Day 1:  Oslo for 2 nights

Meet & greet private transfer from airport to hotel

1 double deluxe King , breakfast & taxes included at Hotel Continental*****

The elegant Hotel Continental is centrally located in Oslo, only 493 feet from Oslo’s main street, Karl Johan. It is the only 5-star hotel in Norway, and offers free in-room Internet access.

The individually decorated rooms at Continental Hotel include a cable TV, minibar and an in-room safe. Bathrooms include amenities and a separate shower and bath.

Leisure options include a free 24 hour gym on the 5th floor and a lobby lounge featuring Edward Munch lithographs.

Guests can enjoy fine dining at Restaurant Eik Annen Etage. The historic Theatercaféen has been the Oslo’s most popular dining and meeting place for over 100 years. Drinks and snacks can be enjoyed at the maritime-style Steamen Café.

The National Theatre is located just across the street. The Royal Palace is a 5-minute walk from the hotel.

http://www.hotelcontinental.no/

 

Day 2

Fjord Sightseeing

Duration of tour: 2 hours

For visitors to Oslo wishing to see a bit more of the city’s summer life such as the swimming and sailing, this two hour tour through narrow sounds, idyllic bays and a maze of islands with pretty summer houses is highly recommended. Refreshments are available on board the boat but are not included in the price of the tour.

Includes:  Transportation by boat and services of a local guide.

Rest if the day at leisure

The city offers many sightseeing possibilities, both by boat on the Oslo fjord and by bus.

Oslo is a rather small capital and can also be explored on foot and by public transport.

You can visit the Fram-, Kon-tiki and Viking Museum. A visit at Vigeland Sculpture Park and Oslo’s new opera house should also be included in a visit to Oslo.

 

Day 3:  Flam for 1 night

1st class train from Oslo to Myrdal

Departure at 8:25 am, arrival at 12:59 pm

The 5-hour train journey from Oslo to Myrdal is part of the Bergen Railway, classed as one of the finest train journeys in the world. The train journey will bring you across Hardangervidda Mountain Plateau, with Finse as the highest train station at 1222 metres above sea level.

In Myrdal you will change to the Flåm Railway, connecting the Bergen Line to the Sognefjord. You will pass through wild and beautiful mountain scenery with waterfalls and steep mountain sides before reaching the fjord village of Flåm.

Departure at 1:27 pm, arrival at 2:25 pm

1 superior double room with balcony, breakfast & taxes included at Hotel Fretheim****

This refurbished 1800s manor house is in Flåm, 657 feet from the Aurlandsfjord. It provides a restaurant, a large garden and free WiFi access. All rooms have fjord or mountain views.

Fretheim Hotel’s individually decorated rooms feature a seating area, an electric kettle and a private bathroom.

Fretheim’s restaurant serves Norwegian cuisine based on organic, locally sourced ingredients. In summer, guests can sit on the terrace. A bar, café and lobby bar are also available.

Other facilities include a library, a bookable hot tub and several elegant lounges with fireplaces and antique furniture. Staff can arrange hiking and guided tours of the scenic surroundings.

Flåm Station and the Flåm Line are within 5 minutes’ walk of Hotel Fretheim.

http://fretheimhotel.no/nb/

Cruise to see the Nærøyfjord

Departure at 3 pm, return at 7:45 pm

The narrow and spectacular Nærøyfjord is surrounded by steep mountains with snow covered tops that stretch up to 1800 meters above sea level. Water falls cascade down the mountains and picturesque villages dot the landscape.

This area is featured on the UNESCO world heritage list and is considered one of the world’s most beautiful fjord landscapes.

This summer we will launch the most innovative ship designs ever seen on the Norwegian fjords. The ferry will couple its striking appearance with cutting edge maritime hybrid solution. The vessel’s concept has been named Seasight.

The ferry will carry tourists between Flåm and Gudvangen along the Nærøyfjord, a distance of around 32 km. Once it has arrived in the most scenic part of the fjord it will switch to battery power, allowing sightseers to enjoy the nature to the fullest. The fjord is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List because it remains largely unspoilt by human development and the ferry is designed with the surroundings in mind.

The ferry design is inspired by a trail finding its way up a steep mountainside. It measures 40 meters in length and 15 meters in width. Outside the ferry, passengers will be able to climb all over the boat while the inside will feature panoramic views.

The new maritime hybrid vessel will cruise from Flåm to Gudvangen, or the opposite direction, in 1 hour and 30 minutes.

 

Day 4:  Balestrand for 2 nights

Cruise on the Sognefjord, the world’s longest and deepest fjord, to Balestrand

1 double room with view, breakfast & taxes included at Hotel Kniknes****

This grand, 18th-century waterfront hotel is located in Balestrand. It offers stunning views of the surrounding Sognefjord, an elegant restaurant and modern guest rooms. Both Wi-Fi and sauna access are free.

Guest rooms at Kviknes Hotel are located in the modern wing, built in the 1960s. Each features a separate seating area, work desk and cable TV. Many rooms have balconies with fjord views.

Guests can admire the historic art pieces and antiques inside Hotel Kviknes. The on-site restaurant offers international cuisine and a well-stocked wine cellar. Guests can especially enjoy the fjord views from the dining room and terrace.

Organised activities include wine tasting, cultural walks and day trips to area attractions such as the Urnes Stave Church. The surrounding area is ideal for fishing and hiking. Free public parking spaces are available close to Kviknes Hotel.

http://www.kviknes.no/

 

Day 5:

Spend the day in Balestrand

or go on an optional excursion to Fjærland and the Glacier Museum. Travel on the Fjærlandsfjord and experience one of the most beautiful fjord arms in Norway. Along the fjord, the old hamlets and farms are reminders of the struggle for existence in past times. Local busses will transport you to the Glacier Museum, where you will learn more about the glaciers and how the fjords were formed. From there you will continue to one or two extensions of the Jostedal Glacier; Supphellebreen and Bøyabreen glaciers (not possible to walk on the glaciers).  Subject to weather conditions in September

OR

SOGN FOLK MUSEUM AND BOAT MUSEUM
The outdoor portion of the folk museum gives you a glimpse of farm life as well as manor houses in Norway of days gone by. The museum house has an extensive collection of exhibits depicting life along the fjord from the days of the Vikings to the present. A visit to the Folk Museum can be combined with a visit to the Boat Museum in Kaupanger. This museum offers a glimpse of the seafarers and fjord dwellers of the past. 1/2 day to full day excursion. Reached by private car or public bus.

OR

VIK AND THE HOPPERSTAD STAVE CHURCH
Board the early 7.50 NORLED express boat due for Bergen for a short crossing to the south side of the fjord and get off the boat at the first stop, Vik. The walk to the stave church is about 20 minutes. You will have to be at the harbor in Vik for the 11.30 Norled express boat to take you back across the fjord. Half day trip, daily not Sundays.

 

Day 6:  Bergen for 2 nights

Continue by boat on the Sognefjord and then along the coast of Norway in southern direction to Bergen – the Gateway to the Fjords. Bergen is Norway’s second largest city and the world’s only city surrounded by 7 mountains and 7 fjords.

Departure at 11:30 am, arrival at 3:15 pm

1 double room, breakfast & taxes included at Hotel Clarion Admiral****

This hotel overlooks Vågen Harbour, about 985 feet from Bergen’s fish market and 0.9 miles from Bergen Central Station. It offers harbour views, free WiFi and a popular breakfast buffet.

Clarion Hotel Admiral’s early 1900s building lies directly across the water from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bryggen. The hotel restaurant Kitchen & Table is a concept created by master chef Marcus Samuelsson, based in New York. It features the flavours of Manhattan combined with local ingredients, creating unique Scandinavian cuisine.

Hotel Admiral’s guest rooms have a flat-screen TV, Duxiana beds and a private bathroom with shower. Some rooms have a balcony with views of Bryggen.

https://www.nordicchoicehotels.com/clarion/clarion-hotel-admiral/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=places&utm_campaign=gmb

 

Day 7:

Day at leisure to explore Bergen – see the Fish Market, the old UNESCO Bryggen wharf, take the Funicular to the top of mount Floyen

Even though Bergen is Norway’s second larges city, it has the charm of a small town. One of the most recognisable sights in Bergen is the Hanseatic Bryggen Wharf with its wooden buildings and quaint shops. Other sights of interest include Edvard Grieg’s home Troldhaugen, the Fish and Flower market, Bergen Aquarium and Gamle Bergen (Old Bergen Open Air Museum). We also recommend a trip with Fløibanen funicular, which will bring you from the city centre and up to Mount Fløyen where you will have panorama view of the city and its surrounding fjords and mountains.

 

Day 8:

Private transfer from hotel to Bergen airport

 

 

Photo: © Paal Audestad – www.fjordtours.com