Summer Escapes: From the North Sea to the Iberian Peninsula

Enhance your cruise and extend your trip with a carefully designed programme.

Day 1 – Oslo

Meet at Oslo Airport in the Arrival hall. Look for PONANT sign. You will be greeted by our local representative off the flight selected by PONANT or any other flight (provided that you have previously communicated your flight schedule to your travel agent).

You will be transferred to the Radisson Blu Scandinavia hotel 4*.

Dinner at leisure.

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2 - Oslo

Breakfast.

Morning at leisure.

Lunch will be served in a local restaurant after check-out.

After lunch, you will enjoy a guided walking tour of Oslo, passing the City Hall; the National Theatre; the Royal Palace; Karl Johans gate, the city’s main street; the University of Oslo; the Storting building, housing the parliament of Norway; and the Oslo Opera House. Your guide will tell you all about the history of Norway’s capital, but also about its evolution through the ages and the different actions taken to make it a more sustainable city.

You will then be transferred to the pier of Oslo to embark on board your ship.

Your hotel:

The Radisson Blu Scandinavia hotel is conveniently located in the city center, making it ideal for discovering Oslo on foot. It also features an indoor pool and a sauna. Enjoy a drink at the hotel bar on the 21st floor for great view of Oslo and the nearby fjord.

Upgraded rooms are also available depending on availability and on a supplement basis. Contact your travel professional for further detail.

Your programme includes:

·        1-night accommodation in Superior room at the Radisson Blu Scandinavia 4* (local standard) or similar, breakfast included.

·        Meals as mentioned in the programme.

·        Beverage package during meals (bottled water + 1 soft drink or 1 glass of wine or 1 local beer and 1 coffee or tea).

·        Transfers and visits as mentioned in the programme.

·        The services of a local English-speaking guide.

Your programme does not include:

·        Dinner on day 1.

·        Personal expenses.

·        Tips for the driver and local guide.

·        Other services not mentioned in the programme.

Please note:

·        It is imperative that the details of your departure flight are provided to your travel agent, no later than 30 days before the start date of your cruise, to secure the proper private transfer.

Contact of your hotel:

Radisson Blu Scandinavia 4*
Holbergs gate 30
0166 Oslo, Norvège
Telephone: +4723293000

Duration and order of the visits may vary. To know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel agent; it is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.

Enhance your cruise and extend your trip with a carefully designed programme.

Take advantage of four days to discover the Norwegian landscapes, traditions, and culture along the Bergensbanen railway from Bergen to Oslo.

Day 1 - Bergen

Meet at Bergen Airport in the Arrival hall. Look for PONANT sign. You will be greeted by our local representative off the flight selected by PONANT or any other flight (provided that you have previously communicated your flight schedule to your travel agent).

You will be transferred to Opus XVI hotel 4*.

Check-in your room.

The end of the day and the dinner are at leisure.

Day 2 – Bergen/Flåm/Voss

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Bergen train station.

The scenic train journey will take you through typical west Norwegian scenery along the narrow Sørfjord to the industrial centre of Dale and upwards to the Bolstadfjord and Voss River well known for its Salmon. You will reach the beautiful Vangs Lake at Voss and further through the picturesque Raundal Valley, after passing through the Graqvhalstunnel, you will arrive at Myrdal situated on a ridge above the Flåm valley. There, you will change train for the famous Flåm railway.

The Flåm railroad is one of the most interesting pieces of engineering in Norway. Only 20 kilometres long, it runs from Flåm station at sea level with an altitude of 867 metres to Myrdal. Enjoy the unique and impressive views up the steep valley between towering mountains and of the Kjosfossen waterfall where the water cascades between dark cliffs and the splendid panorama view that unfolds before your eyes.

Flåm is 2 metres above sea level, situated in the Aurlandsfjord, a branch of the Sognefjord and is 90 sea miles away from the North Sea. You will have some leisure time in this quiet village before lunch in a local restaurant.

After having lunch, the excursion continues by coach.

You will stop at the beautiful Tvindefoss waterfall, and at Gudvangen at the head of the Næroyfjord listed by UNESCO as the most beautiful fjord in the world, before reaching the district of Voss. The village is one of West Norway's finest agricultural areas and is well known tourist resort and a traffic junction between the Sognefjord and the Hardangerfjord.

In the evening, dinner and overnight at Fleischer’s hotel.

Day 3 – Voss/Oslo

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out.

You will depart the hotel in the morning by coach for a second day of exploration.

You will make your way through Norway’s sheer nature beauty to the Hardanger Juice and Cider Factory, located in the innermost part of the Hardanger Fjord at the fruit farm Lekve in Ulvik. Here you will get a guided tour of everything the farm can offer. Here they make apple juice and cider which plays an important role in the production of the farm since 2004, and the farm has since 2009 also started apple brandy production. Hardanger Cider, the fairy-tale drink, is also on the menu and is still being made according to old recipe, just with modern tools. You will get a chance to taste the products as part of your visit to the factory.

After this visit, you will be taken to Voss train station. You will begin your marvelous Oslo Railway journey to Oslo, often described as the most beautiful train ride in the world. You will ascend to over 4,000 feet above sea level as you cross the Hardangervidda plateau, featuring breath-taking views.

Upon your arrival to Oslo, you will walk a few steps to the Amerikalinjen hotel spend the overnight.

Dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 4 – Oslo

Breakfast at the hotel and morning at leisure, followed by check-out.

At the head of the approximately 100 kilometres long Oslofjord lays the capital of Norway, cradled between forest-clad hills with several islands spread out in the fjord in front.  Many of these have summerhouses built on them, others belong to the community where it is free to go swimming and sunbathing.  Incidentally, Oslo is the sunniest among the Scandinavian capitals statistically!

King Harald the Hardruler founded Oslo 1050 A.D. In the year 1624 the town was destroyed by fire and the Danish/Norwegian king at the time, Christian IV, decided to rebuild the city under the walls of the fortress of Akershus dating back to 1299.  He named the new town “Christiania”, a name that was used right up to the year 1925 when it was decided to take back the original name “Oslo” which means the estuary of the river Lo.

Start your Oslo journey with a lunch in a local restaurant, perfectly located in Norway capital city.
After lunch, your guide will lead you by foot through the past historical buildings as the City Hall with its two impressive towers, which stood ready for the city’s 900 years’ jubilee in 1950. Norway's most distinguished artists contributed to the decorations of this modern landmark.

You will also discover the National Theatre with the statues of the writers Henrik Ibsen and Bjørnson in front. Then, you will pass the Royal palace that Karl Johan built and head up the main street “Karl Johan” named after King Karl Johan Bernadotte, the king of Sweden/Norway in the first half of the 19th century. At the far end the original University buildings from 1913 and Parliament “Stortinget”.

Finally, you will walk to Oslo’s newest building completed in 2008 – the Opera House.
You will experience the award-winning modern architecture and take a walk on the harbour.

The tour will end at the pier for embarkation.

Your hotels:

Opus XVI Hotel 4*, Bergen

The family name of the owners, Grieg, might ring a bell in your mind. They are relatives to the very famous Edvard Grieg, composer and pianist who was born and died in Bergen, in 1907. The hotel has a unique architecture with the main hall with its airy appearance, solid granite walls and ionic columns in polished marble. The building was designed by the architect Herman Schirmer and was later extended in two rounds. Architect Schak Bull – who also designed the home of Edvard Grieg – was responsible for the last expansion in 1918. Wonderful beds, an excellent location and attentive service, you will enjoy a unique atmosphere unlike any other, based on the rich heritage of Grieg and with the historic Vågsallmenningen 16 as a backdrop.

Fleischer’s Hotel 4*, Voss

Tucked in the mountains of western Norway, in the centre of the town Voss, you will find a modern hotel, with many traditions, which was built in 1889 in the popular Swiss style. Fleischer's Hotel is known for its venerable atmosphere, grand dining room and attentive host. Though more than 150 years in the tourism of western Norway, the hotel has helped build Voss as a tourist destination and is also committed in environment. The hotel got the Eco-lighthouse Ecolabel for the first time in 2013. The owners are passionate about sustainability and work systematically on limiting their footprint in nature.

Amerikalinjen 4*, Oslo

Here the journey began for thousands of hopeful Norwegians. They were going to travel with Amerikalinjen to the land of opportunity with the Norwegian America Line. The headquarter of the company opened in 1919, and 100 years later, a new breath permitted this iconic building reborn as a vibrant boutique hotel, designed for the modern explorer.

Your programme includes:

·        1-night accommodation in Opus XVI hotel 4*, local standards (or similar) including breakfast.

·        1-night accommodation in Fleischer’s hotel 4*, local standards (or similar) including breakfast.

·        1-night accommodation in Amerikalinjen hotel 4*, local standards (or similar) including breakfast.

·        Meals as mentioned in the programme.

·        Beverages package during meals (mineral water + 1 soft drink or 1 local beer + 1 coffee or tea).

·        Train tickets, transfers and visits as mentioned in the programme.

·        The services of a local English-speaking guide.

·        Hospitality desk at your hotel on the day of your arrival.

Your programme does not include:

·        Personal expenses.

·        Tips for the driver and local guide.

·        Other services not mentioned in the programme.

Please note:

·        It is imperative that the details of your departure flight are provided to your travel agent, no later than 30 days before the start date of your cruise, to secure the proper private transfer.

·        Your main luggage will be transported separately on day 2 and 4. We higly recommend you to pack a small luggage to carry on with you during theses days.

Contact of your hotels:

Opus XVI hotel

Vågsallmenningen 16
5014 Bergen
Norway
Telephone number: +47 53 01 22 00

Fleischer’s hotel

Evangervegen 13
5704 Voss
Norway
Telephone number: +47 56 52 05 00

Amerikalinjen hotel

Jernbanetorget 2
0154 Oslo
Norway
Telephone number: +47 21 40 59 00

Duration and order of the visits may vary. To know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel agent; it is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.