About this trip

Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Helsinki are generally listed among the happiest cities in the world. And they are certainly among the most progressive—especially about sex and sexuality—so it is not surprising that they have a fascinating LGBTQ+ history, from Queen Christina to Greta Garbo, the “Danish girl” and of course Tom of Finland. So come explore three stunning Nordic cities with us. Enjoy splendid landscapes (and waterscapes!) visit historic palaces and great museums (with some great gay art) and bask in the calm tranquility of three splendid—and very gay friendly—cities.

On the waterfront
Copenhagen and Stockholm have a lot in common. Both were founded by Vikings in the Middle Ages, but both became the capitals of very European kingdoms, with baroque and Neoclassical palaces and churches. Both are also not only on the water, but criss-crossed by water, since they consist of islands surrounded by lakes, rivers, and canals. And both have extremely comfortable, down-to-earth cultures, with the Danes’ famous idea of hygge and the Swedes’ custom of fika—quiet, private chats over coffee and pastry.

Hans Christian, Hamlet, and LIly
And both have fascinating LGBTQ+ histories—and artists—and very open, gay-friendly cultures today. In Denmark, after taking a boat ride on the canals, we will follow the stories of two famous LGBTQ+ Copenhageners: Hans Christian Andersen (yes, the Little Mermaid is just as gay a story as you suspected!) and Lily Elbe, the so-called Danish Girl, one of the first people to experience a medical gender transition. And of course we will follow some straight Danes’ stories as well, including the story of Prince Hamlet, which we will explore on an excursion to Kronborg Castle in Helsingør (i.e. Elsinore).

Queen Christina, Greta, and ABBA
In Stockholm, we will follow the story of Queen Christina in the Royal Palace, ending with her famous silver throne, on which (or on a Hollywood version of which) Greta Garbo lounged her way through her appearance in the movie that contained Hollywood’s *first* kiss between women! We will also do a tour of Garbo’s life in Stockholm and discover some great Scandinavian gay painters of the Thomas Mann Death in Venice period—including Professor Lear’s favorite male nude after Michelangelo. And again, we will see a lot of Stockholm’s straight history as well. Which category would you place ABBA in? No visit to Stockholm is complete without the ABBA museum.

Helsinki and Tom
Finally, we reach the acme of our Baltic waterway (and island and forest) theme, taking the overnight ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki, one of the world’s most beautiful boat rides. And we end our tour by visiting Helsinki, a lovely city with elements of Stockholm and of Petersburg—and the home city of several famous LGBTQ+ artists, most famously Tom of Finland. We have a tour of Helsinki, a special Tom of Finland tour with an audiovisual presentation, and a free afternoon to enjoy the city, followed by our farewell dinner—maybe a toast with Tom of Finland vodka?