By Karen Quinn-Panzer
Travel Matters
Karen Quinn-Panzer
We set off from Reyjkavik, Iceland las month to cruise the Norwegian fjords, with a first stop in Akureyri – where we enjoyed the northernmost botanical garden in the world and the spectacular Godafoss Falls. Akureyri is only 40 miles from the Arctic Circle and was amazingly mild in temperature. Their microclimate allows their botanical garden to thrive.
There are a few ways to cruise the Norwegian fjords. It’s a popular place to cruise since the ships pass right through fjords that can only be seen by sea or by small plane. It’s the same reason Alaska is often the first cruise that many people experience – because of the unique opportunity to enjoy the raw beauty of the mountains coming down to the sea.
We chose a large ship, the Norwegian Prima, since they offered an itinerary that started in Iceland, sailed to Norway and then stopped in Amsterdam overnight at the end of the itinerary. But there are many ships that will sail right up the coast of Norway to Tromso and beyond to the Svalbard archipelago. Many of these cruises are on smaller expedition ships, with some that reach the mountains of Lofoten, some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.
Hurtigruten is the cruise line that originated trips up the Norwegian coastline. Some of the Baltic cruises that sail to Sweden, Denmark, Estonia and Finland also stop in Norway – usually at Oslo or Bergen.
We were fortunate enough to stop in Bergen on our cruise, along with Olden and Alesund. In Bergen, you can take a funicular up to Mount Floyen where you can partake in hiking and biking trails. Or you can visit the Hardangerfjord – a one-hour drive from Bergen – which is spectacular in its beauty. It’s the second longest fjord in Norway and the fifth longest in the world.
The city of Bergen itself, is famous for the Bryggen section of the city, colorful wooden houses on the old wharf which housed the Hanseatic League’s trading empire, which ran trade throughout Europe from the 13th to the 15th century.
The Edvard Grieg House is open to visitors. The renowned composer who wrote “In the Hall of the Mountain King” once lived there. It offers some incredible artwork as well.
From Alesund, we took a cruise into the 15 kilometer-long Geirangerfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, purportedly the Queen of Norway’s favorite fjord. It looks like a painting as you view spectacular waterfalls and deep blue waters – all surrounded by tall mountains and lush vegetation. The city of Alesund is a delight as well, with the city built around the water.
From Olden, we explored Stryn where you also have many options – including the Briksdal Glacier, Tvinnefossen Waterfall and the Jostedalsbreen National Park Centre where we learned about glacier formation. After finding out about the amount of rain in this area, we were absolutely blessed to have sunshine while exploring this gorgeous area of Norway.
Karen Quinn-Panzer is the owner and vacation specialist at Dream Vacations Quinn Panzer Travel in Milford.