1. The best fjords for a day cruise
A fjord cruise is a relaxing and social way of taking in the stunningly beautiful sights and sounds that Norway has to offer. Day cruises run on most popular fjords, enabling you to experience nature from the water and admire the majestic mountains looming high above you.
Nærøyfjord - a cruise through UNESCO’s world heritage
Featured on UNESCO’s World Heritage List is Nærøyfjord, where you can join a cruise at any time of year. Savour the beauty of a tranquil winter landscape, draped in frost and snow. Or enjoy the colourful hillsides, clear skies and deep-blue fjords of autumn.
Cruises on Nærøyfjord depart from Flåm or Gudvangen, but you can also book a stop at Aurland, Dyrdal or Styvi. Shuttle buses connect with the cruises on Nærøyfjord, so you can join a fjord safari even if you only have a few hours to spare.
You will find more information and booking for day cruises on Nærøyfjord here.
Geirangerfjord - one of the most breathtaking sights in Norway
Just like Nærøyfjord, Geirangerfjord is featured on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, which includes many of the world’s wonders.
The fjord is a wonderful sight when viewed from above, but if you join a cruise on Geirangerfjord, you will be able to get even closer to what makes this natural gem one of the wonders of the world.
Fjord cruises on Geirangerfjord start from Geiranger, the village situated at the head of the fjord. You will pass the beautiful Knivsflåfossen waterfall, better known in English as ‘the Seven Sisters’. The name comes from the way the water cascades down the mountainsides, like long wavy hair. On the trip, you will also see other beautiful waterfalls, including Friaren (‘the Suitor’) and Brudesløret (‘the Bridal Veil’). If you look up, you will be able to spot the old farms that cling to the steep slopes. Just imagine what it must have been like to live there!
The trip ends in the charming village of Hellesylt.
2. Fjords and sights for discerning travellers
Although the Norwegian fjords are popular destinations for thousands of tourists every year, it is not difficult to find peaceful and tranquil places where you can be at one with nature. The landscape and fjords can be enjoyed in so many different ways. Here are some destinations and experiences that will appeal to discerning travellers looking for the real Norway.
Fjord holidays which take in urban life, culture and nature
Looking to combine a beautiful town or city with a fjord cruise, excellent food and perhaps even a concert? If so, then Hjørundfjord could be just what your looking for.
Start your journey in the art nouveau town of Ålesund, situated on the north-west coast of Norway. Many people consider this to be one of Norway’s most beautiful towns. The town offers many gems for anyone with an interest in historical architecture. It is also not lacking in restaurants serving delicious fish dishes either. Fresh fish and seafood are brought ashore here every day.
On the way, you can stop off at the little village of Trandal. Here, you will find Christian Gaard Bygdetun, a magical place which has an inn with a pub and a concert stage. Every year, it hosts a blues music festival, which attracts many international artists.
In Trandal, you can also enjoy excellent food and drink with a local twist. Local produce from the fjord, the mountains and the berry bushes is used. The menu varies with the seasons. How about a deer burger? Or ice cream made from goat’s cheese?
The cruise ends in Øye, at the head of Hjørundfjord. If you really want to enjoy life and splash out, a stay at the legendary and historic Øye Hotel Union dating from 1891 comes highly recommended. This is one of Europe's most glamorous hotels which is frequented by the famous and the wealthy, royalty and authors alike. The 30 rooms each have their own name, such as Karen Blixen, Edvard Grieg and Keiser Wilhelm II, giving a clue as to the grandeur that has gone on between these walls. There really is no better place to relax!
Romantic days at a historic hotel
Flåm is the starting point for many adventures in Fjord Norway.
A short fjord cruise away is the unforgettable Nærøyfjord, which is featured in UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Flåm is also an excellent starting point for cross-country ski trips,bike tours and a spectacular train trip on the Flåm Railway. Take your time and enjoy many wonderful moments with those closest to you.
Flåm has been welcoming tourists for more than 100 years, many of whom have relaxed at the beautiful Fretheim Hotel in the heart of idyllic Flåm. The beautiful historic hotel is a harmonious oasis for travellers. With its fantastic kitchen, everything is set for a delightful stay in scenic surroundings.
If you want to surprise your loved one, we offer a romantic package which includes a night in the Tower Suite or Junior Suite, accompanied by a low food miles breakfast. Saunter round in your bathrobe and slippers and sip champagne served in your room. And when the evening comes, we offer a delicious five-course dinner too. Enjoy!
Read more about the romantic package at the Fretheim Hotel here.
3. Experiences for everyone in the family
If you are heading to one of Norway's beautiful fjords, you can fill your days with wonderful experiences to suit your personal tastes. Combine enjoyable day trips and sightseeing with activities and experiences that both young and old family members can enjoy.
Here are some tips for destinations that are ideal for the whole family.
Visit the Vikings
Western Norway is real Viking country. There are many traces of the Vikings that once plundered, traded and settled across Europe.
Their heyday lasted from around 800 until 1066, when the last Viking King, Harald Hardråde, fell at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in England.
Around the world, the Vikings are probably best known for being fearless warriors and skilled sailors. But they were also merchants, fishermen and farmers. The climate of Western Norway was mild at the time and, combined with the sheltered fjords and long coastline, made the perfect place to live and use as a base for their expeditions. At the time, boats were the most practical means of transport.
To get an impression of what Viking life was like, visit Njardarheimr in Gudvangen. This Viking village is situated at the heart of beautiful Nærøyfjord, which is featured on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Gudvangen is actually the name of a farm that was situated here in Norse times. Steep mountains and waterfalls form an impressive backdrop to the Viking village, which welcomes adults and children from around the world.
If you thought these people were just actors pretending to be Vikings, you couldn’t be more wrong. The inhabitants of the Viking village are people who have the Viking life as their lifestyle. They have a deep knowledge of what life was like in Viking times and both cook and make tools in the same way as when the Vikings ruled Norway.
On the menu, you will find Viking soup with ‘tear-and-share’ bread, homemade sausages, fried bread with salmon and cured sausage. The menu also includes food and drink which varies from day to day and which is made using different techniques which was typical of a Viking kitchen. You could also try your hand at axe-throwing and archery.
If you are visiting during the summer, you may be lucky enough to take in Gudvangen’s Viking market.
Guided tours and activities in the village can be combined with a cruise on Nærøyfjord. You will find more information about the Vikings of Gudvangen and getting here, including tickets, here.
Bike trips for active children
Flåm is the perfect starting point for a bike ride for the whole family. There are many lovely trails and country lanes for cyclists of all ages, but one of the best places to explore is the Flåm valley.
The route is enjoyable both up and down, but the easiest and perhaps most enjoyable way to experience the trip is to take the world-famous Flåm Railway up to Myrdal and cycle back down to Flåm.
The 20km-long railway line from Flåm on the shores of Aurlandsfjord ends at Myrdal railway station, high up on the mountain plateau at no less than 900 metres above sea level. The train passes stunning waterfalls and rivers as it threads its way through the beautiful wild landscape. The railway line clings to steep mountainsides and plunges in and out of tunnels before it reaches Myrdal.
Then all you have to do is buckle up your bike helmet and head back down to the valley below. You will pass many amazing sights along the way, including the four waterfalls of Kjosfossen, Setsdalsfossen, Rjoandefossen and Brekkefossen.
The first part of the bike ride follows car-free roads. This includes the section down the hairpin bends which snake their way down the flanks of Myrdalsberget. The landscape then flattens out down towards Flåm. On your trip down, you can stop off at the traditional Rallarrosa mountain farm in Kårdal and try the farm's very own goat’s cheese.
More information on combining bike trips with trips on the Flåm Railway can be found here.
4. Active holidays for those seeking thrills and excitement
The fjords and mountains of Western Norway could almost have been created for extreme adventures and activities that will set your pulse racing.
Wherever you are, there are many short and long mountain hikes for you to choose from. In many places, you can hire equipment such as bikes, kayaks, canoes and ski equipment too. There are plenty of activities to choose from, not only for those who enjoy active holidays, but also for those seeking out more extreme adventures.
Here are a handful of fjords where you'll find activities and spectacular experiences that will live long in your memory.
Scandinavia’s longest zip lines in Flåm
Get a real adrenaline rush! Get your kicks on the longest zip lines in Scandinavia in one of the world's most dramatic landscapes.
If you thought zip lines were something new for adventurous tourists, then think again. On farms in the steep mountain terrain of Western Norway, rope lines were essential for carrying goods and even animals down precipitous cliffs. These were the precursors of the zip lines that are now only used for fun.
This breathtaking zip line starts at Vatnahalsen, 820 metres above sea level. You then drop a hair-raising 305 metres at breakneck speed, before ending up in Kårdalen, close to Rallarrosa cheese farm. You will then have travelled no less than 1381 metres at dizzying speeds of up to 100 kilometres an hour.
After all that adrenaline, take it easy at the Rallarrosa cheese farm, where you can enjoy delicious cheese, snacks and drinks — all with breathtaking views of the stunning scenery.
If you want to try your hand on the zip line, you could for example hire a bike and take the Flåm Railway up to Vatnahalsen Station. While you experience the zip line, your bike will be sent down on a separate lift. After stopping off at Rallarrosa cheese farm, you can jump on your bike and enjoy a fantastic trip on the Rallar Road through the Flåm valley all the way down to Flåm. What a day!
Read more about zip lines in Flåm here. We recommend you book your tickets in advance to make sure you can experience Flåm’s most exciting trip down the mountain.
Bike rides on scenic trails
Set aside a weekend or a few days and experience the scenic Rallar Road with overnight accommodation, including evening meals and, of course, Afterbike at the end of your trip.
The Rallar Road is a classic trail for mountain hikers. The road was originally a construction road when the Bergen Line from Oslo to Bergen was built over the Hardangervidda mountain plateau in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The work was tough, and most of the line was hewn from the rock by hand.
Many people cycle all or part of the route every year. For those who have not cycled in this area before, or who only have a couple of days to spare, a faster and easier bike ride might be the perfect solution.
Here is a bike tour package which starts at Finse, the highest railway station in Norway. From here, you will head west towards Myrdal before heading down to Flåm, where the ride ends. The trip includes two nights’ accommodation at Fretheim Hotel and Afterbike with local cured meats and Ægir, a locally brewed beer.
The bike ride is suitable for those who are reasonably fit. Read more about cycling on the Rallar Road here.
5. There is no better place to take Instagram photos
You will never be short of beautiful and spectacular pictures if you visit the Norwegian fjords. The motifs are everywhere you look, at any time of day, whether you are setting out on a fjord cruise or getting out into the hills overlooking the fjords and mountains.
Some places offer countless photo opportunities for those looking for the very best images. Here are just a few of them:
Stegastein — a panorama across to Aurlandsfjord
A short hop from Flåm will take you up to the Stegastein viewing platform. The view from here is just as spectacular in both summer and winter, but anyone with a fear of heights should beware! Stegastein viewpoint is situated 650 metres above Aurlandsfjord and affords a 360-degree view of the fjord and mountains. The viewing platform itself projects no les than 30 metres out from the mountainside.
Buses depart from Flåm via Aurland several times a day. Book your guided bus tour here.
Three stunning viewpoints in Geiranger
Join a cruise on Geirangerfjord and savour the fantastic motifs everywhere you look. But if you go a little further up the hill to one of the fjord's viewpoints, you will really be able to take in the majesty that is Geirangerfjord.
Geiranger Skywalk at Dalsnibba is a mountain plateau with a platform which "floats" on the outside of the cliff edge. The viewpoint is approximately 1500 metres above sea level and overlooks the snow-capped mountains and Geirangerfjord far below. You can reach the Geiranger Skywalk on foot via the old Nibbevegen road which opened back in 1939, or by car or coach.
From Flydalsjuvet, you can capture Geiranger and Geirangerfjord as you have probably seen it on so many postcards or in the tourist adverts. Flydalsjuvet is situated just four kilometres from Geiranger and has two viewpoints. It can easily be reached either on foot or by car.
From Ørnesvingen,there are incredible views across Geirangerfjord with its steep mountainsides and the Seven Sisters waterfalls. From here, you can also see abandoned farms that cling to the slopes. Ørnesvingen also has its own impressive waterfall. The viewpoint is 620 metres above sea level, at the very top of the steep and winding Ørnevegen (‘Eagle Road’).