Luxury Norway fly-drive holiday with 6 nights on the Norangsfjord
This holiday starts with your arrival into Alesund via a connecting flight in Oslo. You then drive to the Norangsfjord where you will spend the next six nights. The Norangsfjord and its surrounding area are teeming with incredible natural phenomena, all of which are easily explored from your base here. Hiking is a popular activity due to the incredible views you are rewarded with en route, and the world-famous Geirangerfjord offers chances to go kayaking and partake in RIB boat safaris. A special attraction not to be missed is the Trollstigen mountain road, a series of hairpin bends surrounded by some of the country’s most spectacular scenery. The nearby city of Alesund provides some more cultural attractions, including fascinating art nouveau-style architecture and the Alesund Museum, which gives an insight into the history of this western port city. Finish your holiday by driving back to Alesund where you will drop your hire car off and fly back to the UK via Oslo.
Highlights
Norangsfjord • Geirangerfjord • Alesund • Trollstigen
Day by day
This holiday starts with your arrival into Alesund by plane, via a short stopover in Oslo. Collect your hire car and drive the two and a half hours’ journey to Norangdal. This route will introduce you immediately to the beauty of Norway’s fjords and islands as you use numerous bridges and two car ferries to get across to the mainland. The final stretch of your journey takes you alongside the incredible Hjørundfjord, giving you views of the water and the surrounding mountains. Arrive in Norangdal and check in to your hotel for the next six nights.
The area around the Norangsfjord is one of the most beautiful in Norway. The Sunnmøre Alps provide some excellent hiking opportunities, the finest of which is arguably the hike up to the Slogen summit. Patchellhytta cabin is a popular starting point for the ascent, or it is possible to start the hike from Øye, a round-trip of 5-6 hours. You will be rewarded with spectacular views of the fjord and the surrounding mountain range. For a hike with a unique aspect we recommend visiting the popular Storsæterfossen waterfall, where the trail passes behind the waterfall itself. The Geirangerfjord is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers an abundance of activities, from more hikes allowing you to take in the views from up high, to kayaking on the calm waters. For a truly breath-taking driving experience en route to the Geirangerfjord the Trollstigen is Norway’s most visited tourist road, consisting of eleven hairpin turns, each with its own name. This mountain pass was traditionally an important transport passage between mountain villages and has been a popular tourist attraction since the road opened in 1939. There is also a restored hiking path if you wish to experience Trollstigen by foot which crosses an impressive natural stone bridge. Slightly closer to home, the Norangsdalen (Queen’s route) is one of the narrowest valleys in Norway and home to Lyngstøylvatnet Lake where you can still see the remains of the old road and foundations of the farmhouses which were destroyed by a rockfall in 1908 beneath the surface of the water. It is possible to hire bikes from the hotel to explore this area and its lakes in more depth. Boat trips are also common on the Hjørundfjord, giving you a different perspective of the fjord and the surrounding Sunnmøre Alps. For a more cultural experience we recommend spending one of your days here visiting the nearby city of Alesund. A port town on Norway’s west coast, Alesund is known for its art nouveau architectural style following a fire in 1904, and you may want to spend some time here taking in the architecture in its downtown district. For a true appreciation of this, Fjellstua is a famous viewpoint over the city which gives the best outlook on the townhouses and the surrounding waters. Alesund Museum provides an insight into the history of the city, from the great fire to the German occupation. It also features many exhibitions on fisheries and boats, an important part of Alesund’s history and culture.
Today you retrace your journey back across the series of islands to Alesund airport. If you have time before your flight you may want to stop off along the way for a photo stop at one of the viewing points along these beautiful stretches of road. Return your hire car and board your flight back to the UK via a short stopover in Oslo.
The itinerary was exactly what we planned for. Travelling around by plane, train, car and ferry was perfectly arranged and all ran smoothly.Mrs A, October 2024
Holiday price guide From £2,620 per person low season, from £3,070 per person high season.
Holiday Code SCFD02
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury Norway fly-drive holiday with 6 nights on the Norangsfjord
This holiday starts with your arrival into Alesund by plane, via a short stopover in Oslo. Collect your hire car and drive the two and a half hours’ journey to Norangdal. This route will introduce you immediately to the beauty of Norway’s fjords and islands as you use numerous bridges and two car ferries to get across to the mainland. The final stretch of your journey takes you alongside the incredible Hjørundfjord, giving you views of the water and the surrounding mountains. Arrive in Norangdal and check in to your hotel for the next six nights.
The area around the Norangsfjord is one of the most beautiful in Norway. The Sunnmøre Alps provide some excellent hiking opportunities, the finest of which is arguably the hike up to the Slogen summit. Patchellhytta cabin is a popular starting point for the ascent, or it is possible to start the hike from Øye, a round-trip of 5-6 hours. You will be rewarded with spectacular views of the fjord and the surrounding mountain range. For a hike with a unique aspect we recommend visiting the popular Storsæterfossen waterfall, where the trail passes behind the waterfall itself. The Geirangerfjord is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and offers an abundance of activities, from more hikes allowing you to take in the views from up high, to kayaking on the calm waters. For a truly breath-taking driving experience en route to the Geirangerfjord the Trollstigen is Norway’s most visited tourist road, consisting of eleven hairpin turns, each with its own name. This mountain pass was traditionally an important transport passage between mountain villages and has been a popular tourist attraction since the road opened in 1939. There is also a restored hiking path if you wish to experience Trollstigen by foot which crosses an impressive natural stone bridge. Slightly closer to home, the Norangsdalen (Queen’s route) is one of the narrowest valleys in Norway and home to Lyngstøylvatnet Lake where you can still see the remains of the old road and foundations of the farmhouses which were destroyed by a rockfall in 1908 beneath the surface of the water. It is possible to hire bikes from the hotel to explore this area and its lakes in more depth. Boat trips are also common on the Hjørundfjord, giving you a different perspective of the fjord and the surrounding Sunnmøre Alps. For a more cultural experience we recommend spending one of your days here visiting the nearby city of Alesund. A port town on Norway’s west coast, Alesund is known for its art nouveau architectural style following a fire in 1904, and you may want to spend some time here taking in the architecture in its downtown district. For a true appreciation of this, Fjellstua is a famous viewpoint over the city which gives the best outlook on the townhouses and the surrounding waters. Alesund Museum provides an insight into the history of the city, from the great fire to the German occupation. It also features many exhibitions on fisheries and boats, an important part of Alesund’s history and culture.
Today you retrace your journey back across the series of islands to Alesund airport. If you have time before your flight you may want to stop off along the way for a photo stop at one of the viewing points along these beautiful stretches of road. Return your hire car and board your flight back to the UK via a short stopover in Oslo.
The itinerary was exactly what we planned for. Travelling around by plane, train, car and ferry was perfectly arranged and all ran smoothly.Mrs A, October 2024
Holiday price guide From £2,620 per person low season, from £3,070 per person high season.
Holiday Code SCFD02
Our prices include
● Return flights with British Airways from London to Oslo
● Scheduled return flights from Oslo to Alesund
● Hire of a group B car for 6 days
● 6 nights’ half board in a Standard double room at Hotel Union Øye, Norangdal
● Concierge service and Expressions Holidays regional helpful hints
Our prices do not include
● Early check-in or late check-out at any hotels (although we can arrange this on request at additional cost)
● Any other services not mentioned above, such as transfers and meals except breakfast at hotels
● Personal holiday insurance. This is essential and cover should be in place from when you book the holiday.
● Possible local tourist tax, usually the equivalent of £1 to £3 per person per night, and payable locally to the hotel
● Transfers in any cities
Additional information This holiday can be arranged throughout the year. Timings can vary depending on the month and day of the week.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury Norway fly-drive holiday with 6 nights on the Norangsfjord
The itinerary was exactly what we planned for. Travelling around by plane, train, car and ferry was perfectly arranged and all ran smoothly.Mrs A, October 2024
Holiday price guide From £2,620 per person low season, from £3,070 per person high season.
Holiday Code SCFD02
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury Norway fly-drive holiday with 6 nights on the Norangsfjord
About Vestlandet and Norway's fjordland
Vestlandet contains many of the archetypal sites the visitor associates with Norway: spectacular fjords, colourful fishing ports, stave churches and dramatic panoramas. Vestlandet is a long, thin region in the west of the country, bordering the North Sea and interspersed by jagged inlets from the sea into the mountainous interior: the fjords including Sognefjorden, Geirangerfjord, Lysefjorden, Hardangerfjorden and Eidfjord. Bergen is the outstanding jewel as a town in this region, a World Heritage City, with ancient history, attractive buildings, world-class museums and superb restaurants. Sognefjord is Norway’s longest and deepest fjord and is composed of five large arms with fingers, of which Naeroyfjorden is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To complement the dramatic natural scenery, there are ample man-made delights in the area too, with charming villages, waterfronts, well-preserved Viking heritage sites and local foodie specialities. You can witness the drama of the Sognefjord by boat from Bergen to Flam on a journey of about five hours. Just north and south of the innermost reaches of the Sognefjord are the outstanding stave churches of Borgund, unchanged since the Middle Ages, and Urnes, the oldest stave church in Norway. The Geirangerfjord is one of the best-known and justifiably so as it contains ten miles of dramatic natural beauty with numerous waterfalls tumbling down the vertical cliff face. The Hardangerfjord runs from the North Sea to the Hardangervidda Plateau and offers a wealth of attractive scenery and pretty towns, with numerous activities. There are also apple orchards and farmland, hiking and cycling. Towards the north of the region is the coastal town of Alesund, whose centre consists mainly of striking Art Nouveau buildings, constructed in the early 20th Century after a fire destroyed most of the old town centre.
Highlights of Vestlandet
Vestlandet is fjord country and the most well-known and spectactular are Sognefjorden, the Geirangerfjord, Lysefjorden, Hardangerfjorden and Eidfjord. The seafaring cities and ports of Bergen and Alesund offer a mixture of cultural, food and sightseeing possibilities. Bergen has the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bryggen with museum, shops, galleries and restaurants. There is the KODE museum of art and design and at Troldhaugen you can visit the home of Edvard Grieg. The region is also home to the Flam railway and cable cars take you to mountain tops. Alesund is renowned as an Art Deco town after a fire in 1904 destroyed the old town. From here it is the gateway to the Geirangerfjord and the Trollstigen mountain road. Combine land and water sports as well as spectacular scenery in Vestlandet. You can also visit glaciers in this region and take the Atlantic Road for coastal vistas.
Cultural highlights of Vestlandet
There is a wide range of cultural visits throughout the region: KUBE art nouveau centre in Alesund, Agatunet traditional Norwegian village on the Hardangerfjord, Kinn stone church from the Middle Ages, Alesund medieval age museum, The Vicarage at Nesset childhood home of Nobel Prize for Literature winner Bjornson, Bergenhus Fortress in Bergen, Suldal living museum farm, Eldhuset at Undredal on the Sognfjord showing local traditions, pasture farming and goat's cheese production, Sirdal mountain musuem, Bergen school museum, Geirganger timber church, Flam railway museum, Steffagarden on Ona croft from 1793, Visnes mining museum, Hardanger fold museum, Baroniet Rosendal manor house and gardens, Viking exhbition at Eidfjord, Vik historical tour, Kaupanger stave church on the Sognefjord, Trollveggen visitor centre, Viking village at Gudvangen, Borgund church, Osteroy museum, Ardal old church Ryfylke.
Festivals of Vestlandet
Kristiansund has a food festival in June, there is a Viking festival in Avaldsnes in June, Sola holds a kite festival in June, Floro holds the world's longest herring table in June, early July sees the Skudefestivalen the largest gathering of coastal culture in western Norway, Floro holds a sea sports festival in mid July, Molde holds the oldest continuously running jazz festival in the world in July, Haugesund harbour days is a yearly tradition in mid August, The Tomato festival is held in mid August at Finnoy on the Ryfylke Islands near Stavanger, Hardanger holds a music festival at the end of August, Bergen has a food festival at the beginning of September.
Gastronomy of Vestlandet
The mild climate and soils of the region lend themselves to the growing of fruit and berries that produce apple juice, cider and jams. Strawberries, raspberries and cherries are also grown locally. Cheeses are produced in the region including the Tingvoll cheese that has been produced here since 1303. Smoked salmon and cured meats are also local. Clipfish (dried salted cod) in the Alsesund area.
