Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1535356
18 | Scandinavia & Northern Europe Destination Guide in the warm afternoon sunshine. From there I was able to head off on a hike around the mountains beyond. The sights that greeted me were among the most beautiful I have ever seen, with the natural beauty of Norway's west coast spread before me. There is an almost mythical quality to it; one could understand why such a timeless and extraordinarily vivid land- and seascape should have prompted the ancient Nordic sagas and inspired composers such as Edvard Grieg, who lived and wrote some of his greatest works in Bergen. Eidfjord followed Bergen and from there we sailed to Stavanger, another gem of a port and also set amidst a plethora of islands and narrow channels. Brightly-coloured houses, a busy quayside, fishing boats and the narrow streets and wooden houses of Gamle Stavanger all add to its charm. Nearby, a short trip down the Lysefjord, is the astonishing Preikestolen, also known as 'Pulpit Rock', considered by many to be the most breathtaking viewpoint on Earth. For lovers of the outdoors and the natural world – and I am most definitely one such – Norway really is hard to beat, yet such is the way in which Viking voyages are planned, the scenery and surroundings can be enjoyed whether hiking up the mountain, taking an excursion in a seaplane, or simply watching the sights and sounds pass by from one of the many decks on board the Viking Sky. Our journey then took us to Oslo, the nation's capital. Norway had been part of a union with Denmark from 1661 and then, from 1814, was overrun and then ruled by neighbouring Sweden. Not until 1905 was Norway fully independent once and with the monarchy restored. The Royal Palace remains at the heart of Oslo, a city rich in art and culture and with a huge amount to see and do, whether it be galleries such as the fabulous new one dedicated to Edvard Munch, a visit to the opera house, or even Norway's Resistance Museum, for which I made a beeline. Norway was once "e sights that greeted me were among the most beautiful I have ever seen, with the natural beauty of Norway's west coast spread before me." THE VIKING STAR, FJORD FLAM