In Search of The Northern Lights

Southampton offers fast and efficient check-in areas, spacious departure lounges with seating areas, café-bars and smart washrooms. If you wish to travel by car and park for the duration of your cruise, you can pay for and reserve parking in advance directly with the relevant company. Alternatively, if being dropped off or collected by taxi or private car, they can drive right up alongside the terminal building.

Ålesund is Norway’s popular, art-nouveau epic of towers and turrets, ornaments and balconies, steeples and spires. The city’s delightful pedestrianised streets, offer a diverse mix of art galleries, shops and lively cafés, and lead to the 418 steps that climb Mount Aksla. The Fjellstua restaurant and café at the summit is the perfect place to sit and soak up panoramic views of this attractive city, the archipelago, and the Sunnmore Alps. Virtually destroyed by fire in 1904, Ålesund was rebuilt within three years and is regarded widely as one of Europe’s true visual experiences. The port is home to the Jugendstilsenteret – The National Art Nouveau Centre –, which has a well-preserved art nouveau interior and regularly features exhibitions and displays. GATEWAY TO THE FJORDS OF NORTHERN NORWAY Ålesund is the gateway to the iconic northwestern fjords and this seaport is the home base for Norway’s largest cod-fishing fleet, which, unsurprisingly, provides the city’s visitors with some superb seafood to try.

A scenic cruise along the shores of Toget Island allows you see one of Norway’s most astonishing natural wonders – Torghatten Mountain. The mountain is known affectionately as ‘the mountain with the hole’, Torghatten is famous for the huge tunnel that strikes right through the middle of it and has has to be seen to be believed.

Narvik is an incredible Arctic experience where you can enjoy the incredibly wild and dramatic flora and fauna. In the winter you might have the oppurtunity to experience the northern lights, and in the summer enjoy the wildlife as the snow melts away.

Sortland, the largest town of the beautiful Vesterålen archipelago, is one of Northern Norway’s most unique destinations. Nicknamed ‘Blue Town’, Sortland is almost entirely painted in various shades of blue, thanks to any idea put forward by artist Bjorn Elvenes at the start of the new millennium. Elvenes proposed that – with the help of other local artists and residents – Sortland should become a living 3D painting, and today the town’s mix of architecture, comprising Swiss style wood, concrete and glass structures, is an exhibit of his vision. It’s worth exploring the town to see how the blue colour scheme is developing alone, though there are plenty of attractions such as interesting art exhibitions, a beautiful early 20th century church and the pretty downtown, where you can enjoy ‘Writings on a Field of Blue’. Visiting Sortland offers chances to seek-out Vesterålen’s natural treasures, too. Rugged, unspoilt countryside landscapes and miles of gorgeous island coastline are within reach, while the archipelago and its surrounding waters are also home to diverse wildlife, from seals and seabirds to whales. In the summer months it is possible to experience the magical midnight sun here; and in the winter, visitors might be lucky enough to witness the awe-inspiring Northern Lights.

The island city of Tromsø is one of northern Norway’s true delights. Rich with neo-classical architecture, the city known as the ‘Gateway to the Arctic’ contains the largest number of wooden houses in Northern Norway, and its old world charm makes it a joy to explore. A major cultural hub above the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is famed as a viewing point for the colourful Northern Lights that often light up the night sky. The city’s most recognisable landmark is the must-visit Arctic Cathedral. Built in 1965, the cathedral’s distinctive iceberg-shaped design was inspired by the landscapes of Northern Norway and features a beautiful glass mosaic. The many museums and galleries in the city include the Perspektivet Museum – set in a neo-classical building built in 1838 that has exhibits from Tromsø’s past, plus the Art Museum of Northern Norway and the Mack Brewery. Tromsø is also home to Polaria, an Arctic aquarium that is popular with locals and tourists alike. The aquarium’s tanks are full of Arctic fish species, and the friendly bearded seals always delight the visiting crowds. Tromsø, and the stunning landscapes that surround it, are best viewed from the top of the Storsteinen Mountain, which stands 420 metres above sea level. Accessible via cable car, the peak is easy to reach and one of the most popular spots on the edge of the city.

The island city of Tromsø is one of northern Norway’s true delights. Rich with neo-classical architecture, the city known as the ‘Gateway to the Arctic’ contains the largest number of wooden houses in Northern Norway, and its old world charm makes it a joy to explore. A major cultural hub above the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is famed as a viewing point for the colourful Northern Lights that often light up the night sky. The city’s most recognisable landmark is the must-visit Arctic Cathedral. Built in 1965, the cathedral’s distinctive iceberg-shaped design was inspired by the landscapes of Northern Norway and features a beautiful glass mosaic. The many museums and galleries in the city include the Perspektivet Museum – set in a neo-classical building built in 1838 that has exhibits from Tromsø’s past, plus the Art Museum of Northern Norway and the Mack Brewery. Tromsø is also home to Polaria, an Arctic aquarium that is popular with locals and tourists alike. The aquarium’s tanks are full of Arctic fish species, and the friendly bearded seals always delight the visiting crowds. Tromsø, and the stunning landscapes that surround it, are best viewed from the top of the Storsteinen Mountain, which stands 420 metres above sea level. Accessible via cable car, the peak is easy to reach and one of the most popular spots on the edge of the city.

The port of Harstad is situated on Norways largest coastal island, Hinnøya. The diverse region around Harstad offers stunning coastal mountains, sublime fjords, and the northernmost strawberry farming on the planet. Hiking, fishing and kayaking are all popular local pastimes and the port is a great place to witness both the midnight sun and the Northern Lights.There are historical and military secrets to be found in Hardstad. The 12th century Trondenes Church plus the awesome, German-built Adolfkanonen at Trondenes – one of the largest battleship cannons on land in Europe during WW2 – are both worth uncovering. The port is also the gateway to the Lofoten and Vesterålen Islands. The 70-mile-long mountainous archipelago of the Lofoten island chain is made up of some of the world’s oldest rocks. Divided by fjords created during the Ice Age, its sheer cliffs rise from the sea to over 3,000 feet in some places.

Bergen was one of the great Hanseatic ports, and this maritime heritage is recalled by the 900-year-old Bryggen Wharf, with its splendid museum. The Bryggen is a delight to explore: its narrow streets climb away from the waterfront, lined by interesting shops, colourful half-timbered houses and cobbled stairways, with alleyways and tiny open spaces that beg to be explored. In summer months every spare corner seems to be filled with pots and containers overflowing with colourful flowers that fill the air with perfume. Bergen is framed by seven magnificent hills, the highest of which can be reached by a funicular railway. From the top there are spectacular views down to the harbourside, where cafés, bars and restaurants welcome visitors from around the world. Bergen was the home of Norway’s most famous composer, Edvard Grieg, and the Troldhaugen is a museum devoted to his life and work, including an exhibition centre, shop and café.

Southampton offers fast and efficient check-in areas, spacious departure lounges with seating areas, café-bars and smart washrooms. If you wish to travel by car and park for the duration of your cruise, you can pay for and reserve parking in advance directly with the relevant company. Alternatively, if being dropped off or collected by taxi or private car, they can drive right up alongside the terminal building.