Welcome to the historic Arctic capital of Tromsø. If you’ve arrived in the morning or afternoon, you’ll have time to explore the city before your ship departs late in the evening.

After Finnsnes early in the morning, the ship calls at Harstad where the white-washed Trondenes Church, the world’s northernmost medieval stone church, sits on the peninsula.

Next is our smallest port of call Risøyhamn and then Sortland where the landscape slowly transforms from hills to 1,000-metre-high mountains.

Our birthplace

Stokmarknes is where Captain Richard With began The Coastal Express in 1893. Visit Hurtigrutemuseet, a ship-in-a-bottle building that chronicles our legacy, centred around retired ship MS Finnmarken from 1956.

A ship-size fjord

Sailing along Raftsund, the Captain may choose to take the ship into tiny Trollfjord. The mountain walls will look so close you’ll think you can reach out and brush them! To exit the fjord, the ship will rotate 180 degrees on the spot, then sail back out. Remember to look out for sea eagles here too.

Fall in love with Lofoten

We reach Svolvær in the evening, main town of the gorgeous Lofoten Islands. The huge mountain that sits above the town is named the Svolvær Goat due to its supposed resemblance. See if you agree!

The ship then sails for Stamsund, eventually passing the giant granite cliffs of the Lofoten Wall.

We arrive at Trondheim just after breakfast. Your voyage with us concludes here. If you’ve got some time before your onward journey, you might like to explore the city’s sights.

Magical, medieval, and modern

Founded by Viking king Olav Tryggvason in 997, Trondheim today is Norway’s third largest city and a mix of historic buildings and a buzzing student population.

A must-see site of the city is Nidaros Cathedral, nicknamed “Norway’s Notre Dame” for its Gothic style and considered the most sacred building in all of Norway. Next door to the cathedral is the Archbishop’s Palace where Norway’s crown jewels are on display.

Nearby, the old city bridge Gamle Bybro sits over Nid River, marking the entrance to the old Hanseatic district of Bakklandet. The neighbourhood’s colourful wooden wharves propped up on stilts by the river’s edge now house trendy eateries. Up from Bakklandet is Kristiansten Fort which affords beautiful panoramas of the city and fjord.