Essential Norway: Cities & Fjords

Oslo

Arrive in Oslo – founded by the Vikings and today the capital of Norway – where you are transferred by private vehicle to your hotel. As an introduction to the city, enjoy a three-hour walking tour with a local guide. Stand-out sights include the Oslo Opera House, with its walkable exterior of white angles that slope to meet the water; the Munch Museum, a leaning monolith that houses some 26,000 artworks by Edvard Munch, including “The Scream”; and the Palace Park, a 22-hectare sprawl of landscaped greenery that frames the Royal Palace. Overnight in a superior room at the Grand Hotel Oslo or similar. (B)

Meal basis: As per itinerary – B: Breakfast, L: Lunch, D: Dinner, N: No meal

Flåm

You are privately transferred to Oslo station, where you ride the train in comfort class west to mountainous Myrdal. Here, you catch the train to Flåm, navigating the famous Flåmsbana railway. This rail route is considered one of the world’s most scenic, taking you past gushing waters and quaint farms flanked by plunging, forested slopes. Upon arrival, walk to your hotel just a stroll away. Overnight in a twin room with balcony or garden access at Fretheim Hotel (or similar). (B)

Voss

Today is your chance to admire a UNESCO-listed landscape from the water, navigating two arms of the Sogneford – the world’s second-longest fjord. From Flåm, you join a two-hour cruise heading first into Aurlandsfjord, whose sparkling waters cut through rising mountains. You continue into Naeroyfjord for more postcard-worthy scenery, including rugged peaks some 1,600 metres high.

Disembark at Gudvangen, where you take a shared shuttle bus to Voss, a favourite destination for skiers. Your visit includes entrance to the Voss Gondola, which offers bird’s-eye views of the surrounding landscape. Overnight at Elva Hotel (or similar). (B)

Bergen

From Voss, you transfer by private vehicle to Bergen on the west coast of Norway. Known as the ‘Heart of the Fjords’ and the ‘City of Seven Mountains’, Bergen offers a blend of small-town charm and metropolitan character, as you discover during a two-hour walking tour. Worthy sights include the UNESCO-listed harbour area of Bryggen, the 13th-century Bergenhus Fortress, and St Mary’s Church – constructed in the 1100s and the city’s oldest standing building. Overnight in a superior room at Clarion Collection Hotel Havnekontoret (or similar). (B)

Fly home

You are privately transferred by car to Flesland Airport for your flight home. (B)