The North Cape Express: Half Voyage | Tromsø to Bergen (Hurtigruten)

Your Nordic adventure begins in the Arctic Capital, Tromsø. After making your own way to your hotel, the rest of the day or evening is free to spend at your leisure.

Often called the “gateway to the Arctic”, Tromsø is Norway's northernmost city, buzzing with everything from trendy restaurants and cafés to boutique shops selling local crafts and produce. Sitting around 217 miles/350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, the city usually has a blanket of snow in the spring and winter, giving the surrounding landscapes the look and feel of a winter wonderland.

Tromsø’s position under the Auroral Zone also means it is a great place to spot the Northern Lights during winter, and even in spring and autumn too. Scan the skies as you go for an evening stroll on your first night in Norway.

After breakfast in your hotel, you can discover the city sights. On the waterfront you’ll find Polaria, the world’s northernmost aquarium, while on the other side of the fjord from the harbour is the iconic Arctic Cathedral, an architectural masterpiece with its beautiful stained-glass mosaic.

For a bird’s-eye view of the city, take the cable car up to the mountain ledge at Storsteinen, some 420 metres above sea level. From the viewing platform at the upper station, you can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of Tromsø and the surrounding islands, mountains, and fjords.

In the afternoon, a transfer will whisk you from your hotel to MS Trollfjord, your home for the next week. Once you’ve settled into your cabin or suite, you’ll meet your Coastal Experience Team. You’ll get to know each member of the team well as they give lectures and organise onboard activities for you throughout your voyage.

Grab yourself a drink in the ship’s two-storey 1893 Bar, meet your fellow guests, and settle in as we set sail north.

Arriving early in the morning, you’ll have a full day in Honningsvåg. The northernmost city on the Norwegian mainland, Honningsvåg’s landscape is quite distinctive, with barely any trees or bushes. This far north, winters are long, and snowfall is high, so get ready for some fantastic winter scenery and activities.

Feel the snow crunching under your snowshoes as you hike across the plains. You might even be able to try your hand at ice fishing, a beloved winter tradition in the far north. Get a taste of the local delicacy, king crab, which is caught in the waters around Honningsvåg and served year-round. Admire local art in the Once Upon a Dream art gallery, and don’t miss the Honningsvåg Church. This is the oldest building in the area, dating back to 1885.

The highlight of any trip to Honningsvåg is a visit to the North Cape. This is one of the northernmost points of mainland Europe, and as we’re visiting in winter, we can get there by snowmobile. Standing near the northern edge of Norway and looking out over the Barents Sea under the polar night sky is a truly special experience. Add the ethereal Northern Lights dancing in the sky above, and you’ve got a sight you’ll never forget.

The cape is marked with a famous globe monument, which demands a selfie or two… or five. When you’re ready, head inside North Cape Hall to warm up, and learn about life in the High Arctic through a short film and a variety of exhibits.

Having reached the northernmost point of our voyage, we’ll turn around and begin going south as we sail away in the evening.

Alta is one of the bigger coastal towns we visit, with a population of over 10,000 people. A particularly famous part of the town is Alta River, one of Norway’s best salmon rivers. Here, large salmon are regularly caught, with some even weighing up to 24 kg. You won’t regret trying some fresh grilled salmon in one of the local restaurants.

At 70 degrees north, this town is still far above the Arctic Circle. The area is known for particularly good Northern Lights visibility, so keep your camera ready. If the skies are clear and the conditions are right, you should be able to get some amazing shots of the lights dancing above you.

You can learn more about this incredible natural light show at the Northern Lights Cathedral, which can be visited on our optional guided tour of the town. The cathedral even has an exhibition showing how Alta became the epicentre for ground-breaking research of the Aurora Borealis between the 19th and 20th centuries. As part of the tour, you’ll also visit the Alta Museum, which chronicles the discovery of Northern Europe’s largest concentration of prehistoric rock art at the head of nearby Altafjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Increased snowfall in the winter allows for some truly authentic Arctic excursions, like dogsledding. The snow and climate of Alta also creates the perfect conditions to build and maintain the Igloo Hotel, located on the banks of the River Alta.

You’ll have the chance to visit and tour the world’s northernmost ice hotel, built out of snow and ice every winter and carved with different artistic themes by local sculptors. Head to the hotel’s ice bar, decorated with handcrafted ice sculptures and order a drink in an ice glass – no ice cubes needed.

The administrative centre of a municipality with the same name, Lødingen is a village on the southwestern shore of Hinnøya, with a population of under 2,000. This is a port that our ships used to visit on one of our earlier coastal routes and returning here is a kind of homecoming for us.

We’ll dock at around midday, using Lødingen as a base for a few hours to explore more of Hinnøya island, Norway’s largest island south of Svalbard. Wander the streets near the port and admire the traditional red fishing huts, or rorbuer, that line the shore. As you walk, you’ll likely notice the calming atmosphere that village life brings.

The highlight of this visit has to be the breathtaking fjords and mountains that the Norwegian coast is so famous for. Branching off Andfjord, Gullesfjord cuts into the north side of Hinnøya, bordered by pristine mountain ranges. The area is popular among campers, who stay on the campsite or in cabins and fish for cod in the fjord during winter.

From Lødingen, you can join a handful of optional excursions, including a fishing trip with a local, an immersive Sámi experience to learn more about their culture and history, or a visit to Dampskipsbrygga, Lødingen’s former wharf.

Continuing south, we’ll leave the land of the Polar Night as we cross the Arctic Circle in the early hours of the morning.

The Vikna archipelago is a chain of around 6,000 islands, islets and skerries. The largest of the chain, Inner-Vikna, is where we’ll make our next stop. We aim to dock at the port town of Rørvik around midday, remaining there for about a few hours.

The town and its surrounding areas have a long history, with burial mounds found there that date back to ancient times. The area’s maritime legacy is well-documented across Rørvik’s many museums, particularly The Norwegian Coastal Museum.

Another major export is cod, and the town even has an annual Cod Festival in March. This species of fish is especially common in the waters of the archipelago during winter, so why not indulge yourself in some fresh cod cakes while here.

Return to the ship in the late afternoon for your penultimate evening on board. Enjoy the ship’s facilities, such as the soothing panoramic sauna or sample some warming local aquavit in the top-deck bar.

To round off our journey, we’ll visit Molde, the capital and commercial centre of Romsdalen that sits on the southern coast of the Romsdal Peninsula. We’ve stopped at this port many times before on our Coastal Express route, but this time we’ll be making a much longer stop, so you’ll have all the time you need to get your fill of the town.

There are a number of optional activities organised by your Coastal Experience Team that add to your experience of Molde. Accessible nearby on an optional excursion is the Atlantic Road, an icon of the Norwegian coast that often features in Hollywood movies.

To get the best panoramic views of the area, join us on a hike up to Varden viewpoint, following the trail from the town centre. Once you’re there, gaze at the town from above at a height of 402 metres above sea level and admire the 222 snowy peaks across Moldefjord.

If you prefer to stay closer to the ground, you can pop into the Romsdal Museum, one of Norway’s largest folk museums about ten minutes away from the town centre.

Back on the boat, we’ll end our voyage on a high note with an end-of-trip farewell dinner. Take this opportunity to trade photo highlights and experiences with your fellow travellers one last time.

This journey has taken you from Tromsø to the top of Europe, then all the way down to Bergen in the south. Reflect on your time on board as you watch our approach to the last port of the voyage, Bergen, in the early morning. Say your goodbyes to the crew and disembark for a transfer to your hotel.

The rest of the day is yours to immerse yourself in Bergen's long history, from its ancient founding in the Viking era to its present-day development as Norway’s second-largest city. Visit well-known sites such as Nordnes peninsula, medieval Håkon’s Hall, the Renaissance-era Rosenkrantz Tower, and Mariakirken (St. Mary´s Church), which dates to the late 1100s.

You might also want to take a short walk through the UNESCO-listed buildings in the Bryggen district. Once the haunt of 14th-century Hanseatic League traders, these colourful wooden wharves now house artisanal boutiques and galleries ideal for last-chance souvenir shopping.

If there is enough daylight left, you could even take the Fløibanen funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen for great views over the city and the surrounding mountains.

For dinner, enjoy the many stalls at the fish market which serve up fresh, flavoursome seafood, cooked on site, filling the place with sights, sounds, and smells that tantalise your tastebuds.

Checking out of your hotel in Bergen after breakfast marks the end of your travels with us.

You’ve sailed on The North Cape Express, exploring Norway’s coastal cities and villages all the way to the top of the European continent. During the journey, you’ll have experienced Norway’s varied climate, seen majestic mountains and fjords, and maybe gazed up in awe at the Northern Lights once or several times.

We hope you’ll cherish each of the memories of The North Cape Express that you’ll take home with you. Come sail with us again soon on another iconic voyage of our spectacular home: the Norwegian coast.