Bordeaux, France

Just north of the Arctic circle, the city of Bodø chases the lights of the Aurora Borealis. Follow your local guide to discover its most dynamic side, from the town hall to the cathedral, the verdant Solparken and the city's street art. The cherry - or rather, the chocolate - on the cake? A snack featuring little works of art in pastry, in a true paradise of chocolate.

• Walk through Bodø
• cathedral; city hall; Solparken; Stormen library; murals: external visits
• Artisan chocolate snack at Craig Alibone Pâtisserie

• Take a stroll with your local guide past the symbolic sights of Bodø, and discover its transformation from a small village to an ever-changing city inside the Arctic Circle.
• It'll hit you as soon as you see the cathedral: once destroyed by bombing, it now has a new state-of-the-art bell tower that creates plays of light and shadow across its 36 meter height.
• Did you know that at the right time of year, you can see the Northern Lights here? This is why so many buildings are such strange shapes. Like the geometric facade of the town hall, which captures colors and rays of sunlight in ever new ways, and the tall, narrow windows of the Stormen library.
• The light show continues at the fountain of Solparken, while the customs building takes you back to Bodø's past. But only for a short while: the graffiti that is dotted throughout the city brings you right back to the present.
• Fancy a break for a sweet treat? In the chocolate paradise created by British chef Craig Alibone, every creation is handcrafted and finished down to the tiniest detail. Beware: with so many colors and surprising flavors, it'll be hard to choose!

• Wear comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for the experience.

• Guided walk on the trails around Bodø surrounded by nature
• Majestic mountains, rugged coastline, clear waters
• Sites of historic and cultural interest: Viking tombs, a Second World War prison camp and the outdoor coastal museum

• We get ready to embark on a different experience than usual - a unique excursion that enables us to discover what the Norwegians traditionally call “Friluftsliv”, i.e. life in the fresh air. This means not only activities in the open-air surrounded by nature in all seasons, but it is a true philosophy, a question of identity, a sense of belonging and pride, a lifestyle in harmony with the rhythms of nature, total devotion to the environment.
• Thanks to its geographical position, Bodø, a “green lung” along one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, is perfect for the “Friluftsliv” experience.
• Together with expert guides, we venture on a reinvigorating stroll through the surroundings of Bodø along trails immersed in nature along the rugged coast and surrounded by majestic mountains and clear seas that stimulate our senses and convey a pleasant sensation of peace and tranquillity. If necessary, we are also given walking sticks to better tackle the itinerary.
• During our walk, we also get the chance to admire sites of great historic and cultural interest such as Viking tombs, a Second World War prisoner camp and an open-air coastal museum that contribute to making this experience truly memorable.

• We recommend wearing suitable shoes, a jacket and a scarf.
• This excursion is not recommended for guests with limited mobility.

• Ferry transfer from Festvåg to Misten 
• Kjerringøy Trading Post Museum
• Clip on trading activities and everyday life in Kjerringøy

• Our adventure starts at the Bodø jetty, where we get on a coach that drives across lovely scenery as far as  Kjerringøy approximately 40 km north of Bodø - to reach it, we go on a short ferry transfer from Festvåg to Misten. 
• The trading site is a true historic gem that is very well preserved and surrounded by a breathtaking scenery. It dates back to the late 18th century and it nestles among the mountains protected by the open sea by a series of islets. It is easy to see how this tranquil peninsula lapped by the turquoise waters and surrounded by high granite peaks is one of the favourite locations for Norwegian directors. Various films based on Knut Hamsun’s novels were shot here, including “Benoni og Rosa”. 
• The emporium and 15 buildings part of the complex were erected towards the end of the 1700s, but trade increased and became profitable only towards the late 1800s. Kjerringøy traders salted and dried the fish purchased in the Lofoten islands and elsewhere in order to transport it by sea to Bergen and return with a load of food, tools and other products to be sold in the emporium. Year after year, they created the busiest trading hub in Nordland. 
• We then visit the small shop to see a clip on the trading activities and everyday life in Kjerringøy.

• This excursion is conducted partly by coach and partly by ferry. 
• The clip on Kjerringøy will be shown in English.

• Panoramic tour from Bodø to Engen 
• Svartisen glacier

• We start our panoramic tour from Bodø on a coach headed south-west to Engen. On the way there, we have the chance to admire the coast between the two cities which, just like the entire northern Norwegian coast, is dotted with countless picturesque fjords. 
• The abundance of fish inhabiting the waters around Bodø including cods, pollocks, seawolves and halibuts. 
• As we stop to take a few photos, we have the chance to admire the Svartisen, an ancient glacier located north of the Arctic Circle. However, what we see is just a small part of it, as the Svartisen is the second largest glacier in Norway after Jostedal and is actually made up of two glaciers: Vestre Svartisen and Østre Svartisen. It is part of the Saltfjellet-Svartisen national park in Nordland. 
• Located at only 20 metres above sea level, it is also the deepest glacier in continental Europe, making it easily accessible for walking excursions and experiences in direct contact with nature. The name “Svartisen” literally means “black glacier” and it is in fact known by the locals as “Black Ice Glacier”. There are various hypotheses on the origin of its name, but the most popular concerns it colour though, rather than black, it actually presents blue hues. The more the snow becomes compressed, the darker its colour, ranging from light blue to deeper nuances. 
• After a delicious lunch, we continue our coach tour and head back to Bodø.

• The excursion includes a coach journey of approximately 5 hours in total. 
• This excursion is not recommended for guests with limited mobility.

An unmissable thrilling inflatable boat excursion to observe a truly unique natural phenomenon: the Saltstraumen vortex (“mälström”), considered the largest in the world. A spectacular sight just waiting to be photographed!

• Guided tour near Bodø, inflatable boat excursion to Saltstraumen to admire the mälström

• We start our excursion and get divided into two groups: the first reaches Saltstraumen Strait by coach after a guided tour near Bodø, while the other gets on a rigid inflatable boat for an excursion in a natural setting of rare beauty. We then meet up near the Saltstraumen Visitor Centre where we switch.
• Of course, before boarding the boat, we are provided all the equipment necessary (thermal suit, life vest, helmet, gloves and safety glasses), detailed safety instructions and a few information on the thrilling adventure that awaits us.
• Once at the Saltstraumen Strait, we admire a truly unique natural phenomenon: the mälström, i.e. a sudden strong water vortex that forms in this area and even manages to suck down ships. Due to the tides, every 6 hours, four times a day, over 400 million cubic metres of water flow through a passage that is 150 metres wide, 3 km long and 25 metres deep generating currents that reach a maximum speed of around 15 knots. The powerful whirlpool can reach a diameter of 10 metres and be 5 metres deep.

• This excursion includes an English or German speaking guide on the boat.
• The boat transfer takes approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Capacity per boat: 12.
• It is recommend you wear warm clothing and suitable shoes.
• All participants are provided with suit, safety glasses, gloves and helmet.
• This excursion is not recommended for guests who suffer from sea sickness or those with mobility, back or heart problems.
• The Saltstraumen vortex may not be reachable at the peak of the tide.
• We are bound by the timetable set by the local operator, which is communicated to the ship the day prior to the excursion depending on the different language options required. As such, we are unable to make changes to the excursion timetable.
• Minimum age of six years

• Tour of picturesque Bodø
• Norwegian Aviation Museum with military and civilian period aircraft
• Bodin church with onion-shaped dome: outside visit
• Rønvikfjellet viewpoint with 360° views of Bodø and the surroundings

• We leave the port behind us and get ready to discover the lively and picturesque city of Bodø on the northern shore of Saltfjorden just north of the Arctic Circle. The city was founded in 1816 as an alternative to Bergen for commercial fishing activities and herring in particular. On 27th May 1940, during the Second World War, Bodø was heavily bombed and razed to the ground by the Germans. Its reconstruction only ended in 1959 and changed the city completely.
• Today, Bodø has a population of about 46,500 (in 2009) and is a busy trading hub as well as the administrative centre of Nordland county. It is known as the “City of the Sea Eagle” due to the strong presence of white-tailed eagles and, due to its position north of the Arctic Circle and provides visitors with the chance of experiencing the midnight sun in summer (June 2nd - July 10th) and the polar night in winter (December 15th-29th).
• Our first stop is at the Norwegian Aviation Museum displaying numerous period examples of military and civilian aircraft covering an area of 10,000 sq metres. From the main road, we immediately spot the building's unique modern grey outline with tinted windows and looking like a giant propeller. Inaugurated in 1994 as the National Museum of Norway, it is now visited by over 40,000 people a year and displays many aircraft dating back to the Second World War such as the famous Spitfire fighter, Canadair CF-104 Starfighter, bomber Junkers JU 88 and surveillance aircraft U2 as well as other famous models such as JU 52, Twin Otter and F28.
• We continue our tour and reach the church of Bodin, a lovely stone church with an onion-shaped dome located approximately 3 km from the centre. Built originally around 1240, it is the oldest building in Bodø. The exterior was considerably altered during the Lutheran Reform, which also added the bell tower, while the interior was embellished with a series of Baroque elements in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Renaissance pulpit dates back to 1650 while the Baroque altar, one of the church treasures, was made in 1670. The nave was added in 1784, though the Medieval part of the church was demolished in 1894 and a replica was then rebuilt.
• We leave the church of Bodin behind us and head to the third and last stop on our excursion - the Rønvikfjellet viewpoint located 2 km from the city centre and 164 metres above sea level. This peak, which offers lovely 360° views of Bodø and its surroundings, is named after Wilhelm II, the German Emperor and King of Prussia who visited it in 1899 and, every summer, it provides a wonderful setting for live music evenings.

The ideal tour to admire two of the most interesting sights in Bodø: the Norwegian Aviation Museum with its exceptional collection of planes and helicopters and the famous Saltstraumen vortex , which will leave us truly breathless.

• Norwegian Aviation Museum in Bodø
• "The mälström": sudden huge water vortex 

• The first stop on our tour involves a visit to the famous Norwegian Aviation Museum in Bodø, one of the largest of this kind in northern Europe visited by over 40,000 people every year. The museum is located in a building resembling a sort of giant propeller and boast a collection of over 40 aircrafts of historical interest that retrace the history of Norwegian aviation in around 10,000 sq m.
• The numerous civilian and military planes and helicopters include the famous Supermarine Spitfire LF.MK.IXe, a single-seater fighter symbol of the Second World War, the Canadian Canadair CF-104 Starfighter, German bomber Junkers Ju 88 A-4 and US surveillance aircraft Lockheed U-2. We can also admire multi-purpose crafts such as the German Junkers Ju 52/3m, the Canadian De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter and the Dutch Fokker F28 1000 Fellowship.
• What is more, we have the chance of visiting the control tower to enjoy a lovely view of the city and of the aviation field and to see air traffic up close.
• After visiting the museum, we will see the "mälström", a sudden huge water vortex that forms due to the tide and is considered the largest in the world. Every 6 hours, four times a day, over 400 million cubic metres of water flow through a passage that is 150 metres wide, 3 km long and 25 metres deep creating currents that reach a maximum speed of around 15 knots. The powerful whirlpool can reach a diameter of 10 metres and be 5 metres deep.

• Visibility of the Saltstraumen vortex is not guaranteed.
• Guests will have some free time to visit the museum at leisure.

Set off towards the edge of the Arctic, where the Arctic Circle awaits you for a photo stop to mark your journey. Continue towards the Nasjonalpark Center: explore the exhibition on the nature, wildlife and culture of the north and, if you have time, warm up with a coffee around the fire. Finish off your experience with lunch at Nordnes Camping and enjoy the scenic return journey as you take one last glimpse of the far north. The Arctic is not just there to be looked at: you've got to experience it.

• Photo stop as you cross into the Arctic Circle
• Visit to the Nasjonalpark Center
• Lunch at Nordnes Camping

Set off and head straight for the far north, along roads that wind through harsh mountain terrain, silent forests and seemingly endless spaces. Your first conquest is the Arctic Circle: stop, get off and snap a picture of one of the most fascinating places on the planet.

Then it's time to continue your journey as you head to the Nasjonalpark Center, the key to understanding the real heart of this land. Step inside the exhibition and discover how the fauna, geology and traditions coexist in an extreme yet harmonious balance. If the weather is playing ball, you can even enjoy a cup of coffee in front of the campfire: crackling wood, cold air and a unique atmosphere.

Then set off again for Nordnes Camping, where a simple, authentic hot lunch awaits you. After savoring the north to the full, relax on your return journey from a day that combines nature, culture and magic. You're leaving, sure...but you're taking a little piece of the Arctic with you.

• Saltstraumen strait
• Mälström

• We leave the port of Bodø behind us and head out on a 40-minute transfer takes us to Saltstraumen strait, which separates Saltfjorden from Skjerstad Fjord among the islands of Straumøya and Knaplundsøya and is crossed by a bridge.
• Once at the Strait, we admire a truly unique natural phenomenon: the mälström, i.e. a sudden strong water vortex that forms in this area and even manages to suck down ships.
• Every 6 hours, four times a day, over 400 million cubic metres of water flow through a passage that is 150 metres wide, 3 km long and 25 metres deep creating currents that reach a maximum speed of around 15 knots. The powerful whirlpool can reach a diameter of 10 metres and be 5 metres deep.
• In addition, the stronger the influence of the tide, the stronger the mälström, which reaches its peak when there is a full moon.
• After this fantastic experience and with the images of the strength of nature still in our minds, we return to Bodø and to the ship.