NORWAY INTENSIVE

Amsterdam has a personality all its own, including a long time reputation for tolerance. You’ll be thinking of tulips and wooden shoes, perhaps Heineken beer, and some of the city’s past inhabitants: Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Anne Frank, who wrote her famous diary hidden in a canal-side house. But do you know that Amsterdam has more canals than Venice (connecting a jigsaw puzzle of 90 islands), joined by some 1280 bridges (many illuminated by fairy lights at night)? Or that it boasts the oldest stock exchange in the world?

Stavanger is a fascinating blend of old and new – from the Middle Ages when Vikings ruled the seas to today’s North Sea drilling platforms that have made Norway one of the world’s leading oil producers. Echoing this duality is the contrast of modern architecture and trendy, stylish cafés with ancient cobblestone walkways, and rows of 18th-century whitewashed wooden houses. As you wander around town, keep your eyes open for the 23 identical cast iron figures by sculptor Antony Gormley that are scattered about. They are six feet tall and all face 10° west.

The lovely port town of Haugesund is known as the birthplace of Norway, crowned as such by Viking King Harald Fairhair in the 9th century. Today it’s one of Norway’s principal culture centers, hosting the Norwegian International Film Festival as well as a jazz festival every summer.

The fascinating Viking past of Haugesund comes alive at the Norwegian History Center where re-creations take place on a 7th century Viking farm. And the descendants of renowned Viking ship builders recently completed an exact sailing replica of a dragon ship. If it’s in town, go aboard. Life on the farm was hard; on the sea, unimaginable – no wonder Vikings were so fierce.

The village of Olden sits peacefully at the edge of the colossal Jostedal Glacier. This is Europe’s largest ice floe, covering 188 square miles, and 2000 feet at its thickest. But it’s not the only glacier in this park. If you are feeling energetic, consider a journey to the frozen cascade of the million-year-old Briksdal Glacier, hiking the last portion across a wooden bridge over a waterfall, through a bewitching mountain valley, right up to the glacier’s face. Alternatively, opt for a relaxing journey by boat on an emerald green lake framed by ancient mountains.

Alesund’s architecture is known far and wide. Turrets, spires, and other whimsical Art Nouveau architectural touches give the town its distinctive character like something from a fairytale. The scenic spectacle of the Geirangerfjord, one of Norway’s best-known attractions, is just a stone’s throw from this quaint little town.

The scenery of the Lofoten archipelago is among the most dramatic in Norway, its spectacular glacial rock formations always visible, looming large behind beaches and green fields. Here, 200 km (124 miles) north of the Arctic Circle, the landscape is wild and life is simple, the coast ringed with fishing hamlets and picturesque cabins on stilts that have attracted artists for centuries. Birdlife is abundant, with large colonies of co-habiting species nesting on towering cliffs. Six miles offshore the continental shelf drops away to depths of 3,000 feet, and massive sperm whales can be spotted feeding in the deep, nutrient-rich waters.

Sometimes the biggest adventures come in small voyages. A narrow two-kilometer strip of the Raftsundet Strait just 3,724 feet wide, Trollfjord is a breathtaking passage through the best of the Arctic Circle.

Nestled between the Lofoten Islands and Vesteralen Archipelago, go where the bigger ships leave off to discover Norway’s towering Arctic fjords with Azamara. The site of the largest sea eagle population in the world, listen to the call of these majestic kings of flight while keeping your eyes peeled for puffins clinging to cliffs and the other seabirds that call these steep mountainsides home. In the water below, otters and seals play in surf teeming with fish and the occasional porpoise or whale.

Far north of the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is surrounded by a dramatic landscape of snow-capped peaks, scattered islands, and fjords, a scene best observed by taking the cable car up Storsteinen Mountain. In town the striking Arctic Cathedral mirrors the setting in glass and concrete, its triangular façade representative of an iceberg pointing to the sky. This part of the country is home to the Sami, Norway’s indigenous people, with their own language, culture, and traditional pursuits of fishing, hunting, and reindeer herding. Stop in at the Wilderness Center to say hello to Tove and Tore, their children, and more than 100 Alaskan huskies.

Honningsvag, population 4000, is the last village before the North Cape. The Midnight Sun shines here unceasingly from mid-May to the end of July, during which time the hamlet’s numbers swell, as the Sami people and their reindeer herds settle on the outskirts of town. No one lives permanently at the North Cape itself, but many come to visit this majestic cliff, rising over 1000 feet above the sea, providing a lookout over a limitless panorama stretching silently to the North Pole. Ingeniously concealed inside the cliff is North Cape Hall, where you can ponder the vastness in comfort.

There’s nothing like the land above the Arctic Circle—and Alta is a always stunning. Tucked into the Altafjord, it enjoys a warmer, drier climate than other ports in Northern Norway. Rugged landscapes roll down to meet the calm waters of the sheltered harbor, and local Sami culture thrives in one of the world’s most northerly cities.

Inspired by the aurora borealis that illuminate Alta in winter, visit the Northern Lights Cathedral and marvel at its steel sheet design that captures the essence of this natural phenomenon. Inside, tour enchanting illuminated artwork and visit interactive exhibits to learn more about the Northern Lights.

Quaint, primary-colored houses and church steeples peek out from a treed hillside surrounding deep blue Atlantic waters, welcoming you to this beautiful Nordic port. Named after the old farm for which the city was built on, Harstad is more popularly known to locals as “The Pearl of Vågsfjorden.”

The land of the midnight sun, Norway experiences a full 24 hours of daylight during the summer months between May and July. The most darkness you might experience is when the sun dips just below the horizon, so take advantage of this phenomena by exploring the edge of the Arctic Circle to the fullest.

Adventure is endless in a land where the sun barely sets in the summer months. Just north of the Arctic Circle, Bodø is one of Norway’s fastest growing cities, full of urban excitement while remaining deeply connected to its rich natural surroundings. It’s home to a diverse community of artists all keen to capture such amazing seaside splendor, a lively music scene, and ample shopping opportunities.

A city founded over 1,000 years ago is certain to be rich in history and culture. Now the country’s third largest municipality, it’s been Norway’s capital city, a site of countless coronations, and an important pilgrimage for worshipers of the Christian faith. Today, Trondheim is a vibrant, youthful city that embraces the simplicity of Scandinavian life. But don’t let this laid back lifestyle fool you— there is so much to discover beneath Trondheim’s calm exterior.

The 70 islands of Orkney are low lying, a pleasing, gently rolling panorama of fertile fields, heather cloaked moors, and lakes. The red sandstone walls of the imposing St. Magnus Cathedral dominate Kirkwall, the main town, capital, and hub for roads linking east and west. In summer whales and dolphins sport in coastal waters, and tens of thousands of breeding seabirds congregate on sharp seaside cliffs. The early arrival of mankind on this scene can be investigated at Skara Brae, an amazingly well preserved Neolithic village that was inhabited and already abandoned more than 5,000 years ago.

The “Gateway to the Isles,” Oban is a busy working port with houses clinging to steep hillsides guarding a gentle bay. Climb McCaig’s Tower, learn glass blowing from the masters at Caithness Glass, watch traditional kilt making at Geoffrey Ltd. and sample fine malt whiskey at Oban Distillery.

Dublin offers a wealth of historic sites dating back to a 1000-year-old Viking village, and as one might expect of the Irish, there is a tale to be told about every one. St. Patrick’s Cathedral is said to have been erected on the site where the saint himself converted pagans in 450 AD. From Dublin Castle the crown jewels were stolen in 1907; an unsolved mystery left to the fictional Sherlock Holmes to decipher. Some pubs, great sources of stories, are almost as old – you can sample a Guinness and the latest lore at The Brazen head, serving up drink and daydreams for 800 years. Then for a contrast, ride to a stunning view of contemporary Dublin atop a brand new observation wheel.

Dublin offers a wealth of historic sites dating back to a 1000-year-old Viking village, and as one might expect of the Irish, there is a tale to be told about every one. St. Patrick’s Cathedral is said to have been erected on the site where the saint himself converted pagans in 450 AD. From Dublin Castle the crown jewels were stolen in 1907; an unsolved mystery left to the fictional Sherlock Holmes to decipher. Some pubs, great sources of stories, are almost as old – you can sample a Guinness and the latest lore at The Brazen head, serving up drink and daydreams for 800 years. Then for a contrast, ride to a stunning view of contemporary Dublin atop a brand new observation wheel.