Arctic Capital to the Viking Capital

Welcome to the historic Arctic capital of Tromsø. If you’ve arrived in the morning or afternoon, you’ll have time to explore the city before your ship departs late in the evening. After Finnsnes early in the morning, the ship calls at Harstad where the white-washed Trondenes Church , the world’s northernmost medieval stone church, sits on the peninsula. Next is our smallest port of call Risøyhamn and then Sortland where the landscape slowly transforms from hills to 1,000-metre-high mountains. Our birthplace Stokmarknes is where Captain Richard With began The Coastal Express in 1893. Visit Hurtigrutemuseet , a ship-in-a-bottle building that chronicles our legacy, centred around retired ship MS Finnmarken from 1956. A ship-sized fjord Sailing along Raftsund , the Captain may choose to take the ship into tiny Trollfjord if the weather permits. The mountain walls will look so close you’ll think you can reach out and brush them! To exit the fjord, the ship will rotate 180 degrees on the spot, then sail back out. Remember to look out for sea eagles here too. Fall in love with Lofoten We reach Svolvær in the evening, main town of the gorgeous Lofoten Islands. The huge mountain that sits above the town is named the Svolvær Goat due to its supposed resemblance. See if you agree! The ship then sails for Stamsund, eventually passing the giant granite cliffs of the Lofoten Wall .

The ship calls at Bodø in the small hours of the morning and then Ørnes at 7am. We then cross over the Arctic Circle just after breakfast. Commemorate the moment with a tradition of tasting a spoonful of good ol’ Norwegian cod liver oil! We make a short stop at Nesna before sailing on to Sandnessjøen, gateway to the magnificent Helgeland Coast. Legend has it… Admire the stunning landscape of the Seven Sisters mountain range, with peaks up to 1,100m high. The tale goes that seven beautiful troll princesses, fleeing from an unwanted suitor, got caught out as the sun rose, turning them into the seven beautiful mountains you see today. You’ll also not want to miss views of Torghatten Mountain, with the distinctive hole in it. There is a local legend as to why and how this mountain came to have such a hole. Make sure you ask your Coastal Experience about it! We reach Brønnøysund mid-afternoon. Explore the bustling marina on a walk along Havnegata . In the centre of town is Brønnøy Church : a stone church in the Neo-Gothic style dating back to 1870. Our last stop of the day is the cosy fishing port of Rørvik in the picturesque Vikna archipelago .

We arrive at Trondheim just after breakfast. Your voyage with us concludes here. If you’ve got some time before your onward journey, you might like to explore the city’s sights. Founded by Viking king Olav Tryggvason in 997, Trondheim today is Norway’s third-largest city and a mix of historic buildings and a vibrant student population. A must-see site of the city is Nidaros Cathedral , nicknamed “Norway’s Notre Dame” for its Gothic style and considered the most sacred building in all of Norway. Next door to the cathedral is the Archbishop’s Palace where Norway’s crown jewels are on display. Nearby, the old city bridge Gamle Bybro sits over Nid River, marking the entrance to the old Hanseatic district of Bakklandet . The neighbourhood’s colourful wooden wharves propped up on stilts by the river’s edge now house a variety of eateries. Up from Bakklandet is Kristiansten Fort which affords beautiful panoramas of the city and fjord.