We saw our first northern lights shortly after passing the Arctic circle onboard the Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Express. This extraordinary sight left a lasting impression on us. Seeing the northern lights was high on our travel bucket list, alongside exploring Japan or travelling along the Great Silk Road. On the morning of our third day onboard the Norwegian Coastal […]
While we had been sailing onboard the Norwegian Coastal Express for several days, the experience of passing through the Magerøya strait (70º58’N), just a few kilometers from the North Cape, felt like being on the North Pole on a beautiful winter’s day. We were in the middle of the polar night. At this time of year, the sun […]
Sommerro House is the new luxury hotel in Oslo, located in Frogner, one of the chicest neighborhoods in town, only a stone’s throw from the Royal Palace. Sommerro has taken over an iconic, 1930s Art Deco style building, and opened in September 2022 after two years of renovations. The team of architects behind the project […]
From Bergen (60°39’N) to Kirkenes, via the North Cape (71°10’N), the itinerary of the Hurtigruten Coastal Express includes 34 ports of call stretching over 1 460 nautical miles (2 700 km) along the Norwegian coast. The name of our ship, MS Nordlys, means “northern lights” in Norwegian. Could this be a good omen? A look back […]
Bergen has the second largest population in Norway after the capital, Oslo. It’s located between two of the country’s most famous fjords (the Sognefjord and the Hardangerfjord), giving it the nickname “Norway’s fjord capital“. Bergen’s second nickname – “the city of seven hills” – is due to the seven hills surrounding it. Among these is […]
Amerikalinjen is a 4* boutique hotel ideally located in the very center of Oslo, in the former headquarters of the Norwegian America Line, whose legendary cruise ships transported travelers from Norway to America throughout the 20th century. The neo-baroque style building was first unveiled in 1919, at a time when transatlantic voyages crystallized the dreams […]
Oslo is the capital of Norway, but more importantly, it’s also Stéphanie’s birth town. As a dynamic, creative, inspired city, Oslo is great to visit any time of year. Facing the fjord and surrounded by forest-clad hills, it’s the ideal destination for nature lovers. Oslo is a city in motion – it’s undergone massive changes and […]
Since Strasbourg’s world-famous Christmas market is sadly cancelled in 2020, we wondered what it would be like if we simply imagined this year’s market. Every year, one country is the market’s guest of honor, and place Gutenberg is filled with stalls selling souvenirs and culinary specialties from that country. In previous years, the guests of […]
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