About Flam
Flåm is a village in the Flåmsdalen valley, in Norway, with an estimated population of inhabitants numbered at 350 in 2014 and with almost 450,000 visitors every year, Flam since the 19th century, has been a popular tourist destination.
Outdoor Barbecue
Our cruise ship used to do a barbecue for the whole crew when in Flam. It is a great place for that, it has this picnic vibe, nature, the green, the air… The restaurant department would bring all food outside and all would look like a big Buffet area, with the huge cruise ship as background. It was a treat for us and a different way of enjoying our spare time. The day started with a sunny and clean skies.
I believe Norway as a country is an incredible place to visit, I wouldn’t say there is a city, or even villages as such not worth seeing, all Norway destinations we have been, we loved.
The Flam Railway
When in Flam our best advice to you, is to take the Flam railway. It has been described as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the whole world and a top tourist attraction. This magical journey will delight you with the western Norway stunning scenarios.
The 20.2 kilometers long railway between Flåm and Myrdal is considered one of the steepest railway tracks in 1 in 18 in the world, it also connects other cities in Norway like Oslo and Bergen.
The train trip should last around an hour and will pass through 20 tunnels. The railway was the main attraction, but we did not always have free time in this port, so we weren’t able to do it, never the less, that activity is still to be completed, as we intend to visit Norway on a personal vacation sometime.
Nearby path trails
On our few hours free, we did adventure ourselves into exploring Flam. We took some of the trails, just nearby where the ship stopped, nothing extraordinary but still got pretty nice views of our Ship from above. That is a great option if you haven’t got much time but still wanna experience great views. Those aren’t very long hikes and they give you an idea of what Flam is all about.
Brekkefossen waterfall
We also had the chance to go on a hike to see a waterfall called Brekkefossen. This point here was worth visiting in our opinion. It will require a few hours tough.
We reached there on foot, It is quite a long way to arrive at the track leading up to the waterfall, took us 30 minutes.
We didn’t mind the walk, the village still really nice, wooden houses and from far, you could see waterfalls coming from nowhere, you can’t see their start or ending point, it looks like they are coming from heaven.
Once you begin your hike, it is steep, also tiring I must say, but once you get to the waterfall, you have a panoramic view of the village. The waterfall is aside, more specifically on the left side looking to the city, it is not as tall but wide waterfall and you stand close to it. For us, as our first time doing this itinerary we really enjoyed Flam.
As a bonus, you also get a pretty cool panoramic view from up there
Flam Railway Museum
Big part of Flam’s history includes their 20 km railway. A result of 15 long years of hard work putted to build it, it’s nice to be able to see how all that work has paid off, especially if you had the chance to be in that magical train trip we spoke earlier on.
The museum is not very large and It is opened everyday from 9 am to 17pm. You can easily include on your tour list, It is also entrance free.
You will have opportunity to see an authentic El 9 locomotive, among other groups of pictures and artifacts.
Souvenir Shops and local supermarkets
Norway has beautiful viking looking souvenirs, the viking theme goes all over Norway of course, but I dig this Nordic vibe. I really liked the viking coffee mugs and Nordic boats, they make unique souvenirs. Flam had some big local shops and very good winter clothes. In Flam I bought a water prove Jacket, that is the one you will see me wearing on my pictures. I paid 70 dollars for it, but I am a happy customer. The jacket is good quality and I can use it during snow season back home.
Flam did not have big supermarkets near the ship. For us crew, sometimes we do like going for groceries shop to take some snacks back to the ship, but Flam is not really a place for that. Yet, I found many bakeries with good options of local pastries for a breakfast in the village.
Way of life
Norway, in general, is a memorable place for me. When walking around Flam we also encountered some residences with ships running freely in that green and beautiful land. Silence is a present thing here, the air is different, pure, I could hear my thoughts and truly connect with the environment.
It is amazing to see that people actually live like this and how blessed are those whose back yards are little pieces of heaven…
Conclusion
Rather you are a fan of nature or busy metropolitan cities, I know these green and peaceful scenarios will energize you and inspire you to continue discovering other places in Norway.
