Cruising Norwegian Fjords

Norway is the most popular country to visit when it comes to fjord cruises and its dramatic coastline serves as the gateway to well over 3,000 fjords. A number of the country´s most spectacular fjords serve as popular excursions and ports of call on many cruise itineraries, which also visit a number of Norway´s most picturesque and historic coastal cities and towns. With its origins lying far back in Viking history, Bergen is one of the most well-visited ports of call for fjord cruises, and a great place from which to explore Hardangerfjord. The city´s Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf is its most celebrated historic attraction, a World Heritage Site filled with beautiful painted buildings and quant cobbled streets which showcase Bergen´s maritime heritage. At 111 miles long, Hardangerfjord is third largest fjord in the world, and an excursion to witness its awesome power up close is essential when visiting Bergen. The Norwegian port of Flam features extensively on fjord cruises, largely because of its proximity to Naerofjord, a body of water which branches off Sognefjord and an area of stunning natural beauty which has gained World Heritage Site status.

Alta lies at the head of the Altafjord and on the banks of the Alta. Despite being in the north of Norway, it enjoys a relatively mild climate. The Alta Museum with its ancient petroglyphs, is a must-see, and the nearby Sautso-Alta Canyon is a sight to behold. The world´s first Northern Light observatory was built here at the end of the nineteenth century and has earned Alta the name, ‘The Town of the Northern Lights’.

Norway´s fourth largest city, Stavanger lies at the mouth of the Gandsfjord. The old port, attests to the sea´s enduring role in Norwegian history. Here, Vikings once sailed on voyages of conquest and exploration. In later centuries, the port served as a major hub for Norway´s mercantile and fishing fleets. By the mid-20th century, however, Stavanger had fallen on hard times as the fishing grounds dwindled. In 1969, the discovery of North Sea oil opened a new chapter in Stavanger´s history. At the "Sword in the Rock" Monument, three giant crossed Viking swords commemorate King Harald Fair Hair´s unification of Norway in 872 following his victory at the Battle of Hafrsfjord.