Or so they say about today’s travels, called the Norway In A Nutshell tour, which is actually a trademarked itinerary here. It is a specified route from Oslo to Bergen via multiple modes of transportation. It can be done in a single day, but we opted to break it up with our stay in Aurland. Legs one and two involved taking a train from Oslo to Myrdal, then a scenic train to Flam. See our prior post, Welcome to the Hobbit House, for those details.

Next up is a ferry from Flam to Gudvangen via the Naeroyfjord, which is the narrowest and best known arm of the Sognefjord. It’s a two-hour trip through some stunningly beautiful countryside. The fjord is surrounded by steep cliffs and mountains that rise as high as 5,900 feet/1,800 meters.

Next up is a one-hour bus ride to Voss, where you pick up another high-speed intercity train to Bergen, also about a one-hour trip.

If it seems like a lot of steps, it is, but you do get a good feel for the country and enjoy some gorgeous views on every leg of the trip. I will admit I was a bit skeptical as we left our hotel this morning, but overall it was quite enjoyable.

The ferry trip was the highlight as you would not be able to see the length of the narrow fjord by any other means. In my view it’s not to be missed. The ferry itself is modern and comfortable — all electric, zero emissions. And we had clear blue skies. There is a large cafe on board, plenty of seating, and lots of deck space for picture taking. We also benefited from the fact we traveled in mid-May, which is early in the summer travel season. I imagine the boats will be much more crowded by mid June.

It would be a long day doing the whole itinerary in a single day, especially when schlepping luggage, but for those travelers who opt for a single-day trip there are services that will take your luggage from beginning to end points. For a fee of course.

And if getting from Oslo to Bergen and vice versa quickly is the objective there are many options — from trains to rental cars, or flying. But you would miss some awesome views along the way, and if there is one thing clear about Norway, the scenery definitely doesn’t suck.