, we
can still assist you with planning your trip!
AIR TRAVEL Inquire about attractive airfare from your home city to Scandinavia/ Europe on scheduled service on Icelandair, Northwest/ KLM, SAS, and other airline carriers. CAR RENTALS/CRUISES/RAILWAY Guaranteed lowest rates on car rentals! Take a cruise on the “World’s Most Beautiful Voyage” to 34 ports of call. Save time and money with point to point train fares. INDEPENDENT DAY EXCURSIONS See the sights of Norway in our day excursions: Norway in a Nutshell, the Sognefjord in a Nutshell, and Hardanger in a Nutshell. CITY & TOUR PACKAGES For those wanting to see the sights without having to do all the planning on their own. Pick and choose what cities you see and what you want to do! HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS Let us help you with your hotel accommodations! From deluxe to budget, when traveling to Scandinavia you can trust Brekke Tours to find you the best value. |
| © 2008 Brekke Tours and Travel | Phone: 1 (800) 437-5302 |
