Olden

Olden is a village of a few hundred people at the southern end of Nordfjord in western Norway. The port can handle ships directly, and the village has a handful of cafés, a souvenir shop, and a small local history museum. The setting is dramatic: steep green valley walls, waterfalls, and a river running through the centre. The main excursion is to Briksdal Glacier (Briksdalsbreen), an arm of the Jostedalsbreen ice cap, reached by a valley road and then a walk of about 45 minutes to the glacier viewpoint. Loen Skylift, nearby, takes you 1,011 metres up in five minutes to a viewing platform and restaurant with panoramic fjord and mountain views. Lake Oldevatnet stretches inland from the village and has striking turquoise water. Norwegian krone is the currency, and everything is expensive by most standards.