A Perfect Introduction to Norway
*Note: David wrote this (and the next few pieces) after our return to Charlotte in May 2022, but, always the perfectionist, he was still revising these when he passed away suddenly 14 months later. So I’ve taken it upon myself to finish editing the pieces, publishing them on this Travelogue, and sending them out as he would have done. As I continue to travel with David in spirit, I will keep writing about my explorations on this site. — Allie Wall
*****
Between the weekend of the confirmation in Copenhagen and the following one, our friends had to return to work and school. Allie and I decided to take a mid-week visit to neighboring Norway before returning to see more of Denmark with our friends the following weekend. It was a first for me, and Allie’s last visit had been many years ago. Our visit turned out to be spectacular.
Knowing we could not do a country the size of Norway justice in just a few days, we decided to focus on a single area. My original thinking was to fly to and from Bergen, basing ourselves there and taking excursions inland, by rail and boat. Thank goodness we were steered to a far better idea by dear friends in Charlotte who had visited that area several times in the years just before the pandemic. The key piece of advice we gleaned from their recollections was to include a stay at a very special hotel. With the help of that spot’s proprietor, we planned a trip that worked out so perfectly that rather than simply reporting on our experience, I will propose it as an “Introduction to Norway Tour” that could be considered as an addition to almost any other European vacation. This is in no way meant as a slight to Norway, a country well worth a longer trip of its own. My plan does not include Oslo, the country’s capital and a sure-to-be charming place to include in our next visit.
Here is a suggestion for a very brief, but wonderful, introductory visit to Norway:
Day 1
Fly to Bergen (BGO) on the first morning flight. There are non-stops from many cities in Europe, including Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London, Paris, Stockholm, etc. Rent a car, the smallest one that comfortably fits your party. You won’t need 4WD but will probably appreciate an automatic transmission. Most rentals are hybrids, but fully electric cars are available, and chargers easily found.
Drive into Bergen. It takes about 20 minutes. Plan a tour of the city based on your personal interests and how much time you have. You’ll want to be headed out of Bergen by early afternoon. The one not-to-miss area is Bryggen, a World Heritage Site on the southern side of Bergen’s harbor. The attractions there are restored wooden buildings and boardwalks dating from the 12th century. Walking the area will provide a glimpse back at what life would have been like in the days when this was one of Europe’s most thriving fishing and whaling centers. These buildings now house little cafes and shops that sell local wares: woolen accessories and clothing, pottery, paintings, and much more. The Bergenhus Fortress, located at the entrance of the Bergen Harbor, is a medieval castle that was built in the 1240s; only the main hall and tower remain, but it is worth a stop and a photo or two.
Set the village of Solvorn as the destination in your navigation system. If you didn’t have time for early lunch in Bergen, there will be opportunities on the drive to Solvorn, which will require about 4 to 5 hours. We stopped at Ringheim Kafe in Voss and had a nice simple lunch. On the drive, you will pass through numerous small communities in the countryside and traverse mountains with peaks that are snow-covered year-round. You’ll want to pull over at a few beautiful turnouts for some awesome vistas of snowy fields, craggy mountainsides, rushing streams, and lots of sheep grazing. Your first ferry ride from Fodnes to Mannheller across a fjord means you’re getting close. The rest of the journey is by car and takes you on jagged rural roads with very few cars.
Your destination in Solvorn is the Walaker Hotell (not a typo!) This is the oldest hotel in Norway, dating back to 1640.. It will be your base for the next three days. The hotel is welcoming and charming, the rooms are small but charming, and the grounds are beautiful with flower gardens, fruit trees, and tucked-away spots to relax. The rooms in the annex or adjoining houses are a very short walk to the small main building. I suggest booking a rate with the half-pension option. This includes an excellent breakfast and a full dinner. The evening dinner service, a four-course set menu, is a single seating at seven-thirty. The service is unnecessarily formal, out of character with the hotel’s relaxed atmosphere, but the food is consistently very good, and each of the four courses offers two options.
Meeting the proprietor of the Walaker is a treat in itself. Uli Henrik is the sixth generation of his family to manage this gem of a hotel. He is an engaging character who knows and loves the area and its history and is eager to be of help. Many evenings Uli invites guests to join him after dinner for a tour of the property and a visit to the museum art gallery, featuring mostly local artists his family continues to support and showcase behind the main hotel building.
A late afternoon walk around the tiny harbor village will prepare your appetite for the evening’s dinner. If the weather is fine, take a pre-dinner cocktail in the pretty garden with calming views of the tiny waterfront.
Days 2 and 3
Solvorn is located on the Luster Fjord. This is a tributary of the Sogne Fjord, the longest and deepest in all of Norway. One of your days here would be well spent exploring the area on foot. Biking is an alternative and there are rentals in the village. Numerous trails for walking or biking can be accessed directly from the village. Many of the trails here involve extensive climbing, but one that does not, the Lusterfjord Trail, can be reached just past the row of picturesque boathouses to the left as you leave the hotel. It continues along the shore of the fjord with lovely panoramic views to a broad meadow and farmland.
Adventuresome visitors might want to hike up the top of Molden where a 360-degree photo-op awaits. This would be a very long walk from the Walaker so driving to the parking area at Krossen about 15 minutes away might be a good idea. The small town of Hafslo just over the ridge from Solvorn has a few options for lunch and is worth a brief visit.
The other of your days here should be spent going farther afield by car. The Wallaker sits directly across from the dock where a small ferry carries vehicles across the Lusterfjord to the tiny village of Urnes. The attraction here is the country’s oldest stave church. Understanding what a stave church is and why their preservation is so important is best learned by taking one of the guided tours which is the only way to see the interior of the building. It’s a steep walk up from the parking area above the dock, but well worth it.
Take a morning ferry across and make a day of it by returning to Solvorn via a circular route back to the western side of the Lusterfjord rather than via the ferry. After visiting the church, retrieve your car and leave Urnes heading north. There will be tunnels and waterfalls—Norway has hundreds of both—and many places to stop for photos. Just explore the area but be sure to leave enough time for an important side trip.
At Skjolden you can turn back to the western side of the fjord. You should now be headed toward Gaupne where you will turn onto highway 604 to make your way toward Breheimsenteret. This is one of the visitor centers for the Jostedalsbreen National Park, so-named for the largest glacier in Europe. This attractive and informative facility on the southern side of the park tells about the history, geology, and culture of the area and affords easy access to experience the glacier at close range. Surrounded by verdant fields and vegetation, the ice-blue glacier is spectacular. From here it is only an hour’s drive back to the Walaker.
Day 4
You might claim afterward that this plan saves the best for last. Rise in the early hours to drive to Sogndal twenty minutes away. The Walaker staff will leave coffee and snacks for you. In Sogndal you can drop your bags and passengers directly at the loading dock. Here you will board a comfortable high-speed express boat back to Bergen. It is not a car ferry. We had taken a one-way rental from Hertz which allowed us to drop off our car at a car park only a ten-minute walk to the dock. Other rental companies may have similar provisions as this seems to be a popular arrangement.
The boat departs early, about 7:00, but check the schedule as it changes with the seasons. The views as you cruise through the fjords are dramatic. The trip takes about four and a half hours, meaning you will be back in Bergen before noon. Based on when your flight departs, you can get lunch in the city or take a taxi directly to the airport.
This suggested itinerary is not meant to be limiting. If you can spend more days in Norway, please do. They are certain to be rewarding.
But now one final bit of reality about our Norway stay: We were blessed by coincidence that our visit intersected with the celebration of Norway’s Constitution Day on May 17. Just after sunrise, Uli Henrik, resplendent in his bright red national costume, raised the Norwegian flag on the pole in front of the hotel and served champagne to those of us gathered on the porch to watch the festivities. Soon, the villagers — all dressed resplendently in their mostly red and white national garb — began assembling at the dock. We joined in a procession upward through the village to the church, led by a small band playing traditional music.
It was a gorgeous, cloudless day. When we reached the church, we joined a large crowd already gathered, almost all wearing their traditional costumes. There was music and speech making and poetry reading and singing. Though we understood not a word, a kind gentleman patiently and quietly explained everything as it unfolded. It was, all in all, an experience we will always remember.
A few final general observations about Norway:
1. It could be described as Switzerland-by-the-sea (clean, safe, orderly and breathtakingly beautiful)
2. The people are exceptionally friendly, proud of their heritage and seemingly free of stress—happy, like the Danes! The only animosity we heard was toward the Swedes and it was mostly in fun.
3. Everyone speaks English
4. The driving is easy, the roads uncrowded, well-marked and in good condition. There are tolls but they are automatically recorded and reasonable (ours totaled about $20 in four days.)
5. Gasoline, like everything else, is expensive. The parks require admission fees.
6. Cell service was consistently good and seemingly everywhere despite the fact that we never saw towers defacing the scenery.
7. You can use a card for everything, no need to convert and carry cash. It was easy to convert kroner to dollars as the rate when we were there was roughly 10NOK/1US$.