Flåm

Flåm sits at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjord, a branch of the Sognefjord, Norway's longest and deepest. Ships usually dock at the pier, though larger ones may tender. The village is tiny: a cluster of painted wooden buildings around the harbour. The main attraction is the Flåm Railway, which climbs 900 metres in 20 kilometres through spiral tunnels and past the Kjosfossen waterfall, where the train stops for photos. The free Flåmsbana Museum covers the railway's construction history. A fjord cruise on the Nærøyfjord, a UNESCO-listed side branch with 1,000-metre cliffs, is the other big excursion. The Stegastein Viewpoint, reachable by bus, juts out 650 metres above the fjord on a cantilevered platform. Ægir Brewery serves good craft beer and smoked salmon in a Viking-themed hall. The COOP supermarket has affordable snacks. Shops close early on Saturdays and stay shut Sundays, so don't wait. Norwegian kroner is the currency; cards work almost everywhere.