Norway’s Fjords and Railways

You meet your Tour Manager and fellow travellers at London Heathrow for a direct flight to Norway. Arriving at Oslo airport, you transfer by train to the centre of this fascinating capital. Your 3-Star hotel is near Oslo Central train station and, after checking in, you have free time to relax before your group enjoys a three-course dinner together at a local restaurant.

This innovative green city is regularly praised for its modern architecture and, with a centre that is becoming increasingly car-free with more large green spaces, it is pioneering a new future for our cities.

• Dinner

After  breakfast this morning you embark on a guided walking tour of the Norwegian capital. The exploration begins at the modern Opera House. The angled surfaces of this auditorium's exterior are covered with marble and white granite to make it appear as if it is rising from the water. People are encouraged to walk on the building's slopes when the weather is appropriate, and those who do are rewarded with some of the best views across Oslofjord. You also view the grand buildings of Oslo's premier street, Karl Johans Gate.

You see the Parliament building and the National Theatre before the road rises up a gentle slope to the Royal Palace. Set within 54 acres of parkland, this grand 19th-century neoclassical palace is the official residence of Norway's monarch. The tour also takes in the Akershus Fortress, an imposing medieval castle topped by two piercing spires that protected the city for much of the last millennium.

With free time in the afternoon, you may be keen to warm to the culture of Norway by taking a short ferry ride over to the Fram Museum, to view a 19th-century ship used for polar exploration. Alternatively, you could admire the famous expressionist painting 'The Scream' at the modernist Edvard Munch Museum.   

The evening is free for you to enjoy dinner at a restaurant of your own choosing.

• Breakfast

You have a full free day to spend discovering Oslo at your own pace. As a historic and cultural city, there are many museums, including the open-air Norsk Folk Museum where you can see a collection of buildings from all across Norway - from medieval times to the modern age. One of the highlights here is the remarkable Gol Stave Church, an impressive wooden structure dating from between 1157 and 1216.

For a serene day, perhaps enjoy a gentle cruise around Oslofjord. Stretching almost into the city centre, this idyllic bay contains narrow sounds and a maze of islands dotted with small summer houses. Another option is to visit the oldest remaining district of Oslo, Kvadraturen. Once the Renaissance town of King Christian IV of Denmark, only a few of the 17th-century buildings remain, the best of which can be seen around Christiana Torv. 

Scandinavian cuisine has become popular across Europe so this evening you might like to sample some new Nordic cuisine, fresh seafood, or maybe you would enjoy a traditional Norwegian dinner at the oldest restaurant in Oslo, the elegant Engebret Café near Christiana Torv.   

• Breakfast

A highlight of your holiday awaits today as your group arrives at Oslo Central station for a jaw-dropping journey through Norway's stunning landscape. The Bergen Railway is the highest in northern Europe and delivers phenomenal views as you travel through the country's untamed scenery.

Nature is the star on this comfortable train ride through Norway's interior, and you may be able to spot some of the country's beautiful wildlife such as arctic foxes, snow owls and even wild reindeer as you relax and enjoy the views from your seats. From Hønefoss, the route heads inland through densely forested areas before reaching the mirror-like water of Krøderfjorden. The line begins its ascent around Flå and the landscape changes dramatically as it passes Gol, where a replica of its medieval stave church now stands.

The summit of the route is the isolated Finse. Such is its remoteness that arctic explorers like Amundsen, Scott and Shackleton spent time training for their expeditions in Finse as it replicated the conditions they expected to find in Antarctica. It was also the filming location for the remote ice planet Hoth that featured at the start of the 1979 Star Wars film, The Empire Strikes Back. In the distance, you might be able to see the majestic and expansive Hardangerjøkulen Glacier. The impressive 6.5-mile Finse tunnel marks the beginning of the descent as the route winds its way to the popular winter resort of Voss and into Bergen, known as the 'capital of the fjords'.

You check in to your central hotel on arrival and have a free evening to relax or head out to sample some of Bergen's famed seafood.

• Breakfast

Your group enjoys a sightseeing tour of this wonderful city today. As Norway's second-largest city, Bergen beautifully combines small-town charm with a metropolitan character and is brimming with history. Founded in the 11th century and formerly the Norwegian capital, Bergen was also Europe's largest 'wooden' city. You get to understand why on a visit to the colourful Bryggen Waterfront. This picturesque wharf of centuries-old wooden buildings was the centre of the old Hanseatic port that played a key role in trade between Norway and the rest of Europe. The evocative colourful buildings and cobbled streets transport the visitor back in time and are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

After the tour, you stop at a restaurant for a three-course lunch of local cuisine, before having a free afternoon to continue exploring at your own pace. You could pay a visit to the Bryggens Museum to view archaeological finds and the world's largest collection of runic inscriptions, or you might like to take a ride on the Fløibanen funicular to enjoy spectacular views across Bergen from the top of Mount Fløyen. With countless scenic islands visible, you can get a great sense of why Bergen is called the 'capital of the fjords'. Another available option is to hop on a boat along the fjords for more incredible views of this gorgeous region.

As a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Bergen has no shortage of excellent restaurants for you to choose from this evening. Many serve up local delights ranging from persetorsk (a traditional fish dish) to reindeer meat.

• Breakfast, Lunch

Today your group enjoys an unforgettable experience as you travel on what is often described as one of the most beautiful railway journeys in the world. The full-day excursion begins as you travel along the Bergen Railway to the remote mountain station of Myrdal. Sheltered by steep slopes, a smattering of colourful buildings dot a shrub-covered valley floor bisected by a winding mountain stream. It is here that you board the nostalgic carriages of the Flåm Railway for a jaw-dropping journey.

The route winds down from a height of 2844 feet above sea level, through verdant valleys and breathtaking scenery, often snow-covered, to the waterside town of Flåm in around an hour. Enroute, the train stops so you can admire the cascading Kjosfossen waterfall as it bounces down the hillside. An amazing display of craggy mountains, raging waterfalls and fast-flowing rivers reveals itself all along the route. As one of the world's steepest standard-gauge railways, the view of Flåm and the Aurlandsfjord unfolds in front of you as you reach your destination. Cradled by mountains, the charming small town of Flåm is incredibly picturesque, and you have some free time here to explore or grab some lunch.

In the afternoon, your group takes to the water on a fjord cruise through Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord. The majesty of these incredible fjords is mind-blowing as you sail through a monumental landscape where pretty villages are dwarfed by nature. Rising sharply from the water's edge, huge peaks and crashing waterfalls line the route to Gudvangen. This wild arm of the wider Sognefjord is utterly spellbinding and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Arriving in the tiny village of Gudvangen, you return to Bergen by coach where you enjoy a three-course dinner at traditional local hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

You say goodbye to beautiful Bergen this morning as your group and Tour Manager transfer to Bergen airport, returning to London Heathrow via Oslo.

On your flight home you can begin to recall the amazing scenery and charming towns you have witnessed on this Norwegian adventure. From stylish Oslo to colourful Bergen and the incredible journeys in between, this rugged Scandinavian country has impressed with its warm welcome and stunning landscapes. At Heathrow, you bid farewell to your fellow travellers and Tour Manager with whom you have shared these unforgettable experiences.

• Breakfast