At the end of our Norway journey in late summer 2025, we set sail south once more. Trondheim was meant to be a brief stop along the way. Things turned out differently: we stayed for an entire month. We fell in love with this beautiful little city.
🧠Where exactly?
- between Bergen and Bodø
- Trondheim, Norway
âš“ Why we love this place
Trondheim won us over for many reasons. There is the truly stunning architecture, with historic wooden houses sitting comfortably alongside modern glass buildings. On top of that, the city offers excellent infrastructure, with reliable public transport and a dense bike-sharing system.
The River Nidelva meanders through the entire city and offers countless places to relax or get moving – kayaking, ice skating or running. Trondheim also has an impressive amount of green space and more easily accessible recreational areas than anywhere else we encountered on our Norway journey. And even though a large cruise ship docks every few days, the crowds never felt as intrusive as they do, for example, in Bergen.
⛵ Arriving with your own boat
Brattøra (63° 26.343′ N 10° 23.968′ E)
- large, easily accessible harbour right in the city centre
- perfect for crew changes (right next to the railway station and with quick access to the airport)
- service building with toilets, showers and washing machines/dryers
- relatively well protected from wind and swell
Skansen (63° 25.963′ N 10° 22.389′ E)
- a bit further from the city centre, around a 15-minute walk to the station
- no dedicated facilities (apart from a public toilet)
- directly opposite a factory that is not only unattractive but also noisy
- apparently quite uncomfortable in northerly winds (we only spent two lovely days here)
There are also guest harbours directly within the city along the River Nidelva that are accessible for sailing boats. Reaching them requires opening several bridges. Beautifully located, but for us simply too much effort.
🏝️ Things to do ashore
- explore the city and go shopping on foot or by hire bike – bikes are included with time-based public transport tickets (weekly/monthly)
- visit the cathedral – we attended a free concert evening followed by a short guided tour; otherwise entry is around €15 and well worth it
- relax by the river: don’t forget a picnic blanket, food and a book
- take a trip to the beautiful Lake Lian on the historic Line 9 tram
- for rainy days: the large indoor swimming pool or the Rockheim museum, both right by the harbour
đź’ˇ Our extra tips
With a bit of luck, you may encounter the local woodland residents while walking around Lake Lian – usually near the picnic tables close to the tram stop. They are very trusting and particularly fond of unshelled hazelnuts or walnuts.
The restaurant “Mat fra Hagen” on Thomas Angells gate offers a truly excellent buffet. For just 229 NOK you can sample everything from burgers and chips to casseroles, vegetables, salads, bread and dips – and eat until you are full. Anyone familiar with Norwegian restaurant prices will recognise this as an absolute bargain.