By Gergana Krasteva
Copyright metro
Norway has a cultural philosophy that’s captured the zeitgeist (Picture: Getty Images)
If the city of Trondheim were a cocktail, it would be made out of aquavit, vodka, spruce, pine and apples. All seasonal, all grown locally.
This is what Øyvind Lindgjerdet, the executive manager of Britannia Bar, in the luxurious Britannia Hotel, tells me, as he gestures at the green-stained glass on the bar, telling me to try it.
He has been crowned the best bartender in Norway for 2025 – in the best bar, with the best cocktail menu – so I have to trust him. Unsurprisingly, the drink is delicious.
Øyvind’s passion for ‘seasonal, local ingredients’ is compelling, and it is this philosophy – combined with a slow lifestyle that prioritises balance and mindfulness – that drew me to Trøndelag, the region where Trondheim is located, in the first place.
Growing up in Bulgaria, I can relate. The fruit and vegetables I used to eat came from my grandparents’ garden, and my favourite way to spend my free time was exploring the mountains.
But after years of living in London, it’s a foreign concept.
Holiday bookings to Norway have soared by 800% year-on-year (Picture: Getty Images)
Deepening nostalgia for a different lifestyle and an urge to slow down leads me to Den Gyldne Omvei, or Norway’s Golden Road, a famous route in the Inderøy area. And I’m not the only one.
Overall, holiday bookings to Norway have soared by 800% year-on-year, positioning the Scandinavian country as a top destination this autumn, according to new data from online travel agency Thomas Cook.
Time stops in the Norwegian countryside
Driving down the side roads of the E6 motorway, dramatic views of mountain passes, fjords and rivers whizz by in the wing mirrors.
We curve through rolling farmland where red-painted barns stand out against a backdrop of pine forests.
As the rain beats on the windows, I feel that the scenery is like something from the Twilight movies, even though they are set in the US town of Forks, Washington.
Gangstad Gårdsyster, a humble farm shop that produced the best cheese in the world in 2024 (Picture: Gergana Krasteva)
Nicknamed the ‘tasty detour,’ the Golden Road adds just eight minutes to the direct motorway route — but rewards travellers with 20 tempting stops.
Along the way, there are independent distilleries for aquavit (a Nordic spirit distilled from cereal or potatoes and flavoured with dill and caraway), dairy farms, artists’ workshops and galleries.
Here, I meet people who have chosen the quiet life. They rise with the sun, tend to their animals before breakfast, and share coffee breaks as if time itself has paused.
Maren Brekkvassmo Myrvold and Yngve Henriksen, the brains behind the world’s most northern orchard, Inderøy Mosteri, are two of them.
After working in Oslo for more than a decade, they relocated to Trøndelag to build their business from scratch, guided by a commitment to seasonal ingredients and local tradition.
The world’s most northern orchard, Inderøy Mosteri, is one of the stops on the Golden Road (Picture: Gergana Krasteva)
The concept of ‘friluftsliv’
Yngve tells me about the lifestyle, while pouring me a glass of their apple juice, officially crowned one of Norway’s best drinks in 2024.
‘Our children go to camps in the mountains and wild swimming, and their kindergarten does not have fake grass in the courtyard,’ he says.
‘On the weekend, we go camping in our cabin, we take the boat to the sea and do whatever we want [in nature].
‘We go to the neighbouring farm to buy raw milk, we stock our freezer with moose meat and pick cloudberry.
‘It is the culture in Trøndelag, so for us, it is normal. We do not feel special, but we do consider ourselves lucky.
‘I spent 10 years grinding in Oslo, and for sure, I know that I do not want to pass on that kind of [city] lifestyle to my children because it just makes us poorer internally.’
Norway even has a term for this: ‘friluftsliv’.
A concept that translates to ‘open-air living’ or ‘life in the outdoors,’ it involves spending time in nature for physical and spiritual wellbeing.
Gangstad Gårdsyster looks like a sanctuary for farm animals (Picture: Gergana Krasteva)
Friluftsliv is a cultural philosophy of disconnecting from technology, embracing simplicity, and finding balance through nature. It is an integral part of Norwegian national identity.
Hearing Yngve speak about the balance his family found in Trøndelag, I am inspired.
But the only bit of nature near my London home is Victoria Park and the Hackney canals, which are entirely incomparable with the beauty of the fjords here in Norway.
‘Tourists are fascinated by this lifestyle’
Strolling through the apple orchard, Yngve tells me about growing up at the end of the ‘tinned food’ era in Norway in the 1980s.
At the time, his family fished and hunted, and he was fortunate to dine on ‘fish four days a week and moose eight days a week.’
Some of the award-winning cheeses at Gangstad Gårdsyster (Picture: Gergana Krasteva)
‘We had a farm, and at the time, farmers did not have much money, so my parents could not go to the supermarket and buy everything they needed,’ he recalls.
‘Instead, we went hunting, harvesting and picking in the forest. So we live like that now, too. We love telling the story because not just foreigners, but some Norwegian tourists also find it fascinating that you can still have this sort of lifestyle.’
Yngve and Maren still have bills to pay and an ever-expanding business to manage. Their car is old, so it breaks down, and they often work more than 12 hours a day to sustain the demand for their juices and ciders.
@desdivino_ Free Things To Do In Trondheim Explore Trondheim’s Historic Heart with this Walking itinerary, a delightful loop that starts and ends at Torget. 🏰 Olav Tryggvason Monument: Begin your adventure at the market center, where the striking monument stands tall, the tallest one in Trondheim ⛪️ Church of Our Lady (Vår Frue Kirke): A few steps ahead, you’ll see this medieval church that was started in the late 12th century 🏠 Bakklandet: Traverse the colorful alleys of Bakklandet, a district filled with vibrant houses, cozy cafes, and artistic street arts 🌉 Old Town Bridge (Gamle Bybro): Cross Gamle Bybro, an iconic bridge that offers scenic views of the Nidelva River. 🏰 Kristiansten Fortress: Ascend to Kristiansten Fortress, where history comes alive amidst panoramic city views. 🙏 Nidarosdommen: Conclude your loop at Nidarosdommen, the grand cathedral that shows Trondheim’s rich cultural heritage and marvel at its intricate architecture. #trondheim #trondheimby #visittrondheim #visitnorway #midtbyen #midtbyentrondheim #explorertrondelag #trondheimcity #opplevtrøndelag ♬ Zach bryan dawns sped up – harlanrussellreynolds
Yet, they are content and proud of what they have achieved. I cannot hide my envy.
Stories like theirs are everywhere in Trøndelag. Tales of people trading city life for soil and of passion projects that have turned into the cornerstones of the community.
This is also the case for Maren Gangstad, owner of Gangstad Gårdsyster, a humble farm shop that produced the best cheese in the world in 2024. It’s the same for Frode Sakshaug, the manager of Øyna Hotel, which boasts some of the most incredible views in the country.
All of them welcome tourists, like me, who want to experience their way of life, and who knows, maybe even stay forever.
Perfect end to trip to Trøndelag
Back in Trondheim, Norway’s third-largest city with 216,000 residents, the pace still feels gentle. It’s the same deliberate lifestyle I found in the countryside.
Nye Hjorten Teater, a newly opened theatre in Trondheim (Picture: Gergana Krasteva)
With a coffee warming one hand and a cardamom bun in the other, I stroll past colourful wooden houses and boats bobbing in the Nidelva River.
Trondheim is slowly becoming known as Norway’s artiest city, so there is no surprise that my first stop is PoMo, the cleverly reimagined museum for modern and contemporary art, where I spend an afternoon.
The building itself feels like a piece of art.
Located in the Art Nouveau post office from 1911, it is now (until October 26) exhibiting works from Picasso’s late period, a time when he radically reframed what painting could be.
Bizarre but beautiful PoMo (Picture: Gergana Krasteva)
Later, I visit the Nidaros Cathedral, a pilgrimage destination for some 1,000 years and the world’s northernmost medieval cathedral.
Book one of their tours, if you can. My guide showed me all of its secrets, from the symbolism carved into the stone façade to the dark passages of the medieval tombstone crypt.
It felt almost like stepping into an Indiana Jones film.
Trondheim is also incredibly chic. After dusting myself off from my little adventure underneath Nidaros Cathedral, I head back to the Britannia Hotel where I am staying.
When it comes to luxury, the Britannia is at the top of the food chain in the country, so there is no surprise that there is a rumour going around that Robbie Williams is staying here.
The Øyna Hotel in the Inderøy municipality (Picture: Gergana Krasteva)
Wasting no time, I head for the famous 1,400sqm spa and fitness centre, which boasts a heated 12.5m lap pool surrounded by oversized loungers under soft lighting, several saunas, private showers and changing rooms more spacious than my flat.
It’s the perfect end to my trip.
Getting to Trondheim and Trøndelag
Finnair flies from London Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh to Helsinki all year round – their Heathrow service operates up to six times per day. After a transfer in Helsinki, passengers can connect onto one of Finnair’s Trondheim flights.
Flights to Trondheim are seasonal. Seven weekly flights operate until the end of October. Once flights resume in March 2026, Finnair will operate up to eight weekly flights.
Direct flights to Trondheim are available via Norwegian from London Gatwick.
Gergana Krasteva was a guest of Finnair. Return fares from London to Trondheim start at £261 in Economy Class, and £669 in Business Class. She was a guest of Britannia Hotel in Trondheim and Øyna in the Inderøy municipality.
