Last fall, we sent Minnesota Monthly’s editor on one of our six-day voyages! The journey took her down the bustling fjord-side city of Bergen, covering over 1,000 miles of coastline. Read on below for a three-day preview of the beautiful trip.
Day 1
When I entered my cabin on the MS Polarlys, I was greeted by a large window offering stunning views of the fjord we were embarking from. On the bed was a sign highlighting Hurtigruten’s Green Stay initiative, encouraging guests to reuse towels and sheets to save water, energy, and detergent, a direct reflection of the company’s dedication to environmental responsibility. In perhaps its most ambitious project, titled Sea Zero, Hurtigruten aims to create a zero-emission ship by 2030.
By 4 p.m., night had already fallen over the quiet town of Vardø as we docked in its harbor. From the Polarlys’ sundeck, I took in views of colorful homes, fishing boats, and a tall chapel. The town, founded in 1789, is Norway’s oldest northern settlement, the easternmost in Scandinavia, and the only town situated in the Arctic climate zone. We wandered the peaceful streets to the Vardøhus Fortress, the northernmost military fort in the world. The site, dating back to 1300, now hosts annual snowball fights and ceremonial salutes, bringing life to this remote, Arctic town.
Adobe Stock: Steinar Skaar / Statens vegvesen
Day 2
The next morning, we docked in the world’s northernmost town—Hammerfest, a winter wonderland where polar bear tracks guide visitors to key sites, including Mount Salen and the Royal Polar Bear Society. Though real polar bears don’t roam here, the town adopted the bear as its mascot to symbolize its inhabitants’ Arctic strength. I followed the tracks to the town’s chapel, which was modeled to resemble a fish drying rack, and later to the Fuglenes lighthouse, where World War II-era museums reveal Northern Norway’s resilient post-war recovery.
Back on the Polarlys, we enjoyed a chef-prepared dinner that offered an authentic dive into Arctic cuisine, featuring cured reindeer, oven-baked trout, and cloudberry cheesecake. Our ship eventually docked in the starlit city of Tromsø, and our coastal experience team took us on one of my favorite excursions of the whole journey. One-by-one, our group filed inside the wooden yellow cathedral, a neo-Gothic-style structure built in 1861 with timber from nearby Målselv. We were greeted by a trio of local musicians — a soprano, flutist and pianist who perform regular midnight concerts for the Hurtigruten passengers passing through Tromsø. The acoustics were breathtaking, leaving us with lingering melodies as we returned to the ship.
Adobe Stock
Day 3
“Our captain has announced that we’re heading into Trollfjorden,” the overhead speakers blared as the MS Polarlys cut through the calm waters of the Raftsundet Strait. Surrounded by towering, snow-capped peaks, we sailed into the narrow fjord, its blue waters steeped in Norse legend. It was easy to see why this scenery has been the inspiration behind countless works of art, its Arctic landscape nearly otherworldly. Inside, the captain executed a perfect 180-degree turn and sailed back the way we came. Though no trolls stirred, the journey felt like stepping into a fairytale.
Later that evening, we docked in Solvær and took a short bus ride to Hov Hestegård, a seaside farm with views of Mount Hov. Though it was dark when we arrived, the night was illuminated by the glow of the northern lights, painting the sky in shades of pink and green. Saddled up aboard Mist, a calm Icelandic horse, we trotted along the beach and up into the hills, comforted by the steady sounds of hooves and crashing waves. Holding Mist’s horseshoe back on the Polarlys that night (which had been gifted to me as a souvenir), I felt there was no better way I could’ve experienced the beauty of Lofoten.
Photo by Emma Enebak
