Your late afternoon is best spent taking a stroll or an afternoon nap, getting ready for tonight’s Michelin-starred dining experience at Lysverket by Christopher Haatuft.

Get ready for an intoxicating day out on Fedje Island! Depending on the weather, you’ll either get there by private boat or with a driver via a charming countryside road and local ferry. Fedje has recently been given a remarkable story and a vibrant future, thanks to a group of women who have created Norway’s first certified organic distillery with a pioneering, all-female local business plan.

Feddie Ocean Distillery was founded on Fedje in 2020 by Anne Koppang. Four years on, more than 1000 women have invested in the business. They are in the process of bringing something completely new to the international drinks market: a Norwegian single malt whisky. Feddie’s ownership structure makes it unique among all other Norwegian and international distilleries. Insisting on female stakeholders was a vital strategy, which encouraged more women to take risks and invest.

While on the island, you’ll get to visit the distillery and see the casks, enjoy a rustic meal in the rustic island foodbar, and take a walk on the North Sea Trail. Imbibe the fresh ocean breeze, feel the force of nature, and seek shelter in the local ‘Dagsturhytte’ (meaning Day-trip cabin).

The expression ‘friluftsliv’ (outdoor life) was coined by the famous Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen in the 1850s. This concept is very meaningful for Norwegians: it’s about spending recreational time in nature for spiritual and physical wellbeing, without damaging the environment. Take a stroll in the rose garden or hike up the local mountain Kongsen with your ‘matpakke’ (packed lunch).

Your options today include simply relaxing and pottering around the herb gardens and grounds at Haaheim, or just settling down with a good book. As an alternative (early booking recommended), you can take a private Hardangerfjord cruise to Rosendal and try out one of Norway’s most recently Michelin-starred experiences: Restaurant Iris, incorporated within the miraculous floating art installation Salmon Eye. This is truly a once in a lifetime food journey. You can also get a bird’s eye view of the fjords by travelling from Tysnes to the Salmon Eye by seaplane.

However, if you choose to stay and enjoy the friendly surroundings at Haaheim, there’s plenty to explore here too. We recommend Haaheim’s traditional baking, fermentation or sauce-making course and introduction to the hotel’s furniture collection, by the local Bergen producer Knag.

The other option on your way to Lysefjord is a stop near the crystal-clear river Suldalslågen. Here, wearing a drysuit, snorkel and mask, you will float with the current and swim along with salmon in their shimmering natural habitat of vivid underwater greenery.

If the previous night offered a historic architectural experience, this evening is the opposite. Your home for the next two nights, The Bolder, is a luxury cabin floating above the fjord designed for minimal environmental impact.

A day of foraging and wild cooking with a local chef. Backed by the breathtaking scenery of Lysefjord, this culinary journey promises an unforgettable adventure.

The Bolder is also a great base for the iconic Pulpit Rock Hike, through the remote foothills leading up to this sensational rock formation which featured in the sixth Mission Impossible movie starring Tom Cruise. Afterwards, relax your tender muscles on a floating sauna boat and enjoy a meal in a Norwegian trekking cabin.

A slower approach to activity can be through a private mountain yoga class inside or outside your Grand Lodge. Regardless of what you choose, the Bolder is one of those places you’ll never want to leave.

Stavanger has earned its place on the global culinary map as home to RE-NAA, one of only 150 restaurants in the world with three Michelin stars. Led by head chef Sven Erik Renaa and his wife and co-owner Torill, the restaurant stands out for its commitment to local ingredients sourced from Rogaland’s seas, fjords, forests, and mountains. Whether you’re an oil sheik or an epicurean, the dining experience at RE-NAA is an unforgettable tasting journey not to be missed.

From here, we’ll send you out by boat to Flor og Fjære, a floral paradise and garden island offering a feast for the senses.

Depart from Stavanger or head back to Bergen on the daily morning ferry which departs from Stavanger at 07.00, arriving in Bergen at 13.30. MS Stavangerfjord and MS Bergenfjord are the world’s first gas-driven ferries. They keep to inshore waters for the entire voyage, meaning you’re always parallel to natural landscapes and impressive landmarks such as two gigantic suspension bridges, more than a kilometre in length. This last picturesque stretch is the perfect way to round off your adventurous culinary taste trail.