Flåm

  • Flåm, Where to Stay

    Where to Stay in Flåm, from a Tour Leader’s Perspective

    Where to Stay in Flåm from a Tour Leader's Perspective

    Most people coming to Norway will visit Flåm, the small village home to the famous Flåm Railway and Fjord Cruise – two integral parts of the ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ day-trip. While many travellers simply pass through Flåm on a day-trip, it’s worthwhile slowing down the trip and spending a night in Flåm. While there aren’t many options for an overnight stay, the options that are available are wonderful.

    I’ve stayed in Flåm many, many times and have stayed and multiple places around the region. So, for this guide I thought about which one I’d pick if I was to plan and book a trip to Flåm myself. But I also thought about practical things – proximity to attractions, scenery, proximity to crowds and cruise ships, and so on. 

    Accommodation in Flåm is limited and very likely to sell out in the summer, so it’s good to be organised. When it came to writing this guide, I thought it was best to divide accommodation not just by price, but also by proximity to the major touristy area (i.e. the cruise pier).

    Here’s how I divide according to price:

    • High end: 1500 NOK a night and above
    • Mid range: 1000-1500 a night
    • Budget friendly: Less than 1000 a night

    In summary, my preference:

    If I was choosing to spend one night here, I’d definitely stay in the centre of Flåm at either Fretheim or Flåmsbrygga. If I was staying here a few nights, I’d probably stay in Aurland or maybe Undredal and get a self-service apartment as restaurants are few and far between and rather expensive.

    In this article...

    Flåm Travel Guide

    Be sure to check out my Flåm travel guide, where I put lots of information about what you can see and do in Flåm. 

    Flåm Centre (Cruise Pier & Railway)

    Why Stay Here?

    This is the most convenient place to stay. You are never more than a two-minute walk to the railway, ferry pier, or shops and restaurants. It does come at a cost, however. In the summer months, it is very crowded here during the day with buses, cruise ships and tour groups.

    The hotels don’t offer parking (there’s no parking lots outside them!) but there is a large communal parking area in Flåm.

    High End

    Fretheim Hotel

    Fretheim Hotel is Flåm’s historic hotel. The hotel was established by Christen Fretheim in the 1870s to provide accommodation for the English tourists visiting the Western Fjords.

    This is the hotel where most of the tour groups stay, so expect to have tour buses and groups of up to 40 in the area.

    The hotel has a fantastic restaurant that serves a buffet (for a fee) for dinner and an included breakfast that is worth the high nightly fee. You can stay in the modern part of the hotel or in one of the historic rooms (choose when booking directly with the hotel). The staff here are lovely and there’s a large bar and seating area in the lobby. Some rooms have fjord views while others have mountain views.

    When trying to get an average on prices for this article, the hotel was already sold out for dates in May and June (I wrote this in February). On their website, historic rooms start at 1990 NOK a night (suites from 2300 NOK a night) and standard rooms begin at 1890 NOK a night.

    Check Availability & Prices

    Flåmsbrygga Hotel

    Flåmsbrygga is owned by the same company that runs the microbrewery Ægir. The rooms are spacious and have balconies overlooking either the fjord or the mountains. The downside to the hotel is that it is right by the cruise pier, so can be crowded during the day. You can, however, get package deals through the hotel that includes beer tasting and dinner (since they own the surrounding restaurants too).

    Like Fretheim, when I was checking they also had a lot of sold out dates. Their standard rooms start at 3,190 NOK! I was shocked that it’s more expensive than Fretheim. The price includes free breakfast.

    Check Availability & Prices

    Flåm Station Apartments

    This property is quite interesting – if you want a fully serviced apartment, this is a great option. You get a balcony, kitchen, private bathroom and even a coffee machine! It isn’t cheap, though, with prices starting at around 3000 NOK a night. But the apartments can fit up to 4 people.

    Check Availability & Prices

    Budget Friendly

    Flåm Camping & Vandrarheim

    This is as close as you’ll get to budget accommodation in Flåm.

    Hostel-style rooms for two-four people with a private bathroom starts at 750 NOK a night, while hostel-style rooms with a shared bathroom starts at 550 NOK a night.

    They also offer cabins with private bathrooms (1790 NOK a night) and with shared bathrooms (900 NOK a night) that offer more space for larger groups (such as families). Holiday homes (with three bedrooms) start at 2,800 NOK a night.

    They have an area for caravans starting at 400 NOK a night, and a tent area starting at 360 NOK a night. For those categories, they have drinking stations, kitchens, a washing machine and toilet and shower building.

    The cabins and hostel rooms are clean and well-maintained, but expect basic facilities here. No included meals.  

    Check Availability & Prices

    Outer Flåm

    Why Stay Here?

    If you want to get a little away from the cruise pier, but maybe don’t have a vehicle, there are some places 10-15 minutes on foot out of the town centre. The prices begin to drop a little bit, too.

    The village of Flåm is located about a 40-minute walk from the cruise pier and train station. There you can find some some Airbnbs (not listed on this guide) if you are more interested in renting a full house or apartment. If staying that far out of town, you would probably need a car. 

    High End

    Flåm Marina

    Flåm Marina is the high-end option for those who want to be close to Flåm, but also want to avoid the crowds. The accommodation offers a high-end restaurant and excellent views out to the fjord. Double rooms with a terrace start at 3150 NOK a night, so it’s definitely a high-end option. All rooms have a kitchenette and private bathroom, as well as parking.

    There are saunas close by that float on the fjord!

    Check Availability & Prices

    Mid Range

    Svingen Guesthouse

    Svingen Guesthouse is located by the fjord, but about 10 minutes on foot from the cruise pier area. The property has a shared kitchen, shared lounge and garden area. The rooms at the hostel part of the guesthouse have a shared bathroom and some come with a view to the fjord. The rooms in the main guesthouse come with private bathrooms, bed linen and towels.

    This was also mostly sold out when I was doing my research, making it tricky to get prices.

    Check Availability & Prices

    Budget Friendly

    Brekke Gård

    Brekke Gård Hostel is located about 15-20 minutes on foot from the cruise pier area. Here you can find dormitory rooms with shared bathrooms, single rooms with shared bathrooms, or high-end rooms with a private bathroom. Note that towels are not included and you need to clean before checkout.

    Reviews for this hotel are mixed, but it does offer good value in expensive Flåm. They do offer breakfast at an additional fee.

    Check Availability & Prices (Hostel)

    Check Availability & Prices (Apartments)

    Neighbouring Villages: Aurland

    Why Stay Here?

    Aurland has all the charm of a fjord-side village that you are looking for, but without the mass crowds. It has a historic church, charming shops and cafes, hiking trails, and magnificent views to the Aurlandsfjord. Big cruise ships don’t dock here, and tour buses generally don’t stop here. It’s also only a 10 minute drive to Flåm (so you’ll need a car), making it a perfect place to base yourself. 

    High End

    Wangen Apartments

    Wangen Apartments offer private apartments with a terrace, kitchen, private bathroom and full amenities. A one bedroom apartment with fjord views starts at 3,690 NOK, so this is definitely not the cheapest place to stay. Still, the apartments look brand-new and high quality.

    Check Availability & Prices

    Hotel Aurlandsfjord

    Hotel Aurlandsfjord is the classic hotel in Aurland. A twin room starts at 2,890 NOK a night, while suites are closer to 3,800 NOK. Here there is breakfast included (unlike Wangen Apartments, for example).

    Check Availability & Prices

    Mid Range

    Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri

    Vangsgaarden Gjestgiveri is a good mid-range option. Here you can either rent basic or deluxe cabins, basic rooms or full apartments. Basic double rooms and cabins start at 1700 NOK a night, while the deluxe cabin is 2800 NOK a night. All rooms have private bathrooms, the cabins and apartments have private kitchens, and most rooms have views out to the fjord.

    Check Availability & Prices

    Budget Friendly

    Lunde Camping

    Lunde Camping is about as budget friendly as it gets, but the rooms are very basic (if not rather dated). A double room starts at 1100 NOK and comes with a private bathroom and private semi-kitchen (cooktop, microwave, fridge and oven). There’s also larger rooms for up to 5 people starting at 1250 NOK a night. If you are okay with basic, this is a well-valued option.  

    Check Availability & Prices

    Neighbouring Villages: Undredal

    The one place in town!

    Undredal is quite isolated, and you will need to rely on a car or the ferry service to get in and out. That said, there is a hotel here (called Visit Undredal) that offers fantastic value.

    Beginning at 2100 NOK a night, you can get a three-bedroom apartment (up to six people) with a view to the fjord, kitchen, private bathroom and balcony. The rooms are 70m2! You are a 20 minute drive to Flåm, but it’ll be so peaceful out here it may be worth the commute.

    Check Availability & Prices

    Neighbouring Villages: Gudvangen

    Gudvangen's Options

    Located on the Nærøyfjord, Gudvangen is a 20-30 minute drive from Flåm but is also one end of the famous fjord cruise. The hotel here, Gudvangen Fjordtell, is basic but offers good rooms that are not that cheaper than Flåm. Based on these prices, I’d not sure I’d choose here over Flåm or Aurland, unless both those places were sold out. Apartments (kitchens, bathrooms) start at 2,800 NOK a night, while double rooms with private bathrooms are 2,800 NOK a night (rooms with shared bathrooms are only 100 NOK cheaper, which seems odd).

    Check Availability & Prices

    There is the Gudvangen Budget Hotel as well, which has rooms with shared bathrooms starting at 1,800 NOK a night.

    Check Availability & Prices

    Neighbouring Villages: Stalheim

    Stalheim Hotel

    The furthest village from Flåm, Stalheim is the famous historic Stalheim Hotel. It offers spectacular views over the Nærøy valley and is in a truly peaceful region. I love this hotel, though expect it to be a little basic considering the price tag. Double rooms start at 2,700 NOK (deluxe from 3900 NOK).

    Check Availability & Prices

    Final Thoughts on Where to Stay in Flåm

    Where you choose to stay in Flåm should depend on your own personal preferences and practical needs. Just be sure to book far in advance!

    Flåm Travel Guide

    Be sure to check out my Flåm travel guide! Here you can find all my recommendations of things to do and see, including my self-guided walks. 

  • Aurland, Bergen, Flåm, Gudvangen, Myrdal, Practical Tips, Voss

    Norway in a Nutshell… in a nutshell

    Norway in a Nutshell... in a nutshell

    Anyone planning a trip to Norway will come across the term ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ at least once in their research. It is typically regarded as the number one thing to do in the country, in fact.

    When I started as a guide eight years ago, I would often have to lead groups on the Norway in a Nutshell route. Even still today as a tour leader, Norway in a Nutshell is an essential part of our tours across Norway. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve been on the Flåm Railway. I’ve done Norway in a Nutshell in all its forms, both on my own, with private tours and with larger groups. I’ve done it all throughout the year and dealt with cancellations, delays, and bad weather. Am I jaded? I don’t think so. If anyone came to visit me in Bergen, I’d probably recommend they do Norway in a Nutshell. I may just not join them!

    I often get asked about the trip. How should it be done? How does it work? I’ve read many blogs that have done it once or twice and then provide feedback based on that, and I find a lot of information online is wrong or misleading. So, I’ve put together this quick guide. It’s a no-frills, straight-to-the-point guide based on experience of having done it at least 100 times.

    Enjoy!

    In this article...

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    What is Norway in a Nutshell?

    Norway in a Nutshell is the brand name for a range of self-guided itineraries that aims to show you the best of Norwegian nature in a short amount of time, and without climbing mountains. The itineraries are organised on public transport and put together by a company called Fjord Tours. When you book one of the itineraries, they provide you with the public transport tickets in a nice little package to complete the itinerary. There’s no guide leading you around or special private chauffeur; you are riding public transport with everyone else.

    The various itineraries

    There are a number of different variations of the journey you can do. The classic trip, or the most popular one, starts and ends in Bergen. It goes like this:
    Bergen to Voss on the public train
    Voss to Gudvangen on the public bus
    Gudvangen to Flåm on the scenic fjord cruise
    Flåm to Myrdal on the Flåm Railway
    Myrdal to Bergen on the public train

    The round trip from Bergen takes around 10-12 hours depending on the day and season.

    It is also possible to start or end the trip in Oslo and do it as a day trip to Bergen. However, that is a very long day and should be broken up with a night in Flåm.

    Highlights of the Trip

    Fjord cruise Gudvangen to Flåm

    The fjord cruise

    The fjord cruise is my absolute favourite part of the journey. The ferries they use are the electric ferries that have won design prizes for how effortlessly they suit the fjord environment. The Nærøyfjord and Aurlandsfjord are spectacular, too. Be outside for as much of this journey as possible!

    Scenery on the Flåm Railway

    The Flåm Railway

    The Flåm Railway has been voted one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. The railway climbs from sea level to 860 metres above sea level through the Flåm Railway, and the scenery is incredible. The railway makes one photostop by a waterfall, too.

    Myrdal Station

    Myrdal is not accessible by road, and the scenery here is rugged and almost above the tree line, giving an Arctic feel.

    Bergen Railway

    The Bergen Railway is Northern Europe’s highest stretch of railway and crosses mountains and plateaus.

    Note that some blogs still say that the trip includes Stalheimskleiva. It does not! The road closed during COVID and will remain closed as it is heavily damaged and no longer suitable for vehicles.

    Scenery on the Flåm Railway

    Booking the Trip

    Why book through FjordTours?

    Almost every blog will tell you that it’s cheaper to book these tickets on your own, and that’s true. It is cheaper to book the exact same route on your own. However, the extra cost of booking through FjordTours is for the ease of doing it all in the one spot. For some, that may be worth the extra cost rather than sitting down and figuring it out yourself.

    In some cases, the price difference is negligible (100-200NOK) considering the extra hassle.

    Why book through an agent or third party?

    If you want to do the standard route, book it through FjordTours. If you are looking to make a lot of customisations, then I’d recommend booking through a third party. Primarily someone who knows the area well and can help you. Someone like me!

    Our travel services

    I do not recommend booking a ‘private, customised package’ through somewhere like TripAdvisor or GetYourGuide. Those are, in most cases, a total rip off. You will still be doing the exact same route as those who booked through FjordTours. The only cases where the private packages are worth it are if they have added a ton of extra stops and features, and drive you in a nice vehicle.

    How to book it yourself

    If you want to save some money and book it yourself, here’s how to do it:
    Trains: Book the trains through vy.no
    Bus: Book the bus through skyss.no
    Ferry & Flåm Railway: Book these through norwaysbest.com

    Just note that you can’t book far in advance for the train and bus, so you have to wait until closer to the trip.

    Another advantage of doing it yourself is that you can add extra activities, such as a zipline tour, bus trip to Stegastein viewpoint, and so on. Visit the website norwaysbest.com for ideas on what to do.

    Fjord cruise Gudvangen to Flåm

    Isn't this touristy?

    Yes. This is by far the most popular thing to do in Western Norway in summer, so expect to be sharing everything with hundreds of other people. It can become chaotic in some places in the peak season.

    If you have the time, try customising the trip so you don’t travel at the busiest times (i.e. the middle of the day) and overnight in places. Once the cruise ships leave, many of the places (especially Flåm) become practically empty. An agent can also help you with this!

    If you want to avoid crowds, I would recommend doing something like Hardanger in a Nutshell instead. You don’t see the ‘famous’ spots, but the scenery is just as beautiful.

    Bergen Railway

    Navigating the journey

    Is there information along the way?

    On the ferry and Flåm Railway they do have visual or audio guides, but for the rest of the journey there is no additional information.

    How easy is it to get between each means of transport?

    Very easy! The most confusing will be in Voss when you look for the buses, but you simply have to follow signs through the station towards the buses. There are orange pillars listing each bus number and destination, so you just have to find the one heading towards Gudvangen. Everywhere else is very self-explanatory and the walk between each spot won’t take more than two minutes.

    Get the Guide!

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    You can find the guide over on our store. 

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    Should I just use a rental car?

    No. The two big highlights of the trip are the fjord cruise and the Flåm Railway, and both of those become a hassle if you are using a rental car. However, getting from Bergen to Gudvangen is nice with a rental car, though it follows the exact same route as the train. If you use a rental car, park in Gudvangen and take the fjord cruise to Flåm and then the railway as a round trip. You can then book a bus back to Gudvangen. See? It sounds strange!

    I love road-tripping in Norway – most of The Hidden North is dedicated to road-trips! – but if you want to see Norway in a Nutshell, you should do it through public transport. Use the car for other special places in the fjord region.

    Practical Information

    On board the Flåm Railway

    Services on board

    Wifi: The train from Bergen to Voss and then Myrdal to Bergen should have Wifi, but it doesn’t always work. The ferry has Wifi.

    Phone reception: You may lose phone reception for stretches of the Flåm Railway, but otherwise everywhere else has good signal.

    Toilets: Can be found on the trains and ferry. There are also restrooms in Flåm and inside the station in Myrdal.

    Food: No food on the trains for sale. The ferry does have some options, but if you have time in Flåm I recommend heading to the bakery to pick up supplies. Myrdal station is open in summer and has a few options for sale.

    Luggage transportation

    If you are travelling Bergen to Oslo, I recommend using the service Porter Service to transport your luggage from one city to another. You can take luggage on everything, but it’s such a hassle. The service is affordable and works very well!

    Visit their website here: https://porterservice.no/

    Photo stop on the Flåm Railway

    What to wear

    You will be indoors most of the day, but on the ferry and once on the Flåm Railway you can go outside to take pictures, so a good coat is recommended.

    Where should you spend the night?

    I recommend either the Fretheim Hotel in Flåm or the Stalheim Hotel.

    Flåm Railway in winter

    Does the trip run in winter?

    Yes! In fact, winter is much nicer in my opinion. Less crowds, snowy mountains. Sure, it’s cold – but you’re in the north! Just keep an eye on the schedules; everything runs less frequently in the low season. You also won’t see waterfalls in winter.

    When is the best time to go?

    I love going in May. There is still snow on the mountains, but the waterfalls are running strong from snowmelt. Flowers bloom in May and trees get their leaves. The mass crowds of tourists start coming in late May/early June. September/October is also wonderful – there’s still waterfalls, but now we have the beautiful autumn colours and less crowds.

    What if I want a guide?

    It’s important to note that it is a not a guided trip! It is a set of tickets and is more of a self-guided trip. The tickets don’t include seat reservation, but that’s not possible on almost every means of transport (except for the train between Bergen and Voss and Myrdal and Bergen). Honestly, you don’t need to spend a couple extra thousand NOK to have a guide with you. I’m working on a self-guided book about each of the stops. That’s all you need 😊

    Which side is best?

    Bergen to Voss: sit on the left

    Voss to Gudvangen: sit on the right

    Gudvangen to Flåm cruise: be outside!!

    Flåm Railway to Myrdal: sit on the right

    Myrdal to Bergen: sit on the left for the first half. Sit on the right for the second half.

    That's all!

    That’s everything I could think of for this guide. If you have any questions or require any additional information or help, please write in the comments below. 

    Be sure to visit our travel guide pages for all the towns mentioned in this article. 

    Bergen Travel Guide

    We think Bergen is the best city in the world! Be sure to spend a good amount of time in Bergen and enjoy everything this city has to offer. 

    Bergen Travel Guide

    Oslo Travel Guide

    Oslo is Norway’s capital and a natural place to visit on any trip here. 

    Oslo Travel Guide

    Flåm Travel Guide

    No ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ can skip over the village of Flåm!

    Flåm Travel Guide

    Get the Guide!

    We have a printer-friendly guide to the popular Norway in a Nutshell trip. This guide includes information about each point of interest, including historical overview and images. 

    You can find the guide over on our store. 

    View our guide
  • Aurland, Bergen, European Highways, Fagernes, Flåm, Hønefoss, Lærdal, Norway, Oslo, Road-trips, Vang, Voss

    Drive it Yourself: Oslo to Bergen on the E16

    Drive it Yourself: Oslo to Bergen on the E16

    The E16 between Oslo and Bergen follows the historic road between east and west Norway that has existed for thousands of years. Over the centuries the road has gradually been modernised, but traces of the past remain.

    While the E16 is the longer way between the two cities, the road is lined with historic monuments, including stave churches, runestones, and lodgings. It makes for a great, scenic road-trip!

    Here’s our guide to the E16 highway. 

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    Download this Guide

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    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

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    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    The Drive: Oslo to Bergen on the E16

    This drive begins in Oslo. 

    Oslo Travel Guide

    Read more about Oslo, Norway’s capital, on our dedicated travel guide page. Click the button below. 

    Oslo Travel Guide

    Sandvika

    Neighbourhood

    The first neighbourhood you drive through is called Sandvika. While it is technically part of Oslo city, it is in many ways regarded as its own community. The population is approximately 130,000.

    Claude Monet visited the city in 1895. During his visit, he painted the city. Perhaps the most famous work from this visit is “Sandviken Village in Snow”, which shows the Løkka Bridge in the foreground with the hill Kolsås in the background. The bridge still stands today.

    The area of Sandvika has existed since for thousands of years. The Sandvik grounds were rich fishing grounds that provided an important supplement to the farms in Sandvika.

    Sandvika is home to Scandinavia’s largest super mall – the Sandvika Storsenter – with 190 stores and a total area of 60,000 square metres or 650,000 square feet.

    Hole Municipality

    The municipality of Hole is situated around the Tyrifjord, where the soil is fertile and suited to growing fruit, berries, and other agricultural products. The coat-of-arms depicts the four Norwegian Kings who lived in the municipality in the 9th to 11th centuries. The most famous of the four is St. Olav (Olav Haraldsson), though Harald Hårdrade is a close second for fame – he was the one credited with ending the Viking Age at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066. The other three kings are Halvdan Svarte (820-860), Sigurd Syr (-1018), and Harald Hardråde (1015-1066). Harald Hardråde is the king who lost at the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, which is considered to be the event when the Viking Age ended.

    Hole is important in Norwegian history. Archaeological finds from the Roman and Migration periods are numerous, and Hole is known as one of the traditional landscapes from the Viking Age and plays a prominent role in the Norse sagas.

    Stein Church Ruins (Stein Kirkeruin) are located at Steinsfjorden. The church was constructed in the latter half of the 1100s. By the second half of the 1500s, the chapel was no longer in use. There are some historic churches in the area: Bønsnes Church is a medieval church from 1100 and Hole Church is probably from 1200.

    Utøya

    Memorial

    As you drive along the Tyrifjord, down on your left is the island Utøya. This was the site of the terrorist attack that happened in Norway in 2011. It is possible to take a detour down to the memorial site. On GPS it is marked as “Minnesmerke Utøya”.

    Tyrifjord

    Lake

    The Tyrifjord is a lake (not a fjord like the name suggests). It is the fifth largest large in Norway with an area of 139km2 and a maximum depth of 295m. It is one of Norway’s most species-rich lakes. The lake used to be part of the sea, but as the land has risen it has become landlocked. In the fjord, free fishing without a licence is accepted based on tradition and custom. Brown trout is caught in the lake, though crayfish is also popular. 

    Sundvollen

    Village

    Sundvollen is a village located along the eastern part of the Tyrifjord. The name comes from the name of a farm that used to be here. Sundvollen is most noted for its hotels. Sundvolden Hotel is one of Norway’s oldest hotels – it was mentioned in written sources dating from 1648. Kleivstua Hotel was a coaching inn in 1780 which catered to travellers going between Christiania (Oslo) and Ringerike. It is on the Old Royal Bergen Road, the historic road between Oslo and Hadeland. The road is also part of the Old Pilgrims Route from Oslo to Trondheim. Understandably, there were many travellers coming through here. They would stop at one of the hotels for food, accommodations, and to give their horses a rest. Unfortunately both of the hotels have been renovated extensively, so there’s no trace of the original lodgings. 

    Petroglyphs from the Bronze Age have been found approximately 100m from the E16 and show ship figures, circuit figures and bowl pits. 

    In Sundvollen you can hike to “Kongens Utsikt”, a scenic viewpoint overlooking the Tyrifjord. 

    Norderhov Church

    Historic Church

    Norderhov Church is a medieval church that was built in 1170. The church is built in local sandstone and limestone in a Romanesque style of architecture. The church was built on a former pagan court for the god Njord, and that’s where the name Norderhob comes from. The church was historically the most important church in Ringerike. 

    Across the road from the church is Norderhov’s old rectory, which is now the Ringerike Museum. The museum has runestones and its collection of the private belongings of Jørgen Engebretsen Moe, a Norwegian author most famous for ‘Norske Folkeeventyr”, a collection of Nowegian folk tales which he edited in collaboration with Peter Christen Asbjørnsen. 

    The church and vicarage are known for their close association with the vicar’s wife Anna Colbjørnsdatter (1667-1736), who legend says tricked the Swedes by getting the Colonel drunk. This gave the far smaller Norwegian-Danish force an opportunity to inflict a defeat on the Swedes. This was in connection with the Battle of Norderhov in 1716. She then received heroine status and is one of the very few female heroes in Norwegian history. She was married to historian and parish priest Jonas Ramus and they are in the crypt under the church. Her portrait can be seen inside the church. The pulpit is from 1582 and is considered one of Norway’s oldest preserved pulpits. 

    Hønefoss Travel Guide

    You don’t drive through Hønefoss on the E16; it is approximately a five-minute drive into the town. However, this is the first major town that you pass on the drive, so it can be a useful rest stop. 

    Hønefoss is regarded as the centre of Ringerike. The town is located by a waterfall and is founded on the sawmill business that arose from the waterfall in the 17th century. Hønefoss is home to several factories and other industry, with Norske Skog Follum, a timber company, having its headquarters here. Dating from 1873, Norske Skog Follum was one of the largest producers of newsprint in Europe until it closed in 2012. 

    HØNEFOSS Travel Guide

    Follum

    Village

    Follum is a small village after Hønefoss on the western side of the Ådal River. It is on the old road that led to the Ådal Valley. The name comes from the oldest farm in the area. 

    Ådal Valley

    Valley

    You are now driving through the Ådal Valley. 

    The first church built in Ådal was a stave church built during the 15th century. It is mentioned in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum in 1462. The church was eventually removed to make way for a larger, more modern church. 

    Viker Church is located on the western shore of the Sperillen Lake and is from 1702. The pulpit, altar and crucifers from the old stave church are inside Viker Church. 

    Valdres Natur og Kulturpark

    Preserve

    You are now entering the traditional district of Valdres, which is situated between the Gudbrandsdal and Hallingdal valleys. The river Begna runs through the municipality. 

    The traditional Valdres region is located approximately halfway between Oslo and Bergen. The valley has the Jotunheimen mountains to the west and the north. Historically, Valdres has been an agricultural economy, but tourism is becoming more important – especially for skiing. 

    Sør-Aurdal Municipality

    The name comes from the valley in which it is located. The coat-of-arms represents a medieval reliquary that is based on the one found at Hedal Stave Church. It has two dragons heads in the design since Sør-Aurdal is one of only two municipalities in Norway that have two stave churches that are still in use. The colour blue represents the two river systems that have historically been important for the logging industry and sawmills. 

    Olav Haraldsson, later St. Olav, travelled through Valdres in 1023 and visited Reinli. At the time, there was a pagan temple at the same location where the stave church stands. 

    One of the highlights of the municipality is Hedalen Stave Church was built in 1160 but rebuilt in 1699. An old legend says that the valley was abandoned during the Black Death and the church was discovered by a bear hunter. A hide is hanging in the church, although there is only a small part of it left as visitors have cut away pieces over the years. We will pass the turnoff for it a little later. 

    Bagn
    Village

    Bagn is the administrative centre of Sør-Aurdal. This area saw extensive fighting during World War II as advancing German forces were stopped in Bagn. The battles in the valley were extensive. 

    In Bagn you can find the Bagn Bygdesamling, a small museum that includes farmhouses, a sawmill, a flour mill, and other buildings. The museum is on a preserved farm. Next to Bagn Church is an intact shop from 1881, which may have been the largest business in Valdres. The shop is open during the summer holidays and before Christmas. 

    Bagn Church is the main church in the valley and seats 350 people. The earliest church in the area was mentioned in 1327, but the church was not new that year. The first church was likely a wooden stave church from the 13th century. The old church was closed in 1683 and for some time the locals had to use Reinli Stave Church. The church that we see today is the second church and dates to 1736. 

    Nord-Aurdal Municipality

    The coat-of-arms for Nord-Aurdal depicts three blue flowers called ‘Snow Gentian’. The flowers are locally known as ‘the blue eyes of Christ’ and grow all over Norway but grow abundantly in this area. They represent the three main settlements of the municipality: Aurdal, Fagernes, and Leira. This is a fairly mountainous municipality. The highest point is 1,325m (4,347ft) high and about 50% of the land is above 900m (3000ft).

    Aurdal
    Village

    Aurdal is a small village with a population of around 647. The village is known for its winter sports activities and is in Valdres’ Alpine Centre. There are several places to stay and eat. There used to be a railway here – the Valdresbanen – but it stopped in 1888. 

    Just after Aurdal is the Noraker Gård. This farm is currently being run by the 12th century. Rakfisk is a highly desirable food from this farm, and in 2022 they won the expert jury award at the Norwegian Rakfisk Festival. In 2006, Rakfisk from Valdres was approved as a protected geographical indication. This means that only fish hatched, reared, and processed in Valdres can be sold under the Rakfisk fra Valdres brand. 

    They have a farm shop that also sells trout, mustard, beer, moose, goat, and art. 

    Rakfisk is a dish made from trout or char where it is salted and autolyzed for two or three months. It is then eaten without cooking and has a strong smell and pungen salty flavour. After the fish is gutted and rinsed, it is placed in a bucket and salt. It is then placed under pressure with a lid that fits down into the bucket and a weight on top. A brine is formed as the salt draws moisture from the fish. The rakfisk bucket is stored at under 5 degreesC for one to three months. The finished product doesn’t need cooking. 

    Fagernes

    Fagernes is a major hub along the E16.

    The word ‘Fagernes’ is a combination of ‘fager’ (beautiful) and ‘nes’ (headland). The town was established in 1857, when the first trading operations started. The first hotel started operations in 1875, and from 1906 there was a train line (it has since closed). 

    If you are travelling in November, you may be in town for the Norwegian Rakfisk Festival, which takes place in the first week of the month. 

    In Fagernes is the Valdres Folkmuseum, a well-known museum that shows the culture of the Valdres region. It is both an indoor and outdoor museum. 

    Fagernes Travel Guide

    Ulnes Church

    Historic Church

    Ulnes Church is a beautiful church that you’ll pass shortly after leaving Fagernes. The earliest records of the church go back to 1307, but it was not new that year. Estimates say that the church was built around the year 1265 as its architecture reflects the transition between Romanesque and Gothic architecture. 

    In 1675, there were plans to replace it with a new wooden church as it was decaying, but thankfully that didn’t happen. Around 1720, the church was put out of use. It was described in 1733 by a bishop as “a pile of stones” with only the choir being suitable to keep. The church was restored in 1737, with the nave being demolished and rebuilt. The interior was also refurbished. 

    Vestre Slidre Municipality

    The next municipality is Vestre Slidre. The municipality is partly named after the historic Slidre Church, which you’ll see soon. The coat-of-arms are based on a heraldic decoration found in the Slidredomen church that dates to 1170. The design was originally part of a seal that belonged to a medieval nobleman in the area. The meaning of the design is unknown. 

    Vestre Slidre is mentioned in the Old Norse sagas. Harald Fairhair, who became the first King of Norway (872-930), did some conquests over petty kingdoms. One of the encounters that led to the overall conquest was with Skallagrim Kveldulvssøn in Vestre Slidre. Also, in 1023, King Olav Haraldsson came to the area to Christianise the people. The locals were caught unaware, and Olav took all their boats. They would only get them back if they accepted Christianity, which they did. 

    Lastly, in 2000 Sami gamme huts (a simple form of a hut) were found in the municipality. This is the southernmost discovery of Sami settlements.

    Slidre

    Village

    Slidre is the next village on the E16. It has a population of around 337. 

    In Slidre you can see the Vestre Slidre Church (Slidredomen), a historic stone church from around 1170. The church is built in the Romanesque style of architecture and the stone walls are approximately 160cm (63 inches) thick. 

    The church is unique in that it doesn’t have a west portal. Instead, the main entrance is from the south.

    The furniture is from the 18th century, while there are frescoes from the 15th century. The choir has a painted wooden vault from the 14th century, which depicts Jesus Christ in the mandorla centrally in the middle. On the north wall, a medieval coat-of-arms has been uncovered and is used as Vestre Slidre’s coat-of-arms. 

    The area here is very old. Above the village of Slidre is an ancient burial ground called the ‘Gardberg Site’. Here you can see the Einangsteinen runestone. It is believed to be from the 4th century and is considered the oldest runestone in the Nordics that is standing in its original place. The name Einang comes from a nearby farm. 

    Lomen Stave Church

    Lomen Stave Church is from around the year 1192. The church is a pillar stave church, meaning the main room has four supporting stave beams. The style and decoration of the church is part of the “Valdres-Sogn” stave churches. This groups many of the churches from Valdres Valley and around the Sognefjord that have the same features. Considering the old King’s Road used to run through the valley to Sogn, they likely shared design tips.

    Like all stave churches, Lomen Stave Chuch has fallen victim to modernisation and renovation. The choir is from a major renovation in the 1750s. During this time, the walls were also expanded to make the main room larger.

    During the last refurbishment, archaeological excavations uncovered 71 artefacts, including jewellery and coins. The oldest coin found here is from King Sverre’s time, 1177-1202.

    Today the church, neighbouring bell tower and cemetery are under protection. Many original features of the church remain, despite major renovations. The most illustrative are the portals, which have decorations of dragons, vines, and animal heads. Some of the portals have moved around the church, but they do date back to medieval times. These kinds of decorations are common on Valdres-Sogn stave churches. The roof and wall timbers are also original.

    Lomen Stave Church

    Vang Municipality

    Vang is a small municipality in the traditional Valdres region. The name comes from an old farm, though vang comes from the Old Norse word vangr meaning ‘field’ or ‘meadow’. The coat-of-arms are rather special – they are based on historic descriptions and depictions of the personal arms of a local medieval nobleman called Sigvat of Leirhol. He was named as one of the members of the delegation that followed King Håkon V Magnusson to Copenhagen in 1309. He then became the governor of Valdres. His coat-of-arms can also be seen on Vang Church. 

    The municipality was originally populated by migrants from Western Norway. 

    The ancient Vang Church was the site of a legal court held by King Håkon VI in 1368. 

    Høre Stave Church

    Høre Stave Church is one of the stave churches with an insight into the fascinating past of Norway. Especially around and shortly after the time of the Civil War in the 12th and early 13th century. We know that the Christianisation of Valdres wasn’t easy. St. Olav, then King Olav, came from the west through the valley. He held farmers hostage and burnt down farms until they agreed to convert. According to the Sagas, Olav had churches built and clergymen appointed. None of these churches remains, but many of the stave churches are on the same spot, including Høre Stave Church.

    In medieval times, Valdres had many churches. There were at least 21 of them; 18 of which were stave churches. To compare, the neighbouring valley Hallingdal had 8 stave churches. Sadly very few remain today. 

    Judging from the rune inscriptions found inside the church and dating the timber, Høre Stave Church is from around 1179. It was originally a pillar church, with four corner staves. Under the church are graves, some of them children. It wasn’t allowed but common to bury children under stave churches. As they had not been baptised yet, the parents worried the children would not be accepted into heaven. Some foetuses were also found under the church. There is evidence of ceremonial burials under the church, likely from pre-Christian times.

    The original stave church somewhat exists today; all that remains is its skeleton. The skeleton is hidden by the cladding. The ship is still the original size, giving a sign of the original size of the church room.

    Høre Stave Church

    Vang i Valdres

    The word ‘vang’ comes from an old farm that stood here; this farm is also where the first church stood. Vang, like the rest of the Valdres Valley, was populated by migrants from Western Norway. People have lived in this valley (Vangr means meadow or field) for thousands of years. This is likely due to its proximity between east and west Norway. Vang is by a lake just before the mountain pass to Western Norway and thus made for a good rest stop.

    Vang became the site of a legal court (ting in Norwegian), and the ancient stave church was next to the site. The site was famously used by King Haakon VI in 1368 when he was settling a boundary dispute.

    Vang also became part of the ancient royal road between Bergen and Oslo. In the 16th century, it was the postal road, and from the 18th century, it was Kongevegen. Kongevegen was the first road for horse and cart between East and West, and I’ve covered it on my page for the E16. Today, the highway follows the same path as Kongevegen. Still, the town and nearby area became a place where travellers would seek refuge at some point on their journey. 

    The Vang Stone is clearly marked and is by the E16. Parking is available across the street. 

    The Vang Stone

    Øye Stave Church

    Øye Stave Church is one of the smallest and oldest stave churches in Norway. It is likely from some time during the second half of the 12th century. The church is first mentioned in written documents in 1347. It stood by the old traffic road over Filefjell, which was the first road between Bergen and Oslo.

    Øye Stave Church

    Kongevegen

    Historic Road

    As you may have noticed by now, there are a number of churches and important historic sites along the E16. This is because the E16 follows one of the ancient crossings between east and west Norway. It is called ‘Kongevegen’ (The Kings Road). The road is ancient and is believed to have been the first way between east and west. The first postal road was laid here in 1647, and the road received official status in 1791. 

    Ever since people have lived in Norway has this been the most useful route between east and east. A number of tracks show traffic throughout the Stone Age and Bronze Age. The road was also important in the Christianisation of Norway, as is evident in the large number of churches along the road. Many ancient farms here also became inns for travellers, and some survive today. In the Middle Ages, the road was known as the most difficult and dangerous in the country. As many Danish public servants were travelling between Bergen and Christiania (Oslo), it was decided to modernize the road in the 17th century. The road was built as straight as possible and became known as the Royal Postal Road. Most of the trip was done on foot. 

    In the 18th century, travelling with horse and carriage became more common, so it was decided to modernise the road again. In 1791, the official road was completed and Kongevegen became the first carriage road between east and west Norway. The road was built by hand. Today the E16 skips many of the most difficult parts with tunnels, but parts of the old road remain and are now a popular hiking trail. In 2017, Kongevegen was awarded the EU’s most important cultural heritage award, Europa Nostra. 

    It is possible to spend the night in one of the many lodges over the mountains and do short or long hikes. 

    Tyinkrysset

    Village

    Tyinkrysset is a village located in the Filefjell mountains, which is where the historic crossing between east and west Norway was. The village sits at an elevation of around 900 metres (3,000 feet). This area is popular with hikers. You’ll find some hotels up in the area. 

    Filefjellet Mountains

    Mountains

    You are now crossing the Filefjellet mountain range across to Western Norway. It has been an important crossing path between east and west Norway since ancient times. The highest peaks are 1013m above sea level. 

    The E16 follows a lot of the same path as the old road. 

    Lærdal Municipality

    Lærdal is the first municipality in Vestland county. Lærdal has a dry climate, with 420mm – 600mm of rainfall annually in the inhabited areas. Through the valley runs the Lærdalselvi, or the Laerdal River, known as the ‘Queen of the Salmon Rivers’. It is one of the country’s most famous large salmon rivers. The valleys have opportunities for hunting deer, reindeer, and elk. The valley was inhabited and used by humans as far back as 6,000 years ago. In places, the vally has been used since the Early Stone Age. In the mountains are the first traces of people in the mountain areas of Norway.

    Lærdal has always been the main road between east and west Norway. The area where the village Lærdalsøyri is developed as a marketplace in the Middle Ages. Coastal farmers brought herring and fish and exchanged goods with mountain farmers from Valdres. At least five generations of road structure remain in the Lærdal valley, which proves the valleys important function as a hub. Lærdal has a long tradition with agriculture. The lower part of the valley has one of the country’s best climatic conditions for growing vegetables. Early production of potatoes and vegetables is important. 

    Borlaug

    Village

    The next village is Borlaug. This is where the E16 joins with Highway 52, which runs over the Hemsedal mountains (it’s an alternative way between Oslo and Bergen). You’ll pass some old farmhouses on the right as you drive through the village. 

    Borgund

    Village

    Borgund is a mountain village. It has been an important spot on the journey between east and west Norway for hundreds of years. There are several farms in the village and agriculture is the main industry here. 

    Borgund Stave Church

    Borgund Stave Church is the most famous of Norway’s 28 remaining stave churches. The exact age of Borgund Stave Church is unknown. It is possibly as old as 1150 when looking at the timber. However, the church is generally regarded as being from around the year 1200. It is dedicated to the apostle Andrew.

    The church is fascinating; a visit to it should not be missed. The church is open in the summer for tourists for a small fee. Check their website for more information. 

    Borgund Stave Church

    Lærdal

    You will bypass the village of Lærdal on the E16, but it’s a worthwhile detour to drive into the village. Lærdal is a historic trading place on the old postal route between Oslo and Bergen. It was where the travellers would leave their horses behind and take boats the rest of the way to Bergen. Lærdal is also a fantastic place for trying the foods from the Sognefjord region, including potatoes, berries, and cider. 

    You can read about Lærdal on our dedicated travel guide page. 

    Lærdal Travel Guide

    Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road

    In the summer months, it’s possible to take the Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road across to Aurland instead of going through the tunnel. 

    Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road

    Lærdal Tunnel

    Tunnel

    Welcome to the world’s longest road tunnel! The Lærdal Tunnel is 24.5km (15.2 miles) long. The tunnel was constructed between 1995 and 2000 and cost $113 million USD. The tunnel does not have emergency exits; there are emergency phones every 250 metres as well as 15 turning areas for buses and semi-trailers. There are rooms in the tunnel with food and supplies in case anyone gets stuck in there. The tunnel has high air quality through ventilation and purification. 

    It incorporates features to help manage the mental strain on drivers. Every 6km there is a cave to separate sections of the road. The lighting varies throughout the tunnel and caves to break the routine.

    Aurland Municipality

    Aurland municipality is perhaps one of the most visited municipalities in Norway. After all, it is home to the famous Flåm village as well as the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Nærøyfjord. The main industry in Aurland is agriculture, with goats’ cheese being an important product from here. Tourism is also a major industry. 

    Aurland

    It is worth driving into the village of Aurland. In many ways, it is more charming than Flåm. Aurland is home to Vangen Church, a historic stone church from 1202. The fact that it is built in stone and not wood signifies that the area must’ve been of importance around the time it was built. Aurland is also home to the Aurland Shoe Factory, where the pennyloafer was invented.

    Aurland Travel Guide

    Flåm

    Located at the end of the Aurlandfjord, a branch of the Sognefjord, Flåm is a gorgeous little village. Many people come to Flåm to do the Flåm Railway, regarded as the most beautiful train journey in the world. This train journey goes from Flåm through the valley and up the mountains to Myrdal, located close to the Hardangervidda National park. Myrdal is also where you board the train to Bergen or Oslo. Besides the train ride, there’s a gorgeous ferry journey from Flåm to Gudvangen. It takes you on the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Nærøyfjord – something you shouldn’t miss.

    Flåm has a population of 350, though on a summer day there will be several thousand people in the village. Seriously. The Flåm Railway has become incredibly popular – it’s sold out months in advance. Additionally, Flåm is becoming a major cruise port.

    Flåm Travel Guide

    Gudvangen

    Village

    Gudvangen is a small village with a population of around 120. It is a popular tourist destination due to its proximity at the end of the Nærøyfjord. The popular Gudvangen – Flåm cruise stops here, and many people also come to visit the Viking Village in Gudvangen. The Viking Village is a recreated village as Gudvangen is believed to have been an important trading place for the Vikings. 

    It is worth driving into Gudvangen (approx 5 mins off the E16) and stopping in front of the Nærøyfjord. The Nærøyfjord is the narrowest branch of the Sognefjord, only 250 metres at its narrowest and 12 metres at its shallowest. The fjord is 20km long. It is UNESCO World Heritage-listed as it is one of the best representations of what a fjord looks like.

    Stalheim Hotel & Stalheimskleiva

    Historic Hotel

    The site where the hotel is has been an important place for hundreds of years. When the Royal Postal Road between Oslo and Bergen was established in the 17th century, this hotel was where the postal workers would stop to rest. 

    The hotel as it is known today opened in 1885 with 10 rooms. The hotel burned down in 1900, 1902 and 1959. The current hotel building you see today is from after the 1959 fire. Today the hotel is a high-end historic hotel where many famous people have stayed. It also has arguably one of the best views of any hotel in Norway, but good luck trying to see it. They don’t allow visitors to come in and take pictures without paying or having coffee. 

    Stalheimskleiva is a 1.5km (1 mile) stretch of road that leads from Stalheim Hotel down to sea level towards the Nærøyfjord. It was one of the country’s first roads built according to the new road engineering requirements that came around 1850, the so-called chaussee, with a maximum gradient of 1:20. Around 1,000 men built the road over 7 years. The road was a motorway for cars going in both directions, which was of course dangerous. It was eventually replaced with the two tunnels you’ll be driving through. The road then became a one-way tourist road, however in 2020 part of the road was in danger of collapsing due to landslide. In 2021, the road closed for all motor vehicles for the foreseeable future. This is due to the poor condition of the road and the extensive damage done by traffic. The road is on the conservation plan, so it’s being repaired and may become a hiking trail instead. 

    Across from the Stalheim Hotel is an open-air museum with farmhouses collected from the area. There are also a number of hiking trails starting from around the hotel, so it could be a good option for spending the night. 

    Voss Municipality

    Voss municipality is an inland municipality with about 90% of the area mountains over 300m (1000ft) above sea level. Because of that, the municipality is a popular place for people from Bergen to go skiing. Voss is home to the largest ski resorts in Western Norway. The area has been settled for at least 3,000 years, with people coming here for the rich valleys, waters, and animal life. Voss was also largely an isolated municipality, meaning it has kept its own unique culture and traditions. 

    Oppheim Lake

    Lake

    After leaving Gudvangen, you will drive up the Nærøy Valley. This is part of the UNESCO World Heritage area. The stone they are mining here is anorthosite, a rare stone found in large amounts in this valley. The stone is typically used on the roads because it is reflective. 

    The drive through the valley is short; you will then take two tunnels to get up the mountain. However, before you get into the tunnels, you will see a red hotel and a hairpin-turn road on the hillside. 

    As you drive along the lake, you’ll drive through the village of Oppheim and past the Oppheim Church. 

    Vinje

    Village

    Vinje is a small village located at the junction of the E16 and the Rv13, which runs over the Vikafjellet mountains to Vik by the Sognefjord. This is a long but beautiful detour; the road does close in winter, though. In Vik you’ll find the Hopperstad Stave Church (one of Norway’s 28 remaining stave churches) as well as some other historic buildings. 

    Tvindefossen

    Waterfall

    It is worth stopping and taking some photos of Tvindefossen Waterfall. It will be clearly marked with signs as you approach it. The waterfall is 152m high and has two streams (tvinde=twin). In the late 1990s, the waterfall acquired a reputation for having special powers of reviving sexual potency, so it became common to see visitors from the U.S., Japan and Russia visiting and filling containers with water. 

    Voss

    If you are following the E16, you will take a bypass and not see Voss at all. It is possible to drive into Voss, park by the lake, and see some of the town. 

    Voss has a population of around 14,000 people. The town is known for its cultural traditions in folk music, art, handicrafts, and traditional foods. Voss sits on the shore of the lake Vangsvatnet.

    During World War II, the town was bombed by the Luftwaffe and almost all the buildings were destroyed. 

    In Voss it’s worth visiting Voss Church. According to legend, the people of Voss was forced to convert to Christianity by King Olav (later Saint Olav). A stone cross can be seen by the lake which is believed to have been erected by St. Olav himself. The church was built in 1277 and is one of the only buildings to survive World War II. 

    In Voss you can do the Voss gondola to the top of the mountain, where the open-air museum is. 

    Voss Travel Guide

    Evanger

    Village

    Evanger has a well-preserved village centre that is believed to be one of the better-preserved villages in the area. Most of the wooden houses are from the late 19th/early 20th centuries. Evanger is known for its production of cured meat because the village is home to several companies that specialise in the production of traditional meats such as pinnekjøtt (dried, salted rib of lamb), cured lamb, and sausages. 

    Bolstadøyri

    Village

    Bolstadøyri is located at the end of the fjord. When the old postal road came through here, this is the point where the workers would leave their horses and take a boat to Bergen. This has always been an important meeting place for the courts as well as a trading post. 

    Vaksdal Municipality

    Vaksdal is a small industrial municipality in Western Norway. The coat-of-arms show three black shuttles for weaving. The shuttles were chosen to represent the textile industry of the municipality. The municipality is located alongside the fjord and is also very mountainous. 

    Dale

    Village

    Dale is a small industrial village with a population of around 1,100. The village was built around the Dale power planet and factory that were founded and constructed in the 1870s. The machines were brought over by boat from England – carding machines, spinning machines and 200 looms, as well as finishing and dyeing machines. When the factory was built, there was only a homestead here. However, by the end of the 19th century the factory had 500 employees and the village had 1,000 inhabitants. At its peak in the 1950s and 1960s, Dale had a population of 4,000. 

    Dale is where the Dale of Norway company is based. This is arguably Norway’s most famous textiles company. They make the sweaters for the Norwegian Olympics Team and are known for their classic patterns. There is an outlet store in Dale, if you wish to visit that. 

    Osterøy

    Island

    Soon you will reach the wider part of the Osterfjord, which you will follow for the journey into Bergen. Across the fjord is an island called Osterøy. Osterøy is the largest inland island in Norway at around 330km2. Around 8,000 people live on the island and it is largely an agricultural island. You’ll see the bridge to the island soon.

    Vaksdal

    Village

    Vaksdal is a small village located on the fjord. Like Dale, it is an industrial town. In the late 19th century, the Vaksdal Mølle (Mill) opened here, utilising the hydropower in the region. This is where flour would be made. At the time it was built, it was the largest mill in Northern Europe. 

    Bergen Municipality

    Welcome to Bergen! We are now on the outskirts of Bergen municipality. 

    Trengereid

    Village

    Trengereid is the next village you will pass on your way into Bergen. Like the other villages along the fjord, Trengereid was established in the late 19th century around a factory. The factory (Trengereid Fabrikker) specialised in ribbon and lace production. 

    In Trengereid you will see the round-a-bout that leads off to the Hardangerfjord and Hardanger Tourist Road. However, you have been driving from Oslo, so probably save that for a separate road-trip. 

    Arna

    Village

    Arna is one of Bergen’s eight districts and was incorporated into the city in 1972. Around 14,000 people live in Arna and are connected to the city centre of Bergen by the railway. The train between Bergen and Arna takes only 10 minutes as it cuts through the mountain Ulriken; the road follows the coastline and takes 30 minutes to get to the same place. 

    Bergen

    Welcome to Bergen! Bergen is Norway’s second-largest city and is regarded as the Capital of the Fjords. 

    Bergen Travel Guide

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Aurland, Flåm, Hallingdal, Hønefoss, Lærdal, National Highways, Oslo, Road-trips

    Drive it Yourself: Oslo to Aurland via Hemsedal & Borgund Stave Church

    Drive it Yourself: Oslo to Aurland via Hemsedal & Borgund Stave Church

    There are many different ways to get between Oslo & Aurland, but this one is arguably the quickest. It doesn’t follow the one major highway the entire way, so it’s also a good way to mix it up a little. While the scenery might not be as dramatic as the other ways to get to the west from Oslo, it is an easy drive with some interesting places to stop along the way. 

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    The drive: E6 between Oslo and Aurland

    Oslo

    This drive begins in Norway’s capital, Oslo. You can find a detailed guide to Oslo on the travel guide section of the page below. 

    Oslo Travel Guide

    Hole Municipality

    The municipality is located around the woodland of Oslo as well as the Tyrifjord (which is a lake). The soil is very fertile here and is suited to growing fruit, berries, and other agricultural products.

    The coat-of-arms show four gold crowns to symbolise the four Norwegian Kings who lived in the municipality: King Halfdan the Black, King Sigurd Syr, King Olav Haraldsson (St. Olav) and King Harald Hårdråde. As you can imagine, this is a very historic area. There are archaeological finds from the Roman and Migration periods, and it is known as one of the traditional landscapes in the Viking Age and plays a prominent role in the Norse sagas.

    There are a few historic churches in the area. Stein Church, now in ruins, was constructed in the latter half of the 1100s. Bønsnes Church is a medieval church from 1100 and is still standing today. Hole church is from around 1200 and sits on a hill overlooking the Tyrifjord.

    Hole is part of the traditional region of Ringerike. Ringerike is associated with the most notable kings in Norwegian history. It has also given its name to a style of animal art, first discovered on runestones in Ringerike.

    Tyrifjord

    Lake

    Tyrifjorden is a lake in the traditional region of Ringerike. It is Norway’s fifth largest lake. It Is around 26km long and has an average depth of 93 metres. It used to be part of the sea, and there are many finds from that time. It is one of the reasons it was popularly settled around by the Vikings.

    The lake is one of the country’s richest lakes in terms of species. Several areas directly adjacent to the fjord have conservation value due to their unique flora and fauna. The slopes and flats around the lake are fertile and the mild climate means that intensive agriculture is carried out around the lake.

    Free fishing without a licence is based on tradition and custom. The Tyrifjorden has brown trout, crayfish, and pike. The crayfish population is the largest in Norway. Perch can also be caught here. The lake is also used as drinking water for the surrounding areas.

    It is not a fjord by English definitions. Norwegians commonly use the word ‘fjord’ to mean any body of water; many lakes are known as fjords in Norway.

    Sundvollen

    Village

    Sundvollen is a small village located along the Tyrifjorden. Sundvollen is known for its hotels; Sundvolden hotel is one of Norway’s oldest hotels. It was first mentioned in written sources in 1648. Another hotel, Kleivstua Hotel, is an inn that catered to travellers along the Old Royal Bergen Road, the historic road between east and west. The road also formed the pilgrim’s road between Oslo and Trondheim.

    Ringerike Municipality

    Ringerike is a historic region with some of Norway’s earliest kings coming from here. It is believed that the first kingdoms of Norway settled around the Tyrifjorden, hence the name Ringerike (The Old Norse name was Hringariki; hringr means ‘ring’ and riki means ‘kingdom). The first permanent settlements were here between 3000 and 2000 BC.

     Ringerike is one of the medium-sized urban municipalities in Norway and is the largest forestry industry municipality in the country. Considerable agriculture is also carried out here.

    Hønefoss Municipality

    We are passing by the town of Hønefoss. The town is built around a waterfall called Hønefossen (foss=waterfall) and grew in relation to the timber industry. Sawmills were placed along the waterfall to utilise its power. The last half of the 19th century brought significant development for the town. The connection to Drammen via railway in 1868 was important for the town.

    Flå Municipality

    Flå is the southernmost part of the traditional Hallingdal valley. Flå is known around Norway for Bjørneparken, which is a park with bears, moose, dear, wolves, foxes and lynx. Flå is also the birthplace of Olav Thon, who went on to become one of the richest men in Norway with his chain of hotels.

    Agriculture is the most important industry in Flå, though the timber industry is also important. The production on the farms is forest and grain, often with sheep and sometimes llamas as well. There are many cabins in the area as it is a popular spot to hunt for deer. Fishing is also organised in several area, and you can buy a licence at most petrol stations.

    Nesbyen Municipality

    Nesbyen municipality is part of the Hallingdal valley. Ancient trading routes went to Western Norway through the Valdres and Hallingdal valleys and then down to Røldal and Odda. The area here was originally populated by migrants from the west.

    Nesbyen has a boreal climate with warm summers and cold winters. The 20th of June 1970, Nesbyen recorded the all-time high in Norway at 35.6C (96.1F). Nesbyen also has a record cold temperature for the area at -38C. There is an old meteor crater just north of Nesbyen. About 650 million years ago, a 200-300 metres meteorite struck this area. This resulted in a 5km impact crater.

    Nesbyen

    Nesbyen is a small town with around 2,100 people living here. The village centre is surrounded by farms as agriculture is an important industry here.

    Hallingdal

    Hallingdal is one of the major valleys of eastern Norway. The valley is V-shaped and is drained by the Hallingdal River that comes in from the Hardangervidda plateau. Hallingdal is one of Norway’s busiest valleys as Highway 7 and the Bergen to Oslo train run through the valley.

    The valley has been an important trading valley for thousands of years. In the early years, Hallingdal prospered from trading with iron and trading routes developed throughout the Iron Age. Hallingdal farmers also traded cattle. The valley is characterised by its livestock farming, especially wool, dairy and eat production.

    Hallingdal is known for its unique art and music culture. Hallingdal has developed its own style of rosemaling with a distinct symmetrical style. The music of Hallingdal is traditionally dominated by the hardanger fiddle. The dance tunes have a distinct pattern, following three different lines of tradition. The Halling is the name of an old folk dance that is used in Norway. Each dancer is alone, and the climax of the dance is known as thrown Halling, where the goal is to kick down a hat from a stick.

    Hallingdal Travel Guide

    Gol Municipality

    Gol is a small settlement with around 3,200 people living here. It is the trading, service, and communication centre for the municipality.

    Gol used to have a stave church, called the Gol Stave Church. The church was from around 1216, but in the 1870s it was too small for the congregation. It was bought by King Oscar II’s Collections – later the Norwegian Folk Museum that’s now the open-air museum in Oslo. A new church was built in Gol.

    Gol has now built a kid’s park called Gordarike, which is inspired by Norse mythology and the Vikings. They have built a replica of the Gol Stave Church as a highlight of the park.

    Hemsedal Municipality

    Nesbyen municipality is part of the Hallingdal valley. Ancient trading routes went to Western Norway through the Valdres and Hallingdal valleys and then down to Røldal and Odda. The area here was originally populated by migrants from the west.

    Nesbyen has a boreal climate with warm summers and cold winters. The 20th of June 1970, Nesbyen recorded the all-time high in Norway at 35.6C (96.1F). Nesbyen also has a record cold temperature for the area at -38C. There is an old meteor crater just north of Nesbyen. About 650 million years ago, a 200-300 metres meteorite struck this area. This resulted in a 5km impact crater.

    Trøym

    Town

    Trøym is the administrative centre of Hemsedal. Most people (myself included) mistakenly call the village Hemsedal because it has all the main services for the municipality. For example, we are passing Hemsedal Church from the 1880s. The old stave church used to be here.

    Hemsedalsfjellet

    Mountain Range

    Shortly after leaving Trøym, you will cross the Hemsedalsfjellet Mountain Range over into Western Norway. The road can close in winter. 

    Lærdal Municipality

    Lærdal is a municipality in western Norway. It has a relatively dry climate, with around 600mm of rain a year. Agriculture is one of the biggest industries here. The lower part of the valley has one of the country’s best climactic conditions for growing vegetables.

    The river running through Lærdal is called the Lærdal River and is known as the ‘Queen of the Salmon rivers’ because it is one of Norway’s most famous salmon rivers. In the valley, you can hunt deer, reindeer, and elk.

    Lærdal is an important place historically. It has been inhabited for 6,000 years and has always been on the main road between east and west in southern Norway. Originally the road was a footpath. In 1647, Kongevegen was built as a more modern road, and then in the 1840s it was upgraded to Den Bergenske Hovedvei. You can still see remains of Kongevegen in Lærdal municipality; today it is a hiking path.

    Borgund Stave Church

    Located close to the main highway is Borgund Stave Church, one of the 28 remaining stave churches in Norway. 

    Borgund Stave Church

    Lærdal

    Town

    This has been an important trading place since the Middle Ages. Lærdal sits on the Sognefjord, which goes approximately halfway into the country between the coast and the Swedish border. Therefore, it has always been preferred to travel by sea. Lærdal developed as a natural marketplace because of its position along the fjord. Coastal farmers brought herring and fish and exchanged goods with the mountain farmers who came from the Hallingdal and Valdres valleys.

    Historic wooden houses survive in Lærdal today that are connected to this historic marketplace.

    Lærdal Travel Guide

    Aurlandsfjellet

    If you are travelling in summer and don’t want to drive through the long tunnel, you can take the scenic detour on the Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road. Allow an extra hour or so to do the drive, but it is well worth it!

    You can find our guide to Aurlandsfjellet below. 

    Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road

    Lærdal Tunnel

    Tunnel

    The Lærdal Tunnel is 24.5km (15.2 mi) long. It is the longest road tunnel in the world. Construction started in 1995 and the tunnel opened in 2000, costing around 1 billion NOK ($113 million USD).

    The design of the tunnel takes into consideration the mental strain for the drivers, so the tunnel is divided into four sections, separated by three large mountain caves. The caves have blue lighting with yellow lights at the fringes to give an impression of sunrise. The caves are meant to break the routine.

    There are no emergency exits. Emergency phones are every 250m. There are also 15 turning areas in case of an accident. High air quality is achieved through ventilation and purification.

    Aurland Municipality

    People have lived off hunting and fishing in Aurland for thousands of years. Farming started around 2,000 years ago and agriculture is still an important industry here. Tourism is also emerging in importance as Aurland is home to the famous Flåm village as well as Gudvangen.

    In the village of Aurland you’ll find Vangen Church, a medieval stone church from 1202. It is built in the early Gothic style influenced by English architecture. The fact that they used stone as a building material indicates how important Aurland was as a town.

    Flåm

    Our drive concludes in Flåm, one of the most popular places in Norway for tourism. If you want somewhere a little quieter, you can choose to stay in Aurland instead. 

    You can find our travel guide for Flåm below. 

    Flåm Travel Guide

    Where to Go From Here

    Flåm is perfectly located to continue your road-trip. You can either take the ferry over to Balestrand and continue from there, or you can continue on to Bergen. 

    Flåm to Bergen on the E16
    Bergen to Balestrand
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    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Bergen, European Highways, Flåm, Road-trips, Voss

    Drive it Yourself: Flåm to Bergen on the E16

    Drive it Yourself: Flåm to Bergen on the E16

    The E16 (European Highway 16) is the main highway that runs between Bergen and Oslo. The stretch of the E16 that you are likely to do is the part between Bergen and Flåm. It’s a fairly easy drive – just 2.5 hours – and you pass through some incredible scenery (and lots of tunnels).

    While there aren’t too many places to stop at, it is likely you are doing this drive to get from A to B. Here’s an overview of what you see along the way. 

    In this article...

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    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

     

    View on Store

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

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    The drive: Flåm to Bergen

    Flåm

    This drive begins in Flåm. You can find a detailed guide to Flåm below. 

    Flåm Travel Guide

    Undredal

    Village

    Undredal is a small village located along the Aurlandsfjord. It is famous for its goats cheese production and tiny stave church. It is about a 20 minute drive from the E16. 

    Gudvangen

    Village

    Gudvangen is a small village with a population of around 120. It is a popular tourist destination due to its proximity at the end of the Nærøyfjord. The popular Gudvangen – Flåm cruise stops here, and many people also come to visit the Viking Village in Gudvangen.

    Nærøydalen

    Natural Attraction

    The Nærøydalen is a valley that runs from Stalheim near Voss down to Gudvangen. The Nærøydalen River runs through the valley and empties into the Nærøyfjord. The entire area is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List because it is one of the best examples of a fjord system in the world.

    The valley is rich in a mineral called anorthosite, which is mined in the area. Because it is reflective, it is primarily used on the roads.

    Stalheim Hotel

    Hotel

    Straight ahead we can see the Stalheim Hotel (red building on the hill). The hotel first opened in 1885 on the historic postal route between Oslo and Bergen. A lodging had been here long before then, and it was a place where the travellers could get food and supplies for themselves and their horses.

    The hotel has been rebuilt a couple times due to fire. The current building is from 1960 and has 124 rooms for 218 guests. It is a lovely hotel to stay at and provides the best views over the valley. Across the street from the hotel is an open-air museum that explains the history of farming and life high in the mountains.

    You pass the turn-off to the hotel after going through two tunnels. 

    Tvindefossen

    Natural Attraction

    Tvindefossen is a popular waterfall in Norway. It is 116m (381ft) high and is famous for its beauty – it was painted in 1830 by Johan Christian Dahl. In the late 1990s, the waterfall got a reputation for rejuvenation and revival of sexual potency, and that made it one of the most visited waterfalls in Norway. Over 200,000 people visit the waterfall every year.

    Voss

    Voss has a population of around 15,000 people and is a key town between the fjords of Norway. The town is known today for its wide variety of adventure sports, and many come here to hike, kayak, paraglide, and ski. The E16 doesn’t run through Voss, but rather cuts through via a tunnel.

    Voss Travel Guide

    Evanger

    Village

    Evanger is a small village that has some well-preserved wooden houses and a classic 19th century church. There is also a sausage factory and some other small industries in the village.

    Dale

    Village

    Dale is a small town with a population of around 1,139. The town is a well-known industrial site that was built around the Dale Power Plant. The factory for Dale of Norway, a famous knitwear brand, is located here. Dale of Norway was founded by Peter Jebsen in 1879 when he discovered the rivers large source of power. The machines for the knitwear came from England.

    When the factory was built, there was one farm here, but within 20 years the population grew to 1000 employees. Most people in the village still work at Dale of Norway. The factory has an outlet store that you can visit.

    Osterøy

    Island

    We are driving along the 27km (17 mi) long Osterfjord. On the other side of the fjord is the island of Osterøy. The island is 328km (127 sq mi), making it the largest inland island in Norway.

    Vaksdal

    Town

    Vaksdal is a small town loaded along the Osterfjord. The main building in the town is the Vaksdal Mill, a historic mill used to make flour. 20% of the population work in the local industry, while 26% of the population commute to Bergen.

    Bergen

    You have made it to Bergen! You can read about Bergen in detail on the Bergen Travel Guide page. 

    Bergen Travel Guide

    Previous Drive

    The Hardangervidda Tourist Road

    Take the very scenic drive from Eidfjord to Flåm via the Hardangervidda Plateau and Aurlandsdalen valley. 

    Hardangervidda Tourist Road

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Bergen, Eidfjord, Flåm, Geilo, Hardangerfjord, National Tourist Roads, Road-trips, Voss

    Drive it Yourself: the Hardangervidda Tourist Road

    Drive it Yourself: Hardangervidda Tourist Road

    In this article...

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    The drive: Hardangervidda Tourist Road

    Eidfjord

    This drive begins in Eidfjord. You can find a detailed guide to Eidford below. 

    Eidfjord Travel Guide

    Eio River & Eidfjord Lake

    Natural Attraction

    The river is 2.1km (1.3 mi) long and runs from lake Eidfjord down into the Eid Fjord. We’ll see the Eidfjord Lake soon; it’s a moraine-dammed lake located just outside the village of Eidfjord.

    Øvre Eidfjord

    Village

    Øvre Eidfjord is a small village on the southern end of the Eidfjord Lake. The town has a population of around 200 and it serves as the last major stop before crossing the Hardangervidda Plateau.

    Norsk Natursenter

    Museum

    Øvre Eidfjord is home to the Norsk Natursenter, which is where you can learn about the nature in the area. Technology is used to allow for interactive experiences and learn about the flora and fauna of the area. There’s also a lovely film about the plateau made by Ivo Caprino. If you have the time, I recommend stopping here to learn a little more about Hardangervidda.

    Måbødalen

    Natural Attraction

    Måbødalen is a unique and narrow valley that will take you from Øvre Eidfjord to Hardangervidda. The deep and steep valley is the result of ice and water having cut into the slacker and more open valleys. The valley is studied with regards to its geological process and the interaction between ice and rivers.

    The valley was almost impassable before 1790, when bridges were built, and a stairway was completed. The first road was built here in the early 20th century; it opened in 1916 and included three bridges. The road is known for its hairpin turns, and today is only for cyclists and pedestrians. The original road through the valley was the first road between east and west Norway over Hardangervidda.

    Luckily for us there is now a new road; the new road is from 1986 and is wider and has many more tunnels.

    Johan Christian Dahl painted Måbødalen, a landscape painting that is on display at the KODE art museum in Bergen. It’s pictured above. 

    Before you get to the more dramatic part of the valley, you’ll pass a small museum about the cultural landscape of Måbødalen.

    Vøringsfossen

    Natural Attraction

    Vøringsfossen is the 83rd highest waterfall in Norway, which itself isn’t an impressive statistic. Rather, it is the setting that makes Vøringsfossen worth seeing. The waterfall has a total drop of 182m (597ft) and is perhaps the most famous waterfall in the country.

    The waterfall was hardly known to anyone besides the locals until 1821, when professor Christopher Hansteen estimated the height of the waterfall. He was on his way to Hardangervidda to make astronomical observations at the time. The way he estimated the height was by throwing stones down the edge and measuring the time they took to fall with his pocket watch. He estimated the height to be 280m (920ft); in 1893 the real height was realised by using string.

    In 2020, a new pedestrian bridge opened across Vøringsfossen; it was placed in sections by helicopter. The pedestrian bridge has received a lot of criticism, which many describing it as quite ugly.

    Fossli Hotel

    Hotel

    Fossli Hotel is a historic hotel overlooking the Måbø Valley and Vøringsfossen waterfall. The hotel was built by Ola L. Garen (1857 – 1915), who saw the potential of the area and the slow introduction of tourists. Before the hotel, there was only a walking path up the valley with 1,500 stairs. Thanks to the hotel, a new road was built through the valley instead. All the materials to build the hotel had to be carried on horseback from Eidfjord up to the top of the hill. Today the hotel is run by Erik Garen, the great grandson of Ola Garen.

    Fossli Hotel is built in the art nouveau style.

    The hotel owns a Zimmerman piano where Edvard Grieg composed Norwegian Folk Songs, Opus 66.

    Room rates

    Hardangervidda Plateau

    Scenic Area

    Hardangervidda is a well-known mountain plateau that spreads across parts of western, central, eastern, and southern Norway. It is the largest plateau of its kind (peneplain, or eroded plain) in Europe, and it has a cold year-round alpine climate. The highest point is the Sandfloegga, which reaches a height of 1,721m (5,646ft).

    The landscape is characterised by barren, treeless, moorland with lakes, rivers, and streams. The western side is rockier, while the eastern side is flatter and more heavily vegetated. The geology is extremely ancient; the rolling fells are remnants of mountains that were worn down by glaciers during the ice ages.

    Settlements from the Stone Age have been found in the area. The people who lived here were likely linked to the reindeer migration. Additionally, there are ancient trails across the plateau. Hardangervidda is still a key route between east and west; highway 7 being the way across.

    The Hardangervidda Plateau is above the tree line. The alpine climate means that there are arctic animals and plants here further south than anywhere else in Europe. There is a large wild reindeer herd here; it is believed to be the largest in the world with up to 10,000 reindeer.

    In 1981 much of Hardangervidda was designated a national park. The Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT) has a network of huts and paths across the plateau. There are two visitor centres: the Norsk Natursenter in Øvre Eidfjord and the Hardanger Nasjonalparksenter, close to Rjukan.

    The Star Wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back, was shot on Hardangervidda; the plateau provided the basis for the Hoth sequences.

    Sysendammen

    Dam

    Sysendammen (Sysen Dam) is a rock-filled embankment dam. It holds back Lake Sysen, which is the main reservoir for the Sy-Sima Hydroelectric Power Station. The water supply to Vøringsfossen is regulated by the dam, and there is a requirement for a minimum water supply during the summer.

    The dam is 81m (266 ft) high, 1,157m (3,796ft) long and 248m (814ft) wide.

    Buskerud (Formerly known as Viken) County

    We have crossed into the county that from 2020 – 2022 was known as Viken. At time of writing, the Viken sign was still by the road. This sign may not be up when you drive through; the county was established in 2020 with the merging of three separate counties. However, the three counties were not happy with the decision and in 2021 a parliamentary election saw the parties wanting to dissolve Viken win. On the 23rd of February 2022, a vote of 49 against 38 saw the decision to split Viken finalised. So, in the near future, Viken will be split up again. For purposes of this video, I’ll talk about the county that used to be here and will likely come back: Buskerud.

    Buskerud county is a historically important county in Norway. The area around Ringerike was likely a small kingdom and Norway’s kings Olav Tryggvason and Olav Haraldsson grew up in Ringerike.

    The first element of the name, buske, refers to ‘bishop’, while the last element means ‘clearing, farm’. Historically, the bishop’s farm was one of the largest in Buskerud and was important during the Reformation. The farm became property of the Danish Crown and served as the residence for the king’s bailiffs until 1668.

    Agriculture, lumber, wood-pulp mills, and other related industries are the county’s main economic activities. There is a lot of hydropower thanks to the rivers Begna and Rands. Buskerud also has a large, forested area.

    Hol Municipality

    Hol is a mountainous municipality that sees 90% of the area over 900m above sea level. The coat-of-arms depicts three silver anvils on a blue background. The anvil was chosen to symbolise the former smithies in the municipality. The municipality was famous for the production of axes, blades and knives, and iron mining took place here in the Viking Age.

    Samegammene

    Souvenir Shop

    Samegammene is a small shop and fur company that began sixty years ago, when Amund Johansen from Northern Norway was forced to sell his reindeer herd after World War II and move south. He took his family with him and settled in Hardangervidda, where he was given the job as a reindeer herder. However, he sustained an injury from that work and decided to focus on tourism instead.

    Several ‘gamme’ have been bult around Hardangervidda. A ‘gamme’ is an ancient form of an earth hut, and from these they sell Sami products and souvenirs. Here you will find souvenirs but also handmade fur mittens and hats. The building was owned by the daughter of Amund Johansen until 2017, when she sold it out of the family. The current owners keep the gamme in memory of Amund Johansen.  

    Haugastøl

    Ski Town

    Haugastøl is the first town you’ll visit after a while. It is primarily a ski resort with various hotels and cabins. There is also a train station here, Haugastøl station, which is on the Bergen – Oslo Railway.

    Haugastøl is one end of the popular Rallarvegen cycling route – it’s an 83km track from Haugastøl to Finse (a town not accessible by road, just train). The road was originally a service road used by workers building the Flåm Railway, but now it is one of the most famous cycling tracks in the country. 

    Ustaoset

    Ski Town

    Ustaoset is a small village located on the Bergen to Oslo Railway. The village came to prominence when the railway opened in 1909 as it was a good spot for people to visit to go skiing. Families from Bergen and Oslo built cabins in Ustaoset and used the train as a way to get there. Due to Norway’s strict laws, it is now very difficult to build a new cabin in Ustaoset. Whenever one is up for sale, it is very popular and is often sold very quickly and for a high price.

    Ustaoset is mentioned in Jo Nesbø’s book The Leopard; the mountain resort cabins play a key role in the murder mystery.

    Geilo

    Ski Town

    Geilo is the main town in Hol municipality and is one of the most well-known ski resorts in the country. The town is in the Hallingdal valley at roughly the halfway point on the Bergen to Oslo railway.

    Geilo is noted for being the first ski resort in Norway and it was built up after the opening of the railway in 1909. The ski season lasts from late October until late April, and there are numerous small ski centres that make up one resort: Geilo Skiheiser. In addition to 39 downhill slopes, there are 220km of cross-country ski tracks.

    In the town centre you’ll find some shops, a supermarket, and a few restaurants. Around 2,500 people live in Geilo all year round, so there is a school, cinema, library and police station.

    Hagafoss

    Village

    Hagafoss is a small village in the upper part of the Hallingdal valley. It is located on the main highway between Bergen and Oslo, but here we take the Fv50 (Norwegian county road 50) towards Aurland.

    Hol Gamle Kyrkje

    Historic Site

    Hol Gamle Kyrkje is a 13th century church in Hol municipality. The church was originally a small stave church but has been rebuilt multiple times. The last time it was rebuilt was in 1939, and today it doesn’t have the design that makes it a stave church. It’s believed the floors of the church are the original staves from the stave church. The church is also known for the fact that it has a gutter in the apse.

    Vestland County

    We have crossed back into Western Norway!

    Aurland Municipality

    Aurland is a municipality in Western Norway that includes the popular villages of Aurland, Flåm, Undredal and Gudvangen. It is also home to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Naerøyfjord.

    People settled here around 2,000 years ago to farm the area, and agriculture is still important in Aurland. Tourism began coming here in the mid-19th century, primarily from England. They took part in sport fishing and hunting.

    The coat-of-arms depict a goat’s head; a goat is a symbol of the municipality because of their historic production and importance of goats cheese and goat farming.

    Aurland Valley

    Natural Attraction

    Aurlandsdalen is a 40km (25 mi) long valley that was carved out by glaciers.

    Aurlandsdalen represents some of the most beautiful and magnificent in Norwegian nature. The valley has been an important trade and traffic road from the ancient times and was probably in use from the early Viking Age. The route was the shortest route between western and eastern Norway in pre-historic times. There are a number of very old farms in the valley that were permanently inhabited until the turn of the 20th century. There are also mountain dairy farms here (called ‘støls’) that can be spotted high on the mountains.

    The rare mountain flower “mountain queen” can be found in the valley. There are almost 500 plant varieties here. The soil is very rich in minerals formed from phyllitt in the rocks.

    Today many use Aurlandsdalen as a popular day hike (6-7 hours), or you can hike all the way to Finse in 3-4 days. It is one of the best-known tourist tracks in Norway

    As we went down, you saw the huge powerlines. The Aurland river system was developed in the 1970s for power production. The environmental impacts of hydroelectric development are notable; the great waterfalls have been substantially reduced. With the introduction of the tunnels, the water level in the river gorges has been drastically reduced. The Aurlands River is now no longer one of the finest salmon rivers in Norway. Farmers no longer drive cattle, pigs and goats to spend the summer at the old farms. The valley has been characterised, like many other valleys, by gradual urbanisation.

    Aurland

    Village

    Aurland is a small village with a population of around 800. The village is the location of the Aurland Shoe Factory, where the famous penny loafers were first made. Another interesting place to visit in Aurland is the Vangen Church, a historic stone church from 1202.

    Aurlandsfjord

    Fjord

    The Aurlandsfjord is a 29km (18 mi) long fjord and is a branch of the Sognefjord, the longest fjord in Norway. The fjord is deep and narrow, generally reaching less than 2km (1.2 mi) wide. Most of the mountains are up to 1800m (5,900ft) tall.

    Flåm

    We have arrived at Flåm, our final destination for this drive. Flåm is a small population with around 300 people, but is one of the most visited places in Norway thanks to the Flåm Railway. 

    You can read the Flåm travel guide below. 

    Flåm Travel Guide

    Next Drive

    Flåm to Bergen

    Flåm to Bergen on the E16

    Follow the next drive as we make our way back to Bergen on the E16. 

    Flåm to Bergen

    Previous Drive

    Voss to Eidfjord

    Making a day trip out of Hardanger? Read about the stretch of road between Voss and Eidfjord. 

    Voss to Eidfjord

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Flåm, Lærdal, Stave Churches

    Why You Should Visit Borgund Stave Church

    Why You Should Visit Borgund Stave Church

    No trip to Norway is complete without a visit to Borgund Stave Church. But why this church out of the 28 remaining stave churches in the country? I’ll admit, Borgund Stave Church is not my favourite in the country, but it is very important. After all, Bogund is exceptionally well preserved and recognised as the most distinctive stave church in Norway. So, if you want to get an idea of the original stave churches, this one is great.

    Borgund Stave Church is about 30km southeast of the town Laerdal, which is close to Flåm. The church stands on the historic main road between east and west Norway. Today the European Highway 16 (E16) follows the old main road. It’s one of the best known, most photographed, and best-preserved stave churches in the country.

    I’ve written a useful overview of Borgund Stave Church, so you know why it’s so special. Also, it’s nice to know what to look for when visiting! If you have any tips or questions, please leave them in the comments.

    In this article...

    Lærdal Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    Borgund Stave Church

    Early History & Position

    The exact age of Borgund Stave Church is unknown. It is possibly as old as 1150 when looking at the timber. However, the church is generally regarded as being from around the year 1200. It is dedicated to the apostle Andrew.

    Borgund Stave Church is on the historic main road between east and west Norway, which was primarily used as a trade route for over 1000 years. This part of the valley widens, and the Laerdal River flows through it. With its strategic position, it’s clear to see why it became such an important place of worship. But it’s not just about trade: the valley has an abundance of pine trees, and it was necessary to build close to a pine forest. The valley is also sheltered in this section.

    The first written mention of Borgund Stave Church is in a land register in the diocese of Bergen, written down shortly after 1350. Borgund is in many written documents as the church has always been important to the study of stave churches.

    Important Worshipping Site

    The location of the church is important. Being on the main road meant that travellers couldn’t help but be influenced by the church and the new Catholic religion. There was a sacrificial site on the hill, and animal bones have been found there. Perhaps the area was once used by pagans, giving another reason for building a church here. The old stone altar in the church probably once stood on the sacrificial site.

    Construction Method

    The church is very well documented, especially compared to other stave churches in the country. Stave churches get their name from their construction method. Here at Borgund, you can see the vertical wooden beams along the walls holding up the roof.

    The church is built according to a basilica plan with a raised central nave. Structurally, the building is a ‘cube within a cube’, each cube being independent of one another. The inner ‘cube’ has continuous columns that rise from the ground level to support the roof. ‘Saint Andrew Crosses’ link the columns: these carry supports that offer the visual equivalent of a ‘second story’. While not a functional gallery, it is reminiscent of contemporary second-story galleries elsewhere in Europe.

    Around the exterior of the church is a corridor with a roof. A guide once said that this is where the Vikings would keep their swords and shields while they attended church. But another common theory is that it was where people gathered before and after mass, and the roof provided shelter.

    Dragon Heads

    One of the most known characteristics of a stave church is its dragons’ heads on the roof, but very few stave churches in Norway have dragon’s heads. Borgund Stave Church is one of the very few with carved dragon’s heads. They are from the 18th century and likely copies of the earlier heads.

    Dragons heads are also found on Lom Stave Church and Urnes Stave Church. I visited both on my Ultimate Norwegian Roadtrip.

    Why dragons heads? I’m working on a separate article that explains the construction and symbolism in stave churches in much more depth, but we can talk about the dragons’ heads a little here too. Christianity came to this region around 997, around 200 years before Borgund Stave Church. It’s believed that the population continued to keep to the pagan tradition and faith well into the Christian times. Because of that, many pagan symbols with pre-Christian backgrounds, including dragons, have made it onto Christian buildings.

    Dragons’ heads feature on Viking ships, and they are believed to keep evil spirits away. That is one reason why they are on stave churches. Another reason is that the construction of the roof is like shipbuilding, and since dragons feature on ships, they should be on the roof too.

    Fun fact: the dragons’ heads weren’t only for style: they also formed the churches drainage system!

    Changes after the Reformation

    Stave churches were not spared from the Reformation that swept Norway in the 1530s. The conversion to Lutheran Protestantism saw many changes in these old Catholic Churches. At Borgund, benches line the walls: during Catholic times, it was compulsory to stand for hours! The pulpit and nave are from Lutheran times, and the walls are rose-painted: some of the rose-painting has survived.

    Another common feature of a post-Reformation church is the introduction of windows so the community could read scripture. Borgund got many new windows but all except one have been removed in a later renovation.

    19th century growth & restoration

    The community around Borgund experienced a huge rise in population in the early 19th century. By the 1840s the stave church was too small for the public. The new Borgund Church is from 1868, the same year service at the stave church ended. Rather than tear the stave church down, as what happened to many stave churches, Borgund was preserved. This is probably because it had been so well documented and painted throughout history. The general perception had been that Borgund was special. So, it was sold to the Preservation for Ancient Norwegian Monuments.

    A large amount of restoration work was done on the church to bring it closer to its medieval form. The pews were removed, except for the ones from the 1150s along the wall. The window openings were closed, except for one window. Some of the original paintwork was restored too.

    Wooden carvings

    Like Urnes Stave Church (which is UNESCO World Heritage-listed), Borgund Stave Church has a lot of detail around its western portal. In addition to animal motifs, there are acanthus vines, fighting snakes and flying dragons. Due to being found in many places in this part of Norway, they are places under a collective term called the Sogn-Valdres Group (Sogn and Valdres are two regions: Sogn after the Sognefjord and Valdres in central Norway).

    Why pagan carvings around the door? Well, like the dragons’ heads, it’s believed the new Christians kept to some of their pagan traditions. Another reasoning is that Christian authorities may have interpreted the pagan symbols as the struggle between good and evil, in line with Christian medieval art. After all, in Christian art, the dragon was often used as a symbol for the devil. So, the carvings probably had a protective quality. The carvings at Urnes Stave Church are also read as the struggle between good and evil, or between paganism and Christianity.

    Sadly part of the carvings was damaged after the church door was rebuilt in the 1820s. One of the stave churches caught fire in 1822 and 113 people died because the doors opened inwards and they were unable to get out. After that, a rule was made that all churches had to have doors that opened outwards.

    Runic inscriptions

    When visiting a stave church, always be on the lookout for rune inscriptions! There are several ones here. Most are on the walls of the church’s west portal. One reads: “Thor wrote these runes in the evening at the St. Olav’s Mass”.

    Interior decoration

    The interior of Borgund is very dark, so it is useful to have a guide with you. They have torches and can show you all the individual features.

    There is little inside, and some may be disappointed, but it is also very true to what stave churches looked like inside during medieval times. There is a row of benches along the wall from the 1150s that were used by the elderly. There’s also a soapstone font, an altar from the 17th century, a 16th-century lectern, and a 16th-century cupboard for storing altar vessels.

    Inside you’ll be able to see the twelve free-standing columns that support the naves elevated central space and the Saint Andrews Crosses connecting them. The original floors have been preserved but are today covered due to the number of people visiting.

    The many Borgunds

    Because Borgund Stave Church is so well documented throughout history, and today it is famous for being the most distinctive stave church, many other churches have taken inspiration from it. It has served as the inspiration for the reconstruction of Fantoft Stave Church in Bergen. The Gustav Adolf Stave Church in Germany, built in 1908, is modelled after Borgund Stave Church. There are also three replicas in the USA: Chapel in the Hills in South Dakota, Lyme in Connecticut and Washington Island in Wisconsin. Furthermore, the stave church at the Norwegian pavilion in Epcot in Walt Disney World Florida is a copy of Gol Stave Church, which was reconstructed to look more like Borgund Stave Church.

    New Borgund Church

    Don’t skip a visit to the new Borgund Church from 1868. It’s built in the dragestil and seats 175. Dragestil is a Norwegian architectural style that emerged during the period of National Romanticism when the country was interested in preserving the medieval style of construction – especially when it came to stave churches.

    Exterior bell tower

    Another exterior feature is the bell tower. It dates back to the middle of the 13th century and is the only original free-standing bell tower in stavework in Norway today. The bells are fairly new: one of the medieval bells is in the new Borgund Church.

    Visiting Borgund Stave Church

    When you visit, you have to park at the visitor centre and buy a ticket inside. Then, it’s about a 200-metre walk to the stave church – you have to cross the main road, so be careful! There will be a staff member by the church gate, and you won’t be allowed in without a ticket. Try and time your visit with a guided tour – it’s necessary to truly appreciate all the fine details in the church. Just ask when buying your ticket.

    The visitor centre is also worth your time. It has a small museum with items from the church, plus an excellent gift shop and café.

    The surrounding area is rich in cultural heritage. Close by is the King’s Road, which is the preserved part of the ancient road between east and west. Take a detour and drive along the old part, parking along the way to do Vindhellvegen, an old hairpin road turned hiking trail. It’s a short and easy path.

    I recommend having a rental car, but you can get to Borgund via public buses. There are a few a day that links you with Sogndal, Laerdal and Flåm, so you’ll have to plan well. In summer, there are guided bus tours from Flåm that I’d recommend over relying on public buses. The drive from Flåm is a little under one hour.

    Opening Hours: 15 May 2021 – 10 October 2021 daily 10am – 5pm

    Tickets: Adults 100 NOK / Children 40 NOK

    Up-to-date and more detailed info can be found here: https://www.stavechurch.com/our-stave-churches/borgund-stave-churc/?lang=en

    Parking: Free by the visitor centre. Do not park next to the stave church

    Restrooms: Inside the visitor centre

    Resources

    Lærdal Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Aurland, Flåm, Lærdal, National Tourist Roads, Road-trips, Sognefjord

    Drive it Yourself: Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road

    Drive it Yourself: Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road

    The Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road is a short but incredibly diverse mountain road between the villages of Lærdal and Aurland near Flåm in Western Norway.

    The road is 45km in total length, and it has earned the nickname ‘Snow Road’ because snow typically remains on the mountains all year round. 

    With most of the tourist roads in Norway, you really can do them in either direction. For Aurlandsfjellet, however, I strongly recommend you start at Lærdal and head to Aurland. The reveal of the mountains and fjords is much more dramatic. 

    Aurlandsfjellet was completed in 1967, and it used to be the main road between the two towns. Since 2000, however, the main highway E16 has gone through the new Lærdal Tunnel instead. The Lærdal Tunnel is 24.5km long, making it one of the longest tunnels in the world. You can take the tunnel, I mean it is quicker, but the Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road is much more fun!

    Here’s my guide on where to stop for photos and what to do on the Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road. 

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via my online store. 

    I offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on my online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    Aurlandsfjellet Tourist Road

    Lærdal

    This drive begins in Lærdal, a historic trading town. Originally, the main market town used to be across the fjord in Kaupanger (see my article on Kaupanger Stave Church). However, some time in the 15th or 16th century, it moved acoss to Lærdal.

    Lærdal is on the historic postal route between Bergen and Oslo. When coming from Oslo, Lærdal was the place where the postal workers would leave their horses and embark on boats. They would dock at Gudvangen, take horses to Bolstadoyri, and then take boats to Bergen.

    In Lærdal you have to stop at the historic district. These are a collection of preserved wooden houses from the 17th to 19th centuries. The main street is Øyragata, and you can see different architectural styles from traditional building customs to Swiss and Art Nouveau, and then Classicism and Functionalism. There’s a telecommunications and postal museum in the town today.

    Another attraction is the Norwegian Wild Salmon Centre, which was opened by King Harald in 1996. It has a salmon ladder, salmon observatory, rapids with live fish, exhibitions, cafes and restaurant. 

    Lærdal Travel Guide

    Vedhaugane

    Scenic Stop

    This is a scenic overlook of the mountains. From here, you can see the Jotunheimen massif – on a clear day! A walkway and an ‘infinity’ bench curve away from the road.

    Flotane

    Scenic Stop

    This is where you feel like you are on top of the world! There’s a rest area with benches and restrooms – they are only open in the summer.

    Stegastein Viewpoint

    Scenic Stop

    This is where you feel like you are on top of the world! There’s a rest area with benches and restrooms – they are only open in the summer.

    Aurland

    We’ve made it to Aurland! That was easy. There’s a lot to see and do in Aurland, so don’t simply pass through it on your way to Flåm. In fact, Aurland is the more peaceful version of Flåm. 

    Aurland Travel Guide

    The Previous Drive

    Sognefjellet Tourist Road

    Drive through the dramatic Sognefjellet Tourist Road to reach the Sognefjord. 

    Sognefjellet Tourist Road

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “The Ultimate Norwegian Road-trip”, where we cover the best of Norway in an incredible 10 day drive. You can view the whole road-trip via the link below. 

    The Ultimate Norwegian Road-trip

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Flåm

    The Flåm Railway

    The Flåm Railway

    The Flåm Railway is one of the ‘musts’ when you come to Norway, and it’s easy to see why. It has repeatedly been named the “most beautiful train journey” in the world by travel magazines and appears on endless lists of Norway’s highlights.

    Information on the Flåm Railway is mixed and oftentimes confusing. Norway in a Nutshell? Cruise ships? Which side is best? And when you see the price tag for a ticket, you want to make sure you’re doing it right.

    Fear not! I’ve done the Flåm Railway dozens of times in my four years of guiding in Norway, so I’ve put together an overview of what exactly the Flåm Railway is and how it works.

    In this article...

    Flåm Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    What is the Flåm Railway?

    The Flåm Railway is a train journey between the villages of Flåm and Myrdal in Western Norway. It is one of the steepest railways in Europe, rising from 2m above sea level to 864m above sea level over a distance of 20.2km (12 miles). It has a gradient of 1 in 18 (5.5%) throughout 80% of the trip.

    The journey takes 55 minutes, starting by the fjord and travelling through the valley towards the top of the mountains. As you can imagine, it’s incredibly scenic.

    National Geographic Traveller Magazine called the Flåm Railway one of the top 10 train journeys in Europe, while in 2014 Lonely Planet went further and named it the best train journey in the world.

    Brief history of the Flåm Railway

    Planning

    In the early 20th century, as the Bergen to Oslo Railway (or Bergensbanen) was being built, it was decided that a railway was needed to connect Norway’s two largest fjords – the Sognefjord and the Hardangerfjord – to the Bergen Line to help with the transportation of goods from the farms to the big cities.

    The train link to the Hardangerfjord was completed first and then work began on the Flåm Railway. At the time, Flåm was a tiny farming village that had an occasional cruise ship but wasn’t the popular attraction it is today. it was just conveniently located for the building of a train line.

    Construction 1938 (Source Digitaltmuseum.no)

    Construction

    Work on the Flåm Railway began in 1923, and as you can imagine it was a major challenge for the workers. To start there were 120 men working on the construction, though the number generally fluctuated between 80 and 280 people. Barracks were constructed to house the employees.

    The local economy was stimulated by farmers being paid for transport. Using horses, they transported tourists by day and materials by night.

    18 of the 20 tunnels were carved out by hand. On average, it took between 116 and 180 man hours per metre (35-55 hours by foot).

    By the time Norway was invaded by Germany in April 1940, the railway wasn’t complete. It was the Germans who expedited the completion of the railway. It opened for steam trains on the 1st of August 1940 purely for cargo. The line opened for passenger trains in February 1941. In November, regular operation began.

    Electric Locomotive 1968 (source Digitaltmuseum.no)

    Shift to Tourism

    After the war, the tourism potential of the Flåm Railway was soon realised. With the construction of roads, the train was no longer needed to transport cargo. The Flåm Railway was transformed for tourists, with the Kjosfossen Waterfall stop opening in 1951. At that time, the Flåm Railway was taking 115,000 passengers per year.

    Kjosfossen stop in 1971

    Flåm Today

    The Flåm Railway has since earned a reputation as a ‘must-do’ when in Norway. In 2007, it was the third-most visited attraction in Norway, carrying 547,000 passengers in 2010. That number has ridden considerably since then.

    Flåm has transformed itself from a small farming village to one of the busiest tourist areas in the country. As late as the 1980s almost all of the residents were farmers. Today, almost all of the 400 people who call Flåm home work in tourism. Flåm is one of the busiest cruise ports in Norway, receiving 150+ cruise ships in the summer months.

    If you want to learn more about the history of the Flåm Railway, there’s an excellent museum in the old station that’s free to visit and open all year.

    What time of year is best?

    The Flåm Railway runs all year, and it is completely different depending on the season. If you travel in the early months of the year, you’ll see lots of snow. With May comes bright green trees and plants, and there are large waterfalls from the melting snow. In October you get the lovely autumn colours. There is no right time of year to do the train – it’ll fit in with your travel plans whenever. The only thing to consider is the high season.

    If you are travelling in the high season, which lasts from May to September, you are going to encounter many other visitors. Flåm is one of the busiest cruise ports in Norway, and there are cruise ships almost every day in the summer. As you can imagine, almost everyone on a cruise ship wants to do the Flåm Railway. If there’s a cruise ship with 3,000 people in, you can expect the train to be busy that day. That doesn’t even include visitors travelling through Flåm by coach. In 2019, there were 159 cruise ships between April and October, carrying 297,673 passengers.

    If you have the flexibility, try to do the Flåm Railway either as the first thing in the morning or as the last thing in the evening. Most cruise ship passengers and tour groups go in the middle of the day.

    You can check the cruise ship schedule here: https://www.aurlandhavn.no/ (select cruise and click on the year you are visiting – it only shows the current year).

    Norway in a Nutshell vs. Doing it Yourself

    Norway in a Nutshell

    Norway in a Nutshell is a package of tickets for commuter transport in Norway. You customise your trip, pay for it, and then pick up a booklet of tickets at the train station before starting your trip. There is no guide – it is a self-guided tour. You also don’t do it with a group, but you will be travelling with many people doing the exact same tour.

    Norway in a Nutshell provides you with the convenience of organising all the public transport for you.

    Norway in a Nutshell is done in two ways: either a round trip from Bergen or as part of a Bergen – Oslo (or vice versa) journey.

    The day trip from Bergen starts with a train to Voss, then a public bus at Gudvangen. At Gudvangen you board a two-hour ferry cruise on the fjords to Flåm. At Flåm, you take the Flåm Railway up to Myrdal, where you then board the train back to Bergen. The trip generally takes around 10 hours.

    The Bergen – Oslo trip is similar, except at Myrdal instead of taking the train back to Bergen you take it to Oslo. If you’re doing the trip from Oslo to Bergen, you get off at Myrdal, take the train down to Flåm, the ferry to Gudvangen, the bus to Voss, and then the train to Bergen. The journey takes a little over 12 hours.

    There is no right direction or way to do Norway in a Nutshell. You see the same things. The only suggestion I have is that the Bergen – Oslo trip is very long, and I’d recommend breaking it up with a night in Flåm.

    Doing it Yourself

    Doing it yourself simply means booking all the tickets individually. You do the exact same thing as the Norway in a Nutshell people; you ride the same public transport at the same time, and the Norway in a Nutshell people do not get priority or anything like that.

    The only difference between the two is the convenience of booking all the tickets and working out the itinerary.

    You do have to book well in advance. In the summer season, parts of the trip may be sold out – especially the Flåm Railway.

    How it works

    Boarding the train

    If the train is leaving Flåm, you can typically start boarding the train 10-15 minutes before departure. If you are taking the train from Myrdal, sometimes you only have minutes.

    Your ticket will either be free seating or assigned seating. Pay close attention to this – if you have free seating, make sure you don’t sit in someone else’s seat. They don’t put stickers on the actual seats that are reserved, so it can be tricky to work out. To know what’s a reserved seat, there’s an A4-sized sticker on the door you enter through. It says which seats are taken by groups. Pay attention to it, because if you sit where a group is supposed to sit, the trip leader will tell you to move. I’ve had to do it so many times!

    From experience, the individual travellers sit towards the front of the train and the groups sit towards the back.

    Information on board

    Television screens are in each carriage providing images and general information about the train. The languages depend on who is in the carriage, and that’s another reason to make sure you sit in the right spot. For example, if you somehow end up in a seat reserved for a Chinese group, you will get all the information in Mandarin.

    In the general seating area they have the information in German, Norwegian and English. There are speakers that announce the information, but they can be very quiet.

    If you look up and down the carriage, there are cardboard boxes with maps you can take for free – you can also get them from the information centre in Flåm. It’s not always guaranteed that the maps will be onboard, so it’s best to get one beforehand.

    The noise on the tunnels

    There are some small windows on the train that can be opened (though half the time I find them stuck!), and it’s great if you want to take photos, but bad if you don’t like the screeching of the train. And who doesn’t? The sound can be pretty unbearable.

    You also need to be very quick with the photo taking. A good portion of the journey takes place in tunnels – after all, there are 20 of them on a 55 minute trip. The television screen will announce a point of interest, what side it’s on, and then you have seconds to get the photo!

    Highlights on the train

     

    Flåm Church

    After leaving the station in Flåm, you make your way through the valley and pass the original Flåm village. You will see farms with sheep and goats as well as the Flåm Church, which was built in the mid-17th century. If you are staying in Flåm, it’s easy to walk here – it takes around 40 minutes from the town centre.

     

    The river that runs through the Flåm Valley. The red building to the right is the school.

    You will be alongside the river for the first part of the journey. This was a famous salmon river, and you can still see all the platforms the fishermen built for optimal salmon fishing (again, you can walk back here on your own – they have signboards along the river with historical photos and information). The Flåm Railway crosses the river three times. Instead of building bridges for the train, the engineers opted to run the river through tunnels under the railway line.

    At Berekvam station your train may stop and wait for the train coming in the other direction to pass. This is a great time to open a window and take a photo of your train against the landscape – you can also get a good photo of the train coming in the other direction.

    Along the trip, you see traces in the mountainside left by avalanches and rockfalls that show the forces of nature. The landscape shows boulders that have been pushed down by glaciers, as well as rocks that have broken away from the mountainside. You can also see green pastures and historic traces of rock fences and cabins.

    A popular photo opportunity is the hairpin road that the railway workers used. The old transport route has 21 hairpin turns. it’s also a great viewpoint to see how the Flåm valley is a classic U-shaped valley formed by glaciers, ending at the steep mountain where Myrdal is. This photo opportunity allows you to see the tunnels in the mountainside, the hairpin road, and then Myrdal station at the top. But you have to be quick – it’s only visible for around 20 seconds.

    Some tunnels are open so you can see out the side. You’ll be able to see the tunnels where the train turns 180 degrees in the mountainside. It’s very impressive.

    Towards Myrdal you pass Vatnahalsen Station – a popular stop for many people. It is a unique hotel with old cabin-style rooms and a cosy setting. It’s popular for those who want to take part in outdoor activities because that’s practically all there is to do there!

    Kjosfossen has a drop of 225m (738 ft) and is being fed by the Reinunga Lake (Reinungavatnet), which you can see if you spend time at Vatnahalsen. In the winter, the waterfall freezes. It is strongest in spring and early summer when the snow is melting.

    The train makes a brief stop at Kjosfossen waterfall and you have a chance to leave and take photos. The best way to handle this is to be ready ahead of time – this can be tricky if you haven’t done it before, but use the map they have on the train. They also announce that the train will be stopping soon.

     

    Kjosfossen platform in winter

     

    Kjosfossen frozen in the winter

    It’s often a mad rush to the waterfall, so that’s why it’s good to be one of the first. Position yourself where you can see the ruined stone cabin – in the summer months they have a short performance there with a Huldra and you don’t want to miss it – many of the famous photos of Flåm are of the Huldra dancing with the waterfall.

    Once the performance is over, I recommend heading straight back to the train. When they blow the whistle, it’s time to go. Just as everyone rushed off the train, everyone is going to rush back on. Again, it’s good to be first

    Practical information

    Is there Wifi on board?

    There is no WiFi; for most of the trip you don’t even get a mobile signal.

    Can I buy food on board?

    No – there are no options for food. Buy some at Flåm or Myrdal before boarding.

    Are there toilets?

    Yes, but I would recommend going in Flåm or Myrdal instead of onboard. The toilets can be quite far from where you are setting and they sometimes may even be locked. Considering how short and scenic the train ride is, you don’t want to waste time pushing through crowds to find a toilet.

    Are some seats backwards facing?

    Yes. If the train is fully booked and you get a backwards facing seat, there’s little to do about it. If you notice spare seats after leaving, you can move – the staff don’t really mind.

    Is it accessible?

    To get on the train, the stairs are very narrow and steep, with a bit of a jump between the last stair and the ground.

    Can I store luggage on board?

    Many people staying overnight in Flåm (which I highly recommend) will bring luggage on the train. This is a slight nightmare, especially in summer when you’re not only pushing through crowds but fighting for very limited luggage space onboard. You have to get luggage in and out of the train as well, which is also a problem.

    I recommend using Porter Service. It picks up your luggage at your hotel (in Bergen or Oslo) and then delivers it to your next hotel after Flåm (Bergen or Oslo). The luggage is left in the hotel’s luggage room for you to collect. The service is excellent and takes out a lot of the stress of moving your own luggage. Simply pack an overnight bag for Flåm and you don’t have to deal with the hassle of suitcases.

    Can I get off at stations along the way?

    Yes, but this has to be requested beforehand. The train doesn’t stop at every platform unless it knows someone wants to get off there. This is usually done when you book your ticket.

    Which side is best?

    Well both sides are best, but there are better sides at certain points on the trip. If you are riding the train from Flåm to Myrdal, the best views are on the right for the first third of the trip. For the middle third, the best views are on the left. Then it switches back to the right for the last third.

    Which side is best?

    I hope this overview of the Flåm Railway was useful! If you have any questions please leave them in the comments.

    Flåm Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide