Norway: Glacial gateway

Picturesque Bergen is the ideal base for accessing Norway’s jaw-dropping fjords, finds Graham Smith Quiet, clean and surrounded by a mountainous perimeter frequently enshrouded in rain cloud, Bergen is much as you might expect a small Scandinavian city to be. Indeed, it could be the poster child for those wanting to live an outdoorsy, healthy existence. Yet while it may contain few surprises, Bergen is more than simply a portal to an expanse of outstanding natural beauty – it is part of it. Located on Norway’s south-western coast, the city has a population of only 270,000 people. It feels like it, too. Twenty-five minutes after leaving Bergen Flesland airport, our car pulls up outside the Radisson Blu Royal hotel (radissonblu.com/royalhotel-bergen), right in the middle of the historic Bryggen wharf. Bryggen is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its street of delightfully askew wooden buildings is the city’s foremost tourist landmark. Heading out for an evening walk – Bergen is compact enough to criss-cross easily on foot – I’m struck by how peaceful the centre is. There are plenty of people about but it feels more like a harbour town than Norway’s second city. Accompanying this general sense of calm is the eerie spectacle of the sun going down at close to midnight. For most visitors, it is Bergen’s proximity to Scandinavia’s number-one tourist attraction that is the main draw. The city isn’t trumpeted as the “gateway to the fjords” for nothing. Early on our first morning, we make our way to Bergen rail station to embark on the “Norway in a Nutshell” one-day trip (norwaynutshell.com). This whistle-stop tour (which can also be taken from Oslo and Voss) is a fabulous way to see much of southern Norway’s spectacular scenery. It begins with a two-hour journey on a commuter train. If this sounds unexciting, then think again. The Bergen Railway is northern Europe’s highest and, within 20 minutes, the train is winding its way past crystal-clear lakes and increasingly remote villages as it heads steadily upwards on its way to Myrdal. There, the tour switches on to the Flam Railway for a 55-minute jaunt past dozens of waterfalls and snow-topped mountains. At Kjosfossen waterfall, the train stops and everyone piles out on to a damp wooden platform. From out of nowhere, a bizarre tradition unfolds – two women in long dresses appear from behind rocks and begin dancing. They are dressed as Huldras, forest creatures with cow tails. According to Scandinavian folklore, if a Huldra can lure a man then her tail will fall off and she can return to civilisation. (Don’t worry, these were actually gainfully employed ballet students.) Arriving in Flam, we are greeted by the sight of a docked cruise liner that dwarfs all around it. The starting point for most fjord tours, Flam consists of a few tourist shops, restaurants and the Flamsbrygga microbrewery. After lunch, we set sail on a small ferry for a two-hour crossing to the village of Gudvangen, taking us through Aurlandsfjord and the narrow Naeroyfjord. The scenery is spectacular, with small pockets of civilisation dotted here and there at the foot of sheer cliffs. In Gudvangen, we catch a bus to Voss, which at one point takes us down the treacherously winding Stalheimskleiva road, with its panoramic views of the Naeroy valley. Trying hard to dispel the climax of The Italian Job from my mind, it is a relief when the five-minute descent comes to an end. At Voss, we embark on the final leg of the tour and catch a train back to Bergen, arriving just in time for dinner. Eating out in Norway isn’t cheap – expect to pay £8 for a beer or £40 for a bottle of wine, while a main course can cost upwards of £50. Restaurants in Bergen tend to specialise in fish and that Norwegian delicacy, reindeer. Around the corner from our hotel is Bryggen Tracteursted – dating back to 1708, it’s the oldest restaurant in the city and the perfect place for a traditional meal. For a completely different experience, try Hanne Pa Hoyden in the Fosswinckelsgate area of the city. It specialises in “new Scandinavian” cuisine made from local ingredients and only serves wine prepared on site. Even by Bergen’s standards, it is expensive, but the food is excellent. On our last day, we take a helicopter tour (fonnafly.no) inland, flying over fjords, mountains and glaciers. Up in the sky, the sheer scale of the region’s jagged terrain becomes apparent as one seemingly endless vista gives way to another and another. For a more down-to-earth viewpoint, take the Floibanen funicular to the Floyen peak, some 320 metres above sea level (the cable car is ten minutes’ walk from Bryggen and runs every 15 minutes daily; floibanen.com). This remarkable vantage point maps out Bergen in miniature below, while providing a great overview of the surrounding hills, waterways and islands that make up this beguiling destination. Easyjet flies daily to Bergen from London Gatwick. easyjet.com, visitbergen.com/en