Norway via the Scenic Route
It began with what looked like heaven, or what the movies say heaven is like because I wouldn’t know. It was a very cold and windy heaven needing delivery trucks because heaven needs resources too.
The train from Bodø to Trondheim was cancelled due to rocks on the tracks, and there were replacement buses. The wind was making a riot, swirling the snow, playing with it. There was a convoy of about twenty vehicles, but we could only make out the one in front of us.
We arrived in the evening at Trondheim, a big city separating the north and south of Norway. I woke up in my accommodation at the Britannia Hotel to the grandest breakfast buffet full of local specialities and general divinity on a platter. It was heaven for the second time.
From the city centre, I caught a tram up to Lian for a walk around. The tram takes you up through suburbs of wooden houses and over the city, 297 meters above sea level, and it’s like Christmas up there.
Those tram drivers have a relaxed day at work I imagine. Once you get past a certain elevation, the passengers are almost none, so it’s just the driver and the tram, the driver and their thoughts.
Trondheim is a university city and there were students everywhere. I got speaking to a lady on a park bench and asked her if she liked Trondheim being a university city.
“Oh yes,” she said, “it brings life, gets us out of our ways, you know, makes me feel young again.”
The Trondheim region has access to seafood-rich fjords and mountains full of wildlife, as well as some of the most fertile soil in Norway.
Lunch was at Sellanraa, a chic café in the middle of the city centre and dinner was at Tollbua, a Michelin guide recommended restaurant which, as the manager Maylis put it, is “Fine dining but not really, more like show up however you’re comfortable and eat nice food.”
This part of Norway value exquisite food, but it’s more accessible and part of the culture, more like every day cuisine done with great care as opposed to conventional fine dining. It is nice for food novices like me to have an entry point into intricate food.
In the evening I went down to the docks to Havet, a floating sauna and club. There are wood fired saunas and ladders attached to them leading to the ocean. The setup is what many western wellness places are so desperate to achieve, yet here they have it naturally, the wooden structures and ice baths effortlessly built into the environment.
Image Credit: Ole Ekker
Go, try being annoyed at this guy
I needed to be up early the next morning so I didn’t stay for the party. From Trondheim I was heading south. In the morning I got to the station to find once again my train had been cancelled and there was a replacement bus. However, something which struck me was the comradery with which the train and bus companies banded together.
If something is cancelled, they never just leave you, they take care of you. They take the cancelations seriously and don’t pawn it off onto someone else. The well traveled routes with connecting transport will wait on each other so no one misses their next leg. They are always relaxed too as they are used to such changes, and this eases a stressed traveler.
At Dombås, I jumped on a cute little train on The Rauma Line. This line and train journey is legendary because it’s magic. I believe one of the main reasons it’s so magical is because no one aboard can take good pictures. The motion and windows make it impossible. Its mystique is something you can only gauge by the few publicity photos on the Nord website. The only other way is to experience it by riding yourself.
It is not a good idea to ask the train driver which side has the best for views because they will always say both sides. The passengers and I pinballed from side to side following the view, all the way to Åndalsnes where I caught a bus to Ålesund.
There was a crisp and blue afternoon sky, and none of the near mountains had snow, only the ones in the distance. If it weren’t for the temperature, I’d have mistaken it for southern Europe. I walked the main dock area and got some crayfish from the local fisherman who caught them that the morning.
They were softer and creamier, yet their shells were harder and grittier. For this picture, allegedly he’d been told to make his hair presentable and he responded with a beanie.
The adjective for the city is art nouveau, meaning new style, because it was built after the 1904 fire. There is the Art Nouveau Centre and KUBE art museum which has a very fascinating time machine exhibition taking you through the town’s history. Architecturally, the buildings are meant to emulate nature in that no two buildings look the same, just like nature does not create perfect similarities.
It’s a treat to walk around but also very easy to get lost because, despite it not being a huge city, its shape and place amongst the fjords makes it easy to get disorientated.
I went kayaking with Ålesund Adventure Centre through the main areas of the city and out a little into the fjords. You get to see the city differently, right up close, and you can spy into people’s villas and places on the water, not that I did, but you could, if you wanted.
From mine, one of the greatest things about Ålesund were their heated outdoor benches. They have these free benches heated 24/7, and while a practical and kind instalment, even necessary in the cold winters, it’s just plain cool.
I also went and saw some otters and seals at the Atlantic Ocean park Atlanterhavsparken, northern Europe’s largest saltwater aquarium and marine science centre. Watching the seals get feed, watching how they used their flippers to tap the feeder to let him know they were hungry, watching the way they looked at the audience, was all very human.
The emotions and mannerisms were just like ours. It’s easy to forget these things and seeing them live was a nice reminder.
Credit – Visit Ålesund
The good news for Londoners is there is a new direct flight to Ålesund airport.
I was off to Bergen on an overnight voyage with Havila Voyages. These cruises are very popular in Norway and the easiest way to cover ground if you want to see multiple destinations.
The crisp afternoon I’d arrived to had turned, and a wild storm forced the cruise to depart earlier than scheduled. I spoke with Lasse, one of the directors at Havila.
“I look at traveling along the coast as a roller coaster of experiences in a sense,” she said. “If you do not like the weather you’re experiencing right now, just hang on tight, chances are it will change very soon.”
“It can go from a snowstorm to sunshine and clear skies before you’ve finished your breakfast. The sudden shift in weather is just another day at sea for our crew… Many of them (crew) live in the cities or small communities we pass or stop at along our route…”
“They are constantly assessing the weather conditions, and at times need to adjust the route or wait out the weather to make sure we do not risk damage or injuries.”
I woke up in Bergen, a busy and well put together hipster city. It’s got nature in its surrounds but it’s still a city, and a vibrant one. There are many great coffee houses and cool shops where you spend lots of time looking at things, but not a whole lot actually buying.
I caught the Floibanen funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen and went for a swim in a lake. I like cold water swimming, but this cold water swimming is neither cold nor swimming.
The water is the closest it gets to zero, and so, when you jump in, the sting is not a cold sting, it’s a freeze sting. My hair felt like a slushie, with ice particles already forming after only a few seconds. It’s a good thing a few seconds was all I was in there for because I’m a dunker. And so, rather than a cold swim, I went for an almost ice dunk.
I visited the fish market at the docks and tried smoked minke whale. It felt odd eating the meat of such a big animal, like I was unworthy. It tasted like fish in the form of roast beef, same consistency and texture. I didn’t like it so much.
From Bergen I joined the Norway in a Nutshell tour which takes you all the way to Oslo. This comprised of multiple bus and train rides as well as a cruise, all sold as a package by Fjord Tours. Despite having multiple stop points, the tour is seamless as you’re literally plonked out the front of your next transfer. Of course there are other ways to get to Oslo from Bergen, but I don’t know why you’d want to take any of them.
Along the way we passed mysterious little villages I didn’t know the names of, nor did I want to know or look them up because it made them all the more curious, more enigmatic. I liked that.
I broke the tour into two days with a stop at Flåm, a village with only a few hundred inhabitants, but visited by millions every year. The docks and train station make up majority of central Flåm. The train was there waiting for our contingent, looking all gorgeous and Harry Potter like. A cruise came in early in the morning with a bunch of passengers for the train ride. I thought about how rare a thing it was to get public transport to somewhere so you could get transport. Flåm Accommodation – Fretheim Hotel
The train went through the mountains where once again, photos could not be taken. We pulled up at Myrdal and I chatted with Synnøve, a train conductor on the rail for 8 years.
“It’s a very nice job, but sometimes you get tired. In autumn after summer, when there has been a lot of tourists, you’re kind of tired of everything. With more people, it’s very hard, but it’s mostly a good job.”
“You just apply when they are looking for people, and then you go to a paid school. The training program is about 6 months. It’s a lot of rules and stuff, signals.”
As we all boarded the next train, the passengers continuing to Bergen all crowded on, bumping together with their big cameras, jackets and jitters. I suddenly understood Synnøve and realised the ardours of her job. But then I realised I was also one of those people doing the bumping.
This leg would take me all the way to Oslo. We crossed mountains and towns, many of them skiing towns, and there were passengers with their gear ready to go, basically stepping off the train into their boots, into their skies, and down the hill.
Coming into the city of Oslo, the big capital, was quite something considering where the train had come from, through mountains and lakes and fjords and the rest of it. The same train that takes you through that is the same one which stops at the heart of the city with industry and shopping malls and tall buildings.
Norway and nature and their interaction with each other, there is symbolism in there somewhere.
Me closing my eyes because sometimes there is so much, beauty, in the world, I feel like I can’t take it
Trondheim
Britannia Hotel
The Britannia Hotel is a historic, five-star luxury hotel centrally located in Trondheim, Norway, at Dronningens gate 5, 7011. A member of The Leading Hotels of the World, it reopened in 2019 after an extensive renovation and is renowned for its exceptional service, luxurious amenities, and excellent dining options.
Sellanraa
Sellanraa Bok & Bar is a coffee shop, bookstore, and restaurant located in the old fire station in Trondheim, Norway. It emphasizes sustainability and high-quality local ingredients, functioning as a community gathering space.
Tollbua
Tollbua is a modern Nordic gourmet bistro situated in a historic customs house in Trondheim, Norway, known for its focus on local seafood and seasonal ingredients under the direction of Michelin-starred chef Christopher Davidsen.
https://tollbua-trondheim.no/en/
Havet
HAVET Arena in Trondheim is a floating village and community hub located in the Nyhavna harbor area. It offers various experiences including saunas, cultural events, bars, and a restaurant.
Ålesund
Quality Hotel Ålesund
A modern, 4-star seaside hotel centrally located in the heart of Ålesund’s Skansekaia Harbour area. It offers sea or city views, a restaurant, a gym, and is a short walk from shops, restaurants, and local attractions.
https://www.strawberry.no/hotell/norge/alesund/quality-hotel-alesund/
The Rauma Line train
115 km long journey between Dombås and Åndalsnes Frequently regarded as Europe’s most beautiful train journey
https://www.sj.no/en/strekning/raumabanen-2/
Kayaking with Ålesund Adventure Centre
Ålesund Adventure Centre (operated by Uteguiden) offers several guided kayaking tours in and around Ålesund, providing a unique way to see the city’s Art Nouveau architecture and the surrounding fjords and islands. Tours are suitable for all skill levels, including beginners and families.
Atlantic Ocean marine park
Featuring numerous protected areas and aquariums. The largest marine protected area network in the North Atlantic is found around the Azores archipelago.
https://www.atlanterhavsparken.no/
Havila Voyages MS Havila Polaris, by Havila Kystruten
The MS Havila Polaris is one of four eco-friendly ships operated by Havila Voyages on the historic coastal route between Bergen and Kirkenes, Norway.
https://www.havilavoyages.com/nb
Recommendations for more trips include all year round Fjord Cruise to Geirangerfjord Excursion to Geiranger https://www.visitgeiranger.com/winter-fjord-cruise#overview,
Train for Nordlandsbanen, Dovrebanen and Raumabanen Railway https://www.sj.no/
Photo Credit: Oclin/Havila Voyages
Bergen
Bergen Børs Hotel
Bergen Børs Hotel is a 4-star luxury hotel centrally located in Bergen, Norway, in a historic 1862 stock exchange building across from the fish market and harbor.
https://www.debergenske.no/bergen/hotell-overnatting/bergen-bors/
Mostraumen Fjord Cruise
The Mostraumen Fjord Cruise is a highly-rated, scenic 3.5 to 4-hour round-trip excursion that departs from Bergen’s city center and takes you through the beautiful Osterfjord to the narrow Mostraumen strait.
Fretheim Hotel
The Fretheim Hotel is a historic 4-star hotel situated in Flåm, Norway, at the end of the famous Flåm Line railway and near the stunning Aurlandsfjord, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It blends 19th-century charm with modern amenities and offers views of the fjord or surrounding mountains.
https://www.norwaysbest.com/no/flam/overnatting/fretheim-hotel
Fjord Tours Norway in a Nutshell
The Norway in a Nutshell tour is a self-guided, multi-modal journey connecting trains, buses, and fjord cruises to display iconic Norwegian landscapes.
https://www.fjordtours.com/en/norway/tours/norway-in-a-nutshell
