Norwegian Fjords Luxury Cruises

What sets Oslo apart from other European cities is not so much its cultural traditions or its internationally renowned museums as its simply stunning natural beauty. How many world capitals have subway service to the forest, or lakes and hiking trails within city limits? But Norwegians will be quick to remind you that Oslo is a cosmopolitan metropolis with prosperous businesses and a thriving nightlife.Once overlooked by travelers to Scandinavia, Oslo is now a major tourist destination and the gateway to what many believe is Scandinavia's most scenic country.

Many visitors who visit Norway fall in love with Bergen, the country’s second-largest city. Seven rounded lush mountains, pastel wood houses, the historic wharf, winding cobbled streets, and Hanseatic relics all make it a place of enchantment. Monuments in themselves (they are on the UNESCO World Heritage List), the buildings tempt travelers and locals to the shops, restaurants, and museums inside. At night, when Bryggen (the quayside) is lit up, these modest buildings, together with the stocky Rosenkrantz Tower, Mount Fløyen, and yachts lining the pier are reflected in the waters of the harbor—make it one of the loveliest cityscapes in northern Europe.

The coastal town of Ålesund is the commercial capital of the Møre og Romsdal district. But more important, it is noted for its characteristic Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) buildings, which some claim make Ålesund one of the most beautiful towns in Norway. This Art Nouveau style emerged when the town was completely rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1904 destroyed nearly 800 buildings and left 10,000 residents homeless. It is said that the fire started by a tipped oil lamp.

The Geirangerfjord, which made the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005, is Norway’s most spectacular and perhaps best-known fjord. The 10-mile-long, 960-foot-deep Geirangerfjord’s most stunning attractions are its roaring waterfalls—the Seven Sisters, the Bridal Veil, and the Suitor. Perched on mountain ledges along the fjord, deserted farms at Skageflå and Knivsflå are being restored and maintained by local enthusiasts.

Tromsø surprised visitors in the 1800s: they thought it very sophisticated and cultured for being so close to the North Pole—hence its nickname, the Paris of the North. It looks the way a polar town should—with ice-capped mountain ridges and jagged architecture that is an echo of the peaks. It is said that the northern lights decorate the night skies over Tromsø more than over any other city in Norway, although sadly of course not during the midnight sun months, which shines from May 21st to July 21st.

Situated at the very north tip of Norway and inside the Arctic Circle, there is something very special about being (almost) at the top of the world. Called the northernmost point of Europe, the North Cape (Nordkapp in Norwegian) lies about 1,300 miles from the North Pole, with no dry land between except for the Svalbald archipelago. Be sure to be on the lookout for hundreds of thousands of puffins, gannets, cormorants, seals, dolphins and whales that make this stretch of chilly water their home. Perfect picture opportunities abound with the colorful, compact fishing villages set against the otherwise stark, barren landscape.