It was day three on our MSC Euribia Norwegian fjords cruise, and we got the news that due to high winds we wouldn’t be able to stop in Nordfjordeid. Whenever you cruise you need to be prepared for the unexpected. For a cruise line making sure you have a perfect trip is one of their priorities, but their main one is safety. When the seas become less favourable, cruise lines can sometimes change the itinerary and that means missing out on a port that you thought you would be going to. This can be disappointing but does lead to some unexpected treats…like Olden.
Olden was a few miles further down the fjord and from what we could tell was a smaller port. I’d heard of it before but as we weren’t scheduled to stop I hadn’t done my research. But the views from up on deck as we pulled in were spectacular… It was going to be a great day.
You get your first look of the town (about a 15-minute walk away from the dock) as you sail in, with the impressive valley rising up around you, tempting you to walk up. As we got off, thanks to the October rains, many people ran straight to the souvenir shop opposite, but, with trusty umbrellas in hand ,we walked on past quaint houses and into the town.
The town is not very big, has a few outlet shops selling essentials for outdoor activities at very reasonable prices (for Norway). The Yris Cafe and restaurant is nearby, where we saw a lot of our fellow passengers and crew enjoying coffees and meals. Next door is a bridge over the river Oldeelav, a fantastic photo spot where we caught more adventurous people kayaking (an option you can try during most of the season).
We carried on up the valley, passing a number of the village’s houses and the main school before the town disappears and a picturesque valleys landscape appears. Every 100-or-so metres there’s something new to see, be it the red-panelled Olden Church or one of many traditional farmhouses.
Who’s visiting Olden this year?
Olden will be a port of call on many of the major lines including MSC, P&O, Cunard, Celebrity and Princess.
When’s best to visit?
Norwegian Fjord season starts early Spring and ends around November. Summer is peak season, where the late evening sun allows for beautiful scenic cruising and favourable weather for exploring. During autumn, the rains create dramatic scenery but a brolly and waterproofs are a must!
The road leading up the valley is narrow so do be mindful, especially when the excursion coaches go past. The sides of the valleys, lush in foliage, are covered in small waterfalls adding to the overall ambience. And as the mists roll quickly, each time you pass through the view could be quite different. About a mile up the road from the town, we could hear the rumble of the Laukifossen waterfall at the mouth of the Floen lake.
As we’ve come to expect from a Norwegian fjords cruise, the scenery was just stunning. We spent another hour wandering around the area to take in the views, nature and wonder just how people get to the small huts we could see lining the mountainside. At this point we needed to return to the ship, but if we had continued on more lakes, falls and views would have awaited us. And just 13.5 miles away from the town is the Briksdalsbreen Glacier lookout – which we’ll head to next time we visit.
If you’re travelling to Olden, chances are you’ll be able to book this as an included excursion with your cruise line, or you could take an excursion to the nearby town of Loen with its cable car and nearby Kjenndal Glacier. When planning your excursions, as always, make sure that you have a good variety of trip types spread across your entire voyage. Walking back to the ship, the sun came out, and it was like we were in a different place altogether. Looking back, we’re glad that we got a chance to stop in Olden, not having planned what to do enabled us just to enjoy the area around us.
