Nordfjordeid

Nordfjordeid sits at the head of Nordfjord on Norway's western coast, a small town of wooden houses surrounded by steep mountains and cold, clear water. Ships tie up at a floating pier, and the walk into town is short. Eidsgata, the old main street, leads to a 19th-century wooden church, and the Norwegian Fjord Horse Centre nearby keeps the compact, dun-coloured horses the area is known for. The Sagastad Viking Centre houses a full-scale reconstruction of the Myklebust ship, the largest Viking vessel found in Norway, dating to around 900 AD. Hornindalsvatnet, Europe's deepest lake, is a short bus ride away, and the Loen Skylift lifts passengers 1,000 metres above the fjord for wide mountain views. In town, shops along Old Street sell wool knitwear, brown cheese (brunost), and berry preserves. Tipping is not expected in Norway, but rounding up the bill is a polite habit.