7 nights. Norway

Day 1

rotterdam, netherlands

Departure: 15:00

Rotterdam maybe isn't the most beautiful Dutch city but it is vibrant, down-to-earth and cosmopolitan. Stepping out of Central Station it’s immediately obvious that this is no cutesy tulips-and-clogs traditional Dutch town, as the walls of shining silver skyscrapers and brightly coloured tower blocks rise up on every side of you. After wandering around the city for a while, you will soon discover why. Instead of rebuilding its historic centre, this forward-thinking port town employed an army of mad architects to completely redesign the city after it was flattened by German bombs in May 1940. They did a great job and created a new heart for Rotterdam that is not only modern and functional, but arresting and unique. But fans of cosy redbrick houses and canals needn’t dismay, Rotterdam also has plenty of architectural pockets that look ‘typically Dutch’. Although most of these lie a little outside the city centre, one welcome exception is the Oude Haven, Rotterdam’s oldest port and nowadays a popular hangout by day and night time. Sitting here the contrast of Rotterdam couldn’t be clearer, behind the old Dutch ships anchored steadily in the abandoned harbour, Rotterdam’s modern architecture gleams in the sunlight. Today Rotterdam has the third biggest harbour in the world, making it the industrial heart of the Netherlands, and with roughly 50% of citizens claiming a non-Dutch origin, the city is a truly multicultural composition. It is famed for its festive summers, which makes up for the long winter.

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Day 3

eidfjord, norway

Arrival: 07:00 - Departure: 15:00

Eidfjord is one of the most beautifully sited towns in this part of Norway, dwarfed by sheer mountains and cascading waterfalls. Eidfjord's beauty does, however, come at a price. Although it's only accessible by ferry or spiral tunnels, in summer cruise ships arrive on an almost daily basis, and the town can get overwhelmed.

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Day 4

hellesylt, norway

Arrival: 12:30 - Departure: 23:00

Hellesylt is a small village in Stranda Municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The village lies at the head of the Sunnylvsfjorden, which is a branch of the Storfjorden, and which the more famous Geirangerfjorden in turn branches off nearby. The 0.44-square-kilometre (110-acre) village has a population (2018) of 258 and a population density of 586 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,520/sq mi). There are several hundred other people living in the surrounding valley area as well. In the summertime, thousands of tourists travel through or stay in Hellesylt each day. Most of them take the ferry to the nearby village of Geiranger, which in high season runs every one and a half hours. There is also a cruise ship pier that can handle very large ships. The village is surrounded by mountains and valleys. The Sunnylven Church is located in Hellesylt, which was the administrative center of the former municipality of Sunnylven. Hellesylt is under constant threat from the mountain Åkerneset, which is about to erode into the Sunnylvsfjord. A collapse could cause a tsunami destroying most of downtown Hellesylt.

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Day 5

alesund, norway

Arrival: 08:00 - Departure: 17:00

Old-fashioned pinnacle buildings dot the stone-paved streets of Alesund, a bustling port surrounded by jade-green fjords and forested mountains. After burning to the ground in 1904, Alesund was rebuilt and lavishly embellished with the help of Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany. The Norwegian architects who supervised the rebuild were heavily influenced by Jugendstil, the German version of Art Nouveau, and the town is now one of the best remaining examples of this sinuous, highly personalized, turn-of-the-century style. Moreover, Alesund 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. Narrow streets are crammed with buildings topped with turrets, spires and gables that bear decorations of dragonheads and curlicues. As one of the few remaining Art Nouveau towns in the world, in 1998 Alesund was awarded the coveted Houens National Memorial Prize for the preservation of its unique architecture. The Alesund Museum, in the centre of town, illustrates the city’s rich past with ship models and vintage clothing. For a breathtaking view of Old Alesund, the harbour, and the mountains beyond walk up to Aksla hill. Birdwatchers will enjoy the island of Runde, a sanctuary for birds. Alesund is a modern city with a varied cultural scene and exciting cafes and restaurants. The sea, the fjords, the mountains, the multitude of islands, all so pretty and inviting and the myriad of turrets, spires and beautiful ornamentation that give the town its distinctive character are like something from a fairytale.

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Day 6

bergen, norway

Arrival: 08:00 - Departure: 17:00

Clinging tenaciously to the hills surrounding its deeply indented fjord, Bergen’s stunning scenery and exciting cultural tradition make it unique among European cities. Once the capital of Norway, Bergen has always played a leading role in the nation’ history. Squeezed between mountains and bounded by water, the centre of town stretched between the harbour Bryggen and Torgalmenningen, the main square. Bergen’s most sensuous spot is the Torget, at the foot of the harbour, your nose will tell you what’s being sold. Here you can choose fish from open tanks and watch traders net, weight and clean the creature you’ve chosen. Looking towards the right side of the harbour you’ll see the pointed gables of Bryggen’s roofline. This row of heavy-timbered medieval buildings, typical of Hanseatic architecture, has survived half a dozen disastrous fires since its construction in the 16th century. Bryggen now features restaurants, bars and arts-and-crafts workshops. Housed in one of the best-preserved buildings, the Hanseatic Museum presents an interesting picture of commercial activity during those times. Starting from Torget or Bryggen, explore the jungle of houses on the slopes of Mount Floien. A steep hike above these houses will reward you with increasingly spectacular views of Bergen and the fjord beyond. Welcoming Bergen has numerous places for an evening beer or glass of wine. This beautiful and charming city has a dynamic cultural life and lively atmosphere and is the perfect place to explore the Sognefjord and other fantastic Norwegian fjords.

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Day 8

rotterdam, netherlands

Arrival: 07:00

Rotterdam maybe isn't the most beautiful Dutch city but it is vibrant, down-to-earth and cosmopolitan. Stepping out of Central Station it’s immediately obvious that this is no cutesy tulips-and-clogs traditional Dutch town, as the walls of shining silver skyscrapers and brightly coloured tower blocks rise up on every side of you. After wandering around the city for a while, you will soon discover why. Instead of rebuilding its historic centre, this forward-thinking port town employed an army of mad architects to completely redesign the city after it was flattened by German bombs in May 1940. They did a great job and created a new heart for Rotterdam that is not only modern and functional, but arresting and unique. But fans of cosy redbrick houses and canals needn’t dismay, Rotterdam also has plenty of architectural pockets that look ‘typically Dutch’. Although most of these lie a little outside the city centre, one welcome exception is the Oude Haven, Rotterdam’s oldest port and nowadays a popular hangout by day and night time. Sitting here the contrast of Rotterdam couldn’t be clearer, behind the old Dutch ships anchored steadily in the abandoned harbour, Rotterdam’s modern architecture gleams in the sunlight. Today Rotterdam has the third biggest harbour in the world, making it the industrial heart of the Netherlands, and with roughly 50% of citizens claiming a non-Dutch origin, the city is a truly multicultural composition. It is famed for its festive summers, which makes up for the long winter.

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7 nights. Norway

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