Day 1 – Oslo

Join your tour group at the hotel.

Day 2 – Oslo

Oslo has caught the imagination of modern architects and made them a glorious reality, creating a fresh capital city with an air of sophistication. This morning we enjoyed an orientation coach tour of Oslo, with a ‘step-on’ guide. Spend your afternoon at leisure, meandering amongst eye-catching architecture to find an abundance of world-class museums. Oslo is home to cultural institutions that include the National Theatre and the Norwegian Opera and Ballet, where you may like to take a tour or spend your evening, or climb the gently sloping roof of the Opera House for fabulous views of Oslo and the fjord. The city is also entwined with Edvard Munch, who spent much time here. A large portion of his artwork can be seen here. Or the open-air Folkemuseum holds over 140 traditional buildings from around the country and an exhaustive exhibition on Norwegian life.

Day 3 – Telemark

Today, we embark on a guided excursion to explore the Telemark region, including magnificent Heddal, the most beautiful of Norway’s remaining stave churches, built entirely of wood and decorated with rose paintings and ornate carvings that tell the pagan story of Viking Sigurd the Dragon-slayer. We also cross the mountains to see Rjukan, a town deep in a valley which relies on groundbreaking technology to bring sunshine and electricity, and a town that became the centre of one of the most daring sabotage missions in WWII. It is here that the Norwegian resistance prevented the Germans from making heavy water to develop their atomic bomb, as portrayed in the film ‘Heroes of Telemark’. We visit the Vemork powerplant and the Folk Museum before returning to Oslo through stunning landscapes.

Day 4 – Voss

Today we make the journey from Oslo to Voss by train. The Bergen Railway is considered one of the world’s most scenic train routes, carrying you across high mountain plateaux for breathtaking views of the Hardangerjøkulen glacier. The hours will fly by with the mesmerising scenes of deep fjords, to snowy mountaintops and frozen lakes, to grassy plains. Enjoy a complimentary packed lunch for this journey. On arrival in Voss, our hotel is stylish and modern, and conveniently located next to the train station where you will depart the Bergen Railway. The hotel has an outdoor terrace where you can take in views of the nearby lake.

Day 5 – Flåm Railway

An adventure on the spectacular Flåm Railway is an undeniable highlight of any trip to Norway – and today you will discover why. Starting from Voss, we travel by train to Myrdal, where we board the famous Flåm Railway to Flåm. This 20km-long track is one of the world’s steepest and most spectacular railway lines, taking you through some of Norway’s most magnificent scenery of mountains and waterfalls as we follow the Flåmselvi River to the beautiful Aurlandsfjord. On reaching Flåm, we enjoy a buffet lunch at the delightful Fretheim hotel. Later, we transfer to the port for a cruise on the placid waters of stunning Aurlandsfjord and UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord, Europe’s narrowest fjord, contained within unbelievably steep mountains. Disembarking in Gudvangen, we return to Voss by coach.

Day 6 – Bergen

Our scenic coach journey today takes us on twisting roads, via popular Steinsdalsfossen and alongside the magnificent Hardangerfjorden, to Bergen, where we check into our hotel for the next two nights.

Day 7 – Bergen

Bergen was founded over 900 years ago by Olav Kyrre, King of Norway. The small settlement became a capital within 150 years. The title didn’t last long, but its location ensured it continued as an important trade city, and it continued to grow. We have an included tour of this modern city, taking in important sites including the modest cathedral dedicated to ‘Olav the Holy’, Norway’s patron saint, and the gorgeous Bryggen wharf, lined with colourful wooden buildings which draw the attention of artists and craftspeople. The afternoon is free to explore – why not visit Troldhaugen, Edvard Grieg’s charming house, with its meticulously preserved Victorian clutter, including the composer’s rimless spectacle, which still lies where he left it by an open book. Alternatively, take a funicular ride to the top of the 1,000ft Mount Fløyen, where the views of the city and the glittering fjord spread out below.

Day 8 – Bergen

Say goodbye to your tour group for your onward travel.