Norway Trip Aug 2019
 

Hello! My husband and I are arriving Bergen, Norway via a Viking cruise. We would love to spend more time in the area but I am having the hardest time narrowing it down and figuring out how to do it. We are flexible on where we fly out of, as I have not bought tickets yet. Things that are of interest would be driving on the Atlantic Road, the overnight cruise from Bergen north to get there ( where to get off I am not sure - hoping for suggestions here Alesund, Geiranger, Kristiansund...). While up north I'd love to drive the Trolls Road and enjoy a easy to moderate hike, and maybe a kayak trip. We also would like to experience the Flam railroad and spend a night or two in that area in Aurland area (perhaps 29/2 hotel) and do a hike or an excursion there. Finally, we would like to spend a couple of days in Oslo ( or a full day and a half day ).

Ideally we would incur at most 8 additional hotel nights.
What I am thinking...
We arrive in Bergen off the ship with half a day in town and then back on the boat to sleep. The next day would be a full day exploring the town and then getting on the ferry to head north. Get off in Alesund and plan to spend a couple (or 3 nights) there, renting a car and doing the drives to the Trolls Road and the Atlantic Roads. Return the car and fly one way from Alesund to Oslo. Spend 2 nights there and arrange for the train to the Flam railroad and ferry and spend a couple nights in that Aurland area. Then get on the train (or bus) back to Bergen and fly home from there. If needed (most likely will) spend the last night in Bergen and fly out the next day.
or
Do I fly from Alesund back to Bergen and do the Flam Railroad, 2-3 N in Aurland - train to Oslo and fly home from there.

Also how the heck does one buy tickets for the ferry up north? I seem to be able to only see longer cruises vs port to port options. Am I spending too much time in some areas (or not enough ), should I drive and spend a night up in the Atlantic Road area vs having a base in Alesund?

I appreciate any suggestions and help on this trip. All the best, Liz

I loved both Bergen and Oslo, but would definitely want more time in Oslo.

We just loved Oslo ... transportation at your doorstep by bus, tram, ferry or subway. Little islands to easily explore. All the wonders of a big city. Lots of young people. We loved hotel Christina Theater... asked for a room overlooking the park and, though we had a standard room, they gave us a great view room. Breakfast is fabulous and overlooks the park as well. And make sure you have the best cinnamon rolls of the trip... from W B Samson.

Don't miss the Kode museums in Bergen.

We drove from Bergen to Trondheim, perhaps more inland than you would wish, but my trip report might give you some ideas; click on my name to find it. We did the NIN including the train ride down to Flam. It can be skipped unless you are a real train buff, as driving up the coast from Bergen will give plenty of fjord experience and views.

and subsequent pictures. Click on the left arrow to see the next pictures; the right arrow will click you back to the Oslo pictures.

The more I look at Oslo the more time I want to spend there! I started with wanting to do the Bergen to Oslo NIN tour ( or some variation of it) and now thinking if I am going up the coast and doing some of the fjords and drives up there to skip that portion and spend more time in Oslo. So many choices!!

Do both.

We stayed in Aurland and I loved it. We drove the Snow Road (not the Troll road), visited a stavkirk, swam in a fjord ( unexpectedly accompanied by otters) and did the triangular route Flam - Gudvangen - Voss (boat, bus, train). The train stops for you to take photos of waterfalls :-)

Oslo is just a lovely city - very low key - but a pretty coastline, sea-faring museums on the Bygdoy peninsula and lots of melancholy art in the National Museum. Good baking, good coffee, great seafood. Fab views from Holmenkollen.

Michael - GREAT photos, thanking you for sharing. I have a question on your logistics. Where did you rent and return your car to and from? How many nights did you stay in Alesund and did you drive to the trolls overlook from there?
If I take the ferry from Bergen to Alesund, it will enter into the Geiranger Fjord and back to Alesund, with us off the boat and in the town by 6PM. We would stay the night and most of the 2nd day in Alesund. From there drive to Valldal and spend a night there to get a morning start to the Trolls overlook and drive. (or should we just stay put in Alesund?)
From there to spend a night (insert name here and town here) and drive the Atlantic road the following day. Or is that something we would combine with the Trolls Overlook and drive, assuming we stayed in Valldal. With the ferries and windy roads I am having a hard time judging times. I know we will stop and take pictures everywhere!

I do want to do both!! I am just not sure if I have the time to do it justice and not be constantly in motion. Am I missing out a ton if I do the coast and seeing the Geiranger Fjord? With only 8 additional nights I think I have to choose one or the other and that's the quandary. Any shout outs which one I would hate to miss more?

I rented through Autoeurope, picking up the car in Bergen and returning it in Trondheim. Alesund is not a very big city. We stayed two nights there. We did not drive to the trolls overlook from there. I would think that taking a car on the ferry would add considerably to the cost of the car rental. I would drive from Bergen to Alesund and stop overnight in Geiranger. For more precise information you might want to take a look at my trip report.