Scandinavian driving trip (3): Sweden to Bergen and around (Norway)

Itinerary (1)
Netherlands to Sweden (2)

After taking five days to drive from Amsterdam to Sweden, on our sixth day, we finally entered Norway. We still took 2 days to reach Bergen, our first long stay destination in Norway, but we were already impressed with the stunning-ness of Norway, during our stop at Leveld and the experience in the fjords at Nærøyfjord on the way. The natural beauty of Norway is just magnificent, at every turn, and nothing I write below can capture the freshness and grandness of the place.

Walking up Mt Floyen

The highlights for me on this part of our trip were our stay in the cabin in Leveld, kayaking in Nærøyfjord, the views of Bergen from Mt Floyen and the serenity of Norheimsund lake. 




Day 6: Drive from Gothenburg to Leveld (Norway) (6.5h), with stops at Gothenburg and Oslo

Gothenburg city

In the morning, we spent a few hours exploring Gothenburg. We walked around in the old town, exploring the city centre. We started at the Haga market which was such a lively place, with colourful shops all around. (And interestingly the street next to it was completely empty!). Then we walked by some parks along the canal, lined with some grand buildings. There were also tons of statues everywhere. It was such a pleasant scenic walk, so simple yet pleasing to the eye. I was impressed with the town, and it felt quite picturesque at every turn.

Gothenburg from above

We then drove to the Keillers Park viewpoint nearby, at Ramberget, and we got a panoramic view of the city around. We could see the commercial areas along with the residential areas next to them. The view of the city from above was just average though. Walking through the town was more beautiful.

Gothenburg city

Then we were off to Oslo. The drive today was definitely prettier and more interesting than yesterday. And the whole vibe changed once we entered Norway. More mountains, more lakes, and very refreshing, with the bright green grass and colourful wild flowers all along the road. Our first stop in the country was in the capital, Oslo. And getting in was interesting. We were hoping to drive around town and see how it is, but somehow we landed into a tunnel which took us from the outskirts of town, directly into the city centre, completely skipping the entire city 😆.

Oslo waterfront

We spent most of our time walking around the Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen areas, the city centre with the pier and waterfront. And we loved it, the vibrant atmosphere there, with the shops and apartments right next to the sea. We had an Indian lunch at New Delhi, which had very tasty food. The owners of the restaurant were from Punjab, so we chatted with them for a while. Then we walked around the pier. It was full of tourists, with people taking cruises into the fjord, which came all the way in to the city centre. The waterfront was lined with boats and ferries. Then we walked inland a bit, and there were a few nice parks around, again with a lot of statues. It was quite a pleasure to walk around town, especially as it was sunny and clear weather. 

And then we were off to our next stop, to a non-descript place on the way, called Leveld. (It is a small village near Ål, in the Hallingdal valley). The drive was stunning, with valleys and lakes, high mountains with wooden cabins, and greenery everywhere the eye could see. There were many camping spots on the way, and the place seemed quite outdoorsy. On the way, we stopped to charge the Tesla and even that spot was mesmerising. It was next to a river, and we took a break, enjoying watching a calm sunset over the gushing river waters. The whole drive was just so enjoyable and refreshing, we could have gone on forever.

Cabin in Leveld

Given our two stops during the day, we reached our accommodation very late, around 11pm. And what a big miss it was! Our airbnb for the night was a small wooden cabin located on a hillside, which overlooked what looked like paradise. I totally loved it, the feel, the views and the feeling of being at a place like that. Green grass in front with red Norwegian houses and farmlands in the valley, till wherever the eyes could see. The owner lived right next door and let us in. It was a place we would have loved to walk around and explore, it was so heavenly. But alas I had booked an early morning activity the next day, and so we had to leave early again ☹️.

Interestingly this was the only accommodation on this trip that I was a bit skeptical about how it would be, as it was a simple wooden cabin in a village, but it turned out to be the most spectacular of all.


Day 7: Drive from Leveld to Bergen (4.5h), with kayaking and cruise at Naeroyfjord

We left Leveld early in the morning and drove towards the fjords. And now that we were in Norway, the views for the next one week were just stunning. The drive that day was delightful. Through mountains and lakes. Small streams everywhere, gushing with water. And the mountains full of wild flowers. Also, we drove through so many tunnels, we were impressed with the road infrastructure of the country. Soon, we entered into fjord country, the west coast of Norway. And after this point, our surroundings got even more breathtaking. In fact, stunning beauty became so omnipresent, it almost became a way of life.

Gudvangen

We drove towards Naeroyfjord which was a bit of a diversion and had many small remote villages all along the fjord. Part of the group were to take an organised ferry in the fjord, from the village of Flam to Gudvangen. And the others were to go kayaking in the fjord, from Gudvangen. We first dropped some of our group at Flam for the ferries. It was quite a pretty little town. And then we drove to the village of Gudvangen where we were to start kayaking from.

Cliffs of Naeroyfjord

We had signed up for a 24 kms kayaking trip in the fjord, with Nordic Ventures Adventure Sports in Gudvangen. Kayaking there is supposed to be an exhilarating experience, given it is one of the narrowest fjords in the world, with steep cliffs rising more than a thousand metres on both of its sides. We got ready, got our instructions and then were off in the fjord. It was quite a tiring experience I must say, but really worth it. We saw the mountains up close, those giant masses. And multiple waterfalls falling from above. We saw mountain goats in the villages. We saw some farmer villages along the fjord, some of which become uninhabited during the winter months. We even stopped at one spot where the guide made lunch for us to eat. It was a simple lunch, but tasted heavenly given all the exercise we had got.

View from the kayak

It was a very windy day that day and one group in our kayaking party got lost! So the guide left us by the shoreline, and went back to get them. Thankfully we found them and then continued on our trail. At one point it did feel like it would be tough to finish the kayak tour 😂. But we made it! We ended the tour in the village of Undredal, another small little charming town along the fjord. And then a shuttle picked us up and dropped us back at Gudvangen. It had been such an extraordinary day, with such awe-inspiring views during the day. It was quite an experience to be in the fjords and see what it looks like up close. It was also a sign of what was to come in the next few days.

And then though tired, I had to drive for 4 more hours to get to Bergen. The drive there was through striking scenery again, with lakes and wooden cabins and greenery. And as we got close to Bergen, there were just rows and rows of hills covered with beautiful houses, all next to the sea. We had a very enjoyable drive to get to Bergen, and I don't think I can describe Norway’s beauty that easily. It just has to be lived.

It had also started pouring by then. So it took us a while to find our airbnb in Bergen. But this place also turned out to be a stunner, and was very welcome after such a long tiring day. It was a nice luxury home in a residential area of outside of the city centre. And a good base for the next three days.


Day 8: Explored Bergen, climbed up Mt Floyen

Walking in Bergen

The next day, we spent the whole day exploring the town of Bergen. And I fell in love with the city. I would love to spend a month living here. It's just so charming, so stunning, so relaxed, and so seeped in nature, it's absolutely lovely. We first walked from our airbnb to the city centre. It was through some elegant looking streets, colourful residential areas, well manicured parks, over bridges and along the water. We ambled through the Nygardsparken park which was stunning to walk through. And we also walked by many murals on the streets, some of which looked like Banksy’s.

Lille Lungegardsvann lake

We stopped at the Lille Lungegårdsvann lake and its central fountain which had a nice backdrop of the Bergen mountains. And then we walked through some gorgeous gardens with a colourful flower canopy. The whole area felt surreal, and it being a sunny day helped bring out its beauty even more. I can't even imagine living in a city which is so grand and magnificent. 

Bryggen Wharf

Then we walked through the shopping area, to Torget Square, the location of the famous Bergen fish market, the Fisketorget. We walked up to Bryggen street, past the iconic Bryggen Wharf with its colourful old Norwegian houses, all painted in bright colours and then around the waterfront. Here, there were some cruises parked for the day, and all the cruise tourists were exploring the city centre. This whole area was extremely active and lively that summer day.

Walk up Mt Floyen

Bergen is known for its seven surrounding hills, some of which are hikeable. So we decided to go up one of those, Mt. Floyen. This hike was quite popular and started from the Torget Square itself. It was quite a short hike, about 3 kms long with a 400 metres ascent. We initially walked past some gorgeous houses overlooking the town. And then the path became narrow through the forests. And we kept getting increasingly better views of the city down below.

Lake Skomakerdiket

The top was crowded as there was also a Floibanen funicular which goes up to the top. And there was so much activity going on there. On the top, there were many activities going on. Including at the Skomakerdiket lake where people were doing watersports. People were even canoeing there. We took a walk all around it. It was quite a tranquil little lake, located up a mountain. 

Bergen islands from Mt Floyen

Then we went to the Floyen viewpoint, from where you can get a 180 degrees view of the town below. We just sat there for a while, enjoying the views of the city. We could see all the seven hills surrounding Bergen, the colourful houses below and all the way till the surrounding islands far off. It was just so breathtakingly beautiful, we didn't want to leave this place. But after a while, we had to.

Flowers canopy

When we walked down, we ate freshly caught cod at the Bergen fish market, the Fisketorget. The fish was tasty but it was so bland, that even I had to ask for some sauces to put on it! The fish was very fresh though. And the atmosphere all around was so lively. With all the tourists coming through the ferries, the street performers playing local music, and everyone enjoying a nice weather day - it was just so joyous and lively. We hung out there for a while, and then walked all the way back to our airbnb, enjoying the city views as much on the walk back as on the walk in.


Day 9: Drive around Hardanger fjords, with stops at Haga village, Steinsdalfossen waterfall, Norheimsund beach

Haga village

The next day, we left Bergen and explored the Hardangerfjord areas nearby, which is the longest fjord in the world. It's called the ‘Queen of the Fjords,’ and is one of Norway’s most scenic drives, dotted with waterfalls.We drove along the scenic route, mostly driving along the fjords.First we stopped at the Haga village on the way. It was a sweet little village, and we just walked around, having chai next to the waterfront.

View from Steinsdalfossen
 waterfall

Next we drove to the Steinsdalfossen waterfall, which allows one to walk behind the waterfall. It was located in quite a picturesque valley with a river nearby. We walked up the waterfall but also spent some time in the valley, going down to the river and putting our feet in the water.

Norheimsund beach

And the last stop of the day was at Norheimsund beach in the town of Norheimsund. It was just so serene, and so dazzlingly beautiful. To be in such surreal surroundings, next to a lake, with mountains and snow and houses all around. We swam in the lake for a bit, but mostly just took in the scene and the fresh air. And were just there..

Serenity at Norheimsund

Today was one of the most beautiful days of our trip, but the pictures and words can only explain as much of the joy of being at such places. I just loved being there and will definitely be back 




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