When you get to the city centre, you could visit the Romsdal museum where there is a model of a part of town as it was before the second world war and in which there were 35 buildings built between the 16th and 19th centuries.
From Molde, a footpath takes you through the natural landscape to the panoramic viewpoint of Varden (407 metres a.s.l.) from where you can see the whole town and the splendid Romsdalsfjord. From Varden you have a full view of all 222 peaks, covered in snow all year round, that crown this area protected by UNESCO as a world heritage site.
If you want to reach one of the most beautiful and wild settings found in these latitudes you can climb up Mount Romsdalseggen. The view is breath taking: mountains, waterfalls and rivers will appear in front of your eyes at every turn of direction
And don’t miss the troll references: like the Trollstigen mountain road, one of the most popular routes amongst visitors or the majestic peaks and the Stigfossen Falls that seem to irrigate the Isterdalen valley.
Half way between Trollstigen and the centre of Valldal, stop in Gudbrandsjuvet, a spectacular group of maelstroms about 5 metres wide and 20 metres deep that takes its name from the legendary outlaw who dived into it with the woman he had just kidnapped. Finally you reach the Face of the Troll, the largest vertical escarpment in Europe: 1,800 metres high to admire from the best viewpoint and picnic area not far from Åndalsnes.
The thrill of reaching Cape North, Nordkapp in Norwegian, the northernmost stretch of land in the European continent will impress even the most distracted traveller.
When the ship anchors in Honningsvåg, the sky decorated with permanently iridescent clouds and illuminated by the sunlight that shines 24 hours a day from mid-May to July, offers the most incredible spectacle.
We cannot fail to realize we’re in a special place, on the last stretch of continental land before the end of the world.
To understand the spirit and lifestyle of the fishermen living in these extreme lands, you should visit the Honningsvåg museum: as well as offering a display of everyday objects, you will find a section that illustrates the consequences of the Second World War on these lands.
You should not miss an excursion to Cape North, where you will find a cliff that is 500 million years old and rises 307 metres above sea level, dominating the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean from where you can admire the spectacle of the midnight sun.
A short distance from the monument that celebrates this remote location is the Nordkapphallen, the visitors’ centre which hosts exhibitions and screenings of documentaries on the beauty of the area. Here you can find everything you need: a café and a restaurant, as well as a post office and even a chapel in the northernmost part of the world: the St Johannes Kapell.
In spite of the extreme latitude, the average temperature in the summer never drops under seven degrees. Here in the western Finnmark, nature is still the queen and one can admire it by taking part in photographic safaris to explore the local flora and fauna. You can go to Gjesvær, a short distance from Cape North, where you can come across sea puffins, gannets, cormorants and other marine birds.
When vacationing in Norway you can visit the largest complex of wooden buildings north of Trondheim, just four kilometres from the port, in the centre of Tromsø.
One of the first attractions to visit is Polaria. In this Arctic aquarium, you can watch the feeding, twice a day, of the sociable, peaceful bearded seals, and also admire the great variety of fish species that live in the Barents Sea and on the Svalbard.
The most handsome building in Tromsø is undoubtedly the Arctic Cathedral, built in 1965. Its triangular prism shape, with its glass mosaics, mirrors the landscape of this remote region of Norway. Another trek will take you to the top of the mountain above Storsteinen with the Fjellheisen funicular to enjoy the view, 420 metres above, of the city and the lovely surrounding landscape.
Here one also finds the northernmost botanical gardens in the world, where there are species of plants that, due to their climatic fragility, cannot grow at any other latitude, such as, for example, the Hymalayan blue poppy. Tromsø also hosts the northernmost university in the world, where you find a museum to give you an insight into northern Norway’s culture and environment, with particular attention to the Sami, to archeology, sacred art, geology and the phenomenon of the northern lights.
The polar museum instead shows visitors the harsh life of Arctic explorers. It is fitted in the dock of an old construction built in 1830. For those who like a good beer, there’s a pub like the Ølhallen, which has remained unchanged since 1928. A site not to miss is the Lyngen, an incredible wooden church in the village of Lyngseidet.
With a population of 193,000, Trondheim is not a big city on a European scale. However, it is the third largest in Norway.
Just a short ride from the city center on the world’s northernmost tram, Gråkallbanen, you will find Bymarka. The popular recreation area is ideal for walking and jogging, with a network of marked trails criss-crossing the reserve, leading to viewpoints, rest areas and cabins selling refreshments.
The intimate city center combined with the exciting shops makes Trondheim a popular city for shopping. Here you can enjoy many independent shops selling clothes and accessories that you won’t find everywhere. Particularly in historic Bakklandet, you will find several shops that make the garments they sell from scratch or by adapting old garments.
Visiting Ålesund means plunging into a fairytale atmosphere. After a devastating fire, the town was rebuilt at the beginning of the 20th century in art nouveau style.
The streets of Ålesund are filled with turrets, spires and splendid decorations that make it truly unique; if you enjoy this style, you should visit the Jugendstilsenteret, the National Art Nouveau Centre. You can admire the centre of Ålesund from above by climbimg up the 418 steps that lead you to the panoramic heights of Mount Aksla with a view of the islands that surround the town and of the Sunnmøre Alps.
In alternative you can reach the Sukkertoppen, the “sugar peak”, by taking a walk that starts from Hessa, just above the port. To get a closer look at the traditional architecture you should instead go the island of Godøy, where you can visit Alnes, a picturesque fisherman’s village built very close to the beach where you find local crafts and food sold in the courtyards.
Or travel to the characteristic lighthouse from where you have a wonderful view of the ocean. You cannot claim to have visited Norway if you haven’t visited a fjord, so don’t miss an excursion to Geirangerfjord. Dropping from the tall mountains that surround it are wonderful waterfalls like the Brudesløret (the Bride’s Veil) and the De syv søstrene (Seven Sisters) or the Storseterfossen, behind which you can take a walk.
And if you like more challenging paths you could climb up the Ørnevegen (the Eagle’s Path), twisting up from sea level to 620 metres above in just 11 hairpin bends!
