Balestrand • The Lustrafjord • Scenic Drives
Norway’s world of fjords is decorated with medieval stave churches, fishing boats, cascading waterfalls, dramatic glaciers, and brightly painted shiplap villages. Travelers in a hurry zip through the fjords on the Norway in a Nutshell route. Their heads spin from all the scenery, and most wish they had more time on the Sognefjord. If you can linger in fjord country, this chapter is for you.
Snuggle into the fjordside village of Balestrand, which has a variety of walking and biking options and a fun local arts scene. Balestrand is also a handy jumping-off spot for adventures great and small, including a day trip up the Fjærlandsfjord to gaze at a receding tongue of the Jostedal Glacier, or across the Sognefjord to the truly medieval-feeling Hopperstad Stave Church. Farther east is the Lustrafjord, a tranquil branch of the Sognefjord offering drivers an appealing concentration of visit-worthy sights. On the Lustrafjord, you’ll enjoy enchanting hamlets with pristine fjord views (such as Solvorn), historic churches (including Norway’s oldest stave church at Urnes and the humble village Dale Church in Luster), an opportunity to touch and even hike on a glacier (the Nigard), and more stunning fjord views.
This region is important to the people of Norway. After four centuries under Danish rule, the soul of the country was nearly lost. With semi-independence and a constitution in the early 1800s, the country experienced a resurgence of national pride. Urban Norwegians headed for the fjord country here in the west. Norway’s first Romantic painters and writers were drawn to Balestrand, inspired by the unusual light and dramatic views of mountains plunging into the fjords. The Sognefjord, with its many branches, is featured in more Romantic paintings than any other fjord.
If you can spare a day or two off the Norway in a Nutshell route, spend it here. Balestrand is the best home base, especially if you’re relying on public transportation (it’s well-connected by express boat both to the Nutshell scene and to Bergen). If you have a car, consider staying in the heart of the Lustrafjord region in sweet little Solvorn (easy ferry connection to the Urnes Stave Church and a short drive to the Nigard Glacier). As fjord home bases go, Balestrand and Solvorn are both better—but less convenient—than Flåm or Aurland on the Nutshell route.
With one night in this area, you’ll have to blitz the sights on the way between destinations; with two nights, you can slow your pace (and your pulse) to enjoy the fjord scenery and plenty of day-trip possibilities.
The pleasant fjord town of Balestrand (pop. 2,000) has a long history of hosting tourists, thanks to its landmark Kviknes Hotel. But it also feels real and lived-in, making Balestrand a nice mix of cuteness and convenience. The town is near, but not too near, the Nutshell bustle across the fjord—and yet it’s an easy express-boat trip away if you’d like to dive into the Nuttiness. In short, consider Balestrand a worthwhile detour from the typical fjord visit—allowing you to dig deeper into the Sognefjord, just like the glaciers did during the last ice age.
With two nights, you can relax and consider some day trips: Cruise up the nearby Fjærlandsfjord for a peek at a distant tongue of the ever-less-mighty Jostedal Glacier, or head across the Sognefjord to the beautiful Hopperstad Stave Church in Vik. Balestrand also has outdoor activities for everyone, from dreamy fjordside strolls and strenuous mountain hikes to wildly scenic bike rides. For dinner, splurge on the memorable smörgåsbord-style store koldt bord dinner in the Kviknes Hotel dining room, then sip coffee from its balcony as you watch the sun set (or not) over the fjord.
Balestrand’s key advantage is its easy express-boat connection to Bergen, offering an alternative route to the fjord from the typical Nutshell train-bus combo. Consider zipping here on the Bergen boat, then continuing on via the Nutshell route.
One night is enough to get a taste of Balestrand. But two nights buy you some time for day trips. Note that the first flurry of day trips departs early, around 7:30-8:05 (includes the boat to Vik/Hopperstad Stave Church or the full-day Fjærlandsfjord glacier excursion), and the next batch departs around noon (the half-day Fjærlandsfjord glacier excursion and the boat to Flåm). If you wait until after 12:00 to make your choice, you’ll miss the boat... literally.
Balestrand pretty much shuts down from mid-September through mid-May—when most of the activities, sights, hotels, and restaurants listed here are likely closed.
Most travelers arrive in Balestrand on the express boat from Bergen or Flåm. The tidy harbor area has a TI, two grocery stores, a couple of galleries, a town history museum, and a small aquarium devoted to marine life found in the fjord. The historic wooden Kviknes Hotel and its ugly modern annex dominate Balestrand’s waterfront.
Even during tourist season, Balestrand is quiet. How quiet? The police station closes on weekends. And it’s tiny—from the harbor to the Balestrand Hotel is a five-minute stroll, and you can walk from the aquarium to the Kviknes Hotel in less than that.
Balestrand became accessible to the wider world in 1858 when an activist minister (from the church you see across the fjord from town) brought in the first steamer service. That put Balestrand on the Grand Tour map of the Romantic Age. Even the German Kaiser chose to summer here. Today, people from around the world come here to feel the grandeur of the fjord country and connect with the essence of Norway.
At the TI, located next to the Joker supermarket at the harbor, pick up the free, helpful Outdoor Activities in Balestrand brochure. If you’re planning on a longer hike, consider buying the good 70-kr hiking map. The TI has numerous brochures about the Sognefjord area and detailed information on the more challenging hikes. It offers terminals with Internet access (1 kr/minute) and pay Wi-Fi, rents bikes (50 kr/hour, 250 kr/day), sells day-trip excursions to the glacier, and more (late June-late Aug Mon-Sat 7:30-18:00, Sun 10:00-17:30, shorter hours in spring and fall, closed Oct-April, tel. 57 69 12 55—answered all year).
Local Guide: Bjørg Bjøberg, who runs the Golden House art gallery, knows the town well and is happy to show visitors around (500 kr/1.5 hours, mobile 91 56 28 42).
Car Rental: The Kviknes Hotel can arrange a one-day car rental for you (tel. 57 69 42 00), or contact the Balholm Car Rental agency (tel. 41 24 82 53, post@rentacarbalholm.com, www.rentacarbalholm.com).
Balestrand Harborfront Stroll—The tiny harbor stretches from the aquarium to the big, old Kviknes Hotel. Stroll its length, starting at the aquarium (described later) and little marina. Across the street, at The Viking Ship shack, a German woman named Carola sells German sausages with an evangelical zeal (see “Eating in Balestrand,” later). Next door, the Spindelvev (“Spider’s Web”) shop sells handicrafts made by people with physical and mental disabilities. A local home for the disabled was closed in the 1980s, but many of its former residents stayed in Balestrand because the government gave them pensions and houses in town.
Then, in the ugly modern strip mall, you’ll find the TI, supermarket, and a community bulletin board with the schedule for the summer cinema (the little theater, 800 yards away, runs films nightly in their original language). On the corner is the Golden House art gallery and museum (described later). Just beyond that is the dock where the big Bergen-Sognefjord express catamaran ties up.
Across the street is a cute white house (at #8), which used to stand at the harborfront until the big Joker supermarket and Kviknes Hotel, with its modern annex, partnered to ruin the town center. This little house was considered historic enough to be airlifted 100 yards to this new spot. It’s flanked by two other historic buildings, which house a gallery and an artisans’ workshop.
Farther along, find the rust-red building that was the waiting room for the 19th-century steamer that first brought tourism to town. Today it houses the Norsk Reiselivsmuseum (Norwegian Travel Museum). It’s filled with historic photos, described in English, that show this part of Norway over the last 150 years (free and open daily). In a few years Balestrand is hoping to build a much larger museum and visitors center; it may be under construction during your visit.
Walk a few steps farther, and stop at the tall stone monument erected to celebrate the North Bergen Steamship Company. Its boats first connected Balestrand to the rest of the world in 1858. In front of the monument, some nondescript concrete steps lead into the water. These are “The Kaiser’s Stairs,” built for the German emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, who made his first summer visit (complete with navy convoy) in 1899 and kept returning until the outbreak of World War I.
Behind the monument stands one of the largest old wooden buildings in Norway, the Kviknes Hotel. It was built in the 1870s and faces the rare little island in the fjord, which helped give the town its name: “Balestrand” means the strand or promenade in front of an island. (The island is now connected to the hotel’s front yard and is part of a playground for its guests.) Hike up the black driveway that leads from the monument to the hotel’s modern lobby. Go inside and find (to your left) the plush old lounge, a virtual painting gallery. All the pieces are by artists from this area, celebrating the natural wonder of the fjord country—part of the trend that helped 19th-century Norway reconnect with its heritage. (While you’re here, consider making a reservation and choosing a table for a smörgåsbord dinner tonight.) Leave the hotel lobby (from the door opposite to the one you entered), and head up to St. Olaf’s Church (300 yards, described next). To continue this stroll, take King Bele’s Way (described later) up the fjord.
St. Olaf’s Church—This distinctive wooden church was built in 1897. Construction was started by Margaret Sophia Kvikne, the wife of Knut Kvikne (of the Kviknes Hotel family; her portrait is in the rear of the nave), but she died in 1894, before the church was finished. This devout Englishwoman wanted a church in Balestrand where English services were held...and to this day, bells ring to announce services by British clergy. St. Olaf, who brought Christianity to Norway in the 11th century, was the country’s patron saint in Catholic times. The church was built in a “Neo-stave” style, with lots of light from its windows and an altar painting inspired by the famous Risen Christ statue in Copenhagen’s Cathedral of Our Lady. Here, Christ is flanked by fields of daisies (called “priests’ collars” in Norwegian) and peace lilies. From the door of the church, enjoy a good view of the island in the fjord.
Cost and Hours: Free, open daily, services in English every Sun from late May through August.
Golden House (Det Gylne Hus)—This golden-colored house facing the ferry landing was built as a general store in 1928. Today it houses an art gallery and a quirky museum created by local watercolorist and historian Bjørg Bjøberg, and her Scottish husband, Arthur Adamson.
On the ground floor, you’ll find Bjørg’s gallery, with her watercolors celebrating the beauty of Norway, and Arthur’s paintings, celebrating the beauty of women. Upstairs is a free exhibit of historical knickknacks, contributed by locals wanting to preserve treasures from their own families’ past. You’ll see a medicine cabinet stocked with old-fashioned pills, an antiquated tourist map, lots of skis, and WWII-era mementos. A wheel in the wall once powered a crane that could winch up goods from the fjord below (before today’s embankment was built, when this store was right on the waterfront). While there are no written English explanations, Bjørg is happy to explain things.
Unable to contain her creative spirit, Bjørg has paired an eccentric wonderland experience with her private tour of the Golden House’s hidden rooms. The tour includes a 30-minute movie, either about her art and local nature, or about Balestrand in winter. Bjørg and Arthur also run the recommended on-site café, Me Snakkast.
Cost and Hours: Free entry; optional private one-hour tour-50/kr person, 100-kr minimum, 200-kr maximum; May-Aug daily 10:00-22:00, shorter hours late April and Sept, mobile 91 56 28 42, www.detgylnehus.no.
Strolling King Bele’s Way up the Fjord—For a delightful walk (or bike ride), head west out of town up the “old road”—once the main road from the harbor—for about a mile. It follows the fjord’s edge, passing numerous “villas” from the late 1800s. At the time, this Swiss style was popular with some locals, who hoped to introduce a dose of Romanticism into Norwegian architecture. Look for the dragons’ heads (copied from Viking-age stave churches) decorating the gables. Along the walk, you’ll pass a swimming area, a campground, and two burial mounds from the Viking age, marked by a ponderous statue of the Viking King Bele. Check out the wooden shelters for the mailboxes; some give the elevation (m.o.h. stands for “meters over havet”—the sea)—not too high, are they? The walk is described in the Outdoor Activities in Balestrand brochure (free at the TI or your hotel).
Aquarium—The tiny aquarium gives you a good look at marine life in the Sognefjord. For descriptions, borrow the English booklet at the front desk. While not thrilling, the well-explained place is a decent rainy-day option. A 15-minute slide show starts at the top and bottom of each hour. The last room is filled with wood carvings depicting traditional everyday life in the fjordside village of Munken. The fish-filled tanks on the dock outside are also worth a look.
Cost and Hours: 70 kr, June-Aug daily 9:00-19:00, closed Sept-May, tel. 57 69 13 03.
Biking—You can cycle around town, or go farther by circling the scenic Esefjord (north of town, en route to the ferry landing at Dragsvik—about 6 miles each way). Or pedal scenically west up Sognefjord along King Bele’s Way (described above). The roads here are relatively flat. Rental bikes are available at the TI.
These two side-trips are possible only if you’ve got the better part of a day in Balestrand. With a car, you can see Hopperstad Stave Church on the drive to Bergen.
The most accessible stave church in the area—and perhaps the most scenically situated in all Norway—is located just a 15-minute express-boat ride across the Sognefjord, in the town of Vik. Hopperstad Stave Church boasts a breathtaking exterior, with several tiers of dragon heads overlooking rolling fields between fjord cliffs. The interior is notable for its emptiness. Instead of being crammed full of later additions, the church is blissfully uncluttered, as it was when built in the mid-12th century.
Cost and Hours: 60 kr, good 30-kr color booklet in English, daily mid-May-mid-Sept 10:00-17:00, mid-June-mid-Aug until 18:00, closed mid-Sept-mid-May, tel. 57 69 52 70, www.stavechurch.com.
Tours: The attendant will give you a free tour at your request, provided she’s not too busy. (Ask where the medieval graffiti is, and she’ll grab her flashlight and show you.)
Location: The church is a 20-minute walk up the valley from Vik’s harbor. From the boat landing, walk up the main street from the harbor about 200 yards (past the TI, a grocery store, and hotel). Take a right at the sign for Hopperstad Stavkyrkje, walk 10 minutes, and you’ll see the church perched on a small hill in the distance.
Getting There: Pedestrians can ride the express passenger boat between Balestrand and Vik (72 kr each way, 15 minutes). The only way to get to the church and back in one day (only possible Mon-Sat) is to take the 7:50 departure from Balestrand, then return on the 11:30 departure from Vik, arriving back in Balestrand at 11:50—just in time to join a 12:00 glacier excursion (described below). Because schedules can change, be sure to double-check these times at the TI or www.norled.no. Since cars can’t go on this express boat, drivers must go around the small Esefjord to the town of Dragsvik, then catch the ferry across the Sognefjord to Vangsnes (a 20-minute drive from Vik and the church).
Visiting the Church: Originally built around 1140 and retaining most of its original wood, Hopperstad was thoroughly restored and taken back to basics in the 1880s by renowned architect Peter Blix. Unlike the famous stave church at Urnes (described later), whose interior has been rejiggered by centuries of engineers and filled with altars and pews, the Hopperstad church looks close to the way it did when it was built. You’ll see only a few non-original features, including the beautifully painted canopy that once covered a side altar (probably dating from around 1300), and a tombstone from 1738. There are only a few colorful illustrations and some very scant medieval “graffiti” carvings and runic inscriptions. Notice the intact chancel screen (the only one surviving in Norway), which separates the altar area from the congregation. As with the iconostasis (panel of icons) in today’s Orthodox faith, this screen gave priests privacy to do the spiritual heavy lifting. Because Hopperstad’s interior lacks the typical adornments, you can really grasp the fundamentally vertical nature of stave church architecture, leading your gaze to the heavens. Follow that impulse and look up to appreciate the Viking-ship rafters. Imagine the comfort this ceiling brought the church’s original parishioners, whose seafaring ancestors had once sought refuge under overturned boats. For a unique angle on this graceful structure, lay your camera on the floor and shoot the ceiling.
From Balestrand, cruise up the Fjærlandsfjord to visit the Norwegian Glacier Museum in Fjærland and to see a receding tongue of the Jostedal Glacier (Jostedalbreen). Half-day and full-day (660 kr for either tour) excursions are sold by Balestrand’s TI or on board the boat. Reservations are smart (tours offered daily May-Sept only, tel. 57 63 32 00, www.visitflam.com/sognefjorden and follow links for “Fjærlandsfjord”).
While the museum and the glacier’s tongue are underwhelming, it’s a pleasant excursion with a dreamy fjord cruise (80 minutes each way). To take the all-day trip, catch the 8:05 ferry; for the shorter trip, hop on the 11:50 boat. They both return on the same boat, getting you back in Balestrand at 16:50 (in time to catch the fast boat back to Bergen). Both tours offer the same fjord ride, museum visit, and trip to the glacier. The all-day version, however, gives you a second glacier viewing point and 2.5 hours to hang out in the town of Fjærland. (This sleepy village, famous for its secondhand book shops, is about as exciting as Walter Mondale, the US vice president whose ancestors came from here.)
The ferry ride (no stops, no narration) is just a scenic glide with the gulls. Bring a picnic, as there’s almost no food sold on board, and some bread to toss to the gulls (they do acrobatics to catch whatever you loft into the air). You’ll be met at the ferry dock (labeled Mundal) by a bus—and your guide, who reads a script about the glacier as you drive up the valley for about 15 minutes. You’ll stop for an hour at the Norwegian Glacier Museum (Norsk Bremuseum). After watching an 18-minute aerial tour of the dramatic Jostedal Glacier in the theater, you’ll learn how glaciers were formed, experiment with your own hunk of glacier, weigh evidence of the woolly mammoth’s existence in Norway, and learn about the effect of global climate change on the fjords (way overpriced at 120 kr, included in excursion price, daily June-Aug 9:00-19:00, April-May and Sept-Oct 10:00-16:00, closed Nov-March, tel. 57 69 32 88, www.bre.museum.no). From the museum, the bus runs you up to a café near a lake, at a spot that gives you a good look at the Boyabreen, a tongue of the Jostedal Glacier. Marvel at how far the glacier has retreated—10 years ago, the visit was more dramatic. With global warming, glacier excursions like this become more sad than majestic. I wonder how long they’ll even be able to bill this as a “glacier visit.”
Considering that the fjord trip is the highlight of this journey, you could save time and money by just riding the ferry up and back (8:05-11:30). At 380 kr for the round-trip boat ride, it’s much cheaper than the 660-kr tour.
Note that if you’re into glaciers, a nearby arm of the Jostedal, called the Nigard Glacier, is a more dramatic and boots-on experience. It’s easy for drivers to reach.
$$$ Kviknes Hotel is the classy grande dame of Balestrand, dominating the town and packed with tour groups. The picturesque wooden hotel—and five generations of the Kvikne family—have welcomed tourists to Balestrand since the late 19th century. The hotel has two parts: a new wing, and the historic wooden section, with 17 older, classic rooms, and no elevator. All rooms come with balconies. The elegant Old World public spaces in the old section make you want to just sit there and sip tea all afternoon (Db-1,660 kr in new building, Db-2,210 kr in old building, about 400 kr more with view, includes breakfast, mostly non-smoking, pay Wi-Fi, family rooms available, closed Oct-April, tel. 57 69 42 00, fax 57 69 42 01, www.kviknes.no, booking@kviknes.no). Part of the Kviknes ritual is gorging on the store koldt bord buffet dinner—open to non-guests, and a nice way to soak in the hotel’s old-time elegance without splurging on an overnight (see “Eating in Balestrand,” later; cheaper if you stay at the hotel for 2 or more nights).
$$ Balestrand Hotel, family-run by Unni-Marie Kvikne, her California-born husband Eric Palmer, and their three children, is your best fjordside home. Open mid-May through early September, this cozy, welcoming place has 30 well-appointed, comfortable, quiet rooms; a large, modern common area with lots of English paperbacks; laundry service, free Wi-Fi, balconies (in some rooms), and outdoor benches for soaking in the scenery. The waterfront yard has inviting lounge chairs and a mesmerizing view. When reserving, let them know your arrival time, and they’ll pick you up at the harborfront (non-view Sb-700 kr, view Sb-850 kr, non-view Db-1,040 kr, view Db-1,340 kr, includes breakfast, 5-minute walk from dock, past St. Olaf’s Church—or free pick-up, tel. 57 69 11 38, www.balestrand.com, info@balestrand.com).
$$ At Gekken’s Rooms, Geir rents four homey rooms above his restaurant in the town center (D-600 kr, small D-450 kr, extra bed-150 kr, shared kitchen and WC, open May-Aug only, tel. 57 69 14 14, mobile 97 51 29 26, baleson2004@yahoo.com).
$-$$ Kringsjå Balestrand Hostel, a camp school for sixth-graders, rents beds and rooms to budget travelers from mid-June to mid-August. Half of their 58 beds are in doubles. All the four-bed rooms have private bathrooms and view balconies (bunk in 4-bed dorm-265 kr, Sb-600 kr, Db-820 kr, extra bed-100 kr, includes breakfast, discount for hostel members, sheets/towels-50 kr/person, free Wi-Fi, tel. 57 69 13 03, www.kringsja.no, kringsja@kringsja.no).
$ Sjøtun Camping rents the cheapest beds around, in rustic huts (4-person hut-300 kr, sheets-50 kr/person, no breakfast, a mile west of town, mobile 95 06 72 61, www.sjotun.com).
Balestrand’s dining options are limited, but good.
Kviknes Hotel offers a splendid, spendy store koldt bord buffet dinner in a massive yet stately old dining room. For a memorable fjordside smörgåsbord experience, it doesn’t get any better than this. Don’t rush. Consider taking a preview tour—surveying the reindeer meat, lingonberries, and fjord-caught seafood—before you dive in, so you can budget your stomach space. Get a new plate with each course and save room for dessert. Each dish is labeled in English (500 kr/person, May-Sept daily 19:00-21:00, closed Oct-April). After dinner, head into the rich lounge to pick up your cup of coffee or tea (included), which you’ll sip sitting on classy old-fashioned furniture and basking in fjord views.
Me Snakkast (“Let’s Talk”), inside the Golden House at the harbor, dishes up Norwegian home cooking and a variety of salads. Sit outside or inside, in a dining area built to resemble a traditional Norwegian kitchen. The restaurant upstairs shows off part of owner Bjørg’s antique collection. They serve 100-130-kr lunches and pricier meals for dinner, such as 150-220-kr meat and fish dishes (May-Sept daily 14:00-21:30, closed Oct-April, mobile 91 56 28 42).
Gekken’s is an informal summer restaurant serving good-value meat, fish, and vegetarian dishes, along with burgers, fish-and-chips, and other fried fare. Sit in the simply decorated interior, or out on the shaded little terrace. Geir Arne “Gekken” Bale can trace his family’s roots back 400 years in Balestrand. He has filled his walls with fascinating historic photos and paintings, making his dining hall an art gallery of sorts (light dishes-60-100 kr, daily dinner plates-100-150 kr, May-Aug daily 12:00-22:00, closed Sept-April, above and behind the TI from the harbor, tel. 57 69 14 14).
The Viking Ship, the hot-dog stand facing the harbor, is proudly run by Carola. A bratwurst missionary from Germany, she claims it took her years to get Norwegians to accept the tastier bratwurst over their beloved pølser weenies. Eat at her picnic tables or across the street on the harbor park (fine sausages, fish-and-chips, May-Sept daily 11:00-20:00, closed Oct-April).
Picnic: The delightful waterfront park next to the aquarium has benches and million-dollar fjord views. The Co-op and Joker supermarkets at the harbor have basic grocery supplies, including bread, meats, cheeses, and drinks. Co-op is bigger and has a wider selection (both open Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00—until 20:00 in summer, Sat 9:00-15:00, closed Sun). Mu’s Bakery heats up baked goodies trucked here all the way from Germany (Mon-Sat 9:30-18:00, Sun 9:30-15:00, closed mid-Sept-early May, between Co-op and Joker supermarkets).
Because Balestrand is separated from the Lustrafjord by the long Fjærlandsfjord, most Balestrand connections involve a boat trip.
The easiest way to reach Balestrand is on the handy express boat, which connects to Bergen, Vik (near Hopperstad Stave Church), Aurland, and Flåm (see sidebar on next page for schedules). Note that you can also use this boat to join the Nutshell trip in Flåm. From here, continue on the Nutshell boat down the Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen, where you’ll join the crowd onward to Voss, then Bergen or Oslo. As you’re making schedule and sightseeing decisions, consider that the Balestrand-Flåm boat skips the Nærøyfjord, the most dramatic arm of the Sognefjord.
Balestrand’s main car-ferry dock is at the village of Dragsvik, a six-mile, 15-minute drive around the adorable little Eselfjord. From Dragsvik, a car ferry makes the short crossing east to Hella (a 30-minute drive from Sogndal and the Lustrafjord), then crosses the Sognefjord south to Vangsnes (a 20-minute drive to Hopperstad Stave Church and onward to Bergen). The ferry goes at least once per hour (2/hour in peak times, fewer boats Sun, 79 kr for car and driver).
The made-for-tourists express boat makes it a snap to connect Bergen with Balestrand and other Sognefjord towns (for foot passengers only—no cars). In summer, the boat links Bergen, Vik, Balestrand, Aurland, and Flåm. You can also use this boat to connect towns on the Sognefjord, such as zipping from quiet Balestrand to busy Flåm, in the heart of the Nutshell action (reservations are smart—call 51 86 87 00 or visit www.norled.no; discounts for students and seniors, tickets also sold on boat and at TI). The following times were good for 2012—confirm them locally.
Between Bergen and the Sognefjord: The boat trip between Bergen and Balestrand takes four hours (515 kr, departs Bergen May-Sept daily at 8:00, also Mon-Fri at 16:30, Sat at 14:15, some Sun at 16:30—but not mid-June-late Aug; Oct-April Mon-Fri at 8:00, Sun-Fri at 16:30, Sat at 14:15; departs Balestrand May-Sept daily at 16:55, Mon-Sat also at 7:50, some Sun at 11:30—but not mid-June-late Aug; Oct-April Mon-Sat at 7:50, Sun at 15:55). In summer, the 8:00 boat from Bergen continues to Flåm.
Between Flåm and Balestrand: Going by boat between Flåm and Balestrand takes about 1.5 hours (230 kr, departs Flåm May-Sept daily at 15:30, stops at Aurland, arrives in Balestrand at 16:55; departs Balestrand daily at 11:50 arriving Flåm at 13:25; no express boats between Flåm and Balestrand Oct-April).
From Oslo to Balestrand via the Nutshell: This variation on the standard Norway in a Nutshell route is called “Sognefjord in a Nutshell” (Oslo-Myrdal-Flåm-Balestrand-Bergen). From Oslo, you can take an early train to Flåm (no later than the 8:05 train as part of the Norway in a Nutshell route—see previous chapter), then catch the 15:30 express boat to Balestrand. After your visit, you can continue on the express boat to Bergen, or return to the Nutshell route by taking the express boat to Flåm, and transferring to the next boat to Gudvangen.
Note that you can also drive through Sogndal to catch the Kaupanger-Gudvangen or Mannheller-Fodnes ferries (described under “Lustrafjord Connections,” near the end of this chapter).
A local bus links Balestrand to Sogndal (Mon-Fri 3/day, none Sat-Sun, 1.25 hours, includes ride on Dragsvik-Hella ferry, get details at TI).
This arm of the Sognefjord is rugged country—only 2 percent of the land is fit to build or farm on. The Lustrafjord is ringed with tiny villages where farmers sell cherries and giant raspberries. A few interesting attractions lie along the Lustrafjord: the village Dale Church at Luster; the impressive Nigard Glacier (a 45-minute drive up a valley); the postcard-pretty village of Solvorn; and, across the fjord, Norway’s oldest stave church at Urnes. While a bit trickier to explore by public transportation, this beautiful region is easy by car, but still feels remote. There are no ATMs between Lom and Gaupne—that’s how remote this region is.
The Lustrafjord can be seen either coming from the north (over the Sognefjell pass from the Jotunheimen region) or from the south (from Balestrand or the Norway in a Nutshell route). Note that public buses between Lom and Sogndal follow this same route (see “Lustrafjord Connections,” later).
Here’s what you’ll see if you’re driving from the north (if you’re coming from the south, read this section backwards): Descending from Sognefjell, you’ll hit the fjord at the village of Skjolden (decent TI in big community center, mobile 97 60 04 43). Follow Route 55 along the west bank of the fjord. In the town of Luster, consider visiting the beautifully decorated Dale Church (described next). Farther along, near the hamlet of Nes, you’ll have views across the fjord of the towering Feigumfoss waterfall. Drops and dribbles come from miles around for this 650-foot tumble. Soon Route 55 veers along an inlet to the town of Gaupne, where you can choose to detour about an hour to the Nigard Glacier (up Route 604; described under “Sights on the Lustrafjord,” next). After Gaupne, Route 55 enters a tunnel and cuts inland, emerging at a long, fjord-like lake at the town of Hafslo. Just beyond is the turnoff for Solvorn, a fine home-base town with the ferry across to Urnes and its stave church (Solvorn and Urnes Stave Church both described under “Sights on the Lustrafjord,” next). Route 55 continues to Sogndal, where you can choose to turn off for the Kaupanger and Mannheller ferries across the Sognefjord, or continue on Route 55 to Hella and the boat across to either Dragsvik (near Balestrand) or Vangsnes (across the Sognefjord, near Vik and Hopperstad Stave Church).
Route Timings: If you’re approaching from Lom in the Gudbrandsdal Valley, figure about 1.5 hours over Sognefjell to the start of the Lustrafjord at Skjolden, then another 30 minutes to Gaupne (with the optional glacier detour: 2 hours to see it, 4 hours to hike on it). From Gaupne, figure 30 minutes to Solvorn or 40 minutes to Sogndal. Solvorn to Sogndal is about 30 minutes. Sogndal to Hella, and its boat to Balestrand, takes about 40 minutes. These estimated times are conservative, but they don’t include photo stops.
These attractions are listed as you’ll reach them driving from north to south along the fjordside Route 55. If you’re sleeping in this area, you could visit all four sights in a single day (but it’d be a busy, somewhat rushed day). If you’re passing through, Dale Church and Solvorn are easy, but the other two involve major detours—choose one or skip them both.
The namesake town of Luster, on the west bank of the Lustrafjord, boasts a unique 13th-century Gothic church. In a land of wooden stave churches, this stone church, with its richly decorated interior, is worth a quick stop as you pass through town.
Cost and Hours: Free entry but donation requested, daily 10:00-20:00 but often closed for services and off-season, good posted English info inside, 5-kr English brochure, just off the main road—look for red steeple, WC in graveyard, fresh goodies at bakery across the street.
Visiting the Church: The soapstone core of the church dates from about 1250, but the wooden bell tower and entry porch were likely built around 1600. As you enter, on the left you’ll see a tall, elevated platform with seating, surrounded by a wooden grill. Nicknamed a “birdcage” for the feathery fashions worn by the ladies of the time, this high-profile pew—three steps higher than the pulpit—was built in the late-17th century by a wealthy parishioner. The beautifully painted pulpit, decorated with faded images of the four evangelists, dates from the 13th century. In the chancel (altar area), restorers have uncovered frescoes from three different time periods: the 14th, 16th, and 17th centuries. Most of the ones you see here were likely created around the year 1500. The crucifix high over the pews, carved around 1200, predates the church, as does the old bench (with lots of runic carvings)—making them more than eight centuries old.
The Nigard Glacier (Nigardsbreen) is the most accessible branch of mainland Europe’s largest glacier (the Jostedalsbreen, 185 square miles). Hiking to or on the Nigard offers Norway’s best easy opportunity for a hands-on glacier experience. It’s a 45-minute detour from the Lustrafjord up Jostedal Valley. Visiting a glacier is a quintessential Norwegian experience, bringing you face-to-face with the majesty of nature. If you can spare the time, it’s worth the detour (even if you don’t do a guided hike). But if glaciers don’t give you tingles and you’re feeling pressed, skip it.
Getting There: It’s straightforward for drivers. When the main Route 55 along the Lustrafjord reaches Gaupne, turn onto Route 604, which you’ll follow for 25 miles up the Jostedal Valley to the Breheimsenteret Glacier Information Center. Access to the glacier itself is down the toll road past the information center (all described next).
In July and August, a Glacier Bus connects the Nigard Glacier to various home-base towns around the region (leaves Sogndal at 8:45, passes through Solvorn en route, arrives at the glacier around 10:00; departs glacier at 17:00, arrives back in Sogndal around 18:35; buses or boats from other towns—including Flåm and Aurland—coordinate to meet this bus in Sogndal; combotickets include various glacier visits and hikes; no bus Sept-June; for complete timetable, see www.jostedal.com). While handy, the bus is designed for those spending the entire day at the glacier.
Breheimsenteret Glacier Information Center—The national park’s information center (with an info desk/gift shop and WCs) burned down in 2011, but a new center should be open by the time you visit. It’s worth dropping by just to confirm your glacier plans—likely with Peter, who runs the place. The center’s highlights include a relaxing 20-minute film with highlights of the glacier and region, and a gallery of glacier-related exhibits that use models and illustrations to explain these giant, slow-moving walls of ice (daily mid-June-mid-Aug 9:30-17:30, May-mid-June and mid-Aug-Sept 10:00-17:00, closed Oct-April, tel. 57 68 32 50, www.jostedal.com).
Visiting the Glacier—The best quick visit is to walk to, but not on, the glacier. (If you want to walk on it, see “Hikes on the Glacier,” next.) From the information center, a 30-kr toll road continues two miles to a lake facing the actual tongue of the glacier. About 75 years ago, the glacier reached all the way to today’s parking lot. (It’s named for the ninth farm—ni gard—where it finally stopped, after crushing eight farms higher up the valley.) From the lot, you can hike all the way to the edge of today’s glacier (about 45 minutes each way); or, to save about 20 minutes of walking, take a special boat to a spot that’s a 20-minute hike from the glacier (20 kr each way, 10-minute boat trip, 4/hour, mid-June-mid-Sept 10:00-17:00).
The walk is uneven but well-marked—follow the red T’s and take your time. You’ll hike on stone polished smooth by the glacier, and scramble over and around boulders big and small that were deposited by it. The path takes you right up to the face of the Nigardsbreen. Respect the glacier. It’s a powerful river of ice, and fatal accidents do happen. If you want to walk on the glacier, read the next listing first.
Hikes on the Glacier—If you want to actually walk on top of the glacier, don’t attempt it by yourself. The Breheimsenteret Glacier Information Center offers guided family-friendly walks that include about one hour on the ice (250 kr, 100 kr for kids, cash only, minimum age 6, I’d rate the walks PG-13 myself, about 4/day, generally between 11:30-15:00, no need to reserve—just call glacier center to find out time and show up). Leave the information center one hour before your tour, then meet the group on the ice, where you’ll pay and receive your clamp-on crampons. One hour roped up with your group gives you the essential experience. You’ll find yourself marveling at how well your strap-on crampons work on the 5,000-year-old-ice. Even if it’s hot, wear long pants, a jacket, and your sturdiest shoes. (Think ahead. It’s awkward to empty your bladder after you’re roped up.)
Longer, more challenging, and much more expensive hikes get you higher views, more exercise, and real crampons (starting at 445 kr, includes boots, mid-May-mid-Sept daily at 11:45, also July-Aug daily at 13:00, 4 hours including 2 hours on the ice, book by phone the day before—tel. 57 68 32 50, arrive at the information center 45 minutes early to pay for tickets and pick up your gear). If you’re adventurous, ask about even longer hikes and glacier kayaking. While it’s legal to go on the glacier on your own, it’s dangerous and crazy to do so without crampons.
On the west bank of the Lustrafjord, 10 miles northeast of Sogndal, idyllic Solvorn is a sleepy little Victorian town with colorful wooden sheds lining its waterfront. My favorite town on the Lustrafjord is tidy and quaint, well away from the bustle of the Nutshell action. Its tiny ferry crosses the fjord regularly to Urnes and its famous stave church (next). While not worth going far out of your way for, Solvorn is a mellow and surprisingly appealing place to kill some time waiting for the ferry...or just munching a picnic while looking across the fjord. A pensive stroll or photo shoot through the village’s back lanes is a joy (look for plaques that explain historic buildings in English). Best of all, Solvorn also has a pair of excellent accommodations: a splurge (Hotel Walaker) and a budget place (Eplet Bed & Apple), described later under “Sleeping on the Lustrafjord.”
Getting There: Solvorn is a steep five-minute drive down a switchback road from the main Route 55. The main road into town leads right to the Urnes ferry (see next) and dead-ends into a handy parking lot (free, 2-hour posted—but unmonitored—limit). It’s a 30-minute drive or bus trip into Sogndal, where you can transfer to other buses (2-3 buses/day between Solvorn and Sogndal, including the Glacier Bus to the Nigard Glacier—described earlier).
The hamlet of Urnes (sometimes spelled “Ornes”) has Norway’s oldest surviving stave church, dating from 1129. While not easy to reach (it’s across the Lustrafjord from other attractions), it’s worth the scenic ferry ride. The exterior is smaller and simpler than most stave churches, but its interior—modified in fits and starts over the centuries—is uniquely eclectic. If you want to pack along a bike (rentable in Solvorn), see “Bring a Bike?” at the end of this listing.
Cost and Hours: 80 kr, includes 25-minute English tour (departs at :40 past most hours, to coincide with ferry arrival—described below); mid-May-mid-Sept daily 10:30-17:30, closed off-season, tel. 57 68 39 45, www.stavechurch.com.
Services: A little café/restaurant is at the farm called Urnes Gard, across from the church (same hours as church, homemade apple cakes, tel. 57 68 39 44).
Getting There: Urnes is perched on the east bank of the Lustrafjord (across the fjord from Route 55 and Solvorn). Ferries running between Solvorn and Urnes depart Solvorn at the top of most hours and Urnes at the bottom of most hours (32 kr one-way passenger fare, 87 kr one-way for car and driver, no round-trip discount, 15-minute ride, mobile 91 79 42 11, www.urnesferry.com). You can either drive or walk onto the boat—but, since you can’t drive all the way up to the church, you might as well leave your car in Solvorn. Once across, it’s about a five-minute uphill walk to the main road and parking lot (where drivers must leave their cars; parking lot at the church only for disabled visitors). From here, it’s a steep 15-minute walk up a switchback road to the church (follow signs for Urnes).
Planning Your Time: Don’t dawdle on your way up to the church, as the tour is scheduled to depart at :40 past most hours, about 25 minutes after the ferry arrives (giving most visitors just enough time to make it up the hill to the church). The first boat of the day departs Solvorn at 10:00; the last boat departs Solvorn at 16:00 (last tour at 16:40); and the last boat back to Solvorn departs Urnes at 18:00. Confirm the “last boat” time, and keep an eye on your watch to avoid getting stranded in Urnes.
Visiting the Church: Most visitors to the church take the included 25-minute tour (scheduled to begin soon after the ferry arrives—described earlier). Here are some highlights:
Buy your ticket in the white house across from the church. Visit the little museum here after you see the church, so you don’t miss the tour.
Many changes were made to the exterior to modernize the church after the Reformation (the colonnaded gallery was replaced, the bell tower was added, and modern square windows were cut into the walls). Go around the left side of the church, toward the cemetery. This is the third church on this spot, but the carved doorway embedded in the wall here was inherited from the second church. Notice the two mysterious beasts—a warm-blooded predator (standing) and a cold-blooded dragon—weaving and twisting around each other, one entwining the other. Yet, as they bite each other on the neck, it’s impossible to tell which one is “winning”...perhaps symbolizing the everlasting struggle of human existence. The door you see in the middle, however, has a very different message: the harmony of symmetrical figure-eights, an appropriately calming theme for those entering the church.
Now go around to the real entry door (with a wrought-iron lock and handle probably dating from the first church) and head inside. While it feels ancient and creaky, a lot of what you see in here is actually “new” compared to the 12th-century core of the church. The exquisitely carved, voluptuous, column-topping capitals are remarkably well-preserved originals. The interior initially was stark (no pews) and dark—lit not by windows (which were added much later), but by candles laid on the floor in the shape of a cross. Looking straight ahead, you see a cross with Mary on the left (where the women stood) and John the Baptist on the right (with the men). When they finally added seating, they kept things segregated: Notice the pews carved with hearts for women, crowns for men.
When a 17th-century wealthy family wanted to build a special pew for themselves, they simply sawed off some of the pineconetopped columns to make way for it. When the church began to lean, it was reinforced with the clumsy, off-center X-shaped supports. Churchgoers learned their lesson, and never cut anything again.
The ceiling, added in the late 17th century, prevents visitors from enjoying the Viking-ship roof beams. But all of these additions have stories to tell. Experts can read various cultural influences into the church decorations, including Irish (some of the carvings) and Romanesque (the rounded arches).
Bring a Bike? To give your Lustrafjord excursion an added dimension, take a bike on the ferry to Urnes (free passage, rentable for 150 kr/day with helmets from Eplet Bed & Apple hostel in Solvorn, where you can park your car for free). From the stave church, bike the super-scenic fjordside road (4.5 miles—with almost no traffic—to big Feigumfossen waterfall and back).
(6 kr = about $1, country code: 47)
These accommodations are along the Lustrafjord, listed from north to south.
$$ Nes Gard Farmhouse B&B rents 15 homey rooms, offering lots of comfort in a grand 19th-century farmhouse for a good price (D-410 kr, Db-490 kr, rooms in main building more traditional, family apartment, tel. 57 68 39 43, mobile 95 23 26 94, www.nesgard.no, post@nesgard.no, Manum family). Mari and Asbjorn serve a three-course dinner for 300 kr.
$ Viki Fjord Camping has great fjordside huts—many directly on the water, with fjord views and balconies—located directly across from the Feigumfossen waterfall (250 kr without a private bathroom, 340-850 kr with bathroom, price depends on size and season, sheets-70 kr, tel. 57 68 64 20, mobile 99 53 97 30, www.vikicamping.no, post@vikicamping.no, Berit and Svein).
For more on this delightful little fjordside town—my favorite home base on the Lustrafjord—see the description earlier in this chapter. While it lacks the handy boat connections of Flåm, Aurland, or Balestrand, that’s part of Solvorn’s charm.
$$$ Walaker Hotel, a former inn and coach station, has been run by the Walaker family since 1690 (that’s a lot of pressure on ninth-generation owner Ole Henrik). The hotel, set right on the Lustrafjord (with a garden perfect for relaxing and, if necessary, even convalescing), is open May through September. In the main house, the halls and living rooms are filled with tradition. Notice the patriotic hymns on the piano. The 22 rooms are divided into two types: nicely appointed standard rooms in the modern annex (big Sb-1,450 kr, Db-1,750 kr); or recently renovated “historic” rooms with all the modern conveniences in two different old buildings: rooms with Old World elegance in the main house, and brightly painted rooms with countryside charm in the Tingstova house next door (Sb-1,950 kr, Db-2,250 kr, 500 kr more for larger room #20 or room #23; all prices include breakfast, non-smoking, free Wi-Fi, sea kayak rental, tel. 57 68 20 80, fax 57 68 20 81, www.walaker.com, hotel@walaker.com). They serve excellent four-course dinners (575 kr plus drinks, nightly at 19:30, savor your dessert with fjordside setting on the balcony). Their impressive gallery of Norwegian art is in a restored, historic farmhouse out back (free for guests; Ole Henrik leads one-hour tours of the collection, peppered with some family history, nightly after dinner).
$-$$ Eplet Bed & Apple is my kind of hostel: innovative and friendly. It’s creatively run by Trond, whose entrepreneurial spirit and positive attitude attract enjoyable guests. With welcoming public spaces and 22 beds in seven rooms (all with views, some with decks), this place is worth considering even if you don’t normally sleep at hostels (open May-Sept only; camping space-100 kr, bunk in 7-bed dorm-200 kr, S-500 kr, D-600 kr, T-800 kr, S/D/T cost 50 kr less for 2 nights or more, laundry-50 kr, kitchen, free Internet access and Wi-Fi, free loaner bikes for guests, tel. 41 64 94 69, www.eplet.net, trondhenrik@eplet.net). It’s about 300 yards uphill from the boat dock—look for the white house with a giant red apple painted on it. It’s surrounded by a raspberry and apple farm (they make and sell tasty juices from both). The hostel rents bikes and helmets to non-guests for 150 kr/day. If you plan to bike along the fjord from Urnes, consider that if you stay at the hostel, the free bikes will save you 300 kr (for two people).
Eating in Solvorn: Sleepy Solvorn is blessed with the cheery Linahagen Kafé, next door to Walaker Hotel, where delightful Signe and her family serve up good meals (120-kr dinner salads, 140-kr dinner plates, June-Aug daily 12:30-19:30, closed Sept-May, tel. 57 68 18 00).
Sogndal is the only sizeable town in this region. While it lacks the charm of Solvorn and Balestrand, it’s big enough to have a busy shopping street and a helpful TI (mid-June-mid-Aug Mon-Fri 9:00-18:00, Sat 10:00-16:00, closed Sun; shorter hours in May and Sept, closed in winter; in the Kulturhus at Hovevegen 2, mobile 97 60 04 43).
$$ Loftesnes Pensjonat, with 13 rooms, houses travelers mid-June through mid-August, and mostly students—reserving four rooms for travelers—during the school year (S-400 kr, Sb-420 kr, D-600 kr, Db-650 kr, no breakfast, kitchen, above a Chinese restaurant near the water, tel. & fax 57 67 15 77, mobile 90 93 51 71, loftesnes.pensjonat@gmail.com).
$-$$ Sogndal Youth Hostel rents good, cheap beds (bunk in 4-bed room-225 kr, S-310 kr, D-520 kr, Db-725 kr, 10 percent less for members, includes breakfast, sheets-70 kr, towel-40 kr, fully equipped members’ kitchen, mid-June-mid-Aug only, closed 10:00-17:00, at fork in the road as you enter town, tel. 57 62 75 75, mobile 90 93 51 71, fax 57 62 75 70, www.vandrerhjem.no, sogndal@hihostels.no).
Sogndal is the transit hub for the Lustrafjord region.
Buses go to Lom over the Sognefjell pass (2/day late June-Aug only, road closed off-season, 3.25 hours), Solvorn (4/day in summer, 2/day in winter, fewer Sat-Sun, 30 minutes), Balestrand (3/Mon-Fri, none Sat-Sun, 1.25 hours, includes ride on Hella-Dragsvik ferry), Nigard Glacier via the Glacier Bus (1/day, 1.5 hours, departs Sogndal daily at 8:45, returns to Sogndal in the afternoon, also stops at Solvorn in each direction, July-Aug only). Most buses run less (or not at all) on weekends—check the latest at www.ruteinfo.net.
Car ferries cost roughly $5 per hour for walk-ons and $20 per hour for a car and driver. Reservations are generally not necessary, and on many short rides, aren’t even possible (for info and free and easy reservations for longer rides, call 55 90 70 70). Confirm schedules at www.ruteinfo.net. From near Sogndal, various boats fan out to towns around the Sognefjord. Most leave from two towns at the southern end of the Lustrafjord: Kaupanger (a 15-minute drive from Sogndal) and Mannheller (a 5-minute drive beyond Kaupanger, 20 min from Sogndal).
From Kaupanger: While Kaupanger is little more than a ferry landing, the small stave-type church at the edge of town merits a look. Boats go from Kaupanger all the way down the gorgeous Nærøyfjord to Gudvangen, which is on the Norway in a Nutshell route (where you catch the bus to Voss). Taking this boat allows you to see the best part of the Nutshell fjord scenery (the Nærøyfjord), but misses the other half of that cruise (Aurlandsfjord). The boat leaves Kaupanger daily in summer at 9:30, 12:00, 14:40, and 16:00 for the two-hour trip (these times are for June-Aug, only goes 1/day in May and Aug-mid-Sept departing Kaupanger at 9:30 and Gudvangen at 12:00, none mid-Sept-April; car and driver-625 kr, adult passenger-250 kr; reserve at least one day in advance—or longer in July-Aug, especially for the popular 12:00 departure; tel. 55 90 70 70, www.fjord1.no). Prices are high because this route is mainly taken by tourists, not locals. Boats also connect Kaupanger to Lærdal, but the crossing from Mannheller to Fodnes is easier (described next).
From Mannheller: Ferries frequently make the speedy 15-minute crossing to Fodnes (67 kr for a car and driver, 3/hour, no reservations possible). From Fodnes, drive through the five-mile-long tunnel to Lærdal and the main E-16 highway (near Borgund Stave Church, the long tunnel to Aurland, and the scenic overland road to the Stegastein fjord viewpoint).
To Balestrand: To reach Balestrand from the Lustrafjord, you’ll take a short ferry trip (Hella-Dragsvik). For information on the car ferries to and from Balestrand, see “Balestrand Connections,” earlier.
If you’ll be doing a lot of driving, pick up a good local map. The 1:335,000-scale Sør-Norge nord map by Cappelens Kart is excellent (about 100 kr, available at local TIs and bookstores).
The drive to the pleasant fjordside town of Aurland takes you either through the world’s longest car tunnel, or over an incredible mountain pass. If you aren’t going as far as Lom and Jotunheimen, consider taking the pass, as the scenery here rivals the famous Sognefjell pass drive.
From Sogndal, drive 20 minutes to the Mannheller-Fodnes ferry (described under “Lustrafjord Connections,” earlier), float across the Sognefjord, then drive from Fodnes to Lærdal. From Lærdal, you have two options to Aurland: The speedy route is on E-16 through the new 15-mile-long tunnel from Lærdal, or the Aurlandsvegen “Snow Road” over the pass.
The tunnel is free, and impressively nonchalant—it’s signed as if it were just another of Norway’s countless tunnels. But driving it is a bizarre experience: A few miles in, as you find yourself trying not to be hypnotized by the monotony, it suddenly dawns on you what it means to be driving under a mountain for 15 miles. To keep people awake, three rest chambers, each illuminated by a differently colored light, break up the drive visually. Stop and get out—if no cars are coming, test the acoustics from the center.
The second, immeasurably more scenic, route is a breathtaking one-hour, 30-mile drive that winds over a pass into Aurland, cresting at over 4,000 feet and offering classic aerial fjord views (it’s worth the messy pants). From the Mannheller-Fodnes ferry, take the first road to the right (to Erdal), then leave E-68 at Erdal (just west of Lærdal) for the Aurlandsvegen. This road, while well-maintained, is open only in summer, and narrow and dangerous during snowstorms (which can hit with a moment’s notice, even in warm weather). You’ll enjoy vast and terrifying views of lakes, snowfields, and remote mountain huts and farmsteads on what feels like the top of Norway. As you begin the 12-hairpin zigzag descent to Aurland, you’ll reach the new “7”-shaped Stegastein viewpoint—well worth a stop.
Car ferries take tourists between Kaupanger and the Nutshell town of Gudvangen through an arm and elbow of the Sognefjord, including the staggering Nærøyfjord (for details on the ferry, see “Lustrafjord Connections,” earlier). From Gudvangen, it’s a 90-mile drive to Bergen, via Voss (figure about one hour to Voss, then another two hours into Bergen). This follows essentially the same route as the Norway in a Nutshell (Gudvangen-Voss bus, Voss-Bergen train).
Get off the ferry in Gudvangen and drive up the Nærøy valley past a river. You’ll see the two giant falls and then go uphill through a tunnel. After the tunnel, look for a sign marked Stalheim and turn right. Stop for a break at the touristy Stalheim Hotel. Then follow signs marked Stalheimskleiva. This incredible road doggedly worms its way downhill back into the depths of the valley. My brakes started overheating in a few minutes. Take it easy. As you wind down, you can view the falls from several turnouts.
The road rejoins E-16. You retrace your route through the tunnel and then continue into a mellower beauty, past lakes and farms, toward Voss. Soon before you reach Voss itself, watch the right side of the road for Tvindefossen, a waterfall with a handy campground/WC/kiosk picnic area that’s worth a stop. Highway E-16 takes you through Voss and into Bergen. If you plan to visit Edvard Grieg’s Home and the nearby Fantoft Stave Church, now is the ideal time, since you’ll be driving near them—and they’re a headache to reach from downtown. Both are worth a detour if you’re not rushed, and open until 18:00 in summer.
If you’re based in Balestrand and driving to Bergen, you have two options: Take the Dragsvik-Hella ferry, drive an hour to Kaupanger (via Sogndal), and drive the route just described; or, take the following slower, twistier, more remote, and more scenic route, with a stop at the beautiful Hopperstad Stave Church. This route is slightly longer, with more time on mountain roads and less time on the boat. Figure 20 minutes from Vangsnes to Vik, then about 1.5 hours to Voss, then another 2 hours into Bergen.
From Vagsnes, head into Vik on the main Route 13. In Vik, follow signs from the main road to Hopperstad Stave Church (described earlier in this chapter). Then backtrack to Route 13 and follow it south, to Voss. You’ll soon begin a series of switchbacks that wind you up and out of the valley. The best views are from the Storesvingen Fjellstove restaurant (on the left). Soon after, you’ll crest the ridge, go through a tunnel, and find yourself on top of the world, in a desolate and harshly scenic landscape of scrubby mountaintops, snow banks, lakes, and no trees, scattered with vacation cabins. After cruising atop the plateau for a while, the road twists its way down (next to a waterfall) into a very steep valley, which it meanders through the rest of the way to Voss. This is an hour-long, middle-of-nowhere journey, with few road signs—you might feel lost, but keep driving toward Voss. When Route 13 dead-ends into E-16, turn right (toward Voss and Bergen) and re-enter civilization. From here, the route follows the same roads as in the Lustrafjord-Bergen drive described earlier (including the Tvindefossen waterfall).