Wondering what to see and do in Trondheim on your Norwegian getaway? How long can I stay in Trondheim? You’ve come to the right place!
Trondheim is our favorite Norwegian town, and we loved strolling through its colorful, tree-lined historic center.
To guide you, we’re sharing our tips for exploring Trondheim, so you don’t miss out on any of its treasures, as well as our recommendations for eating out and choosing the best accommodation. We’ve listed all the points of interest recommended in this article on our interactive map to make your visit even easier.
Our review of Trondheim
This is the third Norwegian city we’ve visited, after Bergen and Stavanger, and we’ve fallen in love with the pretty town of Trondheim. As you can see from the many photos below.
It’s the country’s third-largest city, located in the center of Norway, marking the border between the south of the country and its fjords, which we visited for several weeks, and the north, where we go to explore the famous Lofoten Islands.
This town exudes charm, with its colorful houses on stilts and its pedestrianized historic center built around the river that runs through it. A city in Norway where you can really enjoy strolling!
Trondheim: our must-sees on our map
Here you’ll find our interactive map of all the activities and points of interest in this article.
Our must-sees in Trondheim
As you can see on our map, the main attractions and activities are in the city center and south of Trondheim. We recommend a short tour of this area.
➡️ You can explore the city for 2 hours with a local guide in a small group (maximum 6 people). Your guide will give you valuable information about the city of Trondheim and the region .
Gamle Bybro bridge
Our favorite: We crossed the Gamle Bybro bridge along the harbor. This charming wooden bridge, rebuilt in 1861, links the Bakklandet district with Kristiansten fortress.
➡️La The view of the colorful facades of the colorful houses on stilts (former warehouses) is incredible, and well worth the detour. A real postcard landscape!
Bakklandet Old Town
This is the district on the east bank of the Nidelva River, and it’s a really cute one, with its charming, colorful wooden houses, cosy cafés and boutiques.
We were there on a sunny Friday evening in June, with the locals enjoying the fine weather on the terraces of cafés and bars.
Nidaros Cathedral
You won’t want to miss it. This 12th-century architectural masterpiece is Norway’s most important Gothic religious building and has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. Its detailed façade and sumptuous interior make it a must-see.
Parc Marinen
South of the Gamle Bybru bridge, this pretty wooded park along the river is perfect for a picnic break, either on the lawn or on the wooden tables.
➡️Le plus, if you’re traveling with the family, is the incredible playground. We spent an hour there and the whole family had a great time.
Stroll along the Nidelva river
South of the Gamle Bybru bridge, a path runs alongside the Nidelva river, offering lovely views of the cathedral. Stroll along the Nidelva: The river that winds its way through Trondheim offers peaceful scenery. A stroll along its banks offers a different perspective on the city, with beautiful views of the wooden houses along the water’s edge.
Archbishop’s Palace
Archbishop’s Palace(Erkebispegarden) Adjacent to Nidaros Cathedral, this is one of the best-preserved palaces in Scandinavia. It houses a museum where you can discover the history of the city and its archbishops. Located in the same building is the Riksregaliene , a museum displaying Norwegian crown jewels.
Korsvika hiking and beach
To the north of Trondheim, a hiking trail runs along the coast, and we landed on the sandy beach of Korsvika (there’s a parking lot right next to it), to take advantage of the fine weather – it was almost 25 degrees when we visited at the end of June.
What to do around Trondheim
Road trip on the Atlantic scenic route
Located around 2h30 from Trondheim if you’re travelling by car, this is a mythical route to take close to Trondheim. The Atlantic Scenic Route (Atlanterhavsveien) is a spectacular 8km road that winds between islets and reefs, offering breathtaking views and dramatic vistas of the ocean.
➡️J I had read on a blog that the first bridge was THE fishing spot in Norway. Indeed, we’ve seen Norwegian travellers pulling up plugs every 5 minutes. For us it was our first fishing test of our lives, so obviously we didn’t manage to catch anything because we didn’t have the right “tip”, we’d taken the float instead of the sinker. At least we got a good laugh out of it.
Just before hitting the road for Trondheim, we stopped at Bud’sDRAAGEN SmokehouseAS, lost on the coast. We enjoyed it (smoked salmon price 50€ / kg).
Hiking in the Dovrefjell massif
This park has been recommended to us by many travellers. We didn’t choose not to make this several-hour detour (located 2.5 hours southwest of Trondheim), as each stretch of road takes an inordinate amount of time. We also needed to recover from our hikes, including Trolltunga and the famous Preikestolen in southern Norway.
Our friends Justine and Rénald decided to explore this park, located in one of the driest regions of the country and renowned for its muskox colony. Several hikes start from the Snohetta viewpoint. They loved the change of scenery and atmosphere from the rest of Norway. The hike crosses a large arid plateau, still a little snow-covered, with lots of beautiful rivers, and fairly sparse vegetation as far as the eye can see.
Tromdheim fjord
Cruises depart from Trondheim to explore the nearby fjords. Of course, if you haven’t yet visited a fjord, we recommend these excursions, which offer a unique perspective on the Norwegian coastal landscape.
We came from the fjord region and had just explored Geirangerfjord, which we recommend. The fjords around Bergen are also well worth a visit.
Practical information for your visit
Hotel and campsite in Trondheim
Wondering where to stay in Trondheim to make the most of your stay? To get the most out of your visit, we recommend you choose the downtown area. We advise you to book your accommodation several months in advance to get the maximum choice and the best prices. To find suitable, well-located accommodation, you should generally budget around €150-€200 per night.
You often write to us asking for tips on how to cut costs when traveling to Norway, so we’ve come up with a tip that works in every country and is even better in Norway: we recommend renting an apartment. This will also enable you to cook your own meals, saving you money during your stay in a country where the cost of living is high.
- Our favorite ❤️: BJØRVIKA apartments, offer an elegant and comfortable living environment, with fully-equipped apartments that are just perfect. Conveniently located in the heart of the city, it offers easy access to the city’s main attractions, as well as appreciable peace and quiet.
Camping
If you’re visiting Norway by camper van or caravan, Camping Flakk is the closest to the city, very clean and quiet (pitches for tents, cars and camper vans).
Where to eat on a budget?
As always, we don’t have a typical Norwegian restaurant to recommend. We took advantage of our city break to grab a burger at Super Hero Burger in downtown Trondheim.
As on our visits to Stavanger and Bergen, we also stopped off again at the Norwegian organic bakery chain, Godt Brød Thomas Angells gate. It’s a great alternative for eating at lower cost and with good produce right in the center of town.
How do I get to Trondheim from Oslo?
There are many small airports in Norway, making it easy to get around this immense country. Internal links are well developed. There are several direct Oslo – Trondheim flights a day in high season (approx. 100 euros).
Rent a car
The best thing about Norway is to have your own vehicle, so you can discover this incredible country at your own pace and stop for photo breaks.
Don’t plan to cover large distances at once – the limits on speeds are quite low (60km/hour on average) and the roads are often narrowThis means you have to wait on the side of the road for another car to pass, and the constant ups and downs demand a great deal of concentration.
➡️Pourto compare rental prices, we recommend the RentalCars website. For example, you can collect your car fromAlesund airport. Remember to book in advance, and expect to pay around €50 per day on average.
How many days will it take to visit Tromdheim?
Of course, the ideal length of your visit to Trondheim depends on what you want to see and do.
We recommend staying 2 days to explore the city and surrounding area.
- D1 Visit the center of Tromdheim and its fjord in the afternoon
- D2 Take a road trip and explore the scenic Atlantic Highway in the southwest or Dovrefjell National Park.
When should you go to Trondheim? What’s the best season?
The best time to visit Trondheim depends on what you want to see and do. Trondheim, with its temperate maritime climate, offers unique experiences in every season.
Summer (June to August) offers the warmest temperatures and longest days, ideal for exploration and outdoor activities. This is the perfect time to enjoy the city to the full (average temperature: 12°C to 20°C.). September is also an interesting option, as temperatures will be a little cooler.
Trondheim in winter is also a good option. It’s the best time of year for winter activities like cross-country skiing and ice skating, to see the famous northern lights or stroll around the Christmas market.
We hope this article will help you plan your visit and take full advantage of all Trondheim has to offer. And who knows, maybe, like us, you’ll be captivated by the unique charm of this Norwegian city.
We really enjoyed writing this article. If you have any other suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment below. We spent 2 months in Norway, so check out our other articles about this incredible country.
Don’t hesitate to leave us a note or 5 stars below, to let us know if you’re planning this trip, to ask any questions you may have, below we’ll answer you with great pleasure. Vous pouvez consulter nos stories sur Instagram de notre voyage en Norvège, pour vous donner un avant gout de ce qui vous attend !
