Norway

In focus: Summer holidays in Norway

Summer sees the snows melt, and for walkers, this frees up the world-famous fjords for world-class hiking – head up the quiet yet dramatic Lustrafjord to escape the huge cruise liners and have the views to yourself. Exodus Norway tours include Walking the Fjords, which is based at nearby Nes Gard lodge. A short hike from Feigumfossen waterfall, it's also a stone’s throw from the Urnes Stave Church – the oldest stave church in Norway, and one of the most beautiful. UNESCO listed, it is built almost entirely from wood and intricately carved with arched gables and entwined vine reliefs. You'll also see the Jostedalsbreen ice cap, both on foot in the Jostedalsbreen National Park and by boat from the waters of a glacial lake. The biggest glacier in continental Europe, the Jostedalsbreen ice cap is a staggering 80km long and reaches up to 600m in thickness.

Nærøyfjord is the narrowest of the fjords – only 250m between the dramatic escarpments at its thinnest point. This UNESCO World Heritage Site takes its name from Njord, the Norse god of the sea. Nowhere else does the infinite power of the gods seem more appropriate; the sheer walls of the fjords loom over you as you creep between the towering rocks. This is a mythic landscape, one where folkloric fantasies ignite the imagination.