What We Did:
We visited the city of Trondheim for a day. The third largest city in Norway, weighing in at a whopping population of 180,000! It barely counts as a city in U.S. standards, but it sure is beautiful. Home to the biggest cathedral in Scandanavia, the Nidarosdomen Cathedral, it also served as the capital of Norway during the Viking era. The Cathedral was definitely the architectural highlight, but the size and feeling of such a small bustling city was also pleasant.
We rode the train in with Sandra and Adria, our fellow workers at the homestead back in Mosvik. After arriving in the city we started walking to the main square and arrived in about ten minutes. The size of this city makes in incredibly walkable. We saw many of the sights before lunch. Just because we finished them that soon didn’t mean they were lacking in beauty or quantity. We saw the huge Nidarosmen Cathedral, the Kristiansten Fortress historically used to protect the city, the Nidelva River lined with colorful buildings, The Old Town Bridge, and The Armoury, a museum about Norway’s Military History. It’s full of great content about a lot of things we never knew. In a square next to the cathedral we participated in a free archery lesson. We definitely recommend the walk up the hill the to Kristiansten Fortress, it has a great view of the city and surrounding area.
After checking out these sights we were off to get a burger at Superhero Burger. The prices of burgers throughout Norway are notoriously high but were the cheapest we could find at 135 NOK ($17) for just the burger. Because of this we were a little skeptical, but they turned out to be rather delicious!
We then headed out to Munkholmen Island by ferry. The ferry tickets were 80 NOK per person for a round trip. Originally used for Viking executions, it was then turned into a monestary, then a prison, and now a beautiful park. It was great to be out on the water and see the city from that angle. Once we arrived we saw the beautiful grass, great beach, and incredible swimming that we wish we could have taken more advantage of. We dipped our feet in but our ignorance during planning didn’t include swimming. If you get the chance to visit and the weather will be nice, definitely plan time for the water. We were unaware of the great swimming there and regret not knowing about it.
We returned from the island after enjoying the sun for a bit and walked to the Solsiden Center; an old industrial area transformed into a shopping mall and higher end restaurants. A great place for people watching and getting drinks with friends on outdoor patios.
After this, we finally headed back to the train station to ride back to Røra. All in all this was a great city to walk through and see everything it had to offer.
Other Suggestions:
Trondheim is an incredibly walkable city. It’s foot print is tiny and it will only take you fifteen to twenty minutes to walk to either side. If the weather is nice, we definitely recommend bringing beach gear, as there are lots of opportunities for swimming in Trondheimsfjord.
- Ringve Museum: Historical instruments, located within botanical gardens as well. A bit outside the city, but well worth it I’m sure.
- Rockheim: A pop music museum close to the train station
- Tyholttarnet: A great view from a high point and tower in the city
- Erkebispergarden: The Archbishop’s palace
- Vitensenteret i Trondheim: A science museum in Trondheim
- The Jewish Museum: A museum about Jewish culture in Trondheim