Norway, Lofoten and Arctic Cruise

Our holiday starts this morning when we meet our Tour Manager and co-travellers at London Heathrow before boarding a direct flight to Norway's dynamic capital, Oslo.

On arrival, we travel by efficient Norwegian rail to Oslo's Central Station where we check into our hotel, close to the celebrated Norwegian Opera House. There's free time to settle in and get to know our surroundings, before we take a short walk to a local restaurant for the first dinner with our group.

• Dinner

Our day begins after breakfast when we set out on a guided walking tour which starts at Oslo's opera house. The auditorium is a striking design in white marble and granite which appears to emerge from the water like a glacier. Visitors are encouraged to walk on the roof of this modern building for fabulous views across Oslo fjord.

We continue to the Akershus Fortress, a medieval castle with twin spires which glisten in the summer sunshine. From here we continue to 'Kvadraturen' - the oldest district in Oslo which was once the Renaissance town of King Christian IV of Denmark.

With a free afternoon, you could visit one of Oslo's renowned museums, such as the Viking Ship museum, the National Museum or the Edvard Munch gallery where you can see Munch's famous work, 'The Scream'. You could also watch the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace.

This evening you could try some new Nordic cuisine, or indulge in a traditional meal at Oslo's oldest restaurant, the elegant Engebret Café.

• Breakfast

This morning is one of the highlights of our tour, a journey aboard the iconic Bergen Railway, northern Europe's highest and most picturesque line, travelling to Bergen. From Oslo's centre and suburbs, we head west into the countryside and the backdrop to our journey becomes more breathtaking, as snow-dusted mountains contrast with brilliant green forests and blue sky.

After a couple of hours we reach Flå in the pretty Hallingdal Valley, through which the rushing Hallingdalselva River flows to Lake Krøderen. We pass the picturesque resort of Geilo, then our train climbs up to the Hardangervidda mountain plateau, the largest in Northern Europe. The highest point of the Bergen Railway is the tiny mountain village of Finse and from here we descend into exquisite fjords, before approaching Voss.

An hour from Voss we reach our picture-perfect destination, Bergen - the capital of western Norway, with its distinctive colourful wooden buildings on the Bryggen waterfront, a UNESCO-listed site. On arrival we walk the short distance to our hotel, with time to relax or wander along Bergen's World Heritage waterfront before dinner.

• Breakfast, Dinner

After a leisurely breakfast, we set off on a guided walking tour of Bergen. This attractive harbour city, once Norway's capital, is encircled by striking mountains and is best-known for the brightly painted buildings of its Bryggen waterfront area, a UNESCO-listed area. Bryggen's picturesque wharf was once the centre of the old Hanseatic port, a key hub in trade between Norway and the rest of Europe.

Our tour ends around midday, after a fabulous ride on the Fløibanen funicular, which gives us spectacular views across the surrounding countryside and countless scenic islands.

The rest of the day is at leisure and you could start with a visit to the popular fish market for some freshly-caught lunch. Another place to visit is the Bryggens Museum, which depicts everyday life in Medieval Bergen and houses the world's largest collection of runic inscriptions. For dinner, Bergen offers a surprisingly wide range of cuisine - from pizza to seafood, Japanese to African.

• Breakfast

After a free morning, the next awe-inspiring experience of our summer adventure starts around midday, when we transfer by coach to Bergen port, the gateway to the Norwegian fjords, the Arctic Circle and the start of our incredible journey north along Norway's stunningly scenic coastline. Here we board our modern environmentally-friendly cruise ship, for an unforgettable journey of six nights.

Havila's recently introduced vessels are one of the most relaxing and comfortable ways to explore the northernmost part of Norway and are equipped to ensure we can relax and enjoy the jaw-dropping scenery in style. The observation lounge on the top deck is a wonderful viewing spot and has recliners under a glass roof in case of cooler weather. There are two restaurants and a café on board, as well as a sauna and a gym where all the equipment faces the window.

After settling in to our comfortable interior cabins and perhaps finding a seat to look out from the top deck, we enjoy dinner together this evening, before commencing our incredible northbound voyage with an overnight sailing to the remarkable town of Ålesund.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Waking to views of the ruggedly beautiful Norwegian coast after the first night of our voyage north, we pass the ports of Florø, Måløy, and Torvik. After breakfast on board we dock in Ålesund for the day, a graceful town renowned for its art nouveau architecture, beautiful brick-built houses and warehouses.

You are free to spend the day in this enchanting town. Maybe start with a walk along the waterfront among the unique mix of architecture, a result of the rebuilding which occurred after 1904 when a fire destroyed many of Ålesund's original wooden buildings. You could find out more about the town's history in the Ålesund Museum. Another option is to book an excursion in advance on the ship - one of the most popular being a mini-cruise into the spectacular Geirangerfjord.

Lunch is served aboard the ship, or you may like to try some locally-caught fish. A speciality is the salted dried cod known as klippfisk, which is reputed to be pretty salty!

We return to our ship in the late afternoon and, over dinner, our northbound journey continues into the dreamlike landscape of fjords, islands and mountains.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we dock in the historic city of Trondheim, founded over a thousand years ago and often referred to as the 'Viking City'. Here there's time to look around independently before lunch, or you could book an optional excursion from onboard the ship. For example, a guided city tour of Trondheim and tour of the Nidaros Cathedral, one of the largest cathedrals in Northern Europe.

Lunch is served on board, and our voyage north continues out into the open water of the fjord, travelling through an amazingly abundant archipelago. We pass the Kjeungskjær Lighthouse, a bright red structure at the meeting point of Trondheimsfjord and the North Sea, before navigating the narrow strait of Stokksund on our way to the coastal town of Rørvik.

We sail towards Bodø over dinner then you may wish to sit out on the observation deck to experience the unusual sight of the midnight sun.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Continuing our voyage north, we cross the 66.5 degrees northerly latitude, celebrating with a ceremony as we enter the Arctic Circle. We drop anchor in Bodø where we can disembark and wander along the charming harbour, backed by mountains. There is a choice of optional excursions to book onboard, including a Bodø city tour, a trip to the incredible Svartisen Glacier - the second largest glacier in mainland Norway - or you may choose to go Sea Eagle spotting.

Back at sea, we catch our first glimpse of the steep granite cliffs and silvery beaches of the Lofoten Islands. Described as Europe's most dramatic and spectacular isles, the Lofoten Islands are tethered to mainland Norway by a series of bridges that resemble spiky teeth.

Home to small fishing communities, we sail through the beautiful strait of Raftsundet before reaching the sapphire waters of Trollfjord. After dinner we can head up to the deck to enjoy the otherworldly atmosphere created by the dramatic mountains, unique light and Lofoten's remote fishing villages.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, as our ship glides past Risøyhamn, Harstad and Finnsnes, we catch glimpses of everyday life in the Arctic before we disembark in Tromsø, the largest city in northern Norway.

Here you can make the most of more optional excursions, including a tour of the Arctic capital with a cable car ride up one of the surrounding mountains or spend time at Tromsø's unique modern cathedral. Built in the 1960s, the cathedral is a pyramid of aluminium and glass, with amazing stained-glass windows.

It is also possible to book a tour of Tromsø Museum to learn more about Sámi heritage and traditions. Other galleries and museums include the Polar Museum and the Troll Museum, dedicated to trolls and fairytales, which showcases Norwegian folk beliefs and the mythical creatures of Norway.

Re-boarding our ship, we cruise through bountiful summer waters where we may spot orcas, humpback whales and different Arctic birds.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today takes us to Norway's North Cape, where the icy waters of the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans mix. In the summer months we may chance upon herds of reindeer as the northernmost strip of land here is dotted with settlements of indigenous Sámi people whose main sources of livelihood are reindeer herding and fishing.

We disembark at Havøysund to visit the world's most northerly fishing village before continuing to Honningsvåg where our afternoon is free to spend as we wish. Before leaving the ship, optional excursions to book and pay for include a trip to the North Cape plateau with time at the Northern Cape Hall visitor centre, snowshoeing and ice fishing, or bird watching. Later, there's the chance to book another unique optional excursion - a cruise across to Kjøllefjord to learn about the traditional way of life of the Sámi people.

Our voyage north continues as we cruise overnight towards Kirkenes, a journey which occurs entirely in sunlight, and we can experience the natural wonder of the evening sunset merging into sunrise.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After passing the easternmost town in Norway, Vardo, our cruise reaches its final destination, the Arctic city of Kirkenes. Situated on the border of Finland and Russia, this northernmost city is known as 'King Crab city' due to its abundant shellfish, especially these highly prized species.

Disembarking in the city of Kirkenes on the Barents Sea, we are met by a local guide for a coach tour of the area, which includes the scenic shores of Langfjorden and the Svanhovd Botanical Gardens, a place where the diversity of life this side of the Arctic Circle can be fully appreciated.

The final highlight of our trip is a visit to the husky kennels at the Snowhotel, where we meet these amazing hard-working animals, as well as some husky pups and reindeer, discovering how vital they still are to life in the Arctic Circle. After a relaxing lunch, we transfer to our hotel in Kirkenes with time to relax or possibly wander down to the quay, before a final dinner with our group.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we are transferred to Kirkenes airport for an internal flight to Oslo. A few hours later we board our flight from Oslo to London Heathrow where we arrive at the end of the afternoon.

After saying goodbye to our Tour Manager and co-travellers it's time to head home. While our Norwegian holiday and epic cruise into Arctic waters may be behind us, the memories and images of our special tour are sure to remain with us.

• Breakfast