Vestlandet and Norway's fjordland

Luxury hotel holidays to Vestlandet, bespoke tours and holidays to Norway's fjordland by air, car, boat and train.

Vestlandet contains many of the archetypal sites the visitor associates with Norway: spectacular fjords, colourful fishing ports, stave churches and dramatic panoramas. Vestlandet is a long, thin region in the west of the country, bordering the North Sea and interspersed by jagged inlets from the sea into the mountainous interior: the fjords including Sognefjorden, Geirangerfjord, Lysefjorden, Hardangerfjorden and Eidfjord. Bergen is the outstanding jewel as a town in this region, a World Heritage City, with ancient history, attractive buildings, world-class museums and superb restaurants. Sognefjord is Norway’s longest and deepest fjord and is composed of five large arms with fingers, of which Naeroyfjorden is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To complement the dramatic natural scenery, there are ample man-made delights in the area too, with charming villages, waterfronts, well-preserved Viking heritage sites and local foodie specialities. You can witness the drama of the Sognefjord by boat from Bergen to Flam on a journey of about five hours. Just north and south of the innermost reaches of the Sognefjord are the outstanding stave churches of Borgund, unchanged since the Middle Ages, and Urnes, the oldest stave church in Norway. The Geirangerfjord is one of the best-known and justifiably so as it contains ten miles of dramatic natural beauty with numerous waterfalls tumbling down the vertical cliff face. The Hardangerfjord runs from the North Sea to the Hardangervidda Plateau and offers a wealth of attractive scenery and pretty towns, with numerous activities. There are also apple orchards and farmland, hiking and cycling. Towards the north of the region is the coastal town of Alesund, whose centre consists mainly of striking Art Nouveau buildings, constructed in the early 20th Century after a fire destroyed most of the old town centre.

Frequently Asked Questions

Vestlandet is the western coastal region of Norway, where long fjords cut inland from the North Sea into the mountains. It includes the Sognefjord, Norway's longest and deepest fjord, with its narrow UNESCO-listed arm the Nærøyfjord; the Geirangerfjord, also UNESCO-listed; the Hardangerfjord with its fruit orchards; and the Nordfjord, beneath the Jostedal glacier. The region's two coastal cities are Bergen, with its UNESCO-listed Bryggen wharf, and Ålesund, rebuilt in Art Nouveau style after a fire in 1904.
Each of the main fjords has a different character, and many itineraries include two or more. The Sognefjord is the longest and offers variety, from the narrow Nærøyfjord and the Flåm Railway to the historic villages of Balestrand and Solvorn and the stave churches of Urnes and Borgund. The Geirangerfjord is steep-sided and dramatic, with waterfalls dropping straight into the water, and is best combined with Ålesund. The Hardangerfjord is gentler, with orchards that blossom in May and access to the Hardangervidda plateau.
May to September is the main season for the fjords. This is when ferries, boat excursions and mountain roads such as Trollstigen are open, and the long evenings suit unhurried touring. May and early June bring blossom in Hardanger and waterfalls swollen by snowmelt, while July and August are the warmest and busiest months. September is quieter, with autumn colour. In winter the fjord villages are peaceful and Voss, around 90 minutes from Bergen by train, offers downhill and cross-country skiing.
Clients can fly from the UK to Oslo, or take seasonal direct flights to Bergen and Ålesund. The Bergen Railway crosses the mountains from Oslo to Bergen, and the Flåm Railway descends from Myrdal to the Sognefjord. Express boats link Bergen with Balestrand and other fjord villages, and the Hurtigruten and Havila coastal ships sail overnight between Bergen and Ålesund. A fjord holiday can be arranged entirely by train and boat, although a hire car gives the most flexibility, using the network of car ferries that cross the fjords.
The Flåm Railway is a 20-kilometre branch line that runs from Myrdal, on the Oslo to Bergen railway, down to the village of Flåm on the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the Sognefjord. The journey takes about an hour and descends more than 860 metres through tunnels and past waterfalls, with a stop at the Kjosfossen falls. It is usually combined with a boat trip on the Nærøyfjord and a night or two in Flåm or Aurland, allowing time to enjoy the fjord once the day visitors have left.
Bergen and Ålesund are the two cities of fjord Norway and work well as the start or end of a touring holiday. Bergen has the Bryggen wharf, the Bergenhus Fortress, the KODE art museums and Troldhaugen, the home of the composer Edvard Grieg, as well as a funicular to Mount Fløyen. Ålesund is known for its Art Nouveau architecture and the Jugendstilsenteret, with views from Mount Aksla, and is the natural base for the Geirangerfjord, Trollstigen and the Atlantic Road.
Expressions Holidays offers a selection of historic and characterful fjord hotels alongside city hotels. On the Sognefjord, these include Kviknes Hotel in Balestrand, dating from 1877, Walaker Hotel in Solvorn, in the same family since 1690, and Fjærland Fjordstove Hotell near the glacier. Hotel Union Øye on the Norangsfjord, Hotel Union Geiranger, Hotel Alexandra in Loen and Hotel Ullensvang on the Hardangerfjord offer fjord settings. In the cities, the choice includes Bergen Børs Hotel and Opus XVI in Bergen, and Hotel Brosundet and Hotel 1904 in Ålesund.
Each fjord holiday is planned around your dates, interests and preferred way of travelling, whether by train and boat, by car, or a combination. Examples include the eight-night Oslo, Sognefjord and Bergen touring holiday by train and boat from £2,830 per person, the seven-night Two Sea-faring Cities holiday combining Bergen and Ålesund from £2,600 per person, and the eleven-night Norway Fjord and Coast Explorer fly-drive from £3,300 per person. One specialist consultant looks after the arrangements from first enquiry to your return, and every holiday includes a concierge service and Expressions Helpful Hints.

Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be

● Single centre or multi-centre
● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Fly to Oslo, Bergen, Alesund or other regional airports and then use a mixture of transport
● Rail to Oslo via Copenhagen possible
● Mixture of transport includes flights, hire-car, trains, ferries

Our special interest holidays to Norway

● Cultural tours for individuals
● Walking holidays
● Private guided sightseeing
● City breaks
● Ski breaks - downhill and cross-country
● Family holidays
● Hiking
● Biking
● Activities on water such as kayaking, fishing
● Northern Lights hunting
● Sami culture experiences
● Stay in snow hotels

Included in all our holidays

● Concierge service
● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday

Call us on 01392 441245

Highlights of Vestlandet

Vestlandet is fjord country and the most well-known and spectactular are Sognefjorden, the Geirangerfjord, Lysefjorden, Hardangerfjorden and Eidfjord. The seafaring cities and ports of Bergen and Alesund offer a mixture of cultural, food and sightseeing possibilities. Bergen has the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bryggen with museum, shops, galleries and restaurants. There is the KODE museum of art and design and at Troldhaugen you can visit the home of Edvard Grieg. The region is also home to the Flam railway and cable cars take you to mountain tops. Alesund is renowned as an Art Deco town after a fire in 1904 destroyed the old town. From here it is the gateway to the Geirangerfjord and the Trollstigen mountain road. Combine land and water sports as well as spectacular scenery in Vestlandet. You can also visit glaciers in this region and take the Atlantic Road for coastal vistas.

Cultural highlights of Vestlandet

There is a wide range of cultural visits throughout the region: KUBE art nouveau centre in Alesund, Agatunet traditional Norwegian village on the Hardangerfjord, Kinn stone church from the Middle Ages, Alesund medieval age museum, The Vicarage at Nesset childhood home of Nobel Prize for Literature winner Bjornson, Bergenhus Fortress in Bergen, Suldal living museum farm, Eldhuset at Undredal on the Sognfjord showing local traditions, pasture farming and goat's cheese production, Sirdal mountain musuem, Bergen school museum, Geirganger timber church, Flam railway museum, Steffagarden on Ona croft from 1793, Visnes mining museum, Hardanger fold museum, Baroniet Rosendal manor house and gardens, Viking exhbition at Eidfjord, Vik historical tour, Kaupanger stave church on the Sognefjord, Trollveggen visitor centre, Viking village at Gudvangen, Borgund church, Osteroy museum, Ardal old church Ryfylke.

Festivals of Vestlandet

Kristiansund has a food festival in June, there is a Viking festival in Avaldsnes in June, Sola holds a kite festival in June, Floro holds the world's longest herring table in June, early July sees the Skudefestivalen the largest gathering of coastal culture in western Norway, Floro holds a sea sports festival in mid July, Molde holds the oldest continuously running jazz festival in the world in July, Haugesund harbour days is a yearly tradition in mid August, The Tomato festival is held in mid August at Finnoy on the Ryfylke Islands near Stavanger, Hardanger holds a music festival at the end of August, Bergen has a food festival at the beginning of September.

Gastronomy of Vestlandet

The mild climate and soils of the region lend themselves to the growing of fruit and berries that produce apple juice, cider and jams. Strawberries, raspberries and cherries are also grown locally. Cheeses are produced in the region including the Tingvoll cheese that has been produced here since 1303. Smoked salmon and cured meats are also local. Clipfish (dried salted cod) in the Alsesund area.

Vestlandet travel information

Vestlandet and Norway's fjordland can be reached by air, train and boat. You can visit the region using a mixture of transport without the use of a hire-car if you want, but a hire-car will give you more options and a wider range of places to visit.

By air

You can fly to Oslo and then connect to Vestlandet by internal flight or train. However, there are also some direct flights from London, Manchester, and Edinburgh to Bergen and Alesund, which may be seasonal.

By rail

There is a scenic train route from Oslo to Bergen but also ther region is home to the famous Flam railway, from Myrdal to Flam on the edge of the Sognefjord.

Boats

There are various options for travelling by boat in Vestlandet. There are the Hurtigruten and Havila coastal ferries which have accommodation on board and allow for a journey from Bergen to Alesund which is overnight. There are also fast ferries that serve points along the fjords, for example from Bergen to the Balestrand on the Sognefjord or from Alesund to Geiranger. Finally if you are driving around the fjord area you will find a network of roll-on roll-off ferries that criss-cross the fjords.

By hire-car

If you want to visit the scenery of the fjordland, then we do recommend a car for that. Driving in Norway is very straightforward and the roads are of excellent quality. Hire-cars come equipped with winter tyres in the winter months.

Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be

● Single centre or multi-centre
● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Fly to Oslo, Bergen, Alesund or other regional airports and then use a mixture of transport
● Rail to Oslo via Copenhagen possible
● Mixture of transport includes flights, hire-car, trains, ferries

Our special interest holidays to Norway

● Cultural tours for individuals
● Walking holidays
● Private guided sightseeing
● City breaks
● Ski breaks - downhill and cross-country
● Family holidays
● Hiking
● Biking
● Activities on water such as kayaking, fishing
● Northern Lights hunting
● Sami culture experiences
● Stay in snow hotels

Included in all our holidays

● Concierge service
● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday

Call us on 01392 441245

Here you will find a map of Vestlandet and Norway's fjordland showing the locations of the hotels that we offer

Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be

● Single centre or multi-centre
● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Fly to Oslo, Bergen, Alesund or other regional airports and then use a mixture of transport
● Rail to Oslo via Copenhagen possible
● Mixture of transport includes flights, hire-car, trains, ferries

Our special interest holidays to Norway

● Cultural tours for individuals
● Walking holidays
● Private guided sightseeing
● City breaks
● Ski breaks - downhill and cross-country
● Family holidays
● Hiking
● Biking
● Activities on water such as kayaking, fishing
● Northern Lights hunting
● Sami culture experiences
● Stay in snow hotels

Included in all our holidays

● Concierge service
● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday

Call us on 01392 441245

Train in country with red houses Flam to Myrdal

GRAND RAIL TOUR OF NORWAY

FLY-RAIL. 14-night grand tour of Norway including the Flam railway, the Dovre line and the Nordland railway. From £4,280 per person.
Jotunheim walking path through hills

JOTUNHEIMEN NATIONAL PARK AND FJORDS TOURING HOLIDAY

FLY-DRIVE. 11-night luxury holiday combining stays in the Jotunheimen National Park and the Aurlandsfjord. From £3,400 per person.
Red train in valley by river with trees on hills and mountains behind Oslo to Bergen train

OSLO, THE SOGNEFJORD AND BERGEN TOURING HOLIDAY

FLY-RAIL. 8-night luxury touring holiday by train and boat travel visiting Oslo and the fjord towns of Balestrand and Bergen. Fly to and from Oslo. From £2,830 per person.

Waterfront Bergen with tall warehouses of different colours

THREE CAPITAL FJORD CITIES OF NORWAY TOURING HOLIDAY

FLY-RAIL-BOAT. 9-night luxury touring holiday by train and boat visiting Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim with two nights on board the Hurtigruten cruise ferry. From £3,100 per person.
Geirangerfjord with pastures, mountains and tree-clad slopes

NORANGSFJORD FLY-DRIVE HOLIDAY

FLY-DRIVE. 6-night luxury single-centre holiday staying amidst the dramatic natural scenery of the Norangsfjord south of Alesund. From £2,920 per person.
Hotel Alexandra Loen modern hotel with balconies and blossom on trees with snow on mountain tops behind

NORWAY FJORD AND COAST EXPLORER FLY-DRIVE TOUR

FLY-DRIVE. 11-night luxury touring holiday by car and ferry visiting Norway’s west coast fjords including the Sognefjord and Nordfjord. From £3,300 per person.
Wide and long fjord with tree clad sides Sognefjord

SOGNEFJORD FLY-DRIVE HOLIDAY

FLY-DRIVE. 7-night luxury holiday including 5 nights in the fjord town of Balestrand on the shores of the Sognefjord and two overnight stops en route. From £2,870 per person.
Viking statue on edge of Norwegian fjord

SOGNEFJORD SENSATIONAL THREE-CENTRE FLY-DRIVE

FLY-DRIVE. 7-night tour of the Sognefjord and its side fjords staying in three different parts of the fjord, about two hours from each other. From £3,160 per person.
Alesund waterfront with old warehouses in different colours

TWO SEA-FARING CITIES OF NORWAY HOLIDAY

FLY-BOAT. 7-night luxury two-centre holiday combining the two sea-faring Norwegian cities of Bergen and Alesund, connected by an overnight Hurtigruten cruise. From £2,600 per person.
Fleischer's Hotel Voss

SKIING IN VOSS

Skiing in Voss in Norway. About 90 minutes by train from Bergen. Experience downhill and cross-country with 70 kms of slopes. Suitable areas for children. From £1,900 per person.
292 Aurland old and new building with flowers

29-2 AURLAND Aurland, Vestlandet, Norway

A traditional family-run hotel nestled amongst Norway’s fjords, offering 10 unique rooms, authentic Norwegian cuisine and a wide range of bespoke activities and excursions.

Bekkjarvik Gjestgiveri

BEKKJARVIK GJESTGIVERI south of Bergen

Bekkjarvik Gjestgiveri is a hotel to the south of Bergen providing characterful rooms, excellent local cuisine, and many exciting and varied activities.
Bar with white high chairs and wooden floor at Bergen Bors

BERGEN BøRS HOTEL Bergen, Vestlandet, Norway

4-star fashionable hotel with 127 rooms in the historic stock exchange building in the heart of Bergen opposite the Fish Market. Hotel’s BARE restaurant is one of the city’s best and with a Michelin star.
Fjaerland Fjordstove Hotell white hotel building on lake with vintage car in foreground

FJAERLAND FJORDSTOVE HOTELL Fjaerland, Vestlandet, Norway

This quaint boutique hotel with 14 rooms sits on the shores of the northern Sognefjord with stunning views across the fjord, mountains and glacier. Cosy rooms, popular local cuisine and a focus on dedicated personal service.

Flamsbrygga Hotel

FLAMSBRYGGA HOTEL Flam

Flåmsbrygga Hotel is situated along the harbour of Flåm. It has 41 rooms, offering numerous outdoor activities and scenic views in a convenient location.
Fleischer's Hotel, Morgan Macay

FLEISCHER’S HOTEL Voss

Fleischer’s Hotel is a hotel in Voss with 110 rooms, with a restaurant, bar, terrace, and wellness area.
Grand Hotel Andalsnes elevated view, showing the chalet-style architecture of the hotel, the green surroundings, and the mountains behind

GRAND HOTEL ANDALSNES Andalsnes

A historic 4-star hotel dating from 1890 in Norway's mountaineering capital, with 86 rooms offering dramatic fjord and mountain views at the terminus of Europe's most scenic railway.
Aerial view of island with jetty, boats and cabins

HAHOLMEN HAVSTUER Averoy, Vestlandet, Norway

An authentic Norwegian fishing hotel situated on its own island and comprising a cluster of 25 buildings. Wonderful views, exquisite cuisine and a unique boat transfer to the island on an old fishing boat or a Viking ship.
Hotel 1904 restaurant courtyard with the white hotel building in the background

HOTEL 1904 Alesund

Ålesund’s historic Art Nouveau hotel, built in 1904, offering 71 rooms in the heart of Norway’s most architecturally distinctive coastal city.
Hotel Alexandra Loen modern hotel with balconies and blossom on trees with snow on mountain tops behind

HOTEL ALEXANDRA Loen, Vestlandet, Norway

This is a distinctive, family-run hotel in the inner reaches of the Nordfjord with 200 traditionally Scandinavian rooms and suites. Choice of two restaurants for dinner. Bath and spa with games area.
Hotel Brosundet Alesund exterior of white building with yellow building next door on waterfront

HOTEL BROSUNDET Alesund, Vestlandet, Norway

A charming, design-hotel, family-owned, with 131 rooms in two historic buildings on the side of the Brosundet waters in the heart of Ålesund. Excellent restaurant and stylish rooms.
Hotel Ullensvang Norway view of large hotel on side of water with grass and mountains

HOTEL ULLENSVANG Lofthus, Vestlandet, Norway

An historic resort hotel offering incredible views and location on the Hardangerfjord. Fjord views, two restaurants, large wellness area with outdoor pool overlooking the fjord and multiple sports and excursions on offer.
Hotel Union Geiranger

HOTEL UNION GEIRANGER Geiranger, Vestlandet

This is an historic, grand, 4-star mountain hotel overlooking the Geirangerfjord. Many rooms with fjord view, spa, indoor pool and three restaurants.
hotel union oye norway tall house with steep roof and grass and mountain

HOTEL UNION ØYE Norangsfjorden, Vestlandet, Norway

This is a boutique, historic and distinct 4-star hotel with 27 rooms in the middle of the fjords and the Sunnmøre Alps south of Alesund. Bedrooms named after kings and queens, writers and composers who have stayed here.

Exterior of white hotel building on fjord side at Kviknes hotel

KVIKNES HOTEL Balestrand, Vestlandet, Norway

4-star historic hotel dating from 1877 on the edge of the Sognefjord in the centre of pretty Balestrand. Choice of 190 modern or historic rooms. Traditional Norwegian charm with art collection.
Opus XVI Exterior

OPUS XVI Bergen

A luxury boutique hotel in Bergen’s city centre, celebrating the legacy of Edvard Grieg across 65 individually designed rooms.
Storfjord Hotel wooden chalet buildings in trees

STORFJORD HOTEL Skodje, Vestlandet, Norway

This is a luxury lodge hotel with 30 rooms, idyllically situated on a hillside about 40 minutes from Alesund with panoramic views of the fjord and Sunnmøre Alps. Rooms are traditionally Norwegian in style and all have views of either the fjord or the surrounding woodland.

Walaker Hotel Solvorn

WALAKER HOTEL Solvorn, Vestlandet

A charming and historic boutique hotel, in family ownership since 1690, on the shores of the Lustrafjord, a northern branch of the Sognefjord. Antique furniture, original paintings, pretty garden and fjord views, plus excellent 4-course dinner included.