Grand Tour of Norway: Fjords, Lofoten & the North Cape

Today you explore cultured Oslo, the elegant starting point of your grand tour. With your guide you discover Norway's remarkable Viking Age heritage, admiring the beautifully preserved longships and treasures that reveal the country's seafaring past, and take in the haunting masterpieces of Edvard Munch, including the world-famous 'The Scream', in the striking waterfront museum. You walk out onto the sloping white roof of the spectacular Opera House, which rises from the harbour like an iceberg, and stroll the lively waterfront and the sculpture-filled Vigeland Park, with its remarkable bronze and granite figures. The blend of Viking history, powerful art and bold design is captivating. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, having explored elegant Oslo. This evening, savour the city's superb cafes and cuisine. Rest well, for tomorrow you begin the celebrated 'Norway in a Nutshell' journey into the fjords.

Today you begin the celebrated 'Norway in a Nutshell' journey into the heart of the fjords. You board the scenic Bergen Railway and climb through forests, lakes and the wild, treeless Hardangervidda plateau, a world of snow and mountain beauty. At Myrdal you transfer to the world-famous Flam Railway, one of the steepest standard-gauge lines on earth, which spirals down a dramatic valley past thundering waterfalls, sheer cliffs, spiralling tunnels and tumbling rivers to the village of Flam on the Aurlandsfjord. The engineering and scenery are breathtaking. As the day ends, you settle into your hotel in beautiful little Flam, cradled between towering mountains at the head of the fjord. This evening, savour the peace and grandeur of the fjord setting with a hotel dinner. Rest well, for tomorrow you cruise the majestic Naeroyfjord on your way to beautiful Bergen, the gateway to the fjords.

Today you cruise one of the most beautiful fjords in the world before journeying on to Bergen. From Flam you board a fjord cruise along the sheer-walled Aurlandsfjord and into the UNESCO-listed Naeroyfjord, the narrowest and one of the most dramatic fjords in Norway, gliding beneath towering peaks, past cascading waterfalls and isolated farms clinging to the shore. The scale and serenity are unforgettable. At Gudvangen you continue by coach over spectacular mountain passes and through grand scenery, joining the route on to Bergen, Norway's beautiful coastal gateway to the fjords, ringed by seven hills and the sea. As the day ends, you arrive in Bergen and settle into your hotel near the historic harbour. This evening, savour fresh seafood and the relaxed maritime atmosphere of the old Hanseatic city. Rest well, for tomorrow you explore beautiful Bergen and its famous Bryggen wharf.

Today you explore beautiful Bergen, the gateway to the fjords. With your guide you wander Bryggen, the atmospheric UNESCO-listed row of crooked, brightly painted wooden merchant houses along the old wharf, exploring its narrow wooden passageways and craft workshops and hearing tales of the Hanseatic merchants who once traded dried cod here. You browse the lively Fish Market, sampling fresh seafood, and ride the Floibanen funicular up Mount Floyen for a sweeping panorama over the city, harbour, fjords and surrounding hills. You take in the medieval Bergenhus fortress and the charming streets of the old town. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, having explored charming Bergen. This evening, savour fresh seafood in a quayside restaurant. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey to elegant Alesund and the majestic Geirangerfjord region on the Atlantic coast.

Today you journey up the beautiful coast to elegant Alesund, Norway's enchanting Art Nouveau town, taking in the majestic Geirangerfjord region along the way. Travelling by a scenic coastal flight or route through spectacular fjord and mountain scenery, past deep blue water, waterfalls and snow-streaked peaks, you make your way to Alesund, spread across a cluster of islands where the fjords meet the open Atlantic. With your guide you explore its glorious Art Nouveau architecture of ornate towers, turrets and pastel facades reflected in the harbour, and climb Aksla hill for a magnificent panorama over the town, islands and peaks. As the day ends, you settle into your hotel in beautiful Alesund. This evening, savour a dinner of the freshest seafood in this elegant town by the sea. Rest well, for tomorrow you fly far north across the Arctic Circle to the dramatic Lofoten Islands.

Today you journey far north across the Arctic Circle to the spectacular Lofoten Islands. Your scenic flights, via a northern hub such as Bodo, carry you over the mountains, fjords and coast of Norway into the Arctic, and you cross to Lofoten, where jagged peaks rise straight from the deep blue sea. Arriving amid some of the most dramatic scenery on earth, you settle into your base near Svolvaer or amid the islands, and begin to take in the soaring peaks, red-cabin fishing villages and ever-changing Arctic light. There may be time for a first scenic drive or a boat safari in search of majestic sea eagles. As the day ends, you settle into the beauty of the isles. This evening, savour fresh Lofoten seafood with the mountains glowing outside, perhaps under the midnight sun or the first shimmer of the aurora. Rest well in the spectacular Lofoten Islands.

Today you explore the dramatic beauty of the Lofoten Islands. Following the spectacular coastal roads beneath soaring peaks, past mirror-still fjords and tiny harbours, you reach the iconic southern villages of Hamnoy and Reine, where clusters of red and ochre rorbu cabins perch on stilts above the water, mirrored in sheltered harbours beneath jagged, near-vertical peaks, a scene of extraordinary drama and beauty. You visit the tiny village of A, a living museum of the cod-fishing life, and may stop at a dazzling white-sand beach or the charming artists' village of Henningsvaer. There is a wonderful sense of Arctic wildness and beauty. As the day ends, you return to your base amid the peaks and sea. This evening, savour more fresh Lofoten seafood and the serene beauty of the islands. Rest well in the beautiful Lofoten Islands, for tomorrow you journey on to vibrant Tromso.

Today you journey from Lofoten to vibrant Tromso, the Gateway to the Arctic. Travelling by a scenic coastal flight or route across the fjords and islands of the far north, you make your way to Tromso, set on an island amid fjords and snow-capped peaks far above the Arctic Circle, the cultural capital of the Norwegian Arctic. Arriving in this surprisingly cosmopolitan town of colourful wooden houses, museums and cafes, you settle into your hotel and begin to explore. You might admire the striking Arctic Cathedral, whose soaring white form evokes ice and mountains, and take in the harbour and lively streets. As the day ends, you soak up the Arctic atmosphere. This evening, savour fresh Arctic cuisine, perhaps king crab or Arctic cod, and, in season, watch for the midnight sun or the Northern Lights. Rest well in vibrant Tromso, deep in the beautiful Norwegian Arctic.

Today you explore vibrant Tromso, the cultural capital of the Norwegian Arctic. With your guide you admire the striking Arctic Cathedral, whose soaring white form evokes ice and mountains, and ride the cable car up Mount Storsteinen for a sweeping panorama over the town, fjords and surrounding snow-clad peaks. You explore the colourful wooden houses, the museums of polar exploration and Arctic life, and the cosy cafes and pubs of this cosmopolitan town, learning of the daring expeditions that set out from here for the pole. You might take an optional fjord cruise or, in summer, enjoy the midnight sun. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, having explored vibrant Tromso. This evening, savour a fine Arctic dinner and, in winter, a chance of the Northern Lights. Rest well in Tromso, for tomorrow you journey on towards the North Cape, the top of Europe.

Today you journey to the dramatic North Cape, the northernmost point of mainland Europe. Travelling by a scenic flight and coastal route into the far Arctic north, across wild, treeless tundra and past fjords and fishing villages, you make your way to the North Cape region and the fishing village of Honningsvag. You journey out to the North Cape itself, a great cliff plateau where the land ends in a sheer wall six hundred feet above the meeting of the Norwegian and Barents seas, and stand at the famous globe monument, gazing out over the vast Arctic Ocean with nothing but sea between you and the pole, an unforgettable, almost otherworldly experience, especially under the midnight sun. As the day ends, you settle into your accommodation in Honningsvag. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at the top of Europe, reflecting on your epic journey across Norway. Rest well in the far Arctic north.

After a final morning in the far Arctic north, savouring the vast skies, wild tundra and remarkable light at the top of Europe, you are transferred to the airport at Honningsvag or Alta for your onward departure. You leave having completed the definitive grand tour of Norway, from cultured Oslo and the 'Norway in a Nutshell' fjords to beautiful Bergen, elegant Alesund and the Geirangerfjord, the dramatic Lofoten Islands, vibrant Tromso and the North Cape, the very top of Europe. The images stay vivid long after you land, the plunging Flam Railway and sheer walls of the Naeroyfjord, the painted houses of Bryggen, the red-cabin villages and jagged peaks of Lofoten, the Arctic Cathedral of Tromso, and the sheer cliffs of the North Cape above the Arctic Ocean. Norway offers beauty, drama and epic variety in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this most spectacular of countries, from the fjords to the pole.