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The beginning of a great love story. Discovering Norway through the fjord region is bound to be a good idea, and a sure-fire way to come back later. Sorry to spoil the surprise, but you never stop on a trip to Norway 😀
The fjord region is very large and rather difficult to define. You could say it stretches from Bergen to Alesund, including the main fjords like Geiranger, Sognefjord, Naeroyfjord or Storfjord. But there are also superb places like the famous Trollstigen road, the sublime Sognefjell road and a plethora of Viking churches.
And if you push a little further, you can reach Stavanger and the famous Trolltunga and Preikestolen, or Trondheim to the north.
In short, in this article I’m going to introduce you to these different places, trying to give you lots of advice, my favorites, some recommendations for accommodation, practical information like buses, timetables…
In short, again, everything you need to have a great stay without any unpleasant surprises! We’re off!
Must-see places in the fjord region
It’s hard to put a limit on Norway’s fjord region. There are a few everywhere, really, but it’s fair to say that the main, most beautiful places are between Bergen and Alesund. There are also some very beautiful things and superb viewpoints a little further south towards Stavanger, and you can also push a little towards Trondheim (but that’s a long way). So I’ll be concentrating mainly between these two towns. And that’s already a lot to see!
Bergen
Norway’s most beautiful city? probably! The most touristy? Chances are! Bergen is a truly magnificent city, both architecturally and historically.
Of course, there’s the famous Bryggen district, with its historic docks testifying to its Hanseatic past. Bergen is an excellent starting and/or finishing point for enjoying the fjords. Because it’s only 2 hours away, it’s a really pleasant place to spend a few days.
Most beautiful places to see in Bergen
- Bryggen docks
- Wooden districts like Nordnes Peninsula or Nostet
- Floyen viewpoint
- Fantoft Stavkirke
Recommended activities in Bergen:
- 2h guided tour with a local
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- in the following article, I tell you many possibilities to discover the fjords from Bergen by boat.3-hour cruise in the fjords
- You have the possibility to discover Flam train + Naeroyfjord by boat in a single day
Recommended accommodation in Bergen :
- SCANDIG TORGET in the city center
- RADISSON BLU, in an historic house in Bryggen
- HANSEATISK HOTEL, in 16th century house
- CITYBOX Danmarksplass, great value for €75 a night
- View all accommodations in Bergen
Alesund
Alesund, my favorite town in Norway. It’s beautiful, of course, different architecture. Destroyed by fire in the early 20th century, it was rebuilt in a unique Norwegian art nouveau style. And it’s incredibly charming! On top of that, it’s made up of several small islands in an archipelago, and there are several vantage points around it that give a crazy view of the city, especially at sunset.
Alesund is a must for the Trollstigen in particular, but also a good place to watch puffins on the island of Runde.
The town can be quickly circumnavigated, but it’s very pleasant and quiet, so it’s a good place to take a break after the fjord route
Most beautiful places to see :
- Fjellstua viewpoint
- Art Nouveau district
- Enjoy the seashore
Recommended activities in Alesund :
- Discover beautiful Alesund with a Guided Walk
- Discover some incredible landscapes with this Guided tour to the fjords and the Trollstigen
- See puffins on Runde Island
- An incredible day cruise to discover Geiranger
Recommended accommodation in Alesund:
- Hotel BROSUNDET, Art Nouveau architecture on the waterfront!
- HOTEL 1904, Art Nouveau architecture
- The quality of service at SCANDIC PARKEN
- See all accommodation in Alesund
Geiranger
It’s so beautiful! Of course it’s a classic, and much is said about it, but rightly so. Geiranger is one of Norway’s most impressive and majestic fjords. I’ll be writing about it in a separate article, but there are several ways to discover it.
First of all, of course, by ferry. The boat trip to Geiranger is fantastic. Put your car in the ferry, and hop on the bridge to enjoy the ride. There are 2 routes. First a quick one from Hellesylt, then a longer one (which I highly recommend) from Valldal. 3 hours of sheer bliss.
Afterwards, in Geiranger, we’ll find several amazing viewpoints over the fjord. I’d recommend 2 in particular: Dalsnibba and Ørnesvingen. You can spend a few days in the area and explore the surrounding countryside, as the parks and glaciers are very close by, and there are some superb hiking trails.
Most beautiful places to see around Geiranger :
- Dalsnibba viewpoint, incredible
- Vesteråsfjellet viewpoint
- Ørnesvingen viewpoint
- View from Solhaug camping
Recommended activities in Geiranger :
- A beautiful cruise in the Geirangerfjord by RIB boat
- Visit Geiranger’s surroundings (fjord, Dalsnibba…) by bus
- A touristic cruise in Geirangerfjord with audioguide
- The Geirangerfjord cruise from Hellesylt
- What about kayaking in Geirangerfjord!
Suggested accommodation in Geiranger :
- GRANDE FJORD HOTEL, incredible view over the fjord
- Hotel HUTSIKEN a breathtaking global view of the fjord
- Hotel Union GEIRANGER luxury, waterfall, fjord, what else?
The Trollstigen route
The Trollstigen, or Troll Road, is probably the country’s most famous road. A magnificent road zigzagging between mountains to reach an insane viewpoint over the same valley, it’s an absolute must, but not in all seasons. In fact, it’s not open all year round because of the snow. It will be closed from mid-November to mid-May (on average). Like any self-respecting tourist spot, in addition to the platform and its view, you’ll find a store and a restaurant. And it’s also possible to hike/walk from here, as the Mannen Hiking Trail is nearby.
Careful, due to several rock falls and avalanches, the zig zag part of the trollstigen is closed (from Andalsnes). But you can access the main viewpoint by the road from the south (from Valldal)
The Sognefjell route
Sognefjell is nicknamed the roof of Norway. In fact, it’s the highest road in the country, but it’s also one of the most impressive. It’s one of the country’s scenic roads. And that’s easy to understand.
Imagine that it passes between two of the country’s largest national parks: Jotunheimen and Jostedalsbreen. You’ll be surrounded by mountains and glacial lakes. This road is truly magnificent. And above all, don’t do it all at once, stop for a stroll! That was my biggest regret, doing it too fast as I was trying to catch a ferry.
But you would need a full day to discover this road, take a lot of photos, hike a bit by beautiful lakes.
The road (n°55) goes from Fossbergom to Skjolden and you’ll also see glaciers not far
The village of Fjaerland
A haven of peace, quite simply. Fjaerland is a tiny (Nordic) fairytale village. Lost in a fjord, pretty typical houses, not too many people, absolute peace and quiet and magnificent light when the weather’s fine.
But that’s not all! Just to the north, you’ll find the Glacier Museum, because… there are several glaciers nearby, accessible by car and then on foot. Flatbreen, Supphellebreen and Bøyabreen are just a few minutes away. The melting ice has passed through here, but it’s still very nice!
It’s really a good place to stay for at least one night, and on second thought, several to radiate around.
Recommended activities in Fjaerland :
- Glaciers, of course
- Glacier museum
Recommended accommodation in Fjaerland :
- FJORDSTOVE Hotell a magnificent hotel on the water’s edge
The superb Naeroyfjord
This is my favorite fjord in the region. Because it’s so narrow (250m wide for 17km long), the cliffs are so high, a little oppressive but not too much, super impressive. For me, it’s best visited by ferry, between Kaupanger and Gudvangen, or by boat from Gudvangen to Flam. It’s only a few km from Flam, so it fits in perfectly with this visit.
It can also be visited on its western side, by car to Bakka and then on foot via several hiking trails.
There are many possibilities to discover the fjord and the area, let’s see them below
Recommended ways to discover the Naeroyfjord :
- Take the boat from Gudvangen to Flam
- A full day from Bergen : Naeroyfjord, Aurlandsfjord and Flam Train
- Another full day from Bergen : Naeroyfjord, Aurlandsfjord and Stegastein viewpoint
Recommended accommodation near Naeroyfjord:
- FJORDTELL ideally located in Gudvangen
- FLAM MARINA marvelous, by the water
- FLAMSBRYGGA superb hotel, not that expensive
Flam and his little train
It’s a classic and a must-see. Okay, it’s touristy, but Flam promises a superb experience. The village is ideally situated in an impressive valley. Okay, the cruise ships spoil the show a bit. But you’ll have to make the journey by train, a panoramic train through a magnificent valley to reach Myrdal and its mountains. You’ll come across one hell of a waterfall, and some crazy views.
The route is regularly ranked as one of the most beautiful train lines in the world. Okay, it’s a bit pricey, minimum €35 one way. But since you don’t do it every day, I think it’s worth it.
Oh, and don’t forget to visit the Stegastein, which offers a superb view over the whole fjord.
In the following article, I’ll tell you how to get from Bergen to Flam easily.
Recommended activities in Flam:
- New: discover the Bergen – Flam boat trip!
- Book your train ticket Flam-Myrdal
- A full day from Bergen : Naeroyfjord, Aurlandsfjord and Flam Train
Recommended accommodation near Flam:
- The FLAM Hotel , attractive and well located
- VANGSGAARDEN Gjestgiveri in Aurland
4 beautiful accommodations in the Fjords of Norway
The Viking churches of Borgund and others
So, Viking churches are a real Norwegian speciality, and you’re in luck, because you can find them all over the region.
These churches are made of very dark wood, with a very distinctive smell. Although many of them have burned down, some remain from the period, notably the ultra-impressive and photogenic Borgund church. And just as well, because it’s not far from Flam.
There’s also the one in Urnes, a little further up the road, and many more. I’ve included the map and all the churches you can visit in THIS ARTICLE.
The Snovegen road
The Snovegen was a pleasant surprise! A magnificent alternative to the immense (and slightly lengthy) Laerdal tunnel.
Otherwise known as the Aurlandsfjellet, this is one of Norway’s scenic roads, i.e. one of the 18 scenic routes (which can be discovered here). You’ll pass over a magnificent plateau (normally snow-covered), come across sheep, lakes or both.
The only thing I remember about it is that in places the road isn’t super super wide, so it can be a bit ouhlala with a camper van 😀
Jotunheimen and Jostedalsbreen national parks
I mentioned somewhere in the article that I had crossed this region too quickly for my liking. And it’s mainly because I didn’t have time to enjoy these two fantastic national parks. Between mountains and glaciers, there’s some of the country’s most beautiful scenery and hiking.
So I really think it’s worth stopping off, taking a few days here, and doing the glaciers on the way to Nigardsbreen, Loen and Skei, for example.
Around Stavanger: Lysefjord, Preikestolen, Trolltunga
Further south, towards Stavanger, we’ll find other iconic Norwegian spots. I should point out that I’ve never visited them (yet!), just seen them in photos many times, and I think they’re worth seeing if you’re passing through southern Norway, further south of Bergen.
- Preikestolen: a huge cliff overlooking the Lysefjord. It’s reached by an 8km round-trip hike with a 500m ascent, so it’s not the easiest, but it’s moderately difficult. The view is amazing. Check out this video presentation
- Trolltunga: the language of the troll. Rarely has a tourist site lived up to its name so well. A stone tongue overlooking a fjord – now that’s a real curiosity! But it has to be earned. A hike of over 20km, 1000m of ascent, it’s going to sting the calves!
- Discover the beautiful Lysefjord with a scenic day cruise!
Example of an itinerary in the fjords region
Below is an example of a route between Bergen and Alesund. I haven’t necessarily included the Stavanger region I’ve just mentioned, as that would add 3-4 days to the region. So you’ll find here all the points of interest mentioned above.
As you can see, they follow each other pretty easily, so doing this itinerary is pretty straightforward. I’m also including two ferries (Gudvangen-Kaupanger and Valldal-Geiranger). This route is done by car, but you should be able to do some things by bus, as we’ll see later. The classic itinerary is to make a loop from Bergen to Alesund and back down again:
- Bergen: well worth a few days, between Bryggen and the small wooden districts(to be discovered here)
- Flam: its fjord, its spectacular train (and why not take a ride on the Aurlandsfjord)
- The Borgund Viking church, a must-see!
- Return via the Snovegen (and avoid the world’s longest tunnel)
- Take the Naeroyfjord ferry from Gudvangen to Kaupanger
- Head to Fjaerland, enjoy the peace and quiet and discover the nearby glaciers
- See the Viking church at Urnes (caution: accessible by boat, which stops early!)
- See the glaciers of Jostedalsbreen on the Gaupne road
- Take the fantastic Sognefjell road
- See the Viking church of Lom, and a busy little town
- Off to Geiranger, to see the fjord of course, and all the viewpoints nearby, such as Dalsnibba. Well worth a visit!
- Take the ferry from Geiranger to the majestic Valldal.
- Around Valldal, the best strawberries and raspberries you’ll ever eat. They really are.
- Take the Trollstigen to Andalsnes, passing through Trollveggen if you have time.
- On to Alesund, a magnificent little town with atypical architecture. Well worth a visit, and why not see the puffins nearby?
- There are plenty of ways to get back! Why not drive down the coast, or route 39, to Innvikfjorden, go north from Jostedalsbreen to Loen to see the glaciers, drive to Hyen (or Skei if you didn’t go there on the outward journey), take the road to Dragsvik and take the ferry to Vangsnes and then route 13. Fewer famous spots, but still superb. Or you could really go down the coast – I haven’t done it, but it promises to be great!
Visit Norway’s fjord region without a car
Visit the fjords by bus
So it’s not necessarily the easiest, but if you have time, you can take the bus to reach all these places. There’s a great planner for local buses and ferries called Entur.no. Really efficient. I’ve checked that all the places listed are there and, unless I’m mistaken, they are.
But the issue is that there is not a lot of bus per day. In general one for the small places.
A few examples :
- Bergen – Gudvangen : 2h30 by train and/or bus (line 420 or 162)
- Bergen – Stavanger : 4h20 with line 400
- Flam – Ingafossen : 1h30 with line 800
- Ingafossen – Fjaerland : 50min with line 803
Take day trips
You can also travel around a city, without having to move every evening. If you don’t have a car, one of the best solutions is to take a day trip. In other words, you can make a return trip from Alesund to Geiranger via the Trollstigen (for example, here) or a tour of Flam and the Naeroyfjord from Bergen(find out more here). It’s a solution I like to use in certain countries, so I can go out every other day and enjoy the city on the other.
If you see the best from the fjord region with day trips, here is what I would advice you :
- From Bergen : day trip to Naeroyfjord and Flam and a day cruise to Fjaerland
- From Stavanger : a day cruise in the Lysefjord
- From Geiranger : a day with minibus in the most beautiful places around
- From Alesund : a day to Trollstigen and a round trip to Geiranger by boat
Practical information about the Norwegian fjords
How long does it take to visit the fjord region?
Well, I did Bergen-Alesund via the fjords in 5 days. I have to tell you, that’s a really short time. You don’t really have time to enjoy it, to take a few walks. So yes, you’ll see a lot, but at a hell of a pace, especially if you have to take the ferries.
So I’d recommend a minimum of a week, 10 days is really not bad. 2 weeks you can really enjoy it, get away from the traditional circuit a bit, do a few hikes.
I do recommend 2 weeks to enjoy the fjords region
Visit Norway’s fjords by car
This is probably the most practical way to visit the Norwegian fjords. Quite simply because it’s the most flexible, allowing you to go where the buses don’t, to take photo breaks wherever you like.
Some roads in this region are only open for 4/6 months a year, depending on snow conditions. Like the Snovegen, the Sognefjell, the Trollstigen. This is something to bear in mind when planning your itinerary.
Car hire is generally not too expensive in Norway. Starting at €30, usually €40 a day, but if you book late, it can quickly go up. Above all, petrol has jumped from €1.7 to €2.3 in recent months, so this is a factor to be taken into account in the budget. As for car hire, I can’t recommend anyone in particular. My advice is to compare, absolutely. Look at a comparison site, then look at the agency.
Pay attention to conditions such as whether or not the km is unlimited (the latest trend is to reduce to 100km per day). If you can, I’d advise you to take a hybrid, as they consume quite a lot of fuel on these roads! In terms of comparators, I use Rental Cars and Discover Cars. Yes, I compare comparators 😀
Visit Norway’s fjords in a camper van
Now that’s something. In Norway, you can park your camper anywhere you like, as long as you don’t indicate otherwise. It’s the right to nature. What’s more, there are plenty of campsites all over the country. Mind you, most of them are closed in winter. Here’s a list of campsites, both free and paying, with lots of information.
After that, there are two possibilities. If you’re short on time, you can rent a camper van (or a campervan, which is a bit smaller and usually doesn’t have a bathroom). But it’s not cheap. A camper starts at €100 a day. A camping car is more like 200€, but it’s not at all the same comfort. It’s expensive, especially in high season.
Be careful if you don’t return it to the same place – it really costs the earth. To be honest, I can’t recommend any particular agency. However, the vehicles I come across up there are mostly Arctic Campers, and having “visited” one, it’s not bad at all, it’s similar to what I have in Iceland and it suits me! Be careful about insurance, mileage, heating in winter, that sort of thing.
The other option is to come with your own vehicle, and I’m seeing more and more of them. I’m going to devote an article to this, but you need to have the time, because coming to the fjords from Paris (for example) means a few days’ drive and a ferry to Denmark or the Netherlands. But clearly, it’s worth it if you have the time.
I see people coming for a month or more. For that, you’ll just have to go through the Autopass procedure, which automatically pays for ferries and tunnels
Map of closed roads
So one of the funny things about Norway is that roads are likely to be closed all the time. Some roads are unsurprisingly closed for 6 months of the year due to snow, others will be temporarily closed due to avalanches.
Before hitting the road, it’s a good idea to check out this site, which shows road conditions in real time. It’s in Norwegian, but it’s easy to see what’s closed in each region (no-entry/work signs). In the following article, I’ll explain in much greater detail how to find out about road closures in Norway.
And here are the estimated dates for road openings and closures:
What’s the best season
Oh, that’s easy. To really enjoy the region, you need most of the roads to be open, i.e. from mid-May to the end of October.You can visit the fjords all year round, but… You can go to Bergen, Alesund, Geiranger, Flam all year round. Some trips won’t be possible in low season (Sognefjell, Snovegen, Trollstigen…), but you should also be aware that the weather can be really rotten in November/December/January around here. So I’d recommend ..:
- mid-April to the end of May: more snow, some roads will not be open due to snow cover, not especially touristy
- early June to late August: the best period, it’s light all the time, but it’s especially touristy in July and August.
- September to early October: no snow (normally), not touristy, days are still long enough to enjoy them.
Last but not least, the fjords are one of the best places to visit in Norway during the summer!
What’s the weather like and what to wear?
In the fjord region, if you’re going “at the right time of year”, you’ll need to plan for :
- wind
- rain
- between 5 and 20° rarely more, rarely less
That helps a lot, doesn’t it? So you’ll need to plan your clothing accordingly. And it doesn’t help with the suitcase, I know. But a windbreaker, like a kway, will be your best friend 😀
If you go there during winter, you’ll have a lot of snow. Bergen is very wet all year long.
Which airports are accessible?
It’s pretty easy, the two classic departure points are Bergen and Alesund. Oslo isn’t that far, but you can’t do the fjords in a day from Oslo (well, almost, there’s a one-day tour here).
So from Oslo you need to take the train to Bergen, or the car, as the first fjords are only a few hours away. Alternatively, you can start from Stavanger, further south, but with beautiful things like Lysefjord, Prekeistolen, Trolltunga, or from Trondheim further north and the beautiful road to Alesund.
All these cities have airports and are easily accessible from France and major European cities, including Bergen, which can be reached by direct flight with Air France
What’s the budget for visiting the fjords?
Very concretely, it’s expensive. It goes up in high season, especially accommodation prices can double nicely. Over €100 a night easily. Ferries aren’t cheap, but after that, if you don’t do too many excursions, nature is free! Supermarkets are more expensive than in Paris, but prices are relatively reasonable. Restaurants, on the other hand, are much more expensive. Wine and beer are likely to scare you off. Car hire starts at 40€, but petrol is expensive. So basically, for 10 days, let’s go with this:
- 200€ airfare per person (on average, it can go down to 80 or up to 300)
- 40€/d for car
- 20€/d for petrol
- 150€/day accommodation
I’m not including food and ferries/tunnels because it really depends on each person. But that puts our total for 10 days at €2,000
By the way, as i’m talking about it, in the next article I tell you everything for Autopass in Norway (to pay toll and ferries)
Where to stay in the fjords
It’s hard to do the fjords from just one place. You can see part of it from Bergen, part from Alesund, part from Stavanger, for example.
The ideal is to have several points of call, and the region is perfect for a roadtrip. So for my part, I recommend staying at least in 4 places :
- Bergen
- for example Hanseatiske Hotel
- Flam
- for example Flam Marina
- Fjaerland
- the beautiful Fjaerland Fjordstove Hotell
- Geiranger
- what about the Grande Fjord Hotel and its view
- Alesund
- The beautiful Hotel Brosundet
But there really are so many possibilities. From a small cottage by the lake to a hotel overlooking the fjord. You can change accommodation every night if you’re doing a roadtrip.
But to avoid driving too much every day, don’t stay too long in each place (otherwise you’ll have to drive 300/400km per day)
Conclusion
And there you have it, you know just about everything about the fjord region!
In practical terms, it’s hard to do a complete tour of the region, because it’s so big. You can be “content” with the Bergen region, going as far as Flam, for example, in a few days, or do a huge tour from Stavanger to Trondheim.
But I’d say that the most important part, even if it’s rather reductive, is between Bergen and Alesund. And we’ve seen that it’s not just about fjords, but also about Viking churches, architecture, sporting activities and dozens of hikes.
In short, you’ll be amazed and, what’s worse, you’ll come back, I guarantee it. But take your time! This will be my last advice! First time I could not enjoy enough because of the lack of time.
