Trondheim

My best friend Liv and I decided it was high time we went on holiday together. We’d been friends since university and still had never been away together, so it was time to fix it. We both wanted to see the northern lights, and had heard that the best place to go was Tromsø in the very north of Norway. This however happened to be a pretty long flight and Liv is terrified of flying! So, we decided to go somewhere half way up that would still give us a chance at glimpsing the Aurora Borealis.

Tickets booked with: eDreams

Where we stayed: Air B&B

How many nights: 3

Budget: 200 Krones Spending Money

Trondheim highlights:

Bymarka Mountain

As you’re probably aware by now, Mountain Climbing is a favourite of mine. The fresh air, the pain in your legs as you climb ever higher, the sense of achievement once you reach the top.. it never gets old. 

This mountain was no different. The snow was deep so it’s a good thing we layered up beforehand! If there is anything I love as much as mountains, it’s snow!! 

The Climb

Like good little travellers we did our research the night before and found that there was a bus that would take us some of the way up the mountain. We packed our lunches and set off bright and early! There was SO much to see on the way up. Frozen lakes, forrest trails, icicles and more. We were in absolute photography heaven, both of us super busy clicking away with our cameras. 

The views of Trondheim from above were absolutely breathtaking. The sky was clear with a low winter sun, providing some lovely glare in our shots. It is a generally easy climb so don’t shy away if you’re with children. There is a little cafe and play ground near the bus stop for climbers to warm up and refuel.  

The Town

There is something about wooden houses that just fills me with joy. These towns are build on some pretty steep hills which makes for excellent views! So many little windows and brightly coloured houses all layered one above the other. 

We took a casual walk around the town (there is no running around while every inch of pathway is covered in ice!) and came across a group of children iceskating on a frozen lake. Oh what a young Sara would have given to have this on her doorstep!

Reindeer Stew & Akevitt

We had heard that one of the things we should try while in Norway was reindeer stew. I was a little apprehensive at first. I didn’t want Santa to put me on the naughty list for consuming one of his sleigh drivers but hey ho! You only get one chance!

We chose a little place where the fishermen would come after being at sea, and get merry on Akevit (the stongest spirit you will EVER try), to sample our stew that evening. It was absolutely DE-LICIOUS. Sorry Santa!!!

For those wondering, Akevitt is a super strong, super alcoholic spirit that leaves anyone tipsy after just one shot!! 

Nidarosdomen

There are so many cathedrals and churches to visit around the world, but in Trondheim, the place to see is the main cathedral, Nidarosdomen. This building is pretty stunning visually, like all cathedrals. There is even a little museum, that explains and shows you with little models, how the building developed over the years. 

It has gone through many many restorations as there have been numerous fires since it was originally built in 1070. It was even once struck by lightening! 

Nidarosdomen Cathedral was built to memorialise the burial place of King Olav II who died in battle. He was later made a Saint and people from all over Norway come here for a religious and cultural festival centred around the anniversary of his death.

I’d recommend Trondheim to anyone wanting a little weekend get-away in a city they can explore. There is plenty to see and do, as well as a lot of history to learn. We never got to see the Northern Lights, as it just so happened to be the weekend of the Super Moon, which meant there was too much light in the sky to see them. It did however mean that we got an excellent close up of the moon that night, almost like when Bruce Almighty throws a lasso around it and pulls it closer. 

Have you been to Trondheim before? What were your favourite bits? Where else in Norway would you recommend for my next visit? Let me know in the comments!