Polar Express, the Golden Road and the Lofoten Islands

Day by day itinerary

• Day 1 » UK/Trondheim

  Flying out to Trondheim you’ll make your way to your central accommodation. Found close to the riverfront, you’ll have all of the city’s delights on your doorstep, from the superb Ringve Music Museum to the Nidaros Cathedral – the Nordics’ largest church. To explore, we recommend making like a local and jumping on a bike or, for a truly unique perspective, take to the waters with a kayaking trip through the city. Whichever you choose, you’ll quickly lose yourself among the colourful houses and Gothic splendour of Trondheim’s thousand-year-old heritage.  Stiftsgården is a particular highlight; it’s the King’s local residence and a true jewel of 19th-century Baroque architecture.

  Stay: Thon Hotel Nidaros (Standard)

• Day 2 » Trondheim to Inderøy

  After enjoying what is ‘Norway’s best breakfast’, you’ll have some further time at leisure in Trondheim, perhaps taking in the city’s wooden mansions, ancient island fortress or the 12th-century Archbishop’s Palace. You’ll then board the train north to Steinkjer. Hugging the shores of the mighty Trondheimsfjorden, it’s a perfectly scenic route, with views out over the glassy waters and on to the mountainous background. On arrival, you’ll pick up your hire car and make the short drive to Inderøy, a remote peninsula of rolling fields. It’s rural Norway at its idyllic best, something showcased with your stay in a timber farmhouse of just nine bedrooms.

  Stay: Husfrua Hotel

  Meals: Breakfast

• Day 3 » The Golden Road

  Waking up to an authentic farmers’ breakfast, you’ll head out today to explore the Golden Road. Tracing pretty coastlines and plunging through bright-green farmlands it links a curated collection of local artisans. Highlights include sculpture workshops, craft breweries and award-winning dairy farms, with tasting tours showcasing everything from regional meats to the national drink – aquavit. There are also fjord cruises and medieval churches to take in before you end back at your cosy accommodation.

  Stay: Husfrua Hotel
  

  Meals: Breakfast

• Day 4 » Inderøy to Mosjøen

  Today, following another hearty breakfast, you’ll drop your hire car back at Steinkjer to board the train north. Tracing the Vefsna River through the bright green of the Norwegian countryside you’ll arrive at Mosjøen. This small but lively town impresses with a beautifully preserved collection of 19th-century buildings, today given over to art galleries, coffee shops and restaurants. Then, if you head to its seafront, Mosjøen erupts into colourful stilted warehouses. You’ll also stay in Northern Norway’s oldest hotel, today resplendent in Scandi-chic rooms and a pair of indulgent restaurants.

  Stay: Fru Haugan

  Meals: Breakfast

• Day 5 » Mosjøen to Bodø

  Your train ride today will see you hop over the Arctic Circle as you continue north. Weaving along valley floors and skirting Saltdalsfjorden’s great watery expanse, you’ll arrive back at the coast with Bodø – the northern terminus of Norway’s railway network. As such, it’s excellent for mountain hikes and cruises out to fishing spots and remote island communities. There’s even the world’s strongest tidal current – the Saltstraumen Maelstrom. On arrival at your hotel, settle in before making the most of the included light evening meal served between 18:00 - 20:00.

  Stay: Clarion Collection Hotel Grand Bodo

  Meals: Breakfast

• Day 6 » Bodø to the Lofoten Islands

  You’ll have plenty of time to explore Bodø further today; be sure to head out in search of the world’s largest population of white-tailed sea eagles. Then, come the afternoon, you’ll board a short flight over the channel to the Lofoten Islands and the pretty town of Svolvær, backdropped by giant mountains. It's the idyllic location for your charming accommodation – a timber fisherman’s cabin on the quayside.
  

  Stay: Svinoya Rorbuer, Norway

  Meals: Breakfast

• Day 7 » The Lofoten Islands

  You’ll have today to explore the Lofoten Islands. Home to some of Norway’s most spectacular scenery, they rise as great green-dappled crags from the sea, reaching over a kilometre in height. It’s all the evocative setting for sweeping hikes, fishing expeditions and whale-watching cruises. You can also step back to the time of the Vikings with superb museums and even reconstructed longhouses. Don’t also miss out on the just-caught seafood, served up in fishing-village restaurants.

  Stay: Svinoya Rorbuer, Norway

  Meals: Breakfast

• Day 8 » Bodø

  Return to Bodø today and check into your hotel. You'll then have free time to explore the town and its island surrounds. Scenic strolls bring you among colourful houses and to views of distant peaks. This is also sea eagle country, so keep an eye on the sky for sightings of these elegant birds of prey. An included light supper is served at the hotel between 18:00 - 20:00 - alternatively head out to the many eateries in town.

  Stay: Clarion Collection Hotel Grand Bodo

  Meals: Breakfast

• Day 9 » Depart for UK

  After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home via Oslo,

  Meals: Breakfast