Norway – The Magnificent Fjords, Mountains & Telemark

13 Days Thursday 27^th August – Tuesday 8^th September

Staying at the quality Straand Hotel, Vraadal (3 nights)

The Stalheim Hotel, Stalheim (3 nights)

Our overnight Hotels are

Atlantic Universum Bremen

Scandic Kolding, Denmark

Hotel Horton, Horton Telemark

Hotel Leonardo Stillhorn, Hamberg

Our holiday to Norway takes us through Holland, Germany and Denmark with overnight stops, to Hirtshals then our fast ferry crossing to Larvic and the Telemark region of southern Norway.  We will then travel through pristine countryside which Norway is known for passing wonderful lakeland scenery to Vraadal and the 4 star Straand Hotel situated by Lake Nisser with the hotels garden leading down to it.  The hotel is owned and managed by the 5^th generation of the Straand family and has several comfortable lounges, indoor heated pool and panoramic terrace.  We spend 3 nights here with included visit to the Heavy Water Sabotage Site at Vemork. When we leave the Straand Hotel we drive from Telemark to the western fjords and the Stalheim Hotel which has a stunning hilltop panoramic position overlooking the Naeroy, Brekke and Jordal Valleys.  Here we spend 3 nights and include visits to the Norwegian Glacier Museum, Borgund Stave Church and the famous Norway in a Nutshell excursion considered as one of Norway’s tourist highlights.

Our Itinerary

Day 1 – After your doorstep pickup we join our luxury coach and travel to the Port of Hull for our overnight crossing to Rotterdam in outside cabins with side-by-side beds on board ship.  There is also entertainment, cinema and shop open during the crossing.

Day 2 – Once we have cleared customs, we then join our luxury coach for the journey through Holland into Germany and to the Atlantic Universum Hotel at Bremen for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 3 – After a leisurely breakfast we then travel through Germany into Denmark to the Scandic Kolding Hotel for dinner and second overnight stay.

Day 4 – After breakfast we leave our hotel and drive north through Jutland to Hirtshals for the fast craft ferry to Norway with time on board to sample some refreshments.  Once we arrive in Larvik, we drive through Skein onto lovely lakeland scenery passing Bo and crossing the famous Telemark Canal to arrive in Vraadal at the Straand Hotel for dinner and stay of 3 nights.

Day 5 – A full free day to unwind and enjoy the hotel and its wonderful location, maybe use the swimming pool, walk the gardens or lake shore.  We can if you wish arrange a 2-hour sail on Lake Nisser on the Veteran boat M.S. Flam which dates from 1909.  This evening there will be a showing of the “Heroes of Telemark” after dinner.  HH

Day 6 – Today we include a full day tour over the Hardangervidda Plateau which is the home of the largest Reindeer Herd, and is within the largest National Park in Norway.  We will include a special visit to the Heavy Water Sabotage Site at Vemork, where brave Norwegian partisans halted German efforts to build a nuclear bomb.  We will also call at Heddal Stave Church which is Norway’s largest (time permitting).

Day 7 – After breakfast we leave the Telemark region and drive to Blunkenberg then over the mountain road to the Sorfjord then to Odda where we have a short break, we then continue along the western shore of the Hardanger Fjord to Utne, then a short ferry journey across to Kvanndal.  We then continue north past Voss towards Gunvangen and to the Stalheim Hotel with its fantastic valley views for dinner and a 3-night stay.

Day 8 – Our scenic tour today takes us around the Sognefjord with 2 short ferry crossings and an included visit to the impressive Norwegian Glacier Museum and later to Borgund Stave Church, one of the most spectacular in the country.  On our return journey we travel between Laerdal and Aurland through one of the longest road tunnels in the world at 24.5KLM before passing through Flam and onto our hotel.

Day 9 – Today we include the spectacular “Norway in a Nutshell” excursion regarded as one of Norway’s highlights.  First, we transfer to the Port of Gudvangen to board a fjord cruise to Flam and then join a special train which takes us past waterfalls and beautiful views to Myrdal.  If there is time, we will also visit a Folk Museum.

Day 10 – From the fjords to the Skagerrak Coast, today is a long but very scenic day as we leave Stalheim and travel via Flam and then south towards HOL and GOL and on through Noresund and Kroderen to arrive in Horton to our hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 11 – An early start today as we travel to Larvik for our 8am crossing to Denmark then on into Germany to our welcoming hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 12 – After a leisurely breakfast we join our coach and drive into Holland to Rotterdam for our overnight sail to England in similar accommodation to your outward journey with outside cabins and side by side beds.

Day 13 – Our arrival in the Port of Hull is at 8am, we then clear customs and drive back to our home areas and door to door service arriving mid-afternoon.

Facilities

All hotels en-suite accommodation

Passenger lifts

Swimming pool at Straand Hotel

En-suite outside cabins on-board ship

All hotel rooms have TV except Stalheim Hotel

Holidays Includes

Door to door service

All luxury coach travel as listed

Return sea crossing Hull-Rotterdam in outside cabins with facilities

All internal Norwegian ferry crossings

2 overnight Hotels – Germany

1 overnight Hotel – Denmark

3 nights Hotel – Vraadal, Norway

3 nights Hotel – Stalheim, Norway

1 night Hotel – Horton, Norway

10 x hotel dinners

10 x hotel breakfasts

Vemork Museum & mini bus transfer

Stave Church visit

Norwegian Glacier Museum

Norway in a Nutshell excursion

All German/Denmark & Norwegian Tolls and Taxes

PLEASE NOTE – Meals onboard ship are NOT INCLUDED

2 x 5 course dinners and 2 cooked breakfasts can be added for £80 pp.  If required please state when booking.

IMPORTANT – A full passport is required for this holiday (must have at least 6 months remaining)

The currency in Norway is the Norwegian Kroner