10 Best Fjords Around Bergen

Competition is fierce, but on a list of the most emblematic landscapes in Norway, the Nærøyfjord is close to the top. There are good reasons why it is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, because this is a fjord landscape at its most typical and impressive. The 17-km long fjord deep in the Sognefjord is only 250 wide at its narrowest, while the surrounding mountain peaks rise well over 1000 metres. Bakkanosi at 1398 masl is a popular hiking destination.

Those who manage the 20-kilometre hike are rewarded with a view that defies words. Sightseeing by boat to Gudvangen in the innermost part of the fjord provides a different perspective, with steep mountains on both sides and views of waterfalls and snowdrifts far up in the mountainsides, even in summer.

The scenery along Norway's second longest fjord, Hardangerfjord, is not as wild and vertical as it is along its big brother Sognefjord in the north, but it has its own charm and its own landmarks. In large parts of western Norway, Folgefonna appears as a white vault over the mountains.

This is Norway's third biggest glacier, and it's easy to access, including via the summer ski centre. The fjord arm Sørfjorden on the east side of Folgefonna leads into the small industrial town of Odda, which in recent years has been much visited as a gateway to the rock formation and favourite photo opportunity Trolltunga. Thousands of fruit trees fill the sheltered and sunny slopes that lead to the banks of the fjord. When these flower in May-June, the brightly coloured slopes under snow-topped mountain peaks is a sight to behold.

Allow yourself plenty of time to travel along the Sognefjord. Not only to take in the long stretches of narrow, winding roads, but also to take in the spectacular views: mountains and waterfalls, remote valleys and mighty glaciers, ancient stave churches and traditional wooden hotels.

The heart of the fjord offers some fantastic hikes, such as Norway's highest unregulated waterfall Vettisfossen, and the alpine mountain range Hurrungane, which marks the start of the mighty Jotunheimen. On the north side of the fjord is the Jostedalsbreen glacier, Europe's largest mainland ice, with glacial arms and rivers of green glacial water that reach far down into the valleys. This sight is a stark contrast to the fruit plantations and villages at the bottom of the fjord, with their tempting world-class cherries, strawberries and tasty jams.

The Innvikfjord is the innermost part of Nordfjord. It is named after the small town of Innvik in the middle of the fjord arm, but the innermost towns Olden, Loen and Stryn are just as well-known. Olden is known as the gateway to the Briksdalsbre glacier arm, while Loen has raised its profile with the newly constructed "sky lift" that takes you from the water's edge to an altitude of 1000 metres.

Loen also offers adapted climbing routes, so-called 'via ferrata', of varying degrees of difficulty - an airy adventure in one of Western Norway's wildest mountain areas, which attracts many outdoor enthusiasts. With its own summer ski centre, Stryn is a mecca for skiers, and the old road from Stryn across the mountains to Geiranger is an experience in itself.

The Osterfjord is the northernmost of the three sub-fjords that surround the inland island of Osterøy, just northeast of Bergen. The western part is accessible by car while the Osterøy side is home to little towns such as Hosanger, with their food and culture experiences in the summer.

If you take a fjord cruise to the inner parts of the Osterfjord, you get to experience the idyllic fjord landscape from the sea. This area is sparsely populated and stands out with its untouched nature with the occasional small farm surrounded by green meadows.

Mostraumen is a narrow canal that links Romarheimsfjorden with Mofjorden inside. It is the result of a geological battle where sand and gravel from the glaciers dammed up the water and formed a lake inside. After the major flood in 1743, Mofjord became a fjord once more, and since being dredged in 1913, Mostraumen has been navigable with large boats.

The tide creates strong currents in Mostraumen, and in winter ice settles on the fjord, so fjord cruises to the Mo in the innermost part of the Mofjord are something of an experience, summer or winter.

Fjærlandsfjorden is a fjord arm on the northern side of the Sognefjord, leading into the village of Fjærland. There is a ferry connection between the headlands at the far end of the fjord arm and a road connection to Fjærland, but otherwise most of it is untouched and inaccessible by car. In Fjærland itself lies the Norwegian Glacier Museum, designed by the renowned Norwegian architect Sverre Fehn.

The museum exhibits information about glaciers and is worth a visit before heading onto the Jostedalsbreen glacier further up the valley. In the summer season, you can enter Fjærland by boat from the famous destination of Balestrand at the far end of the fjord. As the boat moves inwards in the Fjærlandsfjord, the water turns the characteristic green due to the melt water from the glacier.

Along with its neighbour Nærøyfjorden, the Aurlandsfjord is the typical narrow Norwegian fjord flanked by wild mountains and waterfalls. Every year, tourists flock to see these fjords as part of the "Norway in a nutshell" tour, where tourists change from boat to train in the small village of Flåm in the heart of Aurlandsfjord.

From Flåm you can take an electric bus to the viewpoint Stegastein, a modern construction of steel and pine with panoramic views of the Aurlandsfjord and the surrounding mountains, which reach up to 1400 metres high. From Flåm, the well-known Flå- line also goes up to the Hardangervidden.

Fensfjord is a wide, relatively short fjord just south of the mouth of the Sognefjord. The Holmengrå lighthouse stands by the fjord mouth to the far west, and is rented out to holidaymakers. The inner area is affected by its proximity to the sea, and has a lot of ship traffic.

It is not uncommon for large marine mammals to visit the shoals of fish from the sea here, and if you're lucky you might get to see humpback whales, dolphins and killer whales. The nature by the Fensfjord is far from as dramatic as further inland, but in return, it breaks up into a landscape of small islands and narrow canals that are exciting to explore by boat.

Together with the Nærøyfjord further south, the Geirangerfjord is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the perfect example of the western Norwegian fjord landscape. This 15-kilometre long fjord arm has everything Norwegian nature is known for: waterfalls, high peaks, vertical cliffs and small farms that cling to the mountainside. The famous Seven Sisters and Friar waterfalls fall on each side of the fjord. The combination of high mountains and engineering has produced some of Norway's most famous stretches of road, such as Trollstigvegen with its eleven hairpin bends. Several roads in the area have beautifully arranged viewpoints and photo points.

And if you've brought your hiking boots, you can really get up close to the spectacular scenery. Experience the fjord itself via a fjord cruise that departs from Geiranger, or by sea kayak for the more active among you.