Polar Cruise Along the Norwegian Coast

Set between fjords and forests, the Norwegian capital is the perfect combination of contemporary architecture and Scandinavian aesthetics. Both peaceful and trendy, its great for art lovers who can explore its many galleries and museums, including the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art and the National Museum. On the Bygdøy peninsula, you’ll find the Fram Museum (dedicated to the eponymous three-masted schooner) and the Viking Ship Museum, which houses the famous ninth century Oseberg Ship. At the Kon-Tiki Museum, meanwhile, you can see the raft of Thor Heyerdahl who reached the Tuamotu archipelago from Peru in 1947.

We’ll also arrange for you to explore Oslo with a local guide, who can take you on a walk through the capital that’s adapted to what you’d most like to see and do. This relaxed tour will be at your own pace, and is a great opportunity to learn more about life in the city from a true local.

Today you’ll leave the capital behind and board the scenic train to Bergen, which takes just under seven hours and travels past rushing rivers, colourful villages and incredible fjords. When you arrive, you’ll spend the night in a historic 1920s hotel not far from the station. After the journey, unwind with a drink in the whiskey bar where great polar explorer Roald Amundsen held his last press conference before disappearing into the ice of the Arctic.

So you can get to know Bergen a little better, you’ll take a short tour of the city with a private guide today. The old Hanseatic port (Bryggen) is a must, and we also recommend a visit to the museum that tells the history of the town, along with the 12th century Mariakirken. As you walk, look out for the work of Dolk, the Norwegian graffiti artist who was inspired by Banksy. If you’re interested in music and beautiful buildings, don’t miss Troldhaugen, the home of Edvard Grieg which houses a museum dedicated to composer Peer Gynt. Finally, take a funicular ride to Mount Fløyen for a beautiful view. As the afternoon draws to a close, you’ll take a transfer to the port and board the ferry for the next stage of your adventure.

Your cruise along this historic Norwegian course really gets underway today. You’ll first make a stopover in Alesund, which was William II’s favourite holiday-spot. It’s to him that this city owes its distinct Jungendstil architectural style: after the great fire of 1904, the emperor sent Germans in to rebuild the city alongside the Norwegian locals.

From mid-April to mid-September, the boat heads into Norway's most famous fjord: the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Geirangerfjord. Here, you’ll notice a sense of calm, and all around you are spectacular cliffs and waterfalls, such as the Seven Sisters (Syv Søstrene) or the Suitor (Friaren). Your cruise continues towards Molde, which for 100 years has been nicknamed The City of Roses, thanks to its many gardens.

Your boat will drop you off in Trondheim today to visit the Lutheran cathedral of Nidaros. Built between the 11th and 14th centuries, it was constructed on the tomb of the Viking king and patron saint Olav, who introduced Christianity to the country. Although it’s been restored several times, the building’s fantastic Romanesque and Gothic façade remains, and makes it one of Scandinavia’s most important religious buildings. We also recommend a visit to the Ringve Museum, Norway’s national music museum. Housed in a 19th century manor house and a slightly older barn, it’s home to a range of international instruments from a Tibetan horn to a 1948 jukebox. The beautiful garden is also worth a visit. When you’ve finished exploring, you’ll head back to the boat which will leave Trondheimsfjord and head towards Rorvik, crossing the polar circle as you sleep.

Your first stop today is Bodo, located just north of the Arctic Circle between mountains and fjords. Its Lutheran Cathedral was built between 1954 and 1956, and is a beautiful piece of modernist architecture. The boat then continues to the breathtaking Lofoten archipelago via the Vestfjord. The boat will stop at Svolvaer, which is on the island of Austvågøya within the archipelago. As soon as you step off the boat, you’ll be completely immersed in both nature and the archipelago’s history. Fishing is the primary activity here, and you can see this all around you in the old wooden houses, fish drying in the wind on poles, and boats entering and leaving the port.

The boat will pass through Harstad today, where you can meet Anna Rogde: the world’s oldest schooner in seaworthy condition, built in 1868. You’ll also stop in Tromso, where you’ll find the magnificent Arctic Cathedral, built by Jan Inge Hovig in 1965, and the Domkirke, the unusual wooden neo-Gothic cathedral. The small church of Skjervoy is also made of wood and dates from 1728.

You’ll cruise into the region of Finnmark today, located in Norway’s far north. At Hammerfest, the magical Hans Magnus church, the fish drying racks and the icy wind should feel familiar by now, though no less impressive. But Hammerfest has something even more special to offer. The Struve Geodetic Arc was the first scientific object to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. This chain of survey triangulations stretches from Hammerfest to the Black Sea through ten countries and across 1752 miles, and was used to accurately define the shape and size of the Earth for the first time. In Hammerfest, the Meridian Column marks the northernmost measure point on the arc. When you’re back on the boat, you’ll continue towards Mageroya and the North Cape, leaving the Norwegian Sea behind to enter the Barents Sea. Around you, the mineral landscape is covered by a rough tundra, making for a truly wild spot.