For Scandinavia's most thrilling sightseeing, we sail under towering fjord cliffs, hike on powerful glaciers, and find surviving traditions in remote farm hamlets. Then we delve into the Hanseatic heritage and enjoy the salty hospitality of Norway's historic capital, Bergen.
Nigard Glacier (Nigardsbreen)
The Nigard Glacier is the most accessible branch of mainland Europe's largest glacier (the Jostedalsbreen). Visiting a glacier is a quintessential Norwegian experience, bringing you face-to-face with the majesty of nature. The Breheimsenteret Glacier Information Center stands at the entrance to the Nigard Glacier valley and offers family-friendly walks on the ice (WCs, gift shop, cafeteria, museum, tel. 57 68 32 50, www.jostedal.com).
FjordSafari to Nærøyfjord
FjordSafari takes little groups out onto the fjord in small, open Zodiac-type boats with an English-speaking guide. Participants wear full-body weather suits, furry hats, and spacey goggles. The shorter Flåm–Gudvangen–Flåm tour focuses on the Nærøyfjord, and gets you all the fjord magnificence you can imagine. A longer version includes a stop in sleepy Undredal (tel. 99 09 08 60, www.fjordsafari.no).
Walaker Hotel in Solvorn
Walaker Hotel is set right on the Lustrafjord (with a garden perfect for relaxing and, if necessary, even convalescing). The 22 rooms are divided into two types: nicely appointed standard rooms in the modern annex, or recently renovated "historic" rooms with all the modern conveniences in two different old buildings: rooms with Old World elegance in the main house, and brightly painted rooms with countryside charm in the Tingstova house next door (tel. 57 68 20 80, fax 57 68 20 81, www.walaker.com, hotel@walaker.com).
Norway in a Nutshell
The most exciting single-day trip you could make from Oslo or Bergen is this circular train/boat/bus/train jaunt through fjord country. The basic idea is this: Take a train halfway across the mountainous spine of Norway, make your way down to the Sognefjord for a boat cruise, then climb back up out of the fjord and get back on the main train line. Fjord Tours sells the Nutshell package and other package trips at all Norwegian State Railways stations, including Oslo and Bergen, or through their customer-service line in Norway (tel. 81 56 82 22, www.fjordtours.no).
Borgund Stave Church
About 16 miles east of Lærdal, in the village of Borgund, is Norway's most-visited and one of its best-preserved stave churches. The church comes with one of Norway's best stave-church history museums, which beautifully explains these medieval icons (buy tickets in museum across street, museum has a shop and cafeteria, tel. 57 66 81 09).
Kviknes Hotel in Balestrand
Kviknes Hotel is a picturesque wooden hotel that has welcomed tourists to Balestrand since the late 19th century. The hotel has two parts: a new wing, and the historic wooden section, with 17 older, classic rooms, and no elevator. All rooms come with balconies. The elegant Old World public spaces in the old section make you want to just sit there and sip tea all afternoon (tel. 57 69 42 00, fax 57 69 42 01, www.kviknes.no, booking@kviknes.no).
Håkon's Hall in Bergen
Håkon's Hall, dating from the 13th century, is the largest secular medieval building in Norway. It's essentially a giant, grand reception hall (used today for banquets) under a ceiling that feels like an upturned Viking boat. While recently rebuilt, the ceiling's design is modeled after grand wooden roofs of that era (tel. 55 31 60 67).
Bergen's Hanseatic Museum
The Hanseatic Museum offers a time-tunnel experience back to Bryggen's glory days. It's located in an atmospheric old merchant house furnished with dried fish, antique ropes, an old oxtail (used for wringing spilled cod-liver oil back into the bucket), sagging steps, and cupboard beds from the early 1700s (tel. 55 54 46 96, www.museumvest.no).
Edvard Grieg's Home, Troldhaugen
Norway's greatest composer spent his last 22 summers here near Bergen, soaking up inspirational fjord beauty and composing many of his greatest works. The house and adjacent museum are full of memories, including his Steinway. The walls are festooned with photos of the musical and literary superstars of his generation (tel. 55 92 29 92, www.troldhaugen.com).
