Norway in a Nutshell & Heroes of Telemark

Travel from Hull via P&O Cruise Ferry to Holland and on through Germany and spend a night in Denmark before crossing to Norway to enjoy a wonderful tour though one of the World's most unique landscapes. Highlights include Vrådal, The Hardangervidda National Park, the famous World War 2 sabotage site at Vemork, and Hardangerfjord and Flåm.

Holiday Inclusions
- Dinner, Bed & Breakfast
- Door-to-Door service
- Return ferry crossings
- Coach travel throughout
- Excursions as listedOutbound Journey
After your home collection we take you to the port for our overnight North Sea crossing to Europe. Dinner, breakfast, and lower berth cabin is included. On day 2 we journey by coach through Holland to our overnight hotel in Germany. On day 3 we journey to Denmark and 'the land of the Vikings,' as we head to our second overnight hotel.

Larvik & Vradal
We bid 'farvel' to Aalborg on day 4 and proceed to Hirtshals for a ferry crossing to Larvik in Norway. The final leg of the journey takes us through Norway's magnificent scenery, including the famous Telemark Canal, and onto Vrådal and the Straand Hotel for a 5-night stay. The next day is free to relax and unwind. The hotel has great facilities including an indoor swimming pool, large panoramic terrace, lounge and a wonderful garden that sweeps down from the hotel and right to the lake shore and beach. To set the scene for the next day's excursion we arrange an evening showing of the Hollywood Blockbuster, The Heroes of Telemark, at the hotel this evening.

Vemork Power Station
On day 6 we can enjoy a full day panoramic excursion across the Hardangervidda Plateau and a visit to the Telemark heavy-water sabotage site. Our journey first takes us up onto the Hardangervidda Plateau, the largest mountain plain in Europe! This area offers spectacular views of its wild scenery and beautiful lakes. We then continue to Rjukan and transfer to minibuses for the short journey across the gorge and up to the Vemork Power Station. This fascinating visit offers not only an insight into Norwegian Industrial Heritage, but also exhibits relating to the incredible story of the partisan sabotage mission to destroy Hitler's heavy water plant that was located at this site, and ultimately halting his efforts to build a nuclear bomb.

Telemark Canal
Our excursion on day 7 includes a heritage boat trip on the Telemark canal, considered the "eighth wonder of the world" when it was completed in 1892. Our journey aboard this historic vessel offers an opportunity to experience one of the world's most beautiful waterways, through lakes, narrow channels and locks.

Classic Norway
Our excursion today offers an opportunity to sample quintessential Norway, as we cross over the Telemark Canal and head first to Morgedal, a village described as the "cradle of skiing". We then continue to Eidsborg for a visit to the Vest Telemark Museum, where the old farmhouse "Vindlaus" have been converted into one of Norway's largest open-air museums, and includes the 13th-century Stave Church. We then carry onto Dalen, the starting point of the famous Telemark Canal and home to the "Dragon Style" Dalen Hotel, one of Norway's most famous buildings. Enjoy some free time in the pretty town centre before we return through the magnificent scenery along the shores of Lake Nisser to our hotel.

Oslo
We check out of the Straand Hotel on day 9 and begin our journey south. We call at Heddal for a photo opportunity of Norway's largest Stave Church (built around the 11th-century) before we continue our journey to Oslo, Norway's charming maritime capital. Oslo's origins are found in the 8th Century and during Viking times, earned its title of "Viking Capital". It offers a unique Scandinavian atmosphere and a beautiful city centre, with many green spaces as well as wide range of monuments and historic buildings. Following our visit here, we continue on to Horten for dinner and an overnight stay.

Return Journey
On day 10, a 'Fast ferry' takes us back to Denmark. Making comfort breaks en-route, we then continue south to Germany and enjoy dinner before an overnight stay. On day 11, we return from Germany to Holland and then board our overnight sailing back to the UK. Again, dinner, breakfast, and lower berth cabins are included. On day 12 we disembark our ferry and return home by coach.Our Accommodation

Overnight Ferry - 2 nights
Our ship offers a variety of entertainment whilst we sail to Europe from either Newcastle or Hull. Your lower birth cabin, dinner, and breakfast are included.

Overnight Hotel - 2 nights
Our overnight hotel will be ideally located for our route and will offer comfortable, en-suite accommodation, a restaurant, and a bar. There will either be a lift, or ground-floor bedrooms available on request.

Straand Hotel, Vradal - 7 nights
Surrounded by a forest and overlooking Bussvikfjorden, this laid-back hotel is a 5-minute walk from Sommerland Beach, in the middle of the beautiful Telemark region in south-eastern Norway. The hotel has a long history that dates back to 1864 in the same family and is well known for its good food and many activities, including darts, boating, table tennis, ski rentals, bicycle rental and more! In addition, the hotel offers two restaurants, two bars, swimming pool, terrace and an old-style drawing room. All bedrooms have en-suite facilities and feature a telephone and flatscreen TV.