Complete: Norway — Fjords & Viking Heritage

Oslo lies at the head of a fjord scattered with islands, framed by wooded hills and glittering water, and is the capital of Norway: an elegant, walkable city where Scandinavian design, culture and nature live in perfect balance. Its historic heart is Karl Johans gate, the pedestrian avenue running from the central station to the Royal Palace (Slottet), flanked by the National Theatre and the University. Nearby stands Akershus Fortress (Akershus festning), the medieval castle overlooking the harbour and recalling eight centuries of history. The reborn waterfront has turned the Aker Brygge district and the modern Tjuvholmen peninsula into a string of restaurants, galleries and seafront promenades. Here too rises the celebrated Opera House (Operahuset), whose sloping white marble roof descends to the water like an iceberg you can walk up. Oslo is a remarkable capital of museums: the Munchmuseet holds the works of Edvard Munch, creator of "The Scream", while a ferry to the Bygdøy peninsula reaches the Viking Ship Museum, the Fram Museum (the polar expedition ship) and the Kon-Tiki Museum. Not to be missed is Vigelandsparken, the park gathering hundreds of sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. For nature lovers, the Holmenkollen hill offers its famous ski jump and sweeping fjord views, while the forests of Nordmarka invite hiking and cross-country skiing just minutes from the centre. In summer, boats reach the fjord islands for days of sun and swimming, while the food scene blends fresh seafood, covered markets such as Mathallen and a lively coffee culture. Between fjord and forest, Oslo is best savoured slowly, letting the constant dialogue between city and nature surprise you.

Lillehammer stretches along the northern shores of Lake Mjøsa, Norway’s largest lake, where wooded valleys and gentle slopes form a scene of alpine calm. The town owes its worldwide fame to the 1994 Winter Olympic Games, which left it sporting facilities still in use today and the lively spirit of a snow-sports capital. Its beating heart is Storgata, the cheerful pedestrian street dotted with cafes, shops and colourful wooden houses, while nearby the Maihaugen open-air museum gathers more than a hundred historic buildings that recreate Norwegian rural life of the past. In winter the slopes and ski jumps draw skiers and enthusiasts, while in the warmer months the lake and surrounding forests invite hikes and days out in the open air. Lillehammer brings together sport, tradition and nature in a single destination of genuine charm.

Åndalsnes spreads out at the mouth of the Rauma river, where the valley opens onto the Romsdalsfjord, surrounded by some of Norway's most imposing rock walls. Known as the country's mountaineering capital, the town is dominated by the famous Trollveggen, Europe's tallest vertical rock face, and by the spectacular Trollstigen scenic road with its dizzying hairpin bends. The new Romsdalen Gondol cable car climbs to the summit of Mount Nesaksla for breathtaking views. A paradise for hikers, photographers and adventure lovers, between fjords and mountains. Ålesund unfolds across an archipelago of islands facing the ocean, celebrated as Norway's most beautiful Art Nouveau town. Rebuilt after the fire of 1904 in refined Jugendstil style, it boasts turrets, floral ornaments and colourful façades mirrored in the harbour's canals. From the Aksla viewpoint, reached by climbing 418 steps or by car, the eye sweeps over elegant rooftops, the surrounding islands and the Sunnmøre Alps on the horizon. The town is also the gateway to the majestic Geirangerfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its plunging waterfalls, and a departure point for open-sea excursions. Between distinctive architecture, the flavours of the freshest seafood and grand scenery, Ålesund charms with its sophisticated maritime allure.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005, the Geirangerfjord is one of Norway's most spectacular and photographed fjords, a deep, winding arm of the sea framed by sheer rock walls that plunge into the water. Along its shores tumble legendary waterfalls such as the Seven Sisters (De syv søstre) and the Bridal Veil (Brudesløret), while abandoned farmsteads still cling to the cliffs as witnesses of a bygone way of life. The village of Geiranger, nestled at the head of the fjord, is the starting point for scenic cruises, hikes and the famous Eagle Road (Ørnevegen), which offers a breathtaking view from above. Between emerald waters, snow-capped peaks and profound silence, the Geirangerfjord embodies the purest magic of the Norwegian fjords. Sogndal nestles among the arms of the Sognefjord, Norway's longest and deepest fjord, in a green valley of orchards and waterfalls. A lively town thanks to its university, it makes an ideal base for exploring some of the region's finest treasures. A few kilometres away, the Urnes stave church — the country's oldest wooden church and a UNESCO World Heritage Site — enchants with its Viking carvings, while the Jostedalsbreen glacier, the largest in mainland Europe, offers guided ice hikes and spectacular arms such as the Nigardsbreen. The emerald waters of the Nærøyfjord, also UNESCO-listed, are easily reached for boat trips beneath dizzying cliffs. Among blossoming apple groves, silent fjords and high-mountain trails, Sogndal is the beating heart of fjord Norway.

Aurlandsvangen nestles on the shore of the Aurlandsfjord, one of the most striking arms of the majestic Sognefjord, Norway's longest and deepest fjord. A small settlement framed by steep mountains and waterfalls, it is the gateway to the celebrated Stegastein viewpoint, a platform suspended over the void offering a breathtaking view of the fjord below. From here, cruises set out toward the nearby Nærøyfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage site prized for its natural beauty. With its peaceful atmosphere and nature trails, Aurlandsvangen is the perfect retreat to experience the heart of the Norwegian fjords. Flåm gathers at the head of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the majestic Sognefjord, the longest and deepest in Norway. This small village is famous worldwide for the Flåmsbana, one of the most spectacular scenic railways on the planet, which climbs through waterfalls, gorges and rock walls up to the mountain station of Myrdal. From Flåm depart unforgettable cruises along the Nærøyfjord, the narrowest and most evocative fjord branch, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The village offers hiking trails, a historic wooden church and a craft brewery serving beers inspired by the Nordic landscape. Surrounded by mountains mirrored in the calm waters of the fjord, Flåm is one of the most beloved stops on a journey through the Norway of the fjords. Bergen rises among seven hills and the fjords of the western coast, the gateway to Norway's most spectacular scenery. The kingdom's ancient capital and a thriving Hanseatic port, it preserves in the Bryggen district its famous colourful wooden houses lining the harbour, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander the narrow lanes of the old merchant warehouses, ride the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen for sweeping views over rooftops, islands and open sea, and browse the stalls of the Fisketorget, the historic fish market where you can taste salmon, king crab and seafood soups. Bergen is also the ideal starting point for exploring the great fjords, from the Sognefjord to the Hardangerfjord, with their sheer cliffs and waterfalls. A city of rain and light, Bergen blends Nordic elegance with a maritime soul in a lively, welcoming atmosphere.

Stavanger rises on Norway’s south-western coast, where a lively harbour and a strikingly harmonious old town look out over the North Sea. The Gamle Stavanger district preserves one of the best-kept ensembles of white wooden houses in Europe: more than 170 dwellings from the 18th and 19th centuries, lining cobbled lanes between flower pots and period lamps. Around the fish market and the quays the city’s seafaring soul comes alive, while the Norsk Oljemuseum and the canning museum tell the story of the two industries that shaped it. Above all, Stavanger is the gateway to the Lysefjord: from here excursions set off towards Preikestolen, the famous rock pulpit suspended more than 600 metres above the fjord. Between culture, nature and maritime tradition, Stavanger proves an ideal base for exploring the great landscapes of southern Norway.