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Itinerary

Arrival to the airport of Oslo – Gardermoen. Pick up your rental car and drive to Hamar, a city which dates back to ancient medieval importance and is situated on the shores of the biggest lake of Norway, Mjøsa. If time allows, a cruise by the world’s oldest paddle steamer still in scheduled service, Skibladner, is recommendable.

After breakfast at the hotel drive to Lillehammer, the Winter Olympic city of 1994, an event which is still considered of the most successful ever in the olympic history. We recommend a visit to the Olympic Park and the open-air museum Maihaugen. Through buildings Maihaugen tells 300 years of history of the people in the area. Continue through the beautiful valley of Gudbrandsdal to Gålå, situated in the mountains.

Breakfast at the hotel. Continue to the valley of Romsdal, which has the over-hanging rock formation called “Trollveggen” (the Troll’s Wall, 1100 m). Drive through the breathtakingly steep road known as “Trollstigen” (The Troll’s Ladder). Drive the impressive serpentine route towards Ålesund. Arrival to Ålesund, a maritime town famous by its unique, hybrid “Art Nouveau” architecture.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure from Ålesund and after a short drive, take a ferry from Magerholm to Aursnes. Continue to Hellesylt and take a 1 hour cruise on the Geiranger Fjord to Geiranger, passing on the ferry some of the most impressive waterfalls, such as “The Seven Sisters” and “The Bridal Veil”. The fjord is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. From Geiranger there are magnificent views to the fjord. Continue to Lom, which is famous for its large wooden church, dating back to the 13th century and still in use for services. The route continues along the mountains of Valdres, part of the National Park of Jotunheimen, to the village of Beitostølen.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive across the mountains of Fillefjell passing Borgund and its wooden stavechurch, one of the best preserved stave churches in Norway. It is possible to enjoy the impressive nature: the high waterfalls and snow-peaked mountains. Continue to Lærdal, a village famous for its river full of salmon. Possibility to visit the Salmon Museum. From Lærdal take a 3 hours ferry crossing on the Aurland and Nærøyfjords, two of the most famous arms of the Fjord of Sogn. Nærøyfjord is considered among the narrowest and wildest fiords of Norway and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. During the cruise you can enjoy the spectacular scenery of cascading waterfalls, sheer mountain cliffs, snow-clad peaks and a variety of wildlife. Disembark in Gudvangen and drive up the Stalheim road, which is the steepest in Northern Europe, for breathtaking views of the surrounding mountain peaks and the Stalheim Canyon. Continue to a pleasant lakeside town called Voss and further on to the capital of the fjords, Bergen.

After breakfast at the hotel, we recommend a tour in Bergen. Visit its Fish and Flower Market, the old harbour of Bryggen, and the Hanseatic quarters. It is possible to take a ride on the funicular to Mount Fløien and enjoy a panoramic view of Bergen and surroundings. Leaving Bergen might be difficult but more impressions wait as you continue to the famous Hardanger fjord, known as “the fertile fjord” due to the hundreds of thousands of apple trees lining the hillsides. From Bruravik, take a ferry to Brimnes, and continue to the valley of Måbødalen and the town of Fossli. There we recommend a stop to admire the highest waterfall of Norway, Vøringsfossen, 180 m. It is possible to take the ‘Troll Train’ which follows the old road through the valley of Måbø, now closed for ordinary traffic, between the farm of Måbø and the top of the waterfall. The ride takes about 20 minutes each way. Continue through the mountain region of Hardanger to the village of Geilo and Ål.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure from Ål and drive through the amazing valley of Hallingdal to the capital of Norway, Oslo. We recommend a visit to the Vigeland sculpture park, the Viking-ship Museum where the best preserved Viking ships ever found are on display, the Fram Museum where the entire original Arctic exploration ship Fram is exhibited with its original interior and inventory, the Kon-tiki Museum which contains original vessels and objects from Thor Heyerdal’s many expeditions or the open-air museum Norsk Folkemuseum.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to the airport of Oslo Gardermoen to return your rental car.