24 Hours in Flåm, Norway in Winter: What to Do, Where to Stay, & How to Visit

Flåm feels like a place straight out of a Scandinavian fairytale.

Tucked away deep in the dramatic Aurlandsfjord and surrounded by serrated, snow-dusted mountains, this tiny village was the final official stop on our 12-day winter Norway trip—a journey that took us from Oslo to the Arctic and back again.

By the time Tim and I arrived with our friends, Allison and Ryan, on a crisp February afternoon, we were already buzzing with excitement.

We’d dog-sledded in Kirkenes (and stayed in a hotel made entirely of snow and ice!), watched the Northern Lights dance above our glass igloos in Rotsund, fed reindeer and saw the Northern Lights again outside Tromsø, wandered a UNESCO World Heritage Wharf in Bergen, and now, we were ready to slow down and soak in fjord life before heading back to Oslo for our flight home.

Whether you’re planning your own winter Norway trip, curious about the Flåm Railway, or just wondering whether one day in this charming fjord village is enough (spoiler: it is!), this guide walks you through our exact itinerary—plus the best things to do, where to stay, how to get here, and what to expect in February.

Flåm is located in southwest Norway in the beautiful Flåmsdalen Valley, at the end of the Aurlandsfjord, a branch of the mighty Sognefjorden (Norway’s longest and deepest fjord).

The name “Flåm” comes from Old Norse and roughly means “a flat piece of land between steep mountains,” which is definitely accurate!

With its iconic mountain-meets-fjord scenery, it’s one of the top places to visit in Norway—especially if you’re traveling between Bergen and Oslo.

💡 Fun fact: This region is part of Scandinavia, which includes Norway, Sweden and Denmark—countries that share similar cultural roots, languages, and history.

Absolutely! Flåm is worth visiting year-round, but there’s something extra magical about it in winter.

Despite its small size, the village welcomes nearly 450,000 visitors a year, most arriving by fjord cruise or the iconic Flåm Railway.

Here you’ll find:

• Stunning fjord scenery
• Incredible train journeys
• Cozy cafés and bakeries
• Outdoor adventures like hiking, ziplining, snowshoeing, and winter fjord cruises
• Historic sites like the 17th-century Flåm Church
• Easy access to some of Norway’s best viewpoints and valleys

And in winter? It’s peaceful, quiet, and beautifully frosted—and you get the views without the summer crowds.

We visited Flåm in February, when temperatures typically range from the low teens to mid-20s°F.

Expect a decent chance of snow or rain and plenty of icy waterfalls decorating the mountainsides.

Unlike Kirkenes, Tromso, or Rotsund, daylight is surprisingly generous here this time of year! The sun rises around 8:15 am and sets around 5:15 pm, so you get several solid hours to explore.

A Broad Recommendation: Bring lots of layers, like a warm parka or down coat, waterproof boots, thermal base layers, fleece or wool mid-layers, gloves, a hat or ear-warmer headband, wool socks, and a lip sleeping mask (a lifesaver for cold, dry nights).

Winter in Flåm is crisp, snowy, and super scenic—with a beautiful stillness you just don’t get in summer.

👉 Check out my full Norway Winter Packing List for more on what to bring along for Flåm in winter.

Flåm sits perfectly between Oslo and Bergen, making it an unforgettable stop on the classic Norway in a Nutshell® route.

We left Bergen on the 8:30 am Bergen Railway to Voss, a quick and comfortable ride just over an hour.

From Voss, we transferred to a bus that wound through idyllic valleys and tiny villages, and past frozen waterfalls on the way to Gudvangen—the starting point of our fjord cruise.

Once in Gudvangen, we had about an hour to stretch our legs, enjoy the quiet fjord views, and snap some photos before boarding the boat.

A Broad Recommendation: Gudvangen has a café, restrooms, and a small shop, but the café was closed during our winter visit—bring snacks just in case!

Next was our two-hour cruise through two UNESCO World Heritage Site fjords, which easily ranks as one of the most beautiful experiences of our entire Norway trip!

The four of us grabbed a cozy section of the boat (it wasn’t crowded, and there weren’t assigned seats!), ordered a few drinks, and rotated between enjoying the warmth inside and braving the icy wind outside for photos.

During the cruise, you travel through the Nærøyfjord, the narrowest of Norway’s fjords, and the Aurlandsfjord, one of the most spectacular branches of the Sognefjord.

Both fjords are surrounded by dramatic mountains, sweeping valleys, icy waterfalls, and tiny, charming villages.

At times, it felt as if we were in a real-life watercolor painting!

A Broad Recommendation: Planning your own Norway in a Nutshell adventure? Download my free Norway Winter Packing List and make sure you’re prepared for fjords, trains, snow, and everything in between.

While the Norway in a Nutshell® route is the most popular option, you can also reach Flåm by:

• Flåm Railway from Myrdal (one of the world’s steepest and most scenic train rides)
• Driving the E16 Highway from either Oslo or Bergen
• Flying into Sogndal Airport (the closest airport, about 43 miles away)
• Seasonal fjord cruises from various ports

We stayed one night at the historic Fretheim Hotel, one of the best hotels in Flåm and one of the most charming places in the whole village.

The hotel dates back to the late 1800s and still holds onto its old-world warmth.

Our Historical Room featured antique furniture, vintage charm, and modern comforts—including a king-size bed and espresso machine.

Other great options in Flåm include:

• Flåmsbrygga Hotel: Clean, comfortable, and cozy, and right by Ægir BrewPub.
• Flåm Marina: Fantastic fjord views and just a short walk along the boardwalk to the Flåm Railway Station.
• Fretheim’s Tower Suite: A unique experience at the Fretheim Hotel, if you’re looking for something extra special.

If you want to stay in the heart of the action and be steps away from the railway, museum, bakery, and fjord—Fretheim is hard to beat.

We arrived in Flåm just after 2 pm, walked to the Fretheim Hotel, checked into our rooms, and still had plenty of time to explore afterwards!

Flåm is compact, which means you can explore the entire village in just one day.

Our first stop was Flåm Bakery, where we ordered Italian-style pizzas made fresh on the spot.

Everything was delicious, and the staff was so kind even while juggling a rush of customers.

They also serve baked goods, sandwiches, sweets, and coffee—perfect for a quick meal or train-ride snacks.

Next, we popped into the Flåm Visitor Center to get some information about the area. This is also the place to:

• Pick up train tickets
• Book fjord cruises
• Sign up for hiking or zipline excursions
• Grab maps and local info
• Use the restrooms

It’s quick, helpful, and worth a stop.

After lunch, we walked along the Flåm Harbor for about an hour—taking in the dramatic mountain views, pretty red buildings, and even witnessing a small avalanche across the fjord (loud, but safely far away!).

The pier in particular ended up being one of our favorite photo spots in all of Flåm. I mean, just look at those views!

We also spotted Fjord Sauna AS, a floating sauna that offers private and shared sauna sessions with optional fjord dips.

A Broad Recommendation: If you can book in advance, do it—hours are limited, and these sell out quickly. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to book a last minute time slot (we visited at the tail end of Covid when things were still slowly opening back up here).

I’ve been to a Nordic spa in Alberta, Canada though and absolutely loved it, so I bet I’d have loved this one too!

Dinner at Ægir BrewPub

Around 7 pm, we headed to Ægir BrewPub, a Viking-themed brewery that’s part of the Flåmsbrygga complex, with driftwood walls, a roaring fireplace, and a warm, rustic atmosphere.

We had a special Valentine’s Day dinner upstairs before returning to the ground floor for craft beers and had a great experience all around.

Ægir brews are award-winning and among Norway’s best, so beer lovers—don’t skip this!

We ended the night cozied up in the hotel lounge with drinks and board games—one of my favorite slower moments from the trip.

A Broad Recommendation: Bring along your own board games for your 12-day Norway winter trip! There will be down time in the evenings and on longer flights, trains, buses, and fjord cruises, and we were so happy we came prepared. Here are some of our favorites from our trip: Sagrada, Carcassonne, and Coup.

The next morning, after breakfast at the hotel (not included in our stay and just okay), we walked to Flåm Church, a beautifully preserved, wooden church built in 1670.

Set in Flåm’s peaceful old town, the church boasts a traditional Norwegian style with beautifully painted walls, elegant chandeliers, and wooden pews that seat around 160 people.

The interior was closed when we visited, but the peaceful setting alone makes the walk worthwhile.

We walked for about an hour and a half total, and along the way, we passed snowy rivers, farmland, and parts of the infamous railway Flåm Railway.

On our way back, we wandered the Fretheim Cultural Park, a lovely hillside park filled with walking paths, art installations, sculptures, and some of the best fjord views in Flåm.

Located directly behind the Fretheim Hotel, it’s an easy stroll and well worth 30 minutes.

After our morning of light hiking in Flåm, we grabbed lunch at the Furukroa Café.

Also a part of the Flåmsbrygga complex, the café offers a rotating lunch menu, along with some consistent staples like pizza, burgers, fish and chips, and baked goods.

We enjoyed our meal and practically had the place to ourselves in winter!

On our way to the Flåm Railway Museum, we also stopped at Flåm Bakery again to pick up a couple sandwiches and some fresh baked goods for our journey back to Oslo.

Located next to the Flåm Station in a former rail station building, the Flåm Railway Museum is a compact but fascinating look at the history and engineering challenges behind the Flåm Railway, including photos, artifacts, and even a full locomotive.

💡 Fun fact: The completion of the Flåm Railway was no easy feat. It took 70 years of planning and more than 15 years of construction—wow! Plus, 18 of the 20 tunnels were built by hand.

You only need 20–30 minutes here, and entrance to the museum is free! Don’t forget to check out the gift shop on your way out.

Finally, we boarded the legendary Flåm Railway, one of the steepest and most beautiful railway lines in the world.

The train travels 12 miles from Flåm to Myrdal, climbing at a gradient of 5.5% for most of the route.

Winter on the railway is pure magic! The ride offers breathtaking views of frozen waterfalls, snow-covered peaks, dramatic cliffs, quiet villages, and stunning countryside.

We also stopped at Kjosfossen along the way, though the waterfall was completely frozen in February—still very cool to see!

The journey from Flåm to Myrdal takes around one hour, and seats aren’t assigned, so you can move around freely (especially in winter when cars are less crowded).

Other Things to Do in Flåm, Norway

Despite being small, Flåm and the surrounding area offer lots of other activities that we didn’t have time to do this time around.

Here are some of the things we’d like to try on our next visit to Flåm:

• Borgund Stave Church: One Norway’s most famous and well-preserved stave churches.
• Stegastein Viewpoint: One of Norway’s most dramatic viewpoints.
• Flåm Zipline: The longest zipline in the Nordic region.
• Kayaking, hiking, and camping Nærøyfjord in the summer.
• Summer waterfall hikes around the valley.

A Broad Recommendation: Some of these activities are outside Flåm and may require transportation, so be sure to plan ahead if one or more of them is on your must-do list.

Where is Flåm, Norway located?

Flåm is a small fjord village in western Norway, sitting at the innermost end of the Aurlandsfjord. It’s easily reached by train, ferry, or car from Bergen or Oslo.

Is Flåm worth visiting?

Definitely. Flåm’s scenery is spectacular year-round—dramatic mountains, calm fjords, charming hotels, and one of the world’s most famous railways all in one tiny place.

Can you visit Flåm in winter?

Yes, it’s surprisingly peaceful in the winter. Flåm stays accessible, key experiences still operate, and the winter landscapes are beautiful. Just expect shorter daylight hours and pack warm layers.

How long should you stay in Flåm?

One night works, but two nights lets you enjoy the railway, a fjord cruise, and a slow, cozy winter pace without feeling rushed.

Is Flåm walkable?

Very much so. The village is compact, and most hotels, restaurants, and activities are just a few minutes apart.

How far is Flåm from Bergen?

Travel time varies by route:

• Train via Myrdal: ~2–2.5 hours
• Fjord cruise/ferry: ~5–6 hours
• Car: ~2.5–3 hours

What is the Flåm Railway?

It’s a 12-mile scenic railway connecting Myrdal and Flåm, famous for steep mountain views, waterfalls, and dramatic landscapes. It’s actually one of the main reasons some travelers come here!

Do you need to book the Flåm Railway in advance?

It’s recommended, especially if you’re visiting during weekends, holidays, or pairing it with a longer Norway rail journey.

Do cruise ships stop in Flåm?

Yes, Flåm is a well-known fjord cruise port, and the village is easy to explore on foot during a shore day.

Are fjord cruises available in winter?

Yes, the Flåm–Gudvangen route operates year-round and is one of the most reliable winter-friendly activities.

What are the best hotels in Flåm?

The most popular choices are Fretheim Hotel, Flåmsbrygga Hotel, and Flåm Marina. They book early, so it’s smart to reserve ahead—even in the quieter months.

As we boarded the train from Myrdal for the 4.5-hour ride back to Oslo, we reflected on just how incredible our Norwegian winter itinerary had been. From:

• a snow hotel in Kirkenes
• glowing aurora over Rotsund
• reindeer and Arctic adventures in Tromsø
• historic charm in Bergen
• and finally, quiet fjord beauty in Flåm

…this trip was truly one for the books!

If you’re considering a winter trip to Norway, I can’t recommend it enough. Dress warm, embrace the slower pace, and let yourself fall in love with the fjords in their quietest, most magical season.

Would you visit Flåm in winter? Let me know in the comments below, and stay tuned for our next adventure!

XOXO Sara at Travel A-Broads