Trondheim

Norway's historic capital and a royal seat of the Viking Age, home to Nidaros Cathedral, the largest medieval church in the Nordic countries, with colourful wharf houses and the Old Town Bridge as its signature sights.

Trondheim is Norway's third-largest city, set on the south shore of the Trondheimsfjord in central Norway where the River Nidelva meets the sea. Founded in 997 by the Viking king Olaf Tryggvason and formerly known as Nidaros, it was once Norway's capital and religious centre, and it remains the end point of the St Olav Ways pilgrim routes. It's known as a university city — the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) gives it a youthful buzz — and as one of Norway's food capitals.

The centre is compact, with most sights on the peninsula enclosed by the Nidelva: Nidaros Cathedral and the Archbishop's Palace (home to the crown jewels), the main square, the Stiftsgården wooden palace and several museums. Across the Old Town Bridge lies Bakklandet, a district of colourful wooden houses, where the Trampe bicycle lift helps you uphill towards Kristiansten Fortress and its panoramic views. To the north are the Ravnkloa fish market, the Solsiden waterfront and Rockheim, the national museum of popular music; in summer, boats run out to Munkholmen island. Further afield are the Sverresborg Trøndelag Folk Museum, the Ringve Music Museum and the Bymarka forest, reachable by tram. For a day trip, visit Stiklestad, the battlefield where St Olav fell.

The best time is May–Sep, when summer days are extremely long and temperatures sit around 15–20°C; winter days are short and cold, but there are Christmas markets and cross-country skiing. Getting there: about 6.5 hours by train or 1 hour by air from Oslo; Værnes Airport is about 35 km from the city, and Hurtigruten ships call here. Allow 2–3 days.

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Itineraries