COPENHAGEN

Welcome to Copenhagen! Once you’ve arrived in Denmark, make your way to our hotel in the heart of the city. Drop your luggage, grab a snack or something to eat in bustling Nyhavn (New Harbor) or just enjoy a walk in the fresh air after your long, international flight. We’ll gather in the midafternoon for our welcome meeting - held on… a boat! Yes, why not start off our time in Copenhagen by traversing its many canals on our own private boat tour?!? We’ll enjoy wandering the city from the water whilst introducing ourselves and trying out smørrebrød, the very traditional Danish open-faced sandwiches. Remember to eat them with a knife and fork! (When in Copenhagen, eat as the Danes eat…) After, enjoy going straight to your comfortable room for some jet lag recovery or join in for an optional walk to nearby Amalienborg Palace. Depending on the number of early arrivers, there’s likely to be an evening knit session outside by the harbor. 

COPENHAGEN

Now that we’ve all caught up on sleep, let’s go explore Copenhagen. After breakfast, our favorite local guide will scoop us up and take us out for an exploratory walk through the oldest part of the city. As we make our way toward Christiansborg Palace, we’ll get a sense of how Copenhagen has developed over time, its relationship with the rest of the country and the way people live there today. We’ll also duck into the palace’s Reception Rooms to see the great tapestries on display there. Then, hold onto your hats – we’re getting around like the locals! Our 24 hour city pass means we can hop on and off the public transportation as needed. Our first foray is out to the home of our friend and Rowan Tree Travel & Fibercraft tour participant, Lisbeth. She and her knitting/traveling buddy, Anne, have invited our tour group to come for lunch and a bit of knitting conversation! After lunch, Bente will shepherd us out to the most contemporary parts of Copenhagen to learn how the city is integrating housing, transportation and the public will toward complete sustainability by the year 2030. Then we’ll hop on a city “water bus” to get back to the hotel. Whew! Copenhagen’s historic founding to contemporary aspirations – all in one day! Refresh yourself with a table by the harbor, a drink and some knitting camaraderie. If the air gets chilly, you’ll find all the bars and restaurants have outdoor heaters and blankets available – or pull out and show off your own knitted goody! Enjoy the evening’s Nyhavn scene. 

COPENHAGEN

It’s been a long, long, long wait while the famous Designmuseum Danmark was closed for renovation. This gem in the crown of Copenhagen culture is now open and ready for us to head on over. We’ll take our time there, with a hosted tour, time for lunch in the cafe and then a free afternoon during which you can spend even more time exploring its riches. Or, head out into the city itself for shopping, visits to the local yarn stores (we’ll have a list for you!) or an opportunity to investigate your own particular interests. At the end of the day, we’ll share stories over dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Copenhagen. Eet smakelijk!

COPENHAGEN TO THE FAROE ISLANDS

Take time this morning for an early stroll along the waterfront, a bit of knitting with friends or finding the perfect pastry before we gather to take a train back to Copenhagen Airport. At noon, we’ll fly from Denmark to the Faroe Islands. Our Faroese guides will meet us at the airport and take us directly to the nearest impressive waterfall! (It’s a Faroese tradition.) Then, once we’ve checked into our Torshavn hotel, it will be time to walk through and learn about the oldest part of this capital city. But our day’s not over yet. It wouldn’t be the Faroe Islands without a warm welcome and home-hosted dinner (called heimablidni) with our friends, Ana and Oli. Now we can truly say “Welcome to the Faroe Islands!”

FAROE ISLANDS

Our first day on the islands is all about relaxing in Torshavn. From the top floor of our hotel, we’ll have a fantastic view of the city whilst getting an introduction to Faroese knitting. Our guide and workshop facilitator, Katrina i Geil, is an internationally recognized textile artist and knitwear designer. Katrina’s experience with Faroese motifs, garments and textile history is only outshone by her work adapting that knowledge into contemporary wearables. Best of all, she’s simply great fun to spend the day with in both hands-on endeavors and fun discussion about Faroese culture. We’ll have most of the day with her, then enjoy perusing Torshavn’s shops, neighborhoods and waterfront to our heart’s content. 

FAROE ISLANDS

Pack your knitting for a road trip! Today we’re headed out of the city and on to other islands in the archipelago. The island of Eystury is home to a very special wool mill: Snældan. It’s the only remaining wool mill in the Faroe Islands taking wool from its raw state right through to finished garments. You’ll enjoy seeing their garments with very traditional pattern work, others in recent, contemporary styles and browsing among the many skeins of their yarn. It’s perfectly constructed for Faroese-style knitting. We’ll also visit the island’s newest yarn company, Navia, to learn how Faroese wool is being blended into sophisticated yarns for an international audience. Though remote in location, Navia is right on the cutting edge of current. Fancy seeing a 3-D printed sweater? You’ll see one at Navia! After lunch, we head north, to explore Gjógv (Sea Gorge Village) and the surrounding, dramatic landscape. Get out those cameras. 

FAROE ISLANDS

Today, a delightful ferry ride to Nolsoy, the smallest, closest island across the bay from Torshavn. Disembarking, you’ll find a colorful, tightly settled village and residents almost exclusively walking from home to work, shore to school and heights to heimablidni. The entire population numbers less than 300! It’s a lovely place to spend the day. In the morning, we’ll dig into another workshop with Katrina. This time making skóleister, traditional Faroese house slippers – perhaps with yarn purchased the day prior! Our lunch will be shared in yet another local resident’s living room. By the afternoon, you’ll have the option to stay on Nolsoy for a walk around the picturesque island or return by ferry for free time back in Torshavn. Might your free time include a pub and some knitting? Perusing the shelves in one of town’s best bookshops? A wander with your sketchpad through the old town? Completely up to you. One thing we know for sure though: there’ll be evening knit sessions in the hotel lobby! Grab a drink and a seat. See you there!

FAROE ISLANDS

On our last full day of Faroese adventures, we’re headed to the island of Sandoy. First we’ll explore the main village of Sandur, then join our friend Hanna á Reyna Túgvu, for tales of trolls and witches. There’s so much to see on the island. We’ll continue with stops along the coast and among the dramatic hills, cliffs and sea walls so representative of this place. Our day finishes with something truly special: an evening Kvoldseta (living room concert, including dinner) in the village of Dalur.

FAROE ISLANDS TO ICELAND

Guess what? Our most direct route home from the Faroe Islands is actually west, toward Iceland, rather than back to Denmark. So that’s the route we’ve planned! Our group departs Torshavn early on Friday morning. Together, we’ll fly to Iceland’s Keflavik Airport for connecting flights home. But before you make arrangements for those flights home, we invite you to consider an Icelandic “stopover”. It’s so easy to extend your northland adventures by staying in Iceland for a day or two (or four!) Buses and taxis depart frequently for the capital, Reykjavik. Or, rent a car and seek out some stunning mountains, waterfalls, glaciers and thermal pools. Or simply hop over to the Blue Lagoon (eruptions notwithstanding) for an overnight soak and stay. Who can resist?!?!?

Suzie is an avid knitter, spinner, and all-around fiber enthusiast plus writer, gardener, adventurer and appreciator of both cityscape and landscape.  When she realized she could combine her love of making things with her love for travel and new experiences, she found her happy place! Suzie lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She’s the author and illustrator of The Nervous New Owner’s Guide to Angora Rabbits. No longer a fiber animal owner, she loves nothing more than visiting fiber animals someone else owns -- preferably in another country. She writes about her travel experiences at www.studiobriddsang.com

Anna is a native Icelander and lives in Kópavogur, just south of Reykjavik. In her work at the National Museum of Iceland, she greets and guides visitors through the exhibitions while explaining the history, changes to and current culture of her home country. She holds a BA in Art History and Tourism.  Anna rediscovered knitting in 2020 after a 30 year hiatus. Now she’s unstoppable – and has compiled “a lot of stash” along with numerous projects. Leading trips with Rowan Tree Travel & Fibercraft gives her the opportunity to share her passion for knitting, wool, travel and history with visitors from all over the world.  Anna is a certified guide with a focus on practical knowledge in the field of guiding tourists around Iceland in accordance with the European standard ÍST EN 15565:2008e.