CRUISING NORWAY’S MYSTICAL FJORDS
On my first voyage through Norway's deep and frigid fjords I was so young I could barely see over the ship's railings. But even then, I was mesmerized by the magnificent beauty of this Hanseatic land. I knew that someday, I would return.
In the Norwegian fjords, where hearty Vikings sailed their ships centuries ago, every turn of the shoreline brings a scene more incredible than the last. Waterfalls cascade down sheer mountain cliffs and plunge into steel-blue waters. Snowcapped peaks and verdant mountain slopes give way to pinefringed hills punctuated by farms and charming fishing villages. And everywhere there are fair-haired people smiling. One cannot help but fall in love with this country and its people.
The journey northward along Norway’s west coast might began in Bergen, which was once a Hanseatic League trading port. Points of interest in the city include its 18th-century wooden houses and the Hanseatic Museum, which tells the story of how merchants lived and traded in Bergen for 400 years.
From Bergen, sail through the Sognefjord to Flam, picturesque village huddled between the mountains and the sea in the Aurlandsfjord. In Flam you can catch the Flamsbanan (Flam Line) electric train, which climbs 2,700 feet to Voss. From Voss a motorcoach tour will take you through orchards and farmlands to the little town of Gudvangen, which affords a magnificently scenic view of Norway’s longest fjord.
Sailing through the Geirangerfjord, considered by many to be the most beautiful of all fjords, passengers witness dramatic scenery with sheer bordering cliffs. The waterfalls that cascade over these cliffs – Seven Sisters and Bridal Veil, among others – are nothing less than spectacular.
Hardangerfjord, with its abundant cherry and apple trees, is home to the picturesque village of Ulvik. Here, you may wish to take an excursion to Osa Mountain, which ascends 3,900 feet above sea level to one of the most magnificent viewpoints in the area.
A voyage through the fjords may also take you farther north to Hellesylt and Trondheim, a city of great historical and political importance. In Trondheim, you can tour the Royal Residence of Stiftsgarden or step back in time to the 18th century at the open-air Sverresborg Trondelag Folk Museum. And, if you're intent on seeing the red glow of the Midnight Sun, your journey may take you all the way to Tromso, the base for expeditions to the North Pole.
