HEART OF THE FJORDLANDS

Day 1 Ålesund

On Norway’s western coast, Ålesund is an art nouveau jewel amid countless fjords and a breathtakingly scenic archipelago. Start with a guided walk around its architectural highlights, followed by an exhilarating RIB excursion to Runde island, where 500,000 birds come to nest on its cliffs in the summer months.  Among Ålesund’s listed buildings are the former warehouses that make up Hotel Brosundet – right on the water’s edge, where fishermen pass by as they have done for centuries (and bring in their catches to the hotel’s restaurant). Its chic, minimalist rooms include the 150-year-old Molja Lighthouse, which stands alone on a jetty away from the main building.

Overnight: Hotel Brosundet

Day 2 Ålesund to Valldal

Enjoy a scenic two-hour private transfer to Valldal – a ravine where seven glass-walled cube suites have been built around the trees, boulders and river running through it. More view with a room than room with a view, Juvet Landskapshotell is absolutely minimalist. With darkened interiors and only the essentials in the way of furniture, there is little distraction from the woodland panoramas afforded by their floor-to-ceiling windows. As part of the hotel’s commitment to making the lowest possible environmental impact, two compact log houses are raised on stilts like birdhouses.

Overnight: Juvet Landskapshotell

Day 3 Juvet Landskapshotell

Enjoy the ravine and its surrounding spoils today. Down by the gently flowing river, a secluded spa and outdoor bathing spot promises total relaxation, while action and adventure await elsewhere. In winter, ski through the mountains to the Trollkyrkjebreen glacier; zip line over or kayak and fish along the river in summer; and try canyoning or rafting to really get your adrenaline pumping. Walks through mountain farms and abandoned fjords are plentiful, and sublimely peaceful.

Overnight: Juvet Landskapshotell

Day 4 - 6 Norangsdalen

A guided drive will lead you onwards to Norangsdalen, a breathtaking valley where you will walk to a viewpoint that takes in the scenic Geiranger-Trollstigen route, a dramatic mountainous stretch of fjord that was once an important avenue for transport. Over the next three days, enjoy walks at all levels; scuba diving or snorkelling at Lygnstøylvatnet, an otherworldly sunken village; private sailing to otherwise inaccessible villages on Hjørundfjorden; and vineyard visits will fill you with an intoxicating sense of outdoor adventure. Your Norangsdalen base is Hotel Union Øye, where the great and the good flocked when it opened in 1891 - from Kaiser Wilhelm to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Its chalet-style frontage and plush rooms have since been restored, each named and decorated in distinctive character after one of its former patrons. Four-poster beds, gilded fixtures, sweeping drapes and antiques will whisk you a century back in time.

Overnight: Hotel Union Oye

Day 7 Storfjord

Circling back towards Ålesund, stop at Storfjord for the remainder of your Norwegian exploration. With views of its namesake fjord on one side and Sunnmøre Alp forest on the other, Storfjord Hotel is a boutique combination of rustic charm and contemporary Scandinavian chic. Minimalist four-posters are offset by tweed throws; neutral furnishings complemented by blazing fireplaces. There’s a wonderfully welcoming intimacy here – as if staying at an old friend’s secret haven.

Overnight: Storfjord Hotel

Day 8 Storfjord

Relax on a scenic mountain trail walk this morning, breathing deep lungfuls of the freshest air. Later, meet locals at a farm to taste their produce and learn regional recipes on a cooking course, such as how to bake Norwegian breads.

Overnight: Storfjord Hotel

Day 9 Fly home or continue your journey

Take a private transfer back to Ålesund for your flight home, or carry on your Norwegian escape.