With seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, over 1000 protected areas, including 17 national parks, over 900 nature reserves, and 67 protected landscapes areas, Norway has an abundance of unspoilt nature and culture to offer. Three of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites are situated on the west coast; Bryggen in Bergen , Urnes Stave Church in Sogn og Fjordane, the Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord.

Bergen

With it's own airport 2.5 hours from London , Bergen 's relaxed atmosphere, stunning positioning and vibrant cultural life, is the perfect place to enjoy a mix of a cosmopolitan city-break and the outdoors, with easy access to the fjords. One of nine European cities honored with the title European City of Culture in 2000, Bergen also belongs to the exclusive group of cities listed by UNESCO as part of the world heritage, through its characteristic old wooden waterfront, Bryggen - the Hanseatic Wharf . Situated on the Western coast, between 7 mountains, Bergen acts as a starting point for numerous tours and cruises and is aptly named the 'gateway to the fjords'.

Alesund

Now widely recognised as Norway 's most beautiful town, Alesund's distinctive Art Nouveau style with myriad turrets, spires and beautiful ornamentation was built as a consequence of a great fire in 1904, which destroyed the entire city centre. Today, the town is an attractive destination for visitors with a varied cultural scene and exciting cafes, restaurants and shops and is accessible direct from the UK in under 3 hours.

In the municipality of Sunnmore on the western coast, from Alesund you have access to countless natural and cultural destinations and attractions, including the world-famous Geirangerfjord with its untamed waterfalls cascading down precipitous mountainsides, and thousands of small islands where you can enjoy a range of activities from bird-watching to camping to sunbathing on white beaches.

Geiranger- and Nærøy -fjord

The Nærøyfjord and Geirangerfjord areas are considered to be among the most outstanding fjord areas on the planet. Situated in south-western Norway, north-east of Bergen, Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, set 120 km from one another, are part of the west Norwegian fjord landscape, which stretches from Stavanger in the south to Andalsnes, 500 km to the north-east. The two fjords, among the world's longest and deepest, are considered as archetypical fjord landscapes and among the most scenically outstanding anywhere. Their exceptional natural beauty is derived from their narrow and steep-sided crystalline rock walls that rise up to 1,400 m from the Norwegian Sea and extend 500 m below sea level. The sheer walls of the fjords have numerous waterfalls while free-flowing rivers cross their deciduous and coniferous forests to glacial lakes, glaciers and rugged mountains. The landscape features a range of supporting natural phenomena, both terrestrial and marine, such as submarine moraines and marine mammals. Remnants of old and now mostly abandoned transhumant farms add a cultural aspect to the dramatic natural landscape that complements and adds human interest to the area.