Two weks in Norway
 

We have planned this on our own & wonder what you think of it. We are healthy 70-year olds and like to savor places. 4 nights in Oslo with acquaintances. Train to Myrdal, N in Nutshell, stay in Flam 3 nights, ferry to Bergen and stay 3 nights. Fly to Alesund and stay 4 nights. Fly to Stockholm,stay with friends 4 nights. Fly home to US. In each place I think there are many possible day trips. We need hotel suggestions, of modest price, close to town. Any other suggestions are welcome! Are we missing a lot by staying in each place for 3-4 days?

I'm no expert on your destination, but I think it's better to give each place at least 3-4 days. Run your plans by your friends who live in Oslo (if they're willing to help you plan).

misty:


Bergen is a great town to spend some time in...I would recommend The Park Hotel, walking distance to the heart of town...In Oslo, the Gabelshaus in the embassy district is an ivy-covered old gem.
Enjoy!

stu t.

Thank you, Stu. I was actually considering the Park Hotel and now you've made it more definite. It was recommended in the Rough Guide, which I have found very helpful so far.

I'm not quite sure how you're doing the Nutshell. If you're going from Myrdal to Flam and then taking the ferry to Bergen, you'll miss the Naeroyfjord between Flam and the Stalheim hotel. I thought that was the prettiest part.

We took the "ferry" from Balestrand to Bergen and it turned out to be a fast enclosed catamaran which wasn't fun. You have to stay inside.

You might consider substituting a night at the Stalheim for one of the nights in Flam and then going from the Stalheim to Bergen as a continuation of the Nutshell. You'd go Myrdal to Flam to the Stalheim to Bergen, all connected by the Nutshell.

misty:


Marija, the poster above, talks about Stalheim...it has the most dramatic view imaginable...and you think, "OMG, the bus actually took us here from way down there!"...beautiful location, nice hotel in the middle of the mountain range. Think about continuing from Flam onto Stalheim, and the after a night at the hotel, you can hop the next bus to Voss where there'll be the last leg of the NIN train to Bergen....enjoy!

stu t.

Thanks, Marija and Stu--
I think you just cleared up a point for me. I had been thinking that we would visit the Stalheim and have dinner there one night, taking a boat from Flam. But now I relize that the Stalheim is inland, reachable by bus. I agree that we should spend at least one night there.

Since we will be in the area for 3 nights I believe we can take ferries and visit other fjords and go to Balestrand. I had heard that the catamaran was fast but not scenic, so we are thinking of doing a slower car ferry as deck passengers, from Flam to Bergen.

Do you know much about Alesund and day trips from there?

If you're going to spend a night at the Stalheim,www.stalheim.com,
continue on to Bergen from there. You can't get to the Stalheim and back just for dinner from Flam. It's far and you won't find transportation. If you stay in Flam you'll be pretty much stuck there at night. Ferries don't run as often as you would like them to.

We went to Balestrand from the Stalheim using public transportation and spent the night there before continuing on to Bergen. I would rethink using Flam as a base. It's a great place to have lunch on the Nutshell tour...

Marija--
Our friends in Oslo had said that the scenery from Flam was the best view and they didn't like Balestrand because it's at the widest part of the fjord. But I can see your point. Perhaps we should splurge for the night at the Stalheim and then go to Balestrand. Friends here at home raved about the Kvikne and its meals. The ferry we want to take (to experience the coast) would leave from Balestrand, and we would need to be there for departure anyway. Your reply was also helpful because you told me there is transportation, by bus I assume, to Balestrand. I guess we are not really doing NIN since we are making our own separate arrangements and not using the train all the way. Thanks for the help.

misy:

In Bergen, aside from riding the funicular to the top for a marvelous view of the harbor, etc(By the way, walk down hill from the vantage point of the city...it's quite a beautiful half hour walk.), plan a visit to "Troldhaugen", Edvard Grieg's home on a peninsula a few kms. south of town...a bus will get you to within a mile walk...beautiful setting...well worth the visit.

stu t.

thanks folks for your input- i have noted your tips too
still concentrating on the russian leg of our trip next year but im gathering nuts for winter here
really pays to do your research when you havent much time in each country
appreciate your efforts to help plan!