Vibrant Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, sits on the coastal islands of Zealand and Amager. Originally a Viking fishing village established in the 10th century, Copenhagen today is one the world’s most liveable cities. Its open spaces and lively street life, along with city planning favoring cyclists and pedestrians, encourage inhabitants to enjoy a lifestyle with an emphasis on community, culture and cuisine. Copenhagen is a highly cultured city, offering highlights including the National Gallery of Denmark, which holds 240,000 works of art, the Ny Carlsberg Museum with its spectacular collection of ancient sculptures from Egypt, Rome and Greece and Rosenborg Castle, where the Danish Crown Jewels are exhibited. Life in Copenhagen is lived on the seat of a bicycle: everybody rides one.  Danes cycle in sun, rain or snow; they bike to work, to school, to bring the kids to kindergarten, to shop for groceries and to social gatherings. Discover one of Europe’s true treasures in Copenhagen.

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Stretching into the Borgundfjord and backed by the Sunnmoere Alps, Aalesund abounds with natural beauty. The town itself dates from the 9th century, when it was a Viking base for establishing settlements in France. Following a great fire in 1904, Aalesund was rebuilt in the popular Art Nouveau style of the time. Today, the towers, turrets and romantic facades make this one of the loveliest towns in all of Norway. The city is also the world's largest supplier of "klippfisk," or dried cod, but the main attraction by far is the scenic beauty of Aalesund's fjords and surrounding peaks, including 550-foot Mt. Aksla.

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Huddled together in what appears to be a wall of solid rock, the Lofotens are actually several islands. Their scenery, revealed when the ice disappeared from the last Ice Age, is held to be among the most dramatic in Norway. Svolvaer, located on the island of Austvaagoey, received town status in 1996, and is the Lofotens' most important city with about 4,500 residents. Dominating the town is the mountain peak called Svolvaergeita, a beacon for climbers. Fishermen flock here when the Norwegian Arctic cod enters the Vestfjord to spawn. Artists prize the picturesque setting and extraordinary light conditions. 

The entry to Trollfjord off the Raftsund sound is hair-raising. Just 100 meters wide, it is approached from an angle that hides the opening until the last moment. Then steep, sheer cliffs rise on either side as your ship slips between the polished walls. Once inside, the walls fall away to reveal a vast bowl of snowcapped peaks up to 1100 meters high. It is simply breathtaking. On your Seabourn ship, the Ventures by Seabourn team will likely offer the option to escort the ship into the fjord aboard Zodiacs, making for unmatched video and photo opportunities. Your ship will slowly turn to survey the whole ranks of peaks surrounding the fjord. No matter what the weather, Trollfjord is a highpoint of any cruise in Norway’s majestic fjords.

Tromsø is the largest city in northern Norway and the ninth most populous municipality in the country. It surprises visitors with its sophisticated art scene, its contrasting modern and historical architecture, international cuisine, multicultural events, and festivals throughout the year. Situated 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is within the land of the midnight sun during summer months and the elusive northern lights in winter. However, thanks to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream, the sea doesn’t freeze here in winter, and there is no permafrost in the vicinity. Tromsø is noticeably milder than other towns at the same latitudes in other parts of the world.

Just west of the North Cape lies the Gjesvaestappen island chain, a designated nature reserve and birdwatcher’s paradise. These hilly, grass-covered islands – of which Storstappen is the largest — are home to some of Norway’s largest colonies of cliff-breeding seabirds, including 100,000 puffins, 10,000 black-legged kittiwakes, and 5,000 razorbills. Great cormorants, European shags, gannets, and thick-billed Murres are among the other nesting birds spotted here, as are predatory white-tailed eagles. While visitors are not allowed to set foot on Storstappen, your Zodiac excursion will take you up close to its puffin-covered cliffs. Witnessing the parade of seabirds overhead with its constant cacophony of cries, flapping wings, and splashing plunge-dives is one of Nature’s great thrills.  

The perpendicular cliffs of Nordkapp, or the North Cape, mark the very top of the European continent. This ultimate destination has long drawn adventurous royalty including Oscar II, King of Norway and Sweden, who visited in 1873, and followed by the King of Siam in 1907. The North Cape is located on the island of Mageroey, a name derived from a word that means "meager." While the landscape may have a lunar appearance, it is not really so isolated. Just 21 miles away, the main town, Honningsvåg, has some 4,000 inhabitants. In summer that number swells when the Sami people and their reindeer settle on the outskirts of town.

The looming cliffs of Norway’s North Cape rise directly from the sea 1007 ft/307m to a plateau as flat as a table. This impressive headland has been selected to represent the northernmost point of Europe, even though it is technically located on an island, Magerøya, connected to the mainland by a bridge. At 71° 10’ 20” N latitude, it is just 1,306 mi/2012 km from the North Pole. At this point, the Norwegian Sea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean, meets the Barents Sea, part of the Arctic Ocean. Further north, the mountainous archipelagoes of Franz Josef Land and Svalbard are the last lands before the Polar Ice Pack. The Midnight Sun does not dip below the horizon here at any time between May 14 and July 31 each year. Sheer and formidable, the North Cape pays its role to the hilt, emphatically declaring itself the end of Europe’s landmass.

 

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The small village of Olden is located deep in the Nordfjord, cradled in a lush valley among snowcapped peaks. It has welcomed visitors arriving by ship since the end of the 19th century, as attested by the venerable Hotel Alexandria dating from 1884. There are some very old farms around Olden, including some believed to predate the Christian era here. Less than four miles away, the village of Loen is nestled at the base of Mt. Hoven, where a newly opened Skylift cable car can carry visitors from sea level to the mountaintop at 1,011 meters in about five minutes. There, they will enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and glaciers, and the fjords, farms and villages below. A strung cable Via Ferrata invites ambitious climbers to clip on and ascend the mountain on foot. The village is the popular gateway to the sprawling Jostedalsbreen National Park, with its system of glaciers feeding waterfalls including the Ramnefjellsfossen, whose three free-falling cascades tumble nearly 2,700 feet, making it the world’s third-highest waterfall. Mt. Skala is another popular attraction, boasting twin peaks of over 7,000 feet in altitude.

Cruise Norway’s sixth-longest fjord, which arises from the mighty Jostedalsbreen Glacier, Europe’s largest, high in the mountains and empties into the sea  at Husevågøy island south of the Stadlandet Peninsula. The fjord is 66 miles/106 km long, with six main branches. It is surrounded by snow-capped peaks, some of which are capable of offering year-round skiing on their highest slopes. There are a number of fishing communities along the fjord which date from pre-Viking days, including Stryn, Gloppen, Eid, Utvik, Olden and Loen. Enjoy the passing panorama of shining water, steep mountainsides and tiny villages glowing in the endless sun of Norway’s summer. 

 

Laerdal sits at the eastern end of Sognefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest, where the Laerdal river valley runs eastward over one of the easiest passes through the mountain ranges that loom between western Norway and the eastern interior.  The town has been an important market center for the fjord region for centuries, and the nearby village of Borgund has a stave church dating from 1200 CE that is one of Norway’s iconic treasures from the Viking era. The river is also famous for salmon fishing. The valley’s steep walls are laced with picturesque waterfalls and a remnant of the winding, traditional King’s Highway between Oslo and Bergen called the Vindhella is accessible to hikers. The newer Laerdal Tunnel is the world’s longest road tunnel, running under the mountains for 25 km. 

Threading between the many small islands scattered across its entrance, your ship enters the King of Fjords. Winding 127 miles/205 km deep into the mountainous countryside, it is the largest and deepest of Norway’s fjords. After crossing a narrow sill of shallow water (330 ft/100 m) the bottom plunges to an average depth ten times as great. Its deepest point is 4,231 feet/1308 m below sea level, although a layer of silt blankets the fjord bottom to a depth of 660 feet/200m. The glacier-carved cliffs on either side rise another 3,300 ft/1000m, and at its furthest end, the fjord carves into a range of 6,600-ft/2000m peaks cradling the Jostedalsbreen, Europe’s largest glacier. Its average width is 2.8 miles/4.5 km. Waterfalls tinsel down the steep walls at intervals, sparkling in the endless summer sun. Here and there, a plucky little farm clings perilously to a narrow shelf either beside the water or unbelievably perched partway up the wall, looking like child’s toy against the scale of the peaks. It is a scene that brings to mind the sonorous call of a lur – the wooden horns sounded by Vikings in these majestic fjords.

The town of Stavanger is situated along the shores of the narrow and winding Lysefjord. The natural environment here is dramatic, including the white sands of Sola Beach with its gently rolling waves. A highlight of any visit to Norway is the awe-inspiring peak of the world famous Preikestolen, or ‘Pulpit Rock,’ looming 2,000’ (604 m) directly above and overlooking the fjord. A hike to the table-top summit of the peak is rewarded by spectacularly breathtaking views all round and is truly the experience of a lifetime. Stavanger itself is one of the oldest cities in Norway, having a well-preserved old town, with over 170 wooden houses on winding streets creating a quaint and charming atmosphere. Stavanger Cathedral is the best-preserved medieval cathedral in Norway, dating back to the year 1125. Once declared a European Capital of Culture, Stavanger is home to a number of prominent museums including the Maritime Museum, the Museum of Archaeology and the Art Museum.

Farsund is located on the Lista Peninsula in southern Norway, which is filigreed with fjords and waterways such as the Lygdalsfjorden. It is a popular attraction for vacationers for its beaches and prolific birdlife, as well as hiking trails and historic events such as the pirate festival. The Vanse Church is one of Norway’s earliest, dating from 1037. The town was also an important part of the Atlantic Wall in WWII, with bunkers and fortifications such as the Nordberg Fortress, and nearby islands used as prisons for captured Axis soldiers. The Lista Lighthouse is a popular place to watch birds and get views over the beaches.

At the tip of the flat, sandy Jutland peninsula, Skagen is Denmark’s northernmost town and a popular holiday destination for Danes. It was long Denmark’s most important fishing port, but its popularity as a recreation area began at the end of the 19th Century when Queen Alexandrine, the wife of King Christian X, fell in love with the rustic character of the place and built the summer residence Klitgaarden. The royal couple invited other Scandinavian and European royalty to share holidays with them and Skagen’s reputation grew. At the same time, the Skagensbanen railway made travel to Jutland easier. Impressionist artists were attracted by the exotic sand- and seascapes and the vivid light reflected from the sea, and a school of Skagen Painters thrived in the first quarter of the 20th century. Arts and crafts still remain an important local tradition, and the town has many shops and galleries offering handmade goods to visitors. There is a venerable lighthouse near the peninsula’s tip, where the North Sea and the Baltic Sea meet, but due to their differing densities, their margins can clearly be seen. A St. Lawrence’s Church was built in Skagen in the 14th century, but it was eventually inundated by drifting sand dunes. The Skagen Church of today was built in 1841. Visitors today are attracted to period buildings such as the Skagen Museum, and former artists’ residences including the Anchers Hus and Drachmanns Hus. The Skagen area is also a magnet for birdwatchers, since 367 of Denmark’s 471 bird species can be seen there.

Vibrant Copenhagen, Denmark’s capital, sits on the coastal islands of Zealand and Amager. Originally a Viking fishing village established in the 10th century, Copenhagen today is one the world’s most liveable cities. Its open spaces and lively street life, along with city planning favoring cyclists and pedestrians, encourage inhabitants to enjoy a lifestyle with an emphasis on community, culture and cuisine. Copenhagen is a highly cultured city, offering highlights including the National Gallery of Denmark, which holds 240,000 works of art, the Ny Carlsberg Museum with its spectacular collection of ancient sculptures from Egypt, Rome and Greece and Rosenborg Castle, where the Danish Crown Jewels are exhibited.  Life in Copenhagen is lived on the seat of a bicycle: everybody rides one.  Danes cycle in sun, rain or snow; they bike to work, to school, to bring the kids to kindergarten, to shop for groceries and to social gatherings. Discover one of Europe’s true treasures in Copenhagen.