Trondheim - Norway

The Nidaros cathedral is the most famous and honoured cathedral of Norway. It is built over the grave of St. Olav who is considered to be the first Christian of Norway. Work on the cathedral began in 1035 and was completed in the 1300’s. Its famous facade is decorated with statues, ornaments and the signature rose window. Make sure to visit this cathedral when you are in Trondheim, because this is the main highlight.

Check out the world’s first and only bicycle lift in Trondheim. Locals use it to get up the steep hill from Gamle Bybro to Kristiansten Fort up the hill. It is very easy to use. Place your right foot on the lift’s start station, make sure to keep it straight and the lift does the rest. You can even try it yourself! Pick up a bicycle and lift card at the Trondheim’s tourist information.

Next to the Nidaros cathedral you will find the Archbishop’s Palace. This is where the archbishop resided from the 12th century onwards. Today is one of Trondheim’s best preserved buildings which houses the Palace Museum and Armoury museum. One of the highlights of the museum is Norway’s crown jewels.

Sverresborg is Trondheim’s open air museum and one of the Norway’s best folk museums. You will find an outdoor museum displaying typical historical wooden buildings and artefacts from Trondheim. This is all located around King Sverre’s medieval castle. Together with the telegraph and telephone museum, farms and stave church it is a great museum to explore. Find it 3 km’s out of town.

This bridge is also known as Likens portal or Gate of Hapiness. It was constructed in the 17th century and served as the town’s main entrance back in the days. Today it is a famous landmark.

This is Norway’s national museum for music and musical instruments. The collection is housed in a beautiful 18th century building and surrounded by the Ringve Botanical Gardens. Find this museum just out of town. See map above for its exact location.

Bakklandet is Trondheim’s old quarter from the 17th century. Today it is one of the nicest neighbourhoods of Trondheim where you can explore the many local shops and restaurants. You will also find the “Trampe” here: Norway’s first and only bicycle lift.

The river that runs all the way through Trondheim is the Nidelva river. It is 30 km long and it ends in Trondheim where it empties into the Trondheim fjord. When you walk through the town of Trondheim and you come across this river, make sure to check out the many historical wooden houses along its river side.

Cruise ships often dock at Trondheim’s cruise dock also known as the “Tourist pier 68”. You will find a couple of facilities on the dock like tourist information. The dock is approximately 1 km from the city center. Read our full Trondheim cruise port guide for all the information. Perhaps the best way to explore the city of Trondheim is by foot. The city centre is a 15 minute walk from Trondheim’s cruise port. There are lots of things to see and explore in the pedestrian streets of Trondheim and when you want to rest your feet for a bit you can always pop into one of the many coffee shops for some coffee and Norwegian waffles.