How to combine Norway’s most popular tours into one

With four days or more in the country, you have the possibility to get the most intense and condensed Norway experience possible! Cities, mountains, fjords and sea in one single swoop is what you can achieve when combining the two. First off, you choose the starting point of your adventure, Oslo, Bergen or Trondheim.

Departure City: Oslo

The capital of Norway is one of the most vibrant and dynamic cities in Europe, and of special interest to architecture buffs as the city is in transformation through architectural and city development schemes that are opening up new parts of central Oslo to the public. Check out our hotels in Oslo HERE.

Starting your journey here leaves you with the option of two railway routes that will bring you to the city of Trondheim, the Dovre Railway or the Røros Railway. Both include lush valleys and «stern» mountain landscapes on the route. We’d recommend including Røros in your itinerary.

The former miner’s town is on the UNESCO list due to the unique traditional wood buildings that dominate the landscape. It is a popular winter destination due to the weather conditions (snow and more snow) and the magical atmosphere that occurs in the interplay between snow, winter light and the picturesque buildings. Still, Røros has something to offer all year, and tasting the local products is a must. The region’s food producers have a reputation for delivering the highest quality.

When arriving in Trondheim, your journey changes character as you leave behind the train for the Hurtigruten coastal cruise. This allows you to travel in style and comfort along the west coast to the city of Bergen. This is where you complete your trip of a lifetime with the final leg, the Norway in a Nutshell® tour that will introduce you to the Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord as well as «the world’s most scenic railway» (BBC News), Flåmsbana - the Flåm Railway. The train runs from the town of Flåm to the Myrdal mountain station that connects with the train back to Oslo, after passing through a stunning landscape of mountains and waterfalls.

Departure City: Bergen

The city is labelled «gateway to the fjords» for a reason, Bergen is where you go to explore the famous fjords of western Norway. It would be a shame, though, not to take ample time to explore the city itself. The Hanseatic architecture of Bryggen, also UNESCO listed, is a reason in itself to visit the city. The pretty city center should be explored on foot, visiting the port and the fish market and getting lost in the many tiny side streets. Check out our hotels in Bergen HERE.

As in Oslo, the tours starts "on the rails", taking the Bergen railway to the city of Voss where you take a bus to the town of Gudvangen where a modern ferry will take you on a breathtaking fjord cruise through the above mentioned fjords to Flåm for the train ride to the mountain station of Myrdal. At Myrdal you catch the train to Oslo, passing through imperial mountain landscapes to Oslo. Next stop Trondheim, choosing one of the two train route options, before finishing an epic journey on Hurtigruten back to Bergen.

Departure City: Trondheim

A former viking seat, Trondheim is steeped in Norwegian history and lore. It is also a genuinely modern city, home of Norway’s leading technical university and as such has a large population of students. Like Bergen, it is especially inviting to pedestrians and a joy to explore on foot. Just make sure to stroll by the cathedral of Nidaros, which in our book one of the most beautiful examples of Gothic architecture there is. Check out our hotels in Trondheim HERE.

From Trondheim your journey begins «off the rails", on the magical Hurtigruten sea voyage. Sailing out from the fjord of Trondheimsfjorden, the ship has stops in several charming coastal towns, including Ålesund, UNESCO listed (again!) due to the unique modernist architecture of the city center. The discussion regarding the most beautiful city in Norway usually is centered around Ålesund vs. Bergen. As you move down the coast you can enjoy the «coastal kitchen» in the ship’s restaurant delivered by local producers, fishers and farmers.

After a night spent on Hurtigruten you arrive in Bergen for your fjord adventure and the Flåm Railway. Then, catching the railway from Myrdal to Oslo for a night (or more) in Oslo before choosing your train route back to Trondheim.

This is our recipe for planning a tour of the country that is sure to leave you with a lifetime of impressions to digest and savour. Norway is made up of water and rock, and thankfully the way it all has been «assembled» has left the visitor with an excess of choices when traveling through breathtaking nature at its finest.

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Tour Highlights

• Beautiful Bergen
• Vibrating Oslo
• Historical Trondheim
• The Flåm Railway
• Røros - the UNESCO town (optional)
• Fjord cruise on world famous fjords
• The Hurtigruten Sea voyage