Things To Do in Flam

Flåm is an excellent starting point for car or boat excursions to other well-known centers on the Sognefjord, Europe's longest and deepest fjord. Worth exploring are two of the wildest and most beautiful fingers of the Sognefjord: the Næroyfjord and the Aurlandsfjord. Ask at the tourist office about a summer-only cruise from Flåm to both fjords. From Flåm by boat, you can disembark in Gudvangen or Aurland and continue by bus. Alternatively, you can return to Flåm by train.

There are also a number of easy walks in the Flåm district. If time is limited, make that walk along the banks of the Aurlandsfjord, leaving the "day-trippers" and the crass souvenirs in the center of Flåm far behind. The setting along the shoreline supports apple orchards, little hamlets, a fisherman's cottage here and there, and farmland where you can sometimes stop in and buy freshly picked fruit.

A map with detailed information is available from the tourist office for NOK60 ($12/£6).

One of the biggest gift shops in Norway, attracting mainly train passengers, is Saga Souvenirs (tel. 57-11-00-11). Here you'll find all those regional products visitors like to haul away from Norway and take back home. There's an excellent selection of knitwear, along with jewelry and the inevitable trolls.