Northern countries Cruise - from Bergen - 134668

Bergen is one of the most charming cities in Norway, not least due to its unique setting between seven hills. With a population of 218,000 it is the second-largest city in the country and the capital of "Fylke Hordaland". The town of Bergen was granted the city charter in 1070 by Bishop Olav Kyrre. Not that long after, in 1217, King Hakon IV. declared the town to the Norwegian seat of government. Today, the oldest and most famous wooden houses of the city are at the "Bryggen", the former dock of the Hanseatic League. These unique buildings were among four properties in Norway to be included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Sights include: the Hanseatic museum, the Bryggen Museum, Bergenshus fort, St. Mary's Church and the Leprosy Museum, and the aquarium.

The port of Ålesund, which stretches across three islands, was reconstructed after the great fire of 1904 with Art Nouveau architecture. The best view of the city and the skerries before the coast is to be had from the observation hill "Aksla", which can be reached on foot via 418 steps or - the more comfortable option - by car. The panorama restaurant "Fjellstua" is located here. The Ålesund Museum provides an insight into the city's history. At Atlanterhavs Park, visitors can marvel at the creatures that inhabit the Atlantic in a huge sea water aquarium. Around 4 km to the east of the city centre is the Sunnmøre Museum which has various sections. The Medieval Museum gives an idea of what daily life was like at that time and there is also an outdoor museum and a maritime exhibition with old fishing boots and reconstructed Viking ships. The popular trip to the bird island "Runde", to the South-West of Ålesund, provides a very special natural phenomenon.

The Norwegian town of Hellesylt lies by the Storfjord (Sunnylvsfjord), direct at the opening of the huge Geirangerfjord. The wild Norang valley with its famous mountains "Slogen", "Smorskredtind", "Skruven", and "Kvitegga" is directly nearby. Just 200 m from the ferry quay the powerful Hellesylter waterfall surges over countless huge rocks. Here, visitors can also enjoy watching the sweet little white-throated dippers diving into the water.

Leknes is the second-largest town on Vestågøy and the centre of the Lofoten Archipelago. The Lofoten Islands are a group of islands stretching around 170 km in the Atlantic and are among the most fascinating areas of the Norwegian coast. The port is also the trading and administrative centre of the municipality of Vestvågøy and the largest nearby shopping town for residents of the neighbouring islands. Sights include: the town hall, exhibition hall for works of art by local artists and craftsmen in the municipal town hall, and the churches of Borge and Buksnes, which are not far from the town.

The Norwegian Bear Islands became famous on account of the king of the Arctic, the polar bear, which is still often sighted here. The expansive tundra on Myggebugten is inhabited by prehistoric-looking musk oxes and Arctic wolves.

Longyearbyen is the capital of the Svalbard islands (Spitzbergen). For thousands of years the island was located close to the equator. At that time, there were many trees on Svalbard, which later broke down to become coal. As a result of the continental drift, the islands slowly wandered North to their current position close to the North Pole. Sights include: the art gallery, the Svalbard Museum, where exhibits include stuffed arctic animals and items relating to mining as well as several trappers' huts.