Explore Norway's Fjords with Silversea

You’ll begin in style, with included airport lounge access before flying to Copenhagen for a two-night pre-cruise stay at your centrally-located hotel.  You'll have ample time to explore the highlights of this charming Nordic capital and perhaps sample of some of the fine-dining on offer at one of the many Michelin-starred restaurants in the city.

After a leisure breakfast a private transfer will take you to board the ultra-luxury Silver Dawn. On board, you’ll quickly settle in to the all-inclusive dining, with options ranging from the poolside grill and open-kitchen sushi to Italian favourites and live-jazz-accompanied tapas. Alternatively, indulge in destination-focused dining at the new S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste) Kitchen. Back in your butler-served accommodation, the ship’s suites pamper with private verandahs, marbled bathrooms, down duvets and complimentary minibars stocked to your preference.

Norway's capital is underrated. You'll find maritime history mixing with trendy art galleries and cafes, while modernist architecture meets traditional palaces and historic sites. Ever-expanding, but with a green and progressive outlook, Oslo is a model of urban planning. An outdoor city, where the sun shines until late in the summer, locals swarm to its green spaces.  Oslo City Hall pays tribute to the pioneers of peace and humanity, with the Nobel Peace Prize awarded here each year. The beautiful Royal Palace caps the central Slottsplassen square and sparkles amid splashing fountains and peaceful gardens. The city's contemporary buildings also gleam in summer's sunshine, with the waterside Opera House boasting a forward-thinking design. Its sleek white roof slopes gently upwards from ground level, inviting visitors to rise above and admire views of the island-sprinkled harbour.  Choose from a wine rage of included excursions during your two-day stay.

Your coastal sailing today rewards with yet more gorgeous views and an opportunity to relax. The spa is a particular highlight, offering everything from massages to facials and body wraps, alongside the likes of saunas and steam rooms. It’s perfect suffix to a workout in the fitness centre, host to state-of-the-art equipment. The complimentary aerobics, yoga and Pilates classes are always a favourite.

Sailing along the spectacular Sognefjord, you’ll admire its steep cliffs, glassy blue waters and rolling grasslands dotted with lonely farms. You’ll end at one such settlement – Flåm. Although delightfully idyllic in its own right, it’s also home to one of the world’s greatest train journeys. We highly recommend a journey on it, dipping through tunnels and following the valley’s rushing river to sweep past trickling waterfalls. You’ll then change trains for the scenic trip over the high mountain plateau before you wind down to your ship along Norway’s steepest road.

You’ll arrive back on dry land today with Ålesund. After being completely devastated by the great fire of 1904, it was rebuilt in the style of the turn of the century – Art Nouveau. It resulted in what is perhaps Norway’s prettiest town, with pastel-coloured buildings lining winding streets and looking out over a gorgeous coastal setting. Highlights include the Alnes Lighthouse, the spread of cute cafés and the turf-roofed Sunnmøre open-air museum. You might also want to explore the surrounding fjord network on a drive or RIB cruise.

As one of Scandinavia’s oldest cities, Trondheim was the first capital of Norway, something evidenced across an array of historical treasures. Multicoloured houses line pretty waterways, the Archbishop’s Palace dates to the 12th century and the world’s northernmost Gothic cathedral is a vision of architectural severity. Taken together, the city is a true medieval spectacle. You might also want to explore further with everything from tram rides and evening concerts to hikes in the surrounding forests.

Åndalsnes is located at the mouth of the river Rauma, at the shores of the Romsdalsfjord, one of the fjords protected as a UNESCO world heritage site. Famous in the 19th century for salmon fishing, the Rauma flows through the Romsdalen Valley widely considered some of the most breathtaking scenery in all of Norway. Today Andalsnes is better known as a centre of excellence for Norwegian alpine sports. Some 15 kms out of Andalsnes is the Trollstigen (Troll Road), a mountain road that climbs the pass between the Isterdalen and Valldal valley, one of Norway’s major attractions due to the steep inclines and eleven hairpin bends. 

Fed by waterfalls and dotted with high ledges, Geiranger is arguably Norway’s most spectacular and best-known fjord - and one of two Norwegian fjords singled out for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.  Winding hairpin mountain roads offer some of Europe's highest fjord views, while the Dalsnibba mountain - which stands close to the fjord - offers spine-tingling views from an epic 1,500-metre high pedestal. You’ll have the option of exploring on everything from hikes and kayak paddles to RIB cruises and a drive along the famous Eagle Road. 

Travelling past island skerries and along mighty fjords, you’ll arrive into Norway’s second city – Bergen. It all centres on its historic wharf. Once a hub of the Hanseatic League that dominated northern Europe’s trading from the 13th to the 15th centuries, it’s a postcard of timber warehouses, cobbled streets and pastel buildings. However, the city also enjoys plenty of natural beauty, surrounded by fjords and lush, forest-capped mountains. For the best views, take the cable car or funicular up Mt. Fløyen. The great turreted Gamlehaugen is a further highlight; it’s the residence of the Norwegian Royal Family. Lastly, you might want to head out into the surrounding fjord network for yet more sublime waterway scenery.

Your final days at sea offer a last chance for some shipboard relaxation or something livelier. Perhaps spend some time being pampered at the Otium Spa and Beauty Salon or relaxing with a good book in the Observation Library. Or maybe visit the fitness centre or try your luck at the casino. You'll be spoilt for choice on how your spend your time. 

After a final breakfast aboard, bid farewell to Silver Dawn at Southampton's cruise terminal.