Vestland is the land of giants where the deepest fjords and biggest glaciers on earth are found. You find yourself in a world of misty waterfalls that crash down right beside the narrow roads. The landscape is a vertical marvel where the Sognefjord reaches deep into the heart of the mountains. It is a place of massive scale where the ice and the water have carved a masterpiece into the rock.
A road trip here is an epic adventure through the soul of the fjords. You move from the fruit valleys of Hardanger to the high blue ice of the Jostedalsbreen glacier. The roads are a feat of human skill winding through the Lærdal Tunnel or over the Sognefjellet pass. You find yourself driving through the narrow Nærøyfjord area and past the colorful wharf of Bergen.
The scenery is iconic with mountain farms perched on cliffs and quiet orchards by the water. You can take the ferry across the fjords and watch the mountains rise up around the boat. Every mile offers a new waterfall like Vøringsfossen or a dramatic viewpoint like Stegastein. Vestland is the Norway of your dreams where the nature is majestic and the drive is epic.
Vestland highlights
- Bryggen in Bergen Walk through the colorful wooden alleys of the old Hanseatic wharf. This UNESCO site is the historic heart of the western trade.
- Sognefjord Cruise through the "King of the Fjords" which is the longest and deepest in the country. The scale of the water and mountains is immense.
- Trolltunga Rock Hike to the famous stone tongue that hangs high above a blue lake. It is a challenging trek but the view is one of a kind.
- Vøringsfossen Stand on the plateau as the water drops 182 meters into the canyon below. The new bridges offer a spectacular view of the fall.
- Nærøyfjord Explore the narrowest fjord in the world with its steep walls and tiny farms. It is a UNESCO site that feels wild and untouched.
- Lærdal Tunnel Drive through the longest road tunnel in the world with its glowing blue light caves. It is a unique piece of modern engineering.
- Stegastein Lookout Walk out on a wooden ramp that hangs far above the Aurlandsfjord. The panoramic view of the mountains and water is breathtaking.
- Hardanger Orchards Drive along the fjord in spring to see the thousands of apple and cherry trees in bloom. The area is the fruit basket of Norway.
- Jostedalsbreen Glacier See the largest glacier on the European mainland with its massive blue ice arms. You can take a guided hike on the ice itself.
- Flåm Railway Take the world famous train ride from the fjord up to the high mountain station. The tracks wind past massive waterfalls and steep cliffs.
The local Four
History of Vestland
Vestland is a landscape of epic proportions where the history is as deep as the fjords. The city of Bergen was founded in 1070 and soon became the capital of the Norwegian Empire and a major hub for the Hanseatic League. German merchants built the iconic wooden wharf at Bryggen where they traded grain for dried fish from the north. For centuries this was the busiest and most international city in Scandinavia.
In the steep fjords like Sognefjord the history is one of isolation and vertical farming. Ancient stave churches like the one at Urnes were built in the 1100s as masterpieces of wooden architecture using carvings that blended Viking and Christian styles. These structures have survived for nearly a thousand years in the quiet corners of the mountains. The region was also the inspiration for the national romantic movement as poets and painters flocked to the waterfalls and glaciers.
Modern history in Vestland is a story of engineering triumphs. From the railway that climbs the steep cliffs of Flåm to the world’s longest road tunnels the people here have always found a way to conquer the impossible terrain. The discovery of energy in the North Sea turned the coastal villages into global hubs once again. Vestland history is a saga of trade and nature where the mountains have always been the backdrop for grand human drama.