The fjord road, Bergen to Alesund
Bergen out, three fjords, one stave church and the two most theatrical roads in the country.
The fjords are close together on a map and far apart in practice, because every direct line is a mountain or a body of water. That is the whole point of this route: the driving is the attraction, and the ferries are part of the road. Eight days is enough to do it without spending every evening arriving somewhere in the dark. Bergen and Alesund bookend it neatly for flights, and the middle is a chain of arms of the same sea, each with a different character.
The route, day by day
- Day 1 Bryggen
The old wharf in Bergen, and a soft first day if you flew in.
- Day 1 Bergen Fish Market
Overpriced and worth ten minutes anyway - it sets the tone for the coast.
- Day 2 Hardangerfjord
The orchard fjord. In late May it is in blossom and almost nobody photographs it.
- Day 3 Sognefjord
The longest of them. The Naeroyfjord arm is the narrow, UNESCO-listed part.
- Day 3 Borgund Stave Church
Twelfth-century timber, on the way east from Sognefjord. Twenty minutes, no more needed.
- Day 4-5 Geirangerfjord
The postcard one. Two nights so you can be on the water early, before the cruise ships anchor.
- Day 6 Trollstigen
Eleven hairpins up a wall. Closed by snow well into spring - check before committing.
- Day 7 Atlantic Ocean Road
Eight bridges hopping between skerries. Better in bad weather than in good.
- Day 8 Alesund Art Nouveau Town
A whole town rebuilt in one style after a fire. Finish here and fly out.
Ticks are kept in this browser only. See your map
Getting around
A car, and you will use ferries constantly - most are drive-on, pay-on-board and run every 20 to 40 minutes. Fuel and tolls are expensive; budget for them. The train from Oslo to Bergen and the Flam line are worth doing as journeys in their own right if you would rather not drive.
When to go
Late May to September. Trollstigen and other high roads open when the snow clears, usually late May, and close again in October - the dates move every year. June has the longest light; September has the colour and far fewer people.
Honest expectations
Norway is expensive in a way that surprises people even when they have been warned: a modest dinner and a night in a modest room will cost more than most of Europe. The weather does what it likes, and a fjord in flat grey rain looks like a flooded valley. The famous viewpoints have queues, and Trolltunga and Preikestolen are long, serious hikes, not photo stops.
This is a suggested order, not a booking. Every stop links to its own page with access, season, entry and what is genuinely annoying about it. Check opening days and ferry timetables yourself before you commit - they change, and this page does not.