A Family Holiday in Norway

• INDEX
• Celebrations
• The Christmas Tree in  Trafalgar Square
• Coastal Norway
• Coolest Riviera
• Off Their Mooseheads
• An Epic
• Family Holiday
• Save with Ryanair
• Trolls
• Vikings
• The Sami
• Stave Churches

From the moment we stepped on board Fjord Line's ship MS Jupiter, I knew we had made the right choice. The children were kept occupied for the whole of the 24 hour journey and the travelling became very much part of the holiday as we started to unwind and make use of the excellent facilities on board.

On arrival the following day we drove one and a half hours to the resort of Voss, which was to be our base for the next seven nights. Fleischers Hotel offers superb facilities including a children's playroom and large swimming pool with a smaller children's pool - ideal for families. Voss is a lively town, located right in the heart of the fjord area and set on a lake with spectacular views all around. Better known as a ski resort, the cable car to the top of the mountain is open throughout the summer and provided a wonderful afternoon's entertainment for the children. We went up for a walk and wathced the paragliders jumping from Mount Hangur - you can even book to take a tandem jump yourself if you are feeling brave. After that we stopped for an ice cream in the cafe at the top, basking in the sunshine and marvelling at the stunning views.

A must for all first time visitors to Norway is the day trip "Norway in a Nutshell", which takes place in the highlights of the fjord region, travelling by train, boat and bus. You pass thundering waterfalls, peaceful villages and such spectacular scenery that you soon run out of superlatives - and camera film! The tour includes the famous Flåm railway - a 45 minute journey of sheer unadulterated exhilaration. At one point the gradient is an unbelievable on metre in 18 and the panorama that unfolds takes your breath away.

As with everywhere we went, we found that children were welcomed in the hotel restaurant and there were special menus for them too. Jack and Lucy stayed up for dinner with us one night but the most of the time we foud they were just too tired and were happy to fall in to bed at 6pm! The hotel offered a listening service from the telephone in the room. If the girl at reception heard any noise she bleeped us - it was a very simlpe device and completely effective. It also meant that we could enjoy long leisurley evenings in the restaurant and bar!