City map

Start at the Old Town Bridge and follow the path that heads south through the park next to the river. The cathedral is on your right with the Archbishop's Palace which contains one of the best museums in Norway. The path brings you to Hadrian's place and the legendary St Olav's spring. The stone steps to the right lead to a restaurant. You can also sit on the lawn and look at the view. Across the bridge there is a red round building, the Student Union, a centre for the city's student life. This is the place for concerts, cafés, theatre, bars, debates, parties and many other happenings. A couple of events are worth mentioning:

The world's longest rag-week, UKA, is Norway's largest cultural arrangement. It lasts 25 days and normally has 50 000 or more who enjoy nights of partying. Concerts with international rock artists, theatre and the review show are some of the main events.

The International Student Festival in Trondheim (ISFiT) is also held every other year. The festival brings student leaders from about 120 countries together for debates, discussion and build up a feeling of community. World figures often attend ISFiT and past speakers have included the Dalai Lama and Chai Ling.

Continue your stroll
Up above the Student Union is the university campus, Gløshaugen. If you continue your stroll, cross the bridge and follow the footpath along the river back to the Old Town Bridge. This brings you to Bakklandet - a charming area of small cafés and bars. You will also find restaurants of all prices on this side of the Old Town Bridge. This area of small timber houses also has Norway's best coffee bar and the only bike lift in the world. If you want to look out over the city, and see the mountains to the south which still have snow on them in the early summer, walk five minutes up the road above the bike lift and on a clear day, you will get an incredible view. The white building at the top is Kristiansten fortress from 1681.

If you walk back across the Old Town Bridge, turn to the right when you reach the cathedral into Trondheim's main parade. This takes you past City Hall, the market square and the Royal Residence.When you reach the canal, the city's fish market is full of temptations and often fishing boats on the quay sell their catch right off the boat. In the summer season, there is also a small boat across to the island you can see Munkholmen. It only takes about 15 minutes. Some go there for a guided tour, others for a quick dip or some hours on the beach.

Trondheim by night

As it is never really dark in the late spring, summer and early autumn, why not check out what is going on during the white night? Across the river from the Royal Garden Hotel is Solsiden. This is the latest in-place to sample the city's pulse. There are clubs, pubs, and bars, and some of the best restaurants in Trondheim.  Parts of these former docklands have been preserved so that there is an authentic setting with docks, slipways and cranes.  Right in the centre of the city is Nordre Gate, a popular pedestrian precinct and centre for night life. Here you can find quiet cafés and restaurants as well as lively discos and salsa bars.

Solsiden. Photo by Jørn Adde

Much of Trondheim's night life is here or within a block or two. In the daytime, a busy street full of shoppers. At night, cafés, discos and bars - the place to meet.  

Every sixth person in Trondheim is a student and after a trip around it is easy to see why this intimate centre packed with activities has helped to earn Trondheim the title of Norway's best student town. Trondheim is also in a very attractive setting, nestling by the fjord and surrounded by hills and mountains further inland.

Text by Stewart Clark

• Out on the town - pictures