After years of thinking about it, this august, torn between the need for sunshine and vitamin D and the desperate longing for the view of cute cottages in dramatic northern landscapes, the latter won and my other half and I finally left for this much awaited trip: Norway in twelve days
Arriving in Bergen at lunchtime it is wet and a little dark, but, as we make our way into the city, accompanied by our cabbie’s pointing and recommending, we soon start to see the charm of this small but perfectly formed city.
After setting base in a lovely apartment in the north side of the Bergen fjord, we proceed downhill, back to the Sentrum for a spot of lunch.
Having heard about the fish market, we head to the row of tents by the harbour where we are met by the most ethnically diverse workforce who knowledgeably help us choose various yum and somewhat scary bits. Check out the jumbo sea urchin in the photo, but they also have whale, giant prawns, monster crabs… be ready to be amazed.
Feeling unlucky that it should be raining on our arrival, we start wondering the streets and find the place to be every bit as quaint as we had anticipated. Immediately spotting that there seems to be a colour scheme, we set to have this idea reinforced in everything we see.
Warm terracottas, ochre, olive Greens and whites are the hues in which the inhabitants of this cute corner of the world choose to paint the outside of their houses. Seriously pretty.
Over the next three days we learn about Bergen’s rich history with it its strong German influence. Particularly informative is a tour of the Brygge museum (plan it for a rainy day - it takes about 90 minutes and is excellent) where you will be told how the city developed over the course of a 1000 years to become one of the trading and fishing colossuses of the Middle Ages.
Catch the cable car to the top of the mountain for unparalleled views of the Bergen fjord and a close encounter with the local goats (make sure to pet them for a dose of cuteness overload).
On day four of our holiday we boarded the Hurtigruten ship to start our five days tour of the fjords from Bergen to Tromsø.
The accommodation is basic but very clean and quite comfortable and, as the boat is small (only 560 passengers), you can comfortably admire the landscape from your own cabin bed.
Onboard we found two restaurants and two bars, a Gym and some deck jacuzzi.
One of the most asked questions on forums is about sea sickness. Well I don’t cope well at sea (what were you doing on a cruise then??? Well, I was itching to see the fjords!) but the sailing is so gentle I was practically the whole time unaware I was not on terra firma.
Particularly stunning is the geraingherfjord, with steep mountains, waterfalls and water so clear you could drink it. On our way to our stop we were kindly Alerted by the captain about the imminent meeting with some special sailors. In fact we met King Harold who was coming back aboard the royal yacht from the site of his daughter’s wedding to…. The Norwegians on board waved enthusiastically and some waved little flags.
During the six days the boat makes several stops (it is the post boat after all!), so there is time to get off and visit the main towns, amongst which, Trondheim, Bodo and some of the Lofoten islands. All truly quaint and characteristic.
Entering the Arctic Circle is momentous and yet, as we expected the weather to take a turn for the worse, the further north we went, the nicer it became. Beautiful sunshine could finally be enjoyed on deck - yey!
The general vibe on the boat is extremely quiet and pleasant with only one weekend night providing live entertainment of stunning folk song sung by a lady on the piano.
Navigating through a narrow bit of water on a night so clear you can see the smallest details on the shore outside was truly special.
I was actually surprised that, come the last day, I felt sorry to be leaving the boat, where I felt both confined and cocooned, but Tromsø was sunny and welcomed us with a lunch of a delicious half kilo of shrimps, which we leisurely enjoyed on the shore whilst watching the gentle passing of fishermen’s boats.
On the night we saw a glimpse of the famous, and elusive at best, northern lights. Being September, I did not hold much hope of catching any so I was chuffed with that.
By day eight of the holiday we were starting to understand that what makes Norway special is the mix of pace of life, great architecture, calm waters and kind people. There is a sense of expectancy that pervades everything that is difficult to describe. It takes a minute to adjust to when coming from hectic London but when you do it just feels “ahhhh”.
During the time I spent exploring the Fjords I was totally charmed by the lovely aesthetics of the wooden cottages that are scattered everywhere especially in the Lofoten islands.
As well as bringing on new fabrics for my collection of energy saving draught excluders, my trip inspired a new line of cute sink skirts. We make them to measure and they are perfect for covering mess or to add a touch of scandi bistro vibe to your interiors.
After one night in Tromsø we head to the airport to catch the plane to Oslo.
By now basking in the Norwegian sunshine (proverbial isn’t it? :) we start exploring this most surprising city.
Our accommodation is located on the top floor of one of the tall buildings in the barcode district which gives us a fabulous vantage point to admire the whole fjord from the conform of our roof top terrace.
Oslo is a gorgeous, thriving city, modern and historical at the same time.
Noteworthy and absolutely deserving of a visit are the castle and the town hall building, but personally I was bewitched by the latest developments appeared on the shores following the construction of the stunning opera house.
Fast becoming one of the leading houses in Europe, and in no doubt helped by its iconic status within this northern capital, it hosts both avanguardia and traditional productions.
make sure to pop in to view the sinuously harmonic shapes that adorn the stunning interior and grab a bite in the chic restaurant at the back of the foyer.
The two things I found most surprising about Oslo were the abundance of saunas scattered throughout on the fjord banks (most of them open late into the evening) and the work/life balance I saw everywhere.
Having started work at around 8am, people tend to leave the office between 3 and 4pm. Some marching towards the ferry to commute to other sides of the fjord, others riding the bike or just briskly walking (the city is not huge and this is easy).
Lunch is at around 11 and it cannot be taken at the desk.
As the sunny weather allowed it, during our stay, from the Airbnb, I saw people eating lunch on the gorgeously green, curated terraces, all together at large tables.
You can tell that this city is changing quickly, but it is doing it coherently, blending immaculately beautiful modern architecture with history and more traditional buildings and customs.
My impression is that in this metamorphosis it is hugely helped by it its natural setting on the water and the clever use of green as these serve as a common element that brings harmony over elements that are essentially different.
Before visiting, I used to think that going to Norway would be a once in a lifetime thing, but I am already thinking about what I will explore wen I next go there...
I think it will have to be in June for a better chance to catch the famed Aurora Borealis.
I absolutely loved Norway, so I cannot wait!
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