FLY-RAIL
ACROSS NORWAY’ S ARCTIC CIRCLE BY TRAIN AND BOAT
9 nights / 10 days From £ 1,970 per person
Lofoten Islands
TRONDHEIM • BODØ • SVOLVAER • HARSTAD • TROMSØ
This luxury touring holiday will take you to the magnificent landscape of Norway’ s Arctic Circle renowned for its seascapes, colourful fishing villages and Northern Lights. You travel from Trondheim, across the Arctic Cricle by train and by boat to the Lofoten Islands before venturing further north to Tromsø, the Arctic Capital.
DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
DAY ONE London to Trondheim by air Your holiday starts with a flight from London to Trondheim via Oslo. Check-in to your hotel and soak in the atmosphere of this colourful and vibrant historic Norwegian city.
DAY TWO In Trondheim Trondheim lies on the southern shore of the Trondheimfjord and has played a significant role in Norwegian history. As the country’ s first capital city, it was the site where Norwegian kings were crowned for over 700 years, specifically in the Nidaros Cathedral. South of this is the striking Archbishop’ s Palace Museum, which offers an insight into the 1000-year history of the cathedral and its diocese. For a glimpse of the more rustic side of Norwegian life, a visit to the Trøndelag Folk museum is essential: dominated by the ruins of Sverresborg castle, this outdoor museum consists of eighty historic buildings giving information about folk culture as well as rural monuments and the Haltdalen stave church, which dates back to 1170.
DAY THREE Trondheim to Bodø by rail After two nights in Trondheim you will board the direct Nordland Railway line service to Bodø. This 729 km railway line is Norway’ s longest and presents huge variety in culture, climate and landscape. The journey starts by skirting around Trondheim Fjord, reaching the small town of Steinjker two hours later at the head of the longest arm of the fjord. From here you head into the hills. Leaving the steel works town of Mo I Rana the train skirts the Saltfjellet-Svartisen National Park, passing close by the Swedish border. Shortly after this you cross the Arctic Circle, before heading back towards the coast to reach the shores of Skjerstad Fjord. You continue along this spectacular natural beauty until you reach the station of Bodø, the final stop on the Norwegian railway system and your base for the next two nights.
DAY FOUR In Bodø The city of Bodø is an excellent base from which to explore some of Norway’ s best scenery and natural attractions. One of its most well-known features is the Saltstraumen maelstrom, a small strait home to the world’ s strongest tidal current. Here you can witness whirlpools bigger than 10 metres with the water moving as fast as 40 km / h. Slightly further out of the city is Kjerringøy, a small, rural community featuring beautiful alpine landscapes ranging from mountains to white sandy beaches. For those looking for more adventurous activities, Bodø offers kayaking, RIB tours and even snorkelling in the surrounding fjords, and fishing is a popular local activity. Within Bodø itself the beautiful harbour offers views from its pier dating back to 1904 and the Norwegian Aviation Museum offers an insight into the civil and military aviation history of Norway.
DAY FIVE Bodø to Svolvaer by Hurtigruten ship After two nights in Bodø you board the Hurtigruten service in the mid-afternoon heading to the Lofoten Islands. This is a journey of roughly six hours which takes you across the open waters of the Vjestfjord to the port of Svolvaer. As this takes you across a wide expanse of the Norwegian Sea the waters can sometimes get fairly choppy, and it is possible to reserve a cabin onboard. As you draw closer to the Lofoten Islands its majestic peaks will welcome you as you pull into Svolvaer, the largest town on the islands.
DAY SIX In Svolvaer This morning awake to the majestic scenery of the Lofoten Islands, collect your hire-car and then start exploring. The Lofoten Islands have some of the most incredible landscapes in the world, ranging from mountains to fjords to white sandy beaches. Your base of Svolvaer is the largest town in the Lofoten Islands and offers fishing excursions and cruises around the islands. Uttakleiv Beach and Haukland Beach are easily accessible by car and can be reached in just over an hour from Svolvaer. For the best views the Lofoten Islands have to offer
108 To speak to our specialist rail holidays team telephone 01392 441250 or see www. expressionsholidays. co. uk