Bakklandet

Bakklandet lies on the east bank of the river opposite the old centre of Trondheim, a district of small timber houses in ochre, red, blue and white built for workers and artisans from the eighteenth century onward. Like several such quarters it was slated for demolition in the 1960s to make way for a motorway and saved by protest, and it is now among the most sought-after parts of the city, full of cafes, small shops and student flats. The Old Town Bridge, Gamle Bybro, of 1861 with its red-painted portals, connects it to the centre and gives the standard view of the coloured warehouses standing on piles along the river. A bicycle lift, the Trampe, hauls cyclists up the steep Brubakken hill.

What you actually see

• The painted houses - small timber homes in strong colours along the lanes.
• The Old Town Bridge - an 1861 crossing with red portals.
• The river warehouses - coloured buildings on piles above the Nidelva.
• The bicycle lift - the Trampe hauling cyclists up the hill.

When to go

May to September, when the cafe terraces are open and the river quarter is at its liveliest; the coloured houses photograph well in snow too. Evenings are busy with students in term time.

Honest expectations

The quarter is small and can be walked in half an hour, with the interest being atmosphere rather than sights. Cafes are busy and prices are high. Cruise passengers fill the bridge area on ship days.

Nearby

Nidaros Cathedral is across the river; Kristiansten Fortress is up the hill behind Bakklandet.