Trøndelag · Norway
The old Viking capital in central Norway: the Catedral de Nidaros over the tomb of Santo Olavo, the old bridge, the colorful river warehouses on the Nidelva and the Bakklandet neighborhood.
In the photo: Nidarosdomen
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Get to know the place
Trondheim lies in central Norway, at the mouth of the Nidelva river, on the Trondheimsfjord. It was founded at the end of the 10th century as Nidaros and was the country’s capital during the Viking age and the early Middle Ages. It is the country’s third city, home to the main technical university and a compact center ringed by the river.
The town grew around the tomb of Olav II, the king who Christianized Norway, killed in battle in 1030 and soon declared a saint. The Catedral de Nidaros was built over the tomb — the largest medieval church in Scandinavia and the endpoint of the Caminho de Santo Olavo, a pilgrimage route that has been revived. Beside it, the Palácio do Arcebispo houses the Norwegian crown jewels.
On the other side of the river, the Gamle Bybro — the old wooden bridge with a red portal — leads to Bakklandet, a neighborhood of colorful wooden houses, cafés and cobbled streets, with a bicycle elevator on the slope. Along the Nidelva, the old stilted warehouses painted yellow, red and ochre form the city’s best-known image. In the center, the Stiftsgården, an 18th-century wooden palace, is a royal residence; above it, Kristiansten fortress overlooks everything.
Summers are usually mild with very long days; winters are cold, snowy, with around five hours of daylight in December.
This destination brings together 1 city: Trondheim.
One destination, many paths
Start with one city or combine several in your itinerary.
Contornos: © Kartverket (CC BY 4.0), divisas de 2024; costa via geoBoundaries. Adaptação do Cidade Turismo.
✈ Trondheim lufthavn, Værnes (TRD), in Stjørdal · 33 km to Trondheim
Check before booking. Værnes airport is about 33 km away, with train and buses to the center. From Oslo, the train via the Gudbrandsdalen valley or via Røros takes six to seven hours. The Hurtigruten calls at Trondheim.
The local experience
The Catedral de Nidaros, built over the tomb of Santo Olavo from 1070: a west facade of soapstone with dozens of statues, a Gothic nave, a rose window and the tower with views. Coronation site of Norwegian kings.
The Palácio do Arcebispo, next to the Catedral de Nidaros: a medieval stone residence housing the museum of the Norwegian crown jewels, the original statues from the cathedral, and the history of the archbishopric.
The old wooden bridge over the river Nidelva, with the red gateway called Portão da Felicidade, linking the center to Bakklandet, with views of the colorful warehouses on stilts.
The neighborhood of colorful wooden houses on the other side of the old bridge, with cobbled streets, cafés, bookshops and the Trampe bicycle lift on the slope of Brubakken.
The 18th-century wooden palace on Trondheim’s main street, one of the largest wooden buildings in northern Europe, the royal family’s official residence in the city, with guided tours in summer.
17th-century fortress on the hill east of Trondheim’s centre, with a white tower and open lawns offering views of Bakklandet, the river, the cathedral and the fjord.
The national museum of popular music in Norway, housed in an old warehouse on the Brattøra harbour covered by an illuminated box: rock, pop, electronic music and black metal, with studios for playing and recording.
Open-air museum west of the centre, on the ruins of King Sverre's castle, with more than 80 historic buildings from Trøndelag, a medieval wooden church and a 19th-century town street.
Before you go
A little planning leaves more time to enjoy the journey.
From May to September days are usually long and mild, with the river and Bakklandet’s terraces in use; at the end of July the Olavsfest, the festival of Santo Olavo, fills the city. Winter, from December to February, typically brings snow, below-zero temperatures and about five to six hours of daylight.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Two days are enough for the cathedral, the Palácio do Arcebispo, Bakklandet, the river warehouses and Kristiansten. With three days you can add Rockheim, the Sverresborg open-air museum and the Stiftsgården in summer.
The center, between the cathedral, the market square and the port, is the most practical base, everything within walking distance. Bakklandet, across the old bridge, has guesthouses and apartments in wooden houses. The area around the central station and Brattøra is close to the Hurtigruten and the trains.
Take your trash with you, follow the signs and support local businesses. In natural areas, follow the visiting guidelines.
Get your questions answered
Two days for the cathedral, Bakklandet and Kristiansten; three to include Rockheim and Sverresborg.
By train in six to seven hours, or by domestic flight of about one hour. The train via Gudbrandsdalen passes Lillehammer and Dombås.
No. The center is walkable, and buses and the Gråkallen tram cover the neighborhoods.
The medieval pilgrimage route that ends at the Catedral de Nidaros, which has been revitalized in recent decades and is walked from Oslo and from Sweden.
They can appear on clear nights from September to March, but are more common further north, in Tromsø and the Lofoten.
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