Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
fjords, ice-blue glaciers, deep-
green forests, fertile valleys, and
rich pastures. The glowing red
midnight sun and the northern
lights have fired the imaginations
of artists and craftspeople for cen-
turies (see below).
Experiencing “Norway in a Nut-
shell”: One of Europe's great train
rides, this 12-hour excursion is
Norway's most exciting. The route
encompasses two arms of the
Sognefjord, and the section from
Myrdal to Flåm—a drop of 600m
(2,000 ft.)—takes you past seem-
ingly endless waterfalls. Tours
leave from the Bergen train sta-
tion. If you have limited time but
want to see the country's most
dramatic scenery, take this spec-
tacular train trip. See “Flåm:
Stopover on Europe's Most Scenic
Train Ride” in chapter 11.
Visiting the North Cape: For
many, a trip to one of the north-
ernmost inhabited areas of the
world will be the journey of a life-
time. Accessible by ship, car, or
air, the North Cape fascinates
travelers in a way that outweighs
its bleakness. Ship tours started in
1879 and, except in wartime, have
gone to the Cape ever since. Ham-
merfest, the world's northernmost
town of significant size, is an
important port of call for North
Cape steamers. See p. 432.
Exploring the Fjord Country:
Stunningly serene and majestic,
Norway's fjords are some of the
world's most awe-inspiring sights.
The fjords are reason enough for a
trip to Norway. Bergen can be
your gateway; two of the country's
most famous fjords, the Hardan-
gerfjord and the Sognefjord, can
easily be explored from here. If
you have time for only one, our
vote goes to the Sognefjord for its
sheer, lofty walls rising to more
than 1,000m (3,280 ft.) along its
towering cliffs. Sheer cliff faces
and cascading waterfalls create a
kind of fantasy landscape. As Nor-
way's longest fjord, the Sognefjord
can be crossed by express steamer
to Gudvangen. You can go on
your own or take an organized
tour, which will probably include
the dramatic Folgefonn Glacier.
See chapter 11.
Seeing the Midnight Sun at the
Arctic Circle: This is one of the
major reasons visitors go to Nor-
way. The Arctic Circle marks the
boundary of the midnight sun of
the Arctic summer and the sunless
winters of the north. The mid-
night sun can be seen from the
middle of May until the end of
July. The Arctic Circle cuts across
Norway south of Bodø. Bus
excursions from that city visit the
circle. The adventurous few who
arrive in the winter miss the mid-
night sun, but are treated to a
spectacular display of the aurora
borealis, the flaming spectacle of
the Arctic winter sky. In ancient
times, when the aurora could be
seen farther south, people thought
it was an omen of disaster. See
chapter 14.
2 The Best Scenic Towns & Villages
Fredrikstad: Founded in 1567 at
the mouth of the River Glomma,
Fredrikstad preserved its Old
Town, which had become a
fortress by 1667. Today Fredrik-
stad (97km/60 miles south of
Oslo) offers a glimpse of what a
Norwegian town looked like sev-
eral hundred years ago. The old
buildings in the historic district
have been converted into studios
for craftspeople and artisans,
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