The Inner Fjords Explorer

For our intimate fjord cruise Bergen is the ideal place to begin. This beautiful mountain-ringed port is often called the Gateway to the Fjords, and what began as a small village home to King Olav Kyree in the 11th century is now Norway’s second largest city.

Sailing into the Kvinnheradsfjord, a branch of the great Hardangerfjord, feels like entering a world carved by time itself. The fjord’s steep mountainsides, shaped by ancient glaciers, rise in sheer walls of green and grey, their slopes veined with waterfalls that plunge straight to the sea. Once an important route for farmers and traders, these deep waters still carry the quiet rhythm of coastal life.

The day today belongs to the Lysefjord, one of Norway’s most dramatic waterways. Towering cliffs rise more than 1,000m above the sea, and from the deck you may glimpse Preikestolen, or Pulpit Rock – a sheer plateau that has become an icon of Norway’s wild beauty. The fjord’s name, meaning “fjord of light”, reflects the pale granite walls that gleam in shifting weather, shaped by ice and time.

Today we sail into the magnificent, 179km-deep Hardangerfjord, often called the Queen of the Fjords. Its broad waters reach deep into the mountains, where glaciers glint above orchards and villages cling to the slopes. In spring, fruit trees burst into blossom while snow still crowns the peaks, and in autumn the ripe fruits hang from the boughs ready for harvest – a vision of Norway at its most poetic. It’s no surprise that so many artists and painters have come to find inspiration here over the centuries – one of the most famous paintings being the Bridal Procession on the Hardangerfjord, by Hans Gude and Adolph Tidemand.

Sailing into the Sognefjord is like following a silver thread into the very heart of the country. Known as the King of the Fjords, it stretches over 200km inland – so deep that by the time you reach its end you are almost in the middle of Norway. Towering cliffs rise above still waters, their faces etched by glaciers and dotted with the remnants of abandoned farms and homesteads. These ruins bear silent witness to the generations who once carved a hard living from these steep slopes. At the fjord’s innermost point lies Skjolden, a tranquil village framed by waterfalls and snow-capped peaks. This was once a retreat for philosophers and artists seeking solitude, including the scholar Ludwig Wittgenstein. From Skjolden, you can explore the mighty Jostedalsbreen Glacier – mainland Europe’s largest – or follow scenic trails through valleys and flowered meadows that lead toward ancient farmsteads.

Arriving in Ålesund, you’ll find one of Norway’s most beautiful and distinctive coastal cities. Rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1904, Ålesund rose again in the graceful curves and pastel hues of Art Nouveau architecture – turrets, towers and floral details reflected in the surrounding waters. The town’s setting is just as striking: a cluster of islands framed by mountains and sea, with views that unfold in every direction.

The approach to Nordfjord is among the most scenic in Norway. Stretching over 100km inland, it links the open sea to glacier-carved valleys and mirror-bright lakes. The fjord’s sheltered waters once carried Viking ships and trading vessels; today, it reveals a gentler rhythm of life where red boathouses, pastures and forested slopes line the shore. Steep mountains rise abruptly from the water, their tops dusted with snow well into spring, while waterfalls descend in silver threads from high plateaus.

We arrive back in Bergen this morning, returning to the Gateway to the Fjords after your journey deep into Norway’s Western Fjords. The harbour greets you with its familiar wooden wharves, mountain peaks and the scent of sea air. If you didn’t see Bryggen on your first visit, now’s the time to explore its UNESCO-listed alleyways, where merchants once traded goods from across the world.