Bergen

From Olden we headed for our last port of call, Bergen, Norway's second largest city, it was bathed in a warm sunshine glow as we disembarked.

We took a coach and went for a drive around the city, our first destination was the funicular train which took you high above the city. From the top you were able to see for miles around, in one direction out to sea, and in the other over the Norwegian countryside. Our time there was peaceful and relaxing but despite this being a large city in Norway it is comparatively small to those back home.

View over Bergen with our ship Arcadia in the distance

From the hill top we descended back down in the train to our waiting coach. From here we went for a drive around the city. The most famous sight we took in was the Bryggen, a Hanseatic wharf which is now a Unesco World Heritage Site. It is a symbol of Norway's trading empire of the 14th Century. The Bryggen is a brightly coloured set of wooden buildings that line the quayside, a quayside that is now home to many a luxury cruise ship but it was not to difficult to imagine the sea going vessels of yesteryear.

We continued further around the city, passing the theatre, The National Scene, which is home to a 3.5 metre statue of playwright Henrik Ibsen. From there we headed down into the modern part of town full of well known high street chains and coffee shops.

Bergen is a lush vibrant city which makes you feel welcome and offers many cultural delights. It is a city that I will visit again, as this was our last port of call and the weather was warm the ship's pool was calling and therefore Bergen did not get the attention it deserved from me.

Bryggen

We set sail from Bergen and headed home to Southampton. All in all this cruise was an eye opening experience for me. It made me realise that there is a big big world on my doorstep that is waiting to be discovered.

My cruise highlights have to be the isolation and delight of Olden, the impressive Nidaros Cathedral of Trondheim and the visit in to the Arctic Circle to the North Cape for the Midnight Sun.

Norway surpassed all my expectations and is a country I shall visit again. Next year in fact when I visit Oslo on my Baltic Cruise. Until then Happy travelling and Bon Voyage!