A wonderful two week tour of the Norwegian fjords and mountains. Visit Bergen and Alesund and discover the stunning scenery of southern Norway. This tour takes you on an amazing journey through historical, cultural and scenic delights. Highlights include visiting the spectacular fjords, exploring the exquisite towns of Stavanger, Bergen and Alesund, driving some of the world’s most thrilling mountain passes, past breath-taking scenery, and discovering one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
Classic Travelling has driven the route to ensure it is scenic and interesting as well as visited each hotel to make certain we have the most pleasant accommodation in the area and they have appropriate standards of comfort and charm, along with suitable parking. Cross from the UK to Stavanger in southern Norway and then head north to Bergen for a couple of nights, and then onto Alesund. Leave the coast and turn inland to the fjords and stay at the end of most famed, Geirangerfjord. Climb over the mountains and pass through valleys to Lom and then onto Sogndal. Take a ferry cruise across Sogndalfjord and then stay on the shores of the Hardangerfjord, famed for its orchards. Then return to Stavanger for the ferry crossing back to the UK.
This tour will not be accompanied by Classic Travelling
Route
Accommodation
Stay in some delightful hotels, including wonderful wooden Gothic hotels, mountain log cabins, converted wharf-side warehouses, and stylish city hotels. All the accommodation is individual and unique and of a high standard. Due to the nature and age of these hotels, rooms vary from charmingly comfortable to the utmost luxury.
We have hand-picked each hotel for its unique atmosphere and style. All accommodation includes breakfast and most include dinner. Suitable parking is, of course, a feature of each hotel, but it is rarely under cover. In the cities we shall be using small, public parking houses that are locked at night, adjacent to the hotels.
Itinerary
Day One
Leave Newcastle, UK and take the overnight crossing to Stavanger in southern Norway. Two-berth, sea-view cabins have been booked for your overnight comfort. Dinner is not included.
Day Two
Arrive in Stavanger, European Captial of Culture 2008, at 3pm. Stay right in the centre of town in an old converted warehouse, right next to the water. Take a couple of hours to explore the quaint old town with its white-washed wooden buildings. Dinner is not included but reservations will be made.
Mileage: 0
Day Three
Drive north to Bergen and stay for two nights. Once in Bergen the tour will spend two nights in a fabulous hotel on the waters edge, just seconds along the quay from the World Heritage-listed, and very picturesque, Bryggen. Light evening meals are included at the hotel, but if you want something more substantial there are many good restaurants to sample in Bergen.
Mileage: 115
Day Four
The day is yours to explore the many delights of Bergen. The old town is a fascinating area to explore, with little wooden houses jostled in the smallest of spaces on the hillside overlooking the harbour. Maybe include an Elgar concert at the composer’s home, Troldhaugen.
Day Five
Leave Bergen and drive to Voss and then north for a wonderful drive to Vagsnes, passing Vik, with its medieval wooden stave church. It is then a short ferry trip, across Søgnefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest fjord, to Balestrand, where we shall be staying in a beautiful wooden hotel. The evening meal is included.
Mileage: 118
Day Six
Wind your way around the fjords and over the mountains to Stryn. Continue onto Alesund, a picturesque art deco town, entriely rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1904, and stay for two nights in another converted warehouse hotel, alongside the water. Alesund & Sunnmøre is the perfect place to explore some of Norway’s most famous natural and cultural attractions. Alesund’s beautiful Art Nouveau architecture is known far and wide. The myriad of turrets, spires and beautiful ornamentation that give the town its distinctive character are like something from a fairytale. Sunnmøre’s has a wonderful profusion of fjords, small fishing communities, island gems and majestic mountains to discover.
Mileage: 189
Day Seven
We hope to arrange a private tour of the town during the day, followed by a fjord boat trip in the evening. Only one hour from the centre of Ålesund is one of the most beautiful fjords in the world, Hjørundfjorden. Surrounded by majestic mountains, crusie along the fjord enjoying some of Norway’s most wonderful scenery. There will be a stop at a local farm, accessible only by water, for a traditional Norwegian dinner.
Day Eight
Leave Alesund and drive along the coast to Andalsnes, a quaint little town on a lake. Drive up the famous Trollstigen - an awesome road with hairpin bends, a 1:12 gradient and practically one lane all the way. Continue onto Geiranger and down the Eagle’s Highway into the valley. The hotel overlooks the Geirangerfjord, one of the most beautiful and photographed parts of Norway. There is also a vintage car museum and the acclaimed Norwegian Fjord Centre to visit. Stay for two nights in a beautiful wooden hotel above the town and overlooking the area. A buffet dinner is included on both evenings.
Mileage: 127
Day Nine
Spend the day relaxing. There are some fabulous walks in the area, or take a boat trip down Geirangerfjord to Hellesylt to see the fjords from a different angle. The fjord is reputed for its magnificent waterfalls, such as Friaren, De syv søstre and Brudesløret. The area is also famous for the many mountain farms, clinging to the mountain hills along the fjord. This beautiful place also offers some of the worlds most famous viewpoints; Ørnesvingene, Flydalsjuvet and Dalssnibba.
Day Ten
The ascent south from Geiranger is a fabulous road of 37 hairpin bends. Today’s drive includes some sensational mountain passes and breathtaking scenery. Take the old road up to the summer skiing area (there will be a chance to indulge if you wish) at Strynefjell and then over the mountains on some stunning roads to Lom. Visit Roisheim, in the heart of the beautiful valley of Bøverdalen, which consists of 12 perfectly preserved buildings from the 18th century. The chalets have been lovingly restored with utmost care. Its excellent cuisine and wine cellar are only some of the reasons to visit this place, situated close to some of Norway’s tallest mountains. Continue over the mountains and descend to Lustrafjord, an arm of the Sogndalfjord. Visit the stave church at Urnes and then stay overnight at Solvorn, on the edge of the fjord.
Mileage: 145
Day Eleven
To avoid some of Europe’s longest road tunnels, we shall take a 2.5 hour ferry cruise along Sogndalfjord from Kaupanger to Gudvangen. Head south to Voss and then onto the orchard-growing area of Hardangerfjord. Stay overnight on the edge of the fjord at Lofthus.
Mileage: 89
Day Twelve
Drive along the edge of the fjord to Odda and then over the mountains, heading south. The scenery is beautiful and the driving fun. Stay overnight at Byrkjedalstunet, in some traditional log cabins with grass roofs, which are simply but beautifully furnished. Dinner will be a tradtional Norwegian affair.
Mileage: 172
Day Thirteen
It is only an hour’s drive back to Stavanger for the return ferry to the UK, so make the most of your final day. There are some wonderful walks, across Europe’s largest boulder scree, or explore more of Stavanger, or shope at Norway’s largest shopping mall, just outside Stavanger. The ferry departs at 17.00 and arrives in Newcastle at 10.30am the following day. Two-berth sea-view cabins have been booked. Dinner is not included.
Mileage: 39
Total Mileage: about 995 miles
Details
Dates
Start: 10 May 2008
End: 23 May 2008
Duration: 14 days, including travel
Price
£1,860 per person - based on two people sharing a twin or double room, including return ferry crossing to Norway from the UK
What’s included
- Return ferry crossing for 2 people in an en-suite sea-view cabin, and a car
- All accommodation for 13 nights, based on 2 people sharing a twin or double room (including 2 nights on board)
- Breakfast every morning
- Day cruise from Alesund, with dinner
- Cruise-ferry from Kaupanger to Gudvangen (Day 11, June 20)
- Tour book - includes a brief history of Norway and Sweden, basic Norwegian and Swedish dictionaries, emergency details, overview maps and detailed directions, accommodation information, and a very detailed account of sights and visits for each day. The book eliminates the need for any other guide books.
- Norway road atlas
What’s not included
- Fuel, road tolls and Norwegian domestic ferry crossings (across fjords)
- Lunches & evening meals (unless stated)
- Entry into attractions and activities
- Personal, travel and medical insurance are extra
- We strongly suggest and recommend you have European breakdown cover, and ensure you are covered for the countries to be visited
- All drinks are extra to accommodate individual preferences
Requirements
- This tour is only open to members of the Jowett Club.
- Each person must have a passport (and any necessary visas for non-EU passport holders) valid for Norway.
- All passports must be valid for six months after the end of the tour. You will also need your vehicle registration documents, driving licence (a photo-card licence or international permit is best), and an international insurance green card.
- Please check with your travel and motor insurers that you are covered for travel in the required countries.
- You are also required to carry a warning triangle, first-aid kit, two flourescent jackets, set of replacement bulbs and a national identification sticker.
- Dinner on most evenings will be a smart-casual affair, and a jacket and tie is usually expected for men.
- However, the most important requirement is that you take pleasure in motoring through fabulous scenery, relish individual, character hotels and enjoy the company of like-minded travellers.
Booking
Apart from our scheduled, escorted group tours, none of our itineraries are set in stone - after all, this is your holiday - so we can fine-tune any aspect of these tours to meet your wishes. Any of our escorted tours may also be taken as a private, independent tour, at a time to suit you.
We work closely with a number of classic and spots car hire companies across the UK, Europe, and beyond, so we can arrange your car hire for you , too. Please contact us for futher details and the cars we have available.
