Norway holds more guides than any other country in this collection, and its calls divide into two kinds that need different planning. The coastal towns and cities of the Hurtigruten route, such as Bergen, Trondheim, Bodø and Tromsø, have working quays, local public transport and a centre within reach of the berth. Fjord calls further inland are scenic arrivals at small villages, and many of them are tender ports where a boat carries passengers from an anchored ship to a modest landing place with limited facilities. Check which kind of call yours is before planning the day: each guide records the landing arrangement, the distance to the village or town centre and the transport available.
Åkrafjorden is a fjord in western Norway where Langfoss waterfall descends the mountainside towards the fjord. An itinerary that describes scenic…
Ålesund rewards a few hours on foot. Its harbour, ornate buildings and hilltop views are close enough to combine without a long excursion. The town's Art…
Alta's main attractions are spread across several districts, so this is a port where choosing transport early helps. The rock art at Hjemmeluft gives a…
Åndalsnes sits where the Romsdalen valley reaches the fjord. Its compact centre makes an easy starting point, but the surrounding mountains shape most…
Arendal is well suited to an unhurried shore visit. The cruise quays meet the old town, and the waterfront leads naturally into streets of wooden houses,…
Balestrand is a village on the Sognefjord where the waterfront itself is a useful starting point for a short visit. Wooden villas, the English church and…
Bekkjarvik is a compact harbour settlement in the Austevoll island municipality, on Selbjørn south of Bergen. It suits a quiet visit built around the…
Cruise gateway to the Norwegian fjords
Bergen offers enough within its central waterfront for a rewarding visit without a long excursion. Bryggen, the historic trading quarter on the eastern…
Bessaker is a small coastal village in Åfjord municipality, Trøndelag. Fishing, the working harbour and the surrounding shore give a visit its focus. It…
Bjørnøya, or Bear Island, lies in the Barents Sea between mainland Norway and Spitsbergen. It belongs to Svalbard and is an expedition destination rather…
Bodø is a useful choice between a city visit and an excursion into the surrounding coastal landscape. The Norwegian Aviation Museum provides a…
Brønnøysund is a coastal town in southern Helgeland, with a harbour-centred visit on one hand and Torghatten's distinctive rock opening on the other.…
Eidfjord sits at the inner end of the Hardangerfjord system, with the village close to the cruise quay and major scenery further inland. A short…
Eidsdal is a small village on Norddalsfjord and a road gateway towards Geiranger. For cruise passengers landing here, the main choice is between a modest…
Flåm is a convenient base for a fjord stop: the waterfront, railway station and village services sit together at the end of Aurlandsfjord. A few hours…
Frøya is an island destination on the Trøndelag coast, with fishing, aquaculture and scattered coastal settlements shaping the visit. Cruise calls use…
Geiranger is a small village at the head of a fjord whose scenery begins well before you step ashore. The landscape is part of UNESCO's West Norwegian…
Gudvangen sits at the head of Nærøyfjord, with steep mountain walls rising above a small waterfront settlement. The fjord is part of UNESCO's West…
Hammerfest is a working Arctic town whose shore attractions bring together seafaring, wartime destruction and reconstruction. A short visit can focus on…
Harstad combines a central harbour with an excursion to the historic Trondenes peninsula. It is a useful place to spend a few hours on local history and…
Haugesund offers a manageable town visit beside Smedasundet, with longer outings to the royal-history sites at Avaldsnes and the coastal landscape…
Hellesylt is a small fjord village with a waterfall running through its centre and a cruise pier close to the places most visitors want to see. It suits…
Honningsvåg is the main town on Magerøya and the usual starting point for a North Cape excursion. You can spend a short call around its central harbour…
Kirkenes offers an introduction to Norway's northeastern border region, with museums and wartime sites providing context for the town's multicultural…
Kristiansand offers a compact city-centre day with a waterfront, historic streets and a major art museum within the wider harbour area. You can build a…
Kristiansund spreads across islands around a sheltered harbour, making the water part of both the view and the transport network. Its history is closely…
Lærdal offers a quiet visit centred on the wooden buildings of old Lærdalsøyri and the river landscape at the head of Lærdalsfjord. Its compact historic…
A call at Hamnbukt opens up the inland landscapes around Lakselv and Porsangerfjord. This is a useful starting point for Finnmark's nature and Sámi…
Leirvik is the town centre of Stord, in the Sunnhordland area of western Norway. Its waterfront, maritime collections and regional museum offer a compact…
A Leknes call puts you on Vestvågøy in the Lofoten islands, within reach of fishing villages, beaches and Viking history. The arrival harbour is separate…
Longyearbyen is a practical introduction to Svalbard: a settlement where Arctic landscapes, mining history and scientific activity meet. A short call…
Lysebotn sits at the inner end of Lysefjord, below steep mountain walls. A visit can involve scenic cruising, a local passenger ferry or a small private…
Lysefjord is a scenic waterway in Rogaland, associated with the cliffs of Preikestolen and Kjerag and small settlements reached by boat. An itinerary…
Magdalenefjorden is a remote fjord in north-western Spitsbergen, within Nordvest-Spitsbergen National Park. It is an expedition destination shaped by…
Måløy offers a coastal version of a Norwegian port day: a working harbour, wartime history and access to the exposed scenery of Vågsøy. It is a useful…
Mandal's appeal lies in the combination of a compact southern Norwegian town and nearby coastal walks. White wooden buildings, local art and the beaches…
Molde is a convenient place to spend a port day on foot, with a waterfront centre, a substantial regional museum and wooded routes towards viewpoints.…
Namsos brings together timber-industry history, regional culture and a strong connection with Norwegian rock music. For a short visit, choose one indoor…
Narvik's port, railway and wartime history are closely connected. A visit works best when it follows that relationship: begin with the town's museums,…
Nordfjordeid is a compact place to explore the cultural side of a fjord call. Sagastad's reconstruction of the Myklebust Viking ship gives the visit a…
Olden is a starting point for the valleys and mountain scenery at the inner end of Nordfjord. The main choice for a short call is between a visit towards…
Oslo offers enough museums and neighbourhoods for several days, so a cruise visit benefits from one clear route. Choose the eastern waterfront around the…
Reine is a fishing village on Moskenesøya in Lofoten, with mountains rising close behind the waterfront. A short visit can be satisfying without a major…
Rørvik is a coastal town in the Vikna island area, with a harbour that remains part of everyday working life. Its museum collections make a useful focus…
Rosendal offers a manageable combination of a fjordside village, a historic manor and exhibitions about the landscape around Folgefonna. A short visit…
Sandnes is a town at the head of Gandsfjord with an industrial history, a science museum and a centre that rewards an unhurried walk. It also offers a…
Sandnessjøen is a Helgeland coastal town where the Seven Sisters mountains provide a memorable backdrop to a working harbour. The practical choice for a…
Skjolden sits at the head of Lustrafjord, the inner arm of Sognefjord. The approach brings the ship between steep mountain slopes into a small village…
Sortland is a practical base in Vesterålen, with a working waterfront, shops and a town centre known for blue-painted buildings. For passengers with a…
Stavanger works particularly well as a city visit. The harbour, wooden streets of Gamle Stavanger and museums about canning, printing and petroleum…
Svolvær combines a working fishing harbour with galleries, cafés and access to Lofoten's mountain and coastal scenery. A short visit can stay around the…
Træna is an offshore island community on the Helgeland coast, with Husøya as the principal village island and the distinctive mountains of Sanna across…
Tromsø offers a city visit shaped by Arctic exploration, research and its setting between island, sound and mountains. For a short call, concentrate on…
Trondheim offers a compact historical city visit around Nidaros Cathedral, the Nidelva river and the wooden streets of Bakklandet. These sights combine…
Ulvik sits beside a sheltered branch of the Hardangerfjord, with orchards climbing the surrounding slopes. Fruit growing and the writing of local poet…
Vardø is an island town facing the Barents Sea, where a working harbour, an eighteenth-century fortress and the Steilneset memorial offer several…
Vik lies on the southern shore of the Sognefjord, where the waterfront settlement of Vikøyri opens onto farmland and a valley backed by mountains. The…
Vikøyri is the waterfront settlement at Vik on the southern side of the Sognefjord. Its closely spaced wooden houses and boathouses form a useful…
Continue exploring: Norwegian Fjords & Arctic Norway