Norway Summer & Sami Stitching Cruise

Meet Karin Hellaby and your Arena Travel Tour Manager at London Gatwick for your flight to Bergen. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Today we will enjoy exploring Bergen, the second largest city in Norway and the gateway to the fjords. Join Karin on a walking tour or venture into Bergen independently. We recommend visiting the fish market or taking a trip up the funicular railway. In the early evening we embark MS Polarlys to start our northbound coastal voyage. We depart from Bergen and sail north along Hjeltefjord, the same route taken by the Vikings as they ventured to the Shetland Islands and beyond.

Our day starts in the breathtakingly beautiful Nordfjord, near Torvik. Stitch with Karin as we set our course for the spectacular UNESCO listed Geirangerfjord. We will sail past magnificent scenery and once in the fjord, you may catch a glimpse of the famous Seven Sisters waterfalls.

This morning we have the opportunity to explore Trondheim, seeing the imposing Gothic-spired Nidaras Cathedral that is the centerpiece of this ancient city founded by Norway’s Viking King Olav Tryggvason in 997. Today, it is Norway’s third largest city and there are a number of yarn stores for us to visit here.In the afternoon, we continue sewing with Karin as the ship sets a northwest course passing the beautiful Kjeungskjær lighthouse and numerous charming islets and rocky outcrops. After passing through the narrow Stokksund, we sail towards charming Rorvik.

Early this morning we will cross the Arctic circle. Look for trolls in the steep-sided mountains at the entrance of Trollfjord, step ashore in Bodo and cruise alongside the magnificent granite peaks of the Lofoten Wall. And there’s still time to sew and chat with Karin and your fellow stitchers.

During the morning hours, we briefly dock at Harstad and Finnsnes. The ship then continues to Tromsø, ‘Capital of the Arctic’, for a longer stay. Many epic Arctic expeditions used Tromsø as a starting point and you may like to take your own mini polar expedition on an optional husky dog ride. We continue our northbound journey.

Early in the morning the ship reaches the town of Hammerfest, then we call at Honningsvag. This small, remote town is the gateway to the spectacular North Cape. The ship then continues north, sailing into the heartland of the indigenous Sami people. We will pass their ancient sacred site, Finnkirka rock formation, as we approach the tiny fishing village of Kjollefjord

At 30° East, Kirkenes lies just a few miles from the Russian border. The town marks the end of this wonderful voyage. After disembarking the ship, we head to The Borderland Museum where you can learn about the war history and daily life of the border people through the ages on a guided tour. Our day continues as we learn about the Skolt Sami people at the Ävv Skolt Sami Museum. The Skolt Sami are the indigenous people of the border area between Norway, Finland and Russia. Next, we visit the Snowhotel, the only hotel in the world completely made of snow and ice!

Today we make our way to Karasjok, where approximately 90% of the local population speak Sami. On route we will stop at the Varanger Sami Museum, where we will learn about the history of coastal Sami. We end our day at our hotel in Karasjok.

The Sami Centre of Contemporary Art was established in 1986 and is the international centre for Sami artists in contemporary art. When we visit, there will be two exhibitions displayed by Sami artists, Hilde A. Danielsen and Geir Nustad. We will enjoy a guided tour of the artistic productions that are themed around Sami culture and heritage. This afternoon, we visit the Sami Museum in Karasjok for a guided tour of their collection of traditional Sami dresses and clothing.

This morning, we will check out of our hotel in Karasjok and transfer by coach to Kautokeino, another area known for its Sami culture. Upon arrival we will visit the Kautokeino farmyard and museum. Explore both the open-air museum and building where you will find a variety of objects from the local Sami culture. We then visit Juhls Silvergallery and enjoy a guided tour around the house, learning about the different jewellery collections, the house’s architecture, and the story behind the start up of the gallery. You will then have the opportunity to explore the gallery independently and browse the shop. We will end our day at our hotel in Kautokeino, where we will enjoy a traditional Sami dinner!

This morning we will check out of our hotel after breakfast and head to Alta airport for our return flight back to the UK