Fjord Coast Sailing Trip | Bergen & Ålesund

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On this first day of your vacation, you can explore the lively city of Bergen. Depending on your flight or train times, you can leisurely wander through the alleys of the old Hanseatic wharf Bryggen, take the Fløibanen (funicular) to Mount Fløyen and walk back to the city, or enjoy a drink on a terrace in Bergen harbor. From that terrace, you will probably already see our ship, the Baltic, docked along the quay. From 4:00 PM, we welcome you aboard, and you can meet your fellow travelers and the crew. A drink will be waiting for you, and you'll have plenty of time to settle into your comfortable cabin. In the evening, we'll all eat together on board and show you around the ship.

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We depart from Bergen harbor, heading north. Together, we'll hoist the sails and navigate through the narrow fjords. We'll pass Fedje island and then enter the Sognefjord. To starboard, you can enjoy the beautiful mountains of the Fjordkysten Regional and Geopark. We'll find an anchorage or a small harbor at the beginning of the Sognefjord. If you wish, you can take a beautiful hike on a small island or visit one of the villages around the fjord. It's quite possible there will still be snow on the mountaintops, so make sure to bring sturdy shoes if you plan to hike.

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Our journey continues north. We sail as much as possible through the fjords and narrow waters between the islands. In some sections, we'll cross more open water and look out over the sea, simply because the fjord offers no other passage. We pass places like Florø and Måløy before rounding the famous (and infamous) cape of the Stad peninsula. This is the westernmost point of the Norwegian mainland. According to some, the view over the sea from this Vestkapp of Norway is even more beautiful than from the North Cape…

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After rounding the cape, a few more beautiful destinations await us. We can visit Runde Island, known as the bird island. Annually, over 600,000 birds breed on Runde, and many migratory birds stop on the island. It is also the southernmost place in Norway where you might see puffins. In the evening, you have the best chance, as they fly back to their nests from the sea in large numbers. Besides puffins, you might also spot gannets and sea eagles, so keep your eyes open and your camera ready.

From Runde, we might still take a trip into the fjords just south of Ålesund, where the Hjørundfjord – the lesser-known sister of the Geirangerfjord – is located. This fjord is surrounded by a chain of mountain peaks over 1000m high, a fitting conclusion to this impressive journey. After a final night in the fjords, at anchor or in a small harbor, we set course for the beautiful city of Ålesund.

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After enjoying the beautiful nature of the Norwegian Fjord Coast for the past few days, it's time at 10:00 AM to say goodbye to the ship, the crew, and perhaps your fellow travelers. However, we recommend taking some time today to discover the Art Nouveau city of Ålesund. The reason why so many houses and buildings in Ålesund are in Art Nouveau style is that the city fell victim to a massive fire in 1904. In a short time, the entire city was rebuilt in the then-prevailing architectural style: Art Nouveau (or Jugendstil). Visit Ålesunds Museum for the complete story about the city, or climb Mount Aksla for the most fantastic view. According to National Geographic, it is one of the most beautiful port cities in the world, and we secretly agree with them.