Norway in a Breeze

This short holiday is packed with things to do, things to see and, quite simply, things that leave you speechless!

It features Norway's capital city, Oslo, the rail journey Across the Roof of Norway, the Flåm Mountain Railway, the journey by boat along the Aurlands and Sogne fjords, the fjordside village of Balestrand and Bergen, Norway's Hanseatic city. It is a combination of Across the Roof of Norway and Norway in a Nutshell and appeals to those who want something more than a city break but something less than a full blown holiday!

View Oslo, Balestrand and Bergen in a larger map

Day 1 - Arrive Oslo

Fly from the UK to Oslo and arrive Oslo Gardermoen Airport. Take the airpot bus to Oslo S Railway Station. Short walk to your hotel.

Overnight OSLO - Comfort Hotel Børsparken (BB)

Day 1 - Oslo

Oslo is Norway’s capital city with a population of half a million. It is beautifully positioned at the head of the Oslofjord in the shadow of Akershus Castle and although covering a wide area its centre is actually quite compact.

At the southern end of Karl Johan’s Gate, Oslo’s main boulevard, are many of the city’s finest shops and excellent restaurants offering both Scandinavian and international dishes – try the famed Grand Cafe on Karl Johan’s Gate where the writer Ibsen used to take coffee with his cronies. Here also stand the Cathedral, Storting (Parliament), National Theatre, University and Royal Palace.

The picturesque harbour, Aker Brygge, is a popular gathering point with its renovated wharf buildings which have been tastefully converted into restaurants and cafes as well as shops, craft studios, boutiques and luxury city centre apartments. It is also the departure point for many excursions into the Oslo archipelago. Set back a little from the harbour is Oslo’s controversial Rådhus or City Hall. Opened in 1950 the building had few fans being a twin-towered modern building in dark brown brick however over the years opinion has softened and the building is the venue for the presentation of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize.

Frogner Park lies to the northwest of the city centre and houses the open-air Vigeland Sculpture Park commemorating the modern Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland. On a nice day it is definitely worth joining a guided tour of the park to learn a little about the history and meaning behind the sculptures particularly the magnificent central fountain depicting the burden of life and the 20 metre high obelisk depicting the cycle of life.

Other than the city centre the place you are most likely to spend most of your time is the Bygdøy peninsula to the southwest of the city. The peninsula houses 5 of the city’s most popular museums, the Kon-Tiki and Viking Ships museums, the Folk museum, the Fram museum and the Norwegian Maritime museum.

Overnight OSLO - Comfort Hotel Børsparken (BB)

Day 3 - Oslo to Balestrand

A fantastic day's travel by rail and boat to the fjordside village of Balestrand.

The Bergen Line rail link, known as the journey ‘Across the Roof of Norway’, was officially opened by King Håkon in 1909 when he enthusiastically called the line ‘our generation’s masterpiece’.  Certainly planning a railway across the Hardangervidda mountain range was no small task. At one point, Taugevatn, the line is 1,301 metres above sea level, making it the highest and most challenging line in northern Europe. Time and again, the railway workers faced the power of nature and at one time, in order to keep the train running, the line had 27 kilometres of snow sheds to protect it from snowdrifts, 60 kilometres of snow screens and 184 tunnels in addition to 55 stations.

Today the trains operating the journey are among NSB’s (Norwegian State Railways’) most modern.  Tourists, commuters and modern day traders can now relax in comfortable carriages and admire spectacular views.

From Myrdal you will join the Flåm Mountain Railway for the descent to Flåm overlooking the beautiful Aurlandsfjord. This railway journey provides some of Norway's wildest and most magnificent scenery. On the 20 kms long train ride you can see rivers that cut through deep ravines, waterfalls cascading down the side of steep, snow-capped mountains and mountain farms clinging to sheer slopes. The Flåm Railway is one of the world's steepest railway lines on normal gauge. The gradient is 55/1000 on almost 80% of the line i.e. a gradient of one in eighteen. The twisting tunnels that spiral in and out of the mountain are manifestations of the most daring and skillful engineering in Norwegian history.

From Flåm you continue your journey by boat along the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the world's longest fjord, the mighty Sognefjord. Glancing upwards at the mountain tops you will glimpse snow and glaciers which feed the cascading waterfalls that rush into the fjord. You will see numerous fjordside villages, only accessible by boat, where people still live and work and where their mountain goats graze. Balestrand is situated on a promontory of land where seven narrow fjord arms meet.

Met on arrival at Balestrand quay and transferred to your hotel.

Overnight BALESTRAND - Midtnes Hotel (HB)

Day 4 - Balestrand

A full day in Balestrand with the opportunity to join an excursion by boat along the Fjærlandsfjord to Fjærland visiting the Glacier Museum and the Bøyum Glacier or to hike in the magnficient scenery surrounding Balestrand using one of the hiking maps and marked hiking trails provided by Balestrand Tourist Board. Jon, the owner at the Midtnes Hotel, will happily make up a packed lunch for you to take.

Overnight BALESTRAND - Midtnes Hotel (HB)

Day 5 - Balestrand to Bergen

An early breakfast is followed by a full morning's travel by express boat along the Sognefjord, westwards, towards the Norwegian coastline where it meets the North Sea and makes its journey southwards through the islands and skerries along the coastline to Bergen, Norway's Hanseatic city, also known as 'Gateway to the Fjords'.

Overnight BERGEN - Augustin Hotel (BB)

Day 6 - Bergen

Bergen is Norway's second largest city and a delightful mixture of ancient and modern. A stroll through old Bryggen facing the harbour, with its wooden buildings and pointed gables provides a unique example of Norwegian medieval architecture. The old buildings house many fascinating shops, arts and crafts centres, restaurants, cafes and bars as well as the Hanseatic Museum depicting life from medieval times to the late 18th century. The harbour itself with its intriguing fish, fruit and flower market, where the locals can select their fish live, is always a centre of great interest.

Bergen was the home of Edvard Grieg, Norway's most famous composer. A visit to his house Troldhaugen is one of the excursion possibilities along with a day trip to the Hardangerfjord and Vøringfoss Falls for those who still crave the sight of fjords! See information under Excursions.

For magnificent panoramas of the area take the funicular railway to the summit of Mount Fløyen then stroll back down to Bergenc comfortably in an hour. Bergen is also the main shopping centre for western Norway with excellent shops and department stores.

Overnight BERGEN - Augustin Hotel (BB)

Day 7 - Return to the UK

Take the airport bus, a short walk from you hotel, to Bergen Flesland Airport. Return flight to the UK.

Departure Day:  Daily
Departure Dates:  1 May to 30 September 2011
Duration:  6 nights (additional nights available - see price panel).

Supplements for alternative departure airports (per person).

Midtnes Hotel ** plus

Popular pension owned and managed by the Gjeraker family. Comfortable lounges. Dining-room overlooking fjord and pension's own jetty. Lift to all bedrooms in new wing.

Augustin Hotel ***

Bergen's oldest family-run hotel now managed by the fourth generation. Centrally located in the shopping and harbour area, the oldest part of the hotel was built in Art Nouveau style in 1909, however, since then the hotel has expanded, incorporating old neighbouring houses and building new wings. The hotel has a popular intimate dinner restaurant (closed Sundays) and a lovely 400-year-old cellar bar.  All bedrooms are equipped with TV, phone, hairdryer, mini-bar and trouser press  Lift to all floors.

Comfort Hotel Børsparken - Oslo ***

Located in the heart of the capital, Comfort Hotel Børsparken is surrounded by beautiful neo rennaissance and art nouveau architecture. Only two blocks from the popular shopping street Karl Johan and within walking distance from the central train station and airport shuttle. Free coffee and waffles in the afternoon and an evening snack or light evening meal is available.

Amenities
AT&T Long Distance
Afternoon Tea
Air Filtration
Banquet/Meeting Rooms
Free Coffee
Computer Hook-up
Copy Service for Guests
Currency Exchange
Elevator(s)
Fax Service for Guests
Free Wireless High Speed Internet Access
Iron & Ironing Board
Guest Laundry
News Stand
Non-Smoking Rooms Available
100% Smoke Free Hotel
Pet-friendly Hotel
Private Bath
Restaurant
Hotel has Safe
Pay-Per-View Movies
Cable/Satellite TV

Grand Tour of Oslo

Description:  Guided tour by coach and boat. Classic fjord sightseeing passing the Opera House to the polar ship Fram, the Kon-Tiki Museum, the Maritime Museum with panorama film, the Norwegian Folk Museum, the Viking Ships, Holmenkollen Ski Jump with museum and the Vigeland Sculpture Park.
Operates: 20 May - 28 Aug.
Departs: 1030.
Duration: 7 1/2 hours.
Price: £67 per adult; £36 per child 4-16; under 4's are free.

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Hardanger in a Nutshell from Bergen

Description:  This lovely roundtrip includes the rail journey from Bergen to Voss on the Bergen Railway line and a coach tour through attractive farmland and delightful villages typical of Western Norway. There is also a fjord cruise on the Hardangerfjord to Eidfjord where you join a sightseeing tour to Vøringfoss Falls and the Hardangervidda Naturcentre. The journey by boat offers spectacular views of towering mountains and impressive waterfalls.
Operates: Daily, 1/5 - 30/9.
Duration: 11 ½ hours (12 ½ on Sat), departs 0730.
Price: £112 per adult, £76 children under 16.

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Guided Tour of Bergen and Grieg\'s Home, Troldhaugen

Description:  Begins with a tour of Bergen centre including the Wharf which is on UNESCO\'s World Heritage list, St. Mary Church, the University area and many other historical and beautiful locations. Afterwards the tour continues to Gamlehaugen, residence of the Norwegian Royal Family when visiting Bergen and to Troldhaugen where the composer Edward Grieg lived for 22 years.
Operates:  Daily, 1/5 – 30/9 (ex. 17/5).
Duration:  3 hours, departs 1100.
Price:  £33 per adult, £23 children under 16

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The Fjærlandsfjord and Glaciers from Balestrand

Description: Leisurely journey by boat along the lovely Fjærlandsfjord to the picturesque village of Fjærland visiting the Glacier Exhibition Museum and the Bøyabreen Glacier before returning to Balestrand by the same route.
Operates: 1/5 – 30/9.
Duration: 3 ½ or 5 hours, departs 0805 (3½ hrs - 1/6 - 31/8) or 1150  (5 hrs - 1/5 - 31/5 & 1/9 - 30/9).
Price: £66 per adult, children 3 - 15 £33.

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