Five days to spend
 

We have 5 days to spend in Scandanavia. We've never been there, which is a shame, but that's the reality. I would like advice on which capital city or surrounding area is the best place to spend that time. We are going in early Sept this year. Hit me with your best shot.

Where are you flying in/out of?
What do you like to do? Cities? Hiking? Museums? Art? Nightlife? Food?
Who is we? Adults? A couple? A family? Young partiers?

I've only been to a few cities in the region, but if you like the outdoors, you can't go wrong with Iceland. If you want to stick to cities, I would vote for Stockholm.

I the OP likes outdoors, he cannot go wrong anywhere in Scandinavia (well, maybe DK aside :))

Outdoor enjoyment in Denmark is indeed rather limited compared to elsewhere in Scandinavia. Absent the Faroe Islands, Bornholm or perhaps Skagen, I can't see myself recommending Denmark for outdoor nature enjoyment. And with just 5 days for Scandinavian exposure, Denmark would be the one I'd drop if wanting "nature".

Which time of the year? At this time, I would say Stockholm would work. However, if willing to really push it, here's something aggressive schedule-wise: fly into Bergen to get there early enough; then do a one-way version of Norway-in-the-Nutshell headed toward Oslo; then fly from Oslo and spend the at least half of the time or more in/around Stockholm. This would mean an open-jaw journey, but those seem to sometimes even result in lower ticket prices.

Let's say I can manage to arrive in BGO by 11 am. I'd see Bergen for the day and spend the night there. Next morning very early, I'd do the one-way NIAN to get me to Oslo. I'd spend that night in Oslo. I'd probably do a few hours in Oslo and then make a flight to Stockholm. Then I'd finish the rest of the trip in Stockholm and its surroundings.

Iceland!