NORWAY

Bergen \ Flam \ Oslo \\ November, 2016

DO THIS:

Bergen Funicular Fløibanen - right near the Bryggen wharf you can find the entrance to this tram. Its super quick and an easy ride up to the top. Once you ride all the way up, take some moments to take in the view...it is stunning.

At the top there is a nice souvenir shop and a restaurant/cafe. There is also a cute little children's playground with trolls everywhere.

MUST SEE:

The docks in Bergen are picture perfect. The call Bergen the gateway to the Fjords, and it does not disappoint. Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf sports colorful shops and businesses that you cannot resist taking photos of.

Take a walk towards the train station or if you are heading there for a train, leave early and enjoy the small lake. You can see all the small houses in the hillside and walk through the campus of a school.

EAT HERE:

UNA Kjokken & Microbrewery - stumbled upon this place while walking around the docks in Bergen. So happy we did! This microbrewery has some great beers and a great burger & fries. They also had wi-fi and a few chess boards & backgammon boards to play while you hung out. We found a deck of cards and played some games for a bit before we ordered our meal. The UNA Restaurant and Microbrewery is located at the ground floor at First Hotel Marin Bergen.

Cornelius Seafood Restaurant - even though we did not make it here during our trip, I have had several friends and family make the boat ride out to Cornelius. All of them say its the best meal they have had during their Norway trips. It is a bit pricey, but if you are there to have the best seaford...this is it.

DO THIS:

We decided to purchase the Norway in a Nutshell Winter Package. This was the easiest purchase we made during our adventures. Even though you can totally do the entire route to Olso in one day - I highly suggest splitting the trip into two days. It was a great chance to stay in the middle of the fjords in a small town called Flam.

This package included:

The scenic Bergen Railway.
The breathtaking Flåm Railway.
A winter fjord cruise on the magnificent Aurlandsfjord and on the narrow Nærøyfjord.
Bus trip through beautiful winter scenery.

The Flam Railway

After spending the night in Flam, we boarded the first train out of the small town to head towards Mydral. This 40 minute train ride is STUNNINGLY SCENIC. My eyes were glued to the windows of the small train as we rode in and out of the mountains. The train conductor even stopped in the middle of nowhere near a waterfall. We were able to grab some pics as the snow was lightly covered the mountain around us.

Once we arrived in Mydral, we changed trains and boarding the next one to Oslo. After another 4 hours or so on this train we reached Oslo. This train was more of the normal passenger train, with a snack car and bathrooms.

FJORD CRUISE

After one train, one bus, and one fjord cruise we arrived in Flam. But let's back-up a bit to the fjord cruise... THIS WAS THE BEST PART. The ferry is cozy, with big windows if you would like to stay indoors. Luckily there were even outlets to charge up all our electronics. But do not stay inside...get outside to the numerous decks they have on board. Take a million photos. Just breathe in the air clean crisp air. It is truly breathtaking.

The cruise is about two hours long and has little snack bar to keep you full of food and coffee. Pro-tip: when you board the ferry, make sure you sit in the "back" with the windows facing the restaurant/parking lot. The ferry turns around out of the port and this will become the front - best seat in the house!

EAT HERE:

Right next door to the Flamsbrygga Hotel is the Ægir Viking BrewPub and Restaurant.

Walking into the pub was like taking a step into viking culture. This small brewery has some great beers and also does tastings/flights so that you can try everything. The fire in the middle of the room is inviting to those traveling in groups or alone. Perfect place to decompress after traveling most of the day.

After a flight of beer, we headed upstairs to the restaurant. I had an amazing burger and an equally fantastic dessert. To say we slept soundly that night would be an understatement.

FLAM

In Flam we stayed overnight at the Flamsbrygga Hotel. This place was straight out of a Norwegian story book (pictured above on the right side of the photo).

In town there is a cute bakery and cafe - amazing homemade treats and snacks. There is also a small shop to grab some grocery items and wine.

OSLO

The amazing thing about Oslo - the train station is in the center of town! After getting out of the Oslo train station it was a quick walk to our Airbnb and to the core of the city.

Choosing to go to Norway during the end of November was strategic - we knew it would be ready for Christmas! Seeing the lights and holiday decorations around the city were well worth the cold temperature and many layers worn

Must see:

Oslo has Christmas markets near the center of town - ferris wheel and all! We grabbed some hot chocolate & warm baked snacks. The locals all had stalls selling goods from the city and the surrounding towns.

EAT HERE:

Olivia in Akyer Brygge was the best meal we had during the whole trip! After a few glasses of house wine & a mozzarella sampler, we were happy little campers. Highly recommend the spaghetti carbonara. Great outdoor seating if the weather is nice and amazing indoor decor for a cozy meal inside.

AIRPORT TRAVEL

Getting to and from the airport in Oslo is quite easy. A train to the Oslo airport leaves the train station every 10 minutes and it takes 20 minutes to reach the destination. Make sure you get to the gate if on the screen it says "Passport Control" - this process takes a while and you do not want to be late.