Norway Bike Tour

Meet your guides in Ålesund for a short transfer to a peaceful ferry port; even before our first mile, the views are unimaginable. Get fitted to your bike and begin the week’s first fjord ride, following a ribbon of pavement along the mountainous shore of the Hjørundfjord. Tiny farms and settlements cling to the slopes, defying gravity and the elements—a testament to Norwegian persistence and resourcefulness. At lunchtime, a local family hosts us at their farm. After a warm welcome to this whimsical corner of the world, our hosts take us by boat to the end of the fjord. From there, continue cycling to our Relais & Châteaux manor in the village of Øye. The setting alongside Norangsfjord is beyond your wildest imagination, and it’s easy to understand why this hotel has attracted renowned and royal visitors since 1891.

Meals: Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Solavågen, Store Standal, Trandal, Øye
Accomplished: 22 miles / 36 km, elevation gain: 1,158 feet / 353 meters
Shorter Option: 14 miles / 23 km, elevation gain: 728 feet / 222 meters
Accommodations: Union Øye

Even the light in Norway feels peaceful: wake to the sun filtering through mountain mist, then fuel up with a hearty breakfast. First, we cross the fjord by ferry and pedal up a valley punctuated by the occasional red barn or idyllic farmstead. Our route unfurls up and over two mountain passes and crosses into the next valley before winding along the Austefjorden. Arrive in a tiny village—population 12—to rendezvous with our local friend and sommelier. We’ll spend the early afternoon gathering mussels together in the pristine waters of the fjord, then enjoy them paired with some beautiful selections from her cellar. After lunch, a private boat ride brings us back to the hotel. Tonight’s dinner is another seasonal feast from land and sea, expertly prepared by the chef at Union Øye.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Sæbø, Vatne, Viddal
Accomplished: 40 miles / 65 km, elevation gain: 3,424 feet / 1,044 meters
Shorter Option: 27 miles / 44 km, elevation gain: 2,512 feet / 766 meters
Accommodations: Union Øye

Today we’ll ride and dine across the Sunnmøre region, beginning on a gradual mountain pass that departs right behind our hotel. Pedal past alpine lakes and stone structures once used for shelter by local shepherds, then pull off to admire the view of majestic Geirangerfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At lunchtime, we reach a cheese and cider farm situated in a quiet valley, where the ninth-generation farmers offer a look into Norwegian cultural history and culinary traditions. After lunch, explore the fjord by boat with a local captain aboard to share his insight. At the end of the fjord, choose to ride all the way to our next hotel or transfer to settle in sooner. This property—which was practically its own character in the HBO show Succession—is architecturally daring, yet it artfully blends local materials into its natural surroundings. An early evening walk with the chef serves as both an orientation to the landscape and an opportunity to forage for wild herbs and mushrooms that will appear in tonight’s dinner.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Hellesylt, Stranda, Valldal
Accomplished: 29 miles / 49 km, elevation gain: 2,335 feet / 712 meters
Longer Option: 42 miles / 67 km, elevation gain: 3,697 feet / 1,127 meters
Accommodations: Juvet Landscape Hotel or Valldal Fjordhotell

As it happens, our hotel is located at the base of Norway’s most famous road: the Trollstigen is an engineering marvel and a cyclist’s dream, with switchbacks snaking up a cliff face and crossing back and forth over a dramatic waterfall. We’ll climb the “Troll’s Road” from the back side, riding through forests and entering a bare alpine landscape. At the top, take a moment to appreciate the view before enjoying an unbelievably fun descent. Our adrenaline follows us to lunch in the village of Åndalsnes, where we meet a local fisherman who proudly shares his morning catch. Check into our final hotel, designed to emulate the classic Norwegian family cabin.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Trollstigen, Åndalsnes, Innfjorden
Accomplished: 25 miles / 40 km, elevation gain: 2,719 feet / 829 meters
Longer Option: 47 miles / 75 km, elevation gain: 4,067 feet / 1,240 meters
Accommodations: Storfjord Hotel

With the big mountains behind us, we’ll lean into the pace of local life and the rolling terrain along Norway’s inlets. Opt for a longer or shorter loop, pedaling in and out of small bays, onto headlands, and past colorful boathouses. Our destination is a sleepy farm where our friend Björn is eager to show us the meaning of Norwegian hospitality: he welcomes us into his home to sample a selection of local beers and delicacies, regaling us all the while with the best local gossip and lore. This evening we’ll make the most of the midsummer evening, watching the light slowly dim over the fjords as we wind down our final evening in this special place.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations: Tennfjord, Helland, Skodje
Accomplished: 24 miles / 38 km, elevation gain: 1,817 feet / 554 meters
Longer Option: 45 miles / 73 km, elevation gain: 3,247 feet / 990 meters
Accommodations: Storfjord Hotel

If you wish, there will be time this morning for a final spin along the coast. Your guides will arrange a transfer into Ålesund or the Ålesund airport in Vigra and send you off to your next destination.

Meals: Breakfast
Destinations: Ålesund