Six Days of Fjords, Trains, and Bread
Norway is the country where I most often forgot to take photos because I kept getting absorbed into the view. Fjords don't really work in a frame; they're about scale, and a phone screen doesn't have scale. The route below is the standard 'Norway in a Nutshell' loop with a couple of small additions.
Route, day by day
Day 1 — Oslo. Land. Vigeland Park, the Opera House roof, dinner at a stalwart Norwegian place. Don't try to fit a museum in on day one.
Day 2 — Oslo → Bergen. The Bergen Railway: 7 hours through the Hardangervidda plateau. Window seat on the south side. This is the journey people remember more than the cities.
Days 3–4 — Bergen. Bryggen's old wooden warehouses (touristy but pretty). The Fløibanen funicular for the city overview. A day-trip on the fjord — Mostraumen is the closer option, the Naerøyfjord requires more travel.
Day 5 — Flåm and the fjords. Bergen → Voss → Flåm. The Flåm Railway is short, steep, and dramatic. A boat through the Aurlandsfjord pays back the effort.
Day 6 — Return to Oslo. Stalheim, the Stegastein viewpoint, then back to Oslo by train. Long day, worth it.
Practical notes
- Norway in a Nutshell is the official packaged version of this loop. You can DIY for less, but the packaged tickets are convenient.
- Cost: Norway is the most expensive country I've travelled in. Plan groceries; a sandwich for dinner is honourable.
- Weather: bring layers regardless of month. The fjords have their own micro-climate.
- Bread: seriously. The dark, dense breads at any supermarket are genuinely better than 90% of what's labelled artisanal elsewhere.
- Light: in summer you'll have 18 hours of daylight; in winter, 6. Plan trip month around what you want.
What I'd write more about
- Why the Bergen Railway is the trip you came for.
- A comparison of fjord boat options for someone short on time.
- Oslo's quiet case: an underrated capital.
Note: Working draft based on memory and a route I'd recommend. I'll expand each day with photos, specific places, and longer reflections as I revisit my notes.