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Top Ten Norwegian Highlights

It is impossible to tire of Norway's magical landscapes, the grandeur of which is at once awe-inspiring and humbling. There is an astonishing variety, too - from serene fjords pointing deep into imposing mountains, to dramatic wildernesses. It is impossible to be unmoved by such a place - a holiday in Norway is a truly unique experience. Here we list the ten highlights of our Norwegian touring and walking holidays.

The journey from Oslo to Balestrand. This is an incredibly dramatic journey. The most thrilling part is the descent by train through the lush Flåm Valley, passing roaring waterfalls as you make the transition from mountain to fjord scenery. The next part of the journey, by express boat, is equally memorable because of the sheer beauty of the Sognefjord and the grandeur of the scenery.

A stay at the Hotel Mundal. Set on one of the loveliest spurs of the Sognefjord, the Mundal, with its Victorian hunting lodge atmosphere, must be one of the most romantically situated hotels in the world; the views are superb. Spend your time here on scenic walks in the mountains, by the glacier or along the side of the fjord, or simply admiring the landscapes.

The Hurtigruten Journey. This is one of the last great scheduled coastal voyages in the world. Every day one of the fleet of fourteen ships leaves Bergen on the 11-day round trip via the North Cape. The journey from Bergen to Mortsund on the Lofoten Islands is exhilarating, past islands, skerries and the mouths of fjords, and along narrow passages, but the most spectacular part is the approach to the Lofotens, whose wall of jagged peaks seemingly rises sheer out of the ocean.

Exploring the Lofoten Islands. The unique Arctic landscapes of the Lofotens are a dramatic fusion of sea and mountain, beautiful in their starkness. Scenic walks lead across expanses of moorland, past hidden lakes and along lovely stretches of coast bathed for much of the summer in the extraordinary light of the Midnight Sun. One of the most rewarding is on Vestvågøy Island: a path ascends steadily through a remote valley to reach an astonishing viewpoint offering vistas of the north coast.

The walk up the Monks' Steps from Lofthus. This walk makes a dramatic climax to our Serene Hardangerfjord holiday. It involves a steep but rewarding climb above Hardangerfjord, through forest and up the Monks' Steps, a 'staircase' of 616 steps carved into the rock by English Cistercians from York in the 13th century. You reach the peak of Nosi (950 metres), from where you can survey the extraordinary vastness of the landscapes – truly memorable.

The walk along the Aurland Valley on the Fjells to Fjords holiday. Inaccessible by road, the remote and magical Aurland Valley is rich in plant and animal life. The walk alongside the river from Øvstebø (820 metres) to Vassbygdi (50 metres) is one of the most famous in Norway, and justly so. The valley is a real wilderness, characterised by ravines, canyons, steep cliffs and roaring waterfalls, and dotted with long-abandoned summer farms.

A stay at the Hotel Ullensvang. The setting of this high-quality hotel is idyllic, on the shores of Hardangerfjord looking across to the Folgefonn Glacier. Edvard Grieg was a regular visitor to the hotel in the late 19th century, and it is easy to see how the scenery might have inspired some of his great compositions. During your time here, take to the water in a rowing boat, stroll amid the apple, pear and cherry orchards lining the shore, or simply sit by the water's edge with a drink as you take in the scenery.

A stay at the Highland self-catering cabins. Set in the grounds of the highly praised Gålå Høgfjellshotell, these cabins are beautifully appointed, with traditional décor and attractive furnishings. The exceptional attention to detail even extends to the crockery! The cabins make an excellent base from which to explore the Rondane National Park, with its vast, open spaces, rare flora and fauna, and ancient reindeer trapping sites and burial grounds. As well as boasting some of the best alpine walking in Norway, it offers good fishing on the glittering lakes, and invites leisurely exploration by car.

Exploring Bergen and Oslo. No holiday to Norway would be complete without visiting at least one of these charming cities. Surrounded by forest and fjord, Oslo has really flourished in recent years, with a wealth of fascinating museums and galleries. On the west coast, Bergen, the fjord capital, boasts an attractive Hanseatic centre and colourful inner harbour area.

A stay at the Alexandra Hotel. This is an internationally renowned fjord hotel. With a stay here, not only can you take to the waters of the ceaselessly dramatic Nordfjord in a rowing boat for a different perspective of the majestic and rugged scenery, but you can join an excursion onto the ice of the Briksdal Glacier, returning to the hotel to sample for yourself the hotel's legendary dinner buffet.

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