Trondheim, formerly Trondhjem or Nidaros, is an old city in central Norway. It is a key city in Norway, its skyline dominated by the lovely cathedral and city life dominated by the university. Downtown Trondheim is beautifully located inside a large river bend where the river meets the wide Trondheimsfjord.

Understand

The elaborate west wall of Nidarosdomen Cathedral, Trondheim's landmark

Trondheim is the oldest of Norway's major cities, and its rich heritage can still be traced in and around the city centre. It's a scenic city, located on the southern shore of the Trondheimsfjord, which is the third longest in Norway, and so wide that it is almost like a small ocean. Even if the size is modest, there's a lot going on in Trondheim. Music, arts, culture, alternative politics, nightlife and student life — all combines into making Trondheim one of the most exciting city centres of Northern Europe.

The city centre is roughly the area inside the meandering Nidelva. The marvellous Nidaros Cathedral, the second-largest church of Northern Europe and the only real Gothic cathedral in Norway, towers over the city centre. Legend has that it was built over the grave of St Olav, Norway's patron saint and "eternal king". Regarded as a national treasure, it has been the site of coronation of Norway's kings. The cathedral has been under restoration since 1860 and as the only state church in Norway, obtains grants directly from the parliament through the state budget.

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) is the main technical university of Norway and contributes greatly to the city's social profile and economy. Out of Trondheim's 160,000 inhabitants, 25,000 are students at the NTNU.

History

The city celebrated its 1000th anniversary in 1997 but contrary to popular belief Trondheim was not so much of a centre for the Vikings as it was founded at the end of the Viking Age. However, it was the religious centre of northern Europe during the Middle Ages and a vital hub for North Atlantic trade, giving it plenty of characteristic mansions and harbour houses. From 1152 until the Protestant reformation, Trondheim (or Nidaros as it was called) was the seat of the Archbishop of Norway (present-day Norway plus Iceland, Orkney and Shetland). The ancient name Nidaros reads "mouth of river Nid". For centuries, Trondheim was the northernmost mercantile city in Europe, giving it a special "edge-of-the-world" feeling. This also resulted in a more outgoing international culture than many other Scandinavian cities at the time. The inhabitants like to call their city the historical, religious, and technological capital of Norway.

Climate

Trondheim
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       84     1 −4       74     2 −4       82     4 −2       44     9 2       44     13 5       72     17 9       82     19 11       64     19 11       88     15 8       75     9 3       71     5 −1       68     2 −4 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       3.3     35 25       2.9     35 25       3.2     39 28       1.7     48 35       1.7     56 41       2.8     62 47       3.2     67 52       2.5     65 51       3.5     58 46       3     47 37       2.8     40 31       2.7     35 25 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Comparable to Scotland, the climate is oceanic and Trondheim is warmed by the Gulf Stream in the winter. Therefore the winters are much milder than you would expect at 63° north — temperatures of over +10°C can be encountered well into October. There is snow in the winter, but the temperature is certainly more pleasant than, say, at the same latitude in Canada or even Finland. Don't expect Mediterranean temperatures in the summer, though. Being practically located at the Atlantic Ocean, strong winds are common; moreover, few days are free of rain, so it's a good idea to bring a jacket even in the summer.

Get in

By plane

1 Trondheim Airport Værnes serves international and national flights. There are plenty of flights every day to Oslo, and several to places including Bergen, Stavanger, Kristiansand, Bodø and Tromsø, as well as the short-field airports of Mosjøen, Sandnessjøen, Brønnøysund, Namsos and Rørvik. International destinations include London Gatwick, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Riga. There are also flights to many destinations in the Mediterranean and on the Canary Islands, both charter and regular.

The following options are available for transfer to downtown Trondheim. All accept credit cards (Visa and MasterCard at least).

• Flybussen buses depart every 10 minutes. Fares (one-way/return) are NOK120/220 (student NOK90/150, child up to 16 years or senior NOK60 (one way only)). Stops near most hotels in downtown Trondheim. Journey time is 30-60 min depending on destination. Free Wi-Fi onboard.
• Værnes-Ekspressen buses depart somewhat less frequent than Flybussen. Check the schedule before buying a return ticket. NOK130/220 (student NOK90/150, child or senior NOK60/120). Drives a similar route to Flybussen.
• Trains depart to Trondheim once per hour. One-way fares are NOK71 (student NOK53, child or senior NOK36). Buy from the ticket machine at the station to avoid the additional NOK40 onboard surcharge. Take left when exiting the arrivals hall and proceed around 100 m past the airport hotel to reach the train station. Cheaper and more scenic than by bus, but far less frequent and not very practical if your destination is not close to a railway station. Journey time to Trondheim Central Station is 35-40 min. Train may however be the best option for transfer to many other destinations such as Levanger, Verdal and Steinkjer. Long distance Regiontog towards Fauske and Bodø in Northern Norway pass the airport three times daily.
• Taxi companies include (but are not limited to) Trøndertaxi, Norgestaxi and Stjørdal Taxi. Many offer fixed price to Trondheim in shared or chartered taxi.

By train

The central railway station

Trondheim train station is fairly small, and includes a small grocery store. Free Wi-Fi (eduroam). Paid toilets. Lockers available, but may not be working.

There are four daily trains between Oslo and 2 Trondheim S (Trondheim Central Station) on the Dovre line. These are the quickest ground transport between the cities, and you may find cheap discount tickets on the NSB website.

There are no longer direct trains on the Røros line, but there are two daily connections with Oslo, with changes in Røros and Hamar.

Three daily trains make their way northwards on the Nordlandsbanen towards Mosjøen and Mo i Rana, with two of them continuing to Fauske and Bodø. Fauske is the main hub for buses northwards, for instance to Lofoten. Incidentally, the night service passes Hell station just before midnight...

Local trains between Trondheim and the airport, continuing to Steinkjer, depart every hour on weekdays, roughly every second hour on weekends. Trains for Oppdal and Røros depart a few times per day.

The Meråkerbanen (Nabotåget) service runs twice daily to the Swedish border at Storlien, continuing to the ski resort Åre and the city of Östersund. There are connections to Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö.

By car

The Lykkens Portal, located on Gamble Bybro

The Norwegian north-south highway E6 passes Trondheim. Alternatively from Oslo, the road number 3 can be used. It is shorter and faster than E6, and less affected by snowstorms in winter, but E6 is more beautiful from a touristic point of view. The coastal highway E39 has its terminus at Klett, 10 km south of Trondheim. The eastbound E14 forks off from E6 near the airport. If driving to the city along the highways, be aware that there are automatic toll cameras on the highways both from north and south.

Parking in the city centre is easy, but expensive. Useful parking spots include the central station, the garage under the main square, the garage in Fjordgata, the Central Park garage, the garage in Sandgata (there are always empty spots here).

By bus

From Oslo, Nor-way Bussekspress runs the Østerdalsekspressen via Elverum and Tynset. No prebooking needed. This bus is painfully much more slow than the train, but convenient if you are going to/from some of the destinations the train don't serve.

The Mørelinjen express, operated by Nor-Way, runs down the coast towards Kristiansund, Molde and Ålesund.

Other Nor-Way lines from Trondheim include the Namsos line, the Røros line and the useful Bergen line, passing the fjord areas of western Norway on the way and connecting these with Trondheim. All the way to Bergen, it takes a whopping 14h.

Also from Oslo, the Lavprisekspressen budget bus line runs along the E6 all the way. Tickets must be booked and prepaid on the internet site. They are infinitely cheaper than Nor-Way, and are the cheapest alternative if you get discount tickets. However, the train is more comfy and quicker, even if the buses are okay.

By boat

If you have the time and money, you should definitely take the 3 Coastal Steamer, Hurtigruten. It runs from Bergen to Trondheim, and on to Bodø, Tromsø, Hammerfest and finally Kirkenes, just on the Russian border. The trip from Bergen takes 36 hours and costs about NOK750 if you are a student (be sure to check for updated prices on their home page). This trip takes you through one of the most magnificent parts of coastal Norway, even popping by the famous Geiranger fjord during summer. Travelling north, Bodø is reached in 24h, while Tromsø takes 50h. All the way to Kirkenes takes another two days from Tromsø...

There is also a twice a day 4 catamaran passenger boat-service to Trondheim from Kristiansund.

Get around

Trondheim's light green public buses

The tram, Gråkallbanen

If you want to find locations in Trondheim, try the Yellow Pages website. The maps have more detail than popular map websites, and are very useful if you've heard the name of a place, but don't know where it is.

By bus

Trondheim has a well developed bus network, covering nearly all of the city. There are frequent departures during the day, less frequent during evenings. On weekend nights, a comprehensive night bus system runs from the terminus in Olav Tryggvasons gate, close to the action. Tickets are bought from the driver. Within the zone Stor-Trondheim it costs NOK50 for single tickets, NOK25 for under 16's, NOK90 for a day pass, and NOK150 for a 72h pass, while the night bus costs NOK80 (day pass not valid). You can buy prepaid tickets at some convenience stores (Narvesen, 7/Eleven and Deli de Luca) and selected parking meters. These tickets are cheaper than buying with cash from the driver. You can find online timetables, a map of the system and a map of the night service (remember, these only run nights after Friday and Saturday).

By rail

Gråkallbanen, the tram line operates from St. Olavs gate near the centre to Lian, up in the Bymarka forests. It's a quite scenic ride with good views of the city and surroundings both on the way up and down and well worth taking if you have an hour. It operates on the same fare schedule, so day passes are valid. The tram is the northernmost tram service in the world.

Trønderbanen, the local train can also be used within the city boundaries (between stations Rotvoll and Lerkendal/Heimdal). Sadly, these are no longer part of the common public transport fare system, so day passes are not valid. Buy single tickets from the station clerks or the conductor on the train.

By boat

The resort island of Munkholmen, can be reached by boat from Ravnkloa every day from May to September, hourly departures. Make sure you don't miss the last boat home in the evening! A return ticket costs NOK80 for adults, NOK45 for children and NOK45 for strollers. Cash only.

By foot or bike

Downtown is fairly compact and walkable. However many points of interest are several kilometers away and there are some steep hills in the south of the city. Unless you particularly enjoy walking, take some other means of transport there. Getting around by bicycle seems to be fairly popular. If want to get up to the fortress along the steep Brubakken by bike you can use the locally famous and allegedly only bicycle lift in the world, "Trampe".

By car

It is quite easy to find a parking spot downtown, but getting around by car itself can be frustrating with a lot of one-way streets and short green light periods for cars in the intersections.

See

Riverfront view in Trondheim.

Kristiansten Fortress

Castle ruins at Sverresborg Folk Museum

The bike lift

Architecture

Stay close to the 1 Nidelva if you want to see the real pearl of the city. The sunsets can be magnificent, especially in summer, and the city is so far north that the first hints of Arctic blue sky are seen. Summer days seem to last forever, although for a real midnight sun, you have to travel further north. The river is nicely experienced in the park 2 Marinen just behind the cathedral. There are a lot of wooden mansions in and around the city centre. 3 Stiftsgaarden, the King's local residence, is the biggest together with the Singsaker summer hotel, but the small, wooden houses in parts of the city like 4 Baklandet, 5 Hospitalsløkkan, 6 Ila and 7 Ilsvikøra are even more picturesque. Wooden harbour buildings can be seen along Kjøpmannsgata, Fjordgata and Sandgata. The best view is from the 8 Old Town Bridge across Nidelva river, leading from close to the cathedral to Bakklandet.

• 9 Nidaros Cathedral (Nidarosdomen). Jun–Aug: M–F 09:00–18:00, Sa 09:00–14:00, Su 09:00–17:00; Sep–Dec: M–Sa 09:00–14:00, Su 09:00–16:00. This is the biggest church of Northern Europe, the only major Gothic cathedral in Norway and the pride of the city. Towering over the city centre at its southern edge, the majestic cathedral is the defining feature of Trondheim. Nidarosdomen is also Norway's national cathedral. It was erected over what was believed to be St.Olav's grave and it became a major pilgrimage site in Northern Europe. Next door is the Archbishop's Palace, which was partly burnt down in the 80's and has been heavily restored. Cathedral: NOK70, Archbishop's Palace museum: NOK70, Crown Regalia: NOK70, Combined ticket (cathedral, palace, crown): NOK140, Tower: NOK30. 

• 10 Vår Frue Church. The "Our Lady's Church" also dates from the Middle Ages but was partially rebuilt after a fire in 1708. Almost next to the central square, it's one of Trondheim's landmarks and has an interesting interior. 

• 11 Torvet. The central square is the hub of Trondheim. Surrounded by shops, cafés and services, it's used for different events and meetings as well as a flea market on Saturdays. 

• 12 Tyholt tower (Tyholttårnet), Otto Nielsens vei 4 (bus 20,60 to Tyholttårnet/Otto Nielsens veg). TV-tower with a rotating top restaurant: Egon Tårnet (see eat section). 

• 13 Kristiansten fortress (Kristiansten festning). Small fortress on a hill overlooking the centre. Have a walk in the area for good views of Trondheim. If you can't be bothered with the hills, get bus 63 to Ankersgata, or rent a bike and use the bike lift! 

• 14 Munkholmen. The ancient fortress island, ideal for swimming, sunbathing or a peek at the old monastery. The boat out there operates in the summer (middle of May to early September), the rest of the year you just get to look at it from land, for instance from the Kristiansten fortress. Guided tour: NOK40, payment by cash only. 

• 15 Dora 1. The German submarine base for the 13th flotilla during the German occupation of Norway 1940 - 1945. Today the bunker is housing many archives, among them the city archives, university and state archives. 

Museums

• 16 Ringve Museum (Ringve Musikkmuseum), Lade alle 60 (bus 3, 4 to Ringve museum), ☏ +47 73 87 02 80. Tu–Su 11:00–16:00. National museum of music which also has the botanical gardens of Trondheim. Adults: NOK100, Children: NOK50. 
• 17 Sverresborg Trøndelag Folk Museum, Sverresborg Alle 13 (bus 18 to Trøndelag Folkemuseum), ☏ +47 73 89 01 00. daily 10:00–17:00 (reduced hours in low season). At Sverresborg, with lots of old houses depicting lifestyle in old days. In a very beautiful park area overlooking the city, and truly worth a visit! Activities for children on Sundays. Eat at the nice inhouse-cafe, or at the next-door "Tavern" dating from the 18th century. Adults: NOK125 (NOK70 in low season). 
• 18 Vitensentret (Trondheim Science Museum), Kongens gate 1, ☏ +47 73 59 61 23. 10:00-16:00 (winter), 10:00-17:00 (summer). A center for popularizing science, has lots of exhibits many of them are interactive. Also has a gift store. Opens 1 hour later on Saturday/Sunday. NOK90 (adult). 
• 19 Trondheim Tramway Museum (Sporveismuseet), Vognhallveien 1b. We-Su 12-15 (late Jun-late Aug). Halfway up the Gråkallbanen, in Munkvoll, there is a museum of the city's tram transport. On the downside, it's only open in the summer. 

Other

• The small community of squatters in the area of 20 Reina (dubbed by themselves Svartlamon), now an ecological experiment-part of the city. A different neighbourhood to walk around in, with very few shops, cafes and lots of graffiti.

• 21 Trampe, Brubakken (just across the old town bridge). The world's first bike lift. Free. 

• 22 Trondheim folkebibliotek, Kongens gate 2. The city library is built upon the ruins of a medieval church and some archeological objects are on display. The building itself, which was built as the city hall in the 19th century, is semi-interesting. Being a library you can of course also borrow and read books there and it's the site of literature related events. 

Do

Lerkendal Stadion

Pirbadet

• Check out Trondheim's bustling nightlife. During term time, the students make the nightlife rocking all week, and skyrocketing in weekends. Check the "Drink" section for more.

• 1 Watch a football game. The local football club Rosenborg BK is the most successful in Norway and is frequently seen in the European Champions League. Rosenborg plays their home games on the Lerkendal stadium in the south of Trondheim. 

Swimming

• Have a swim in the modern 2 Pirbadet swimming pool, a magnificent water palace just by the sea, but definitely warmer! (Bus 46 or 52 to Pirterminalen, end station)
• Have a even cooler swim in the 3 Sjøbadet, a tiny little, but very cosy beach that consists of not much more than a wooden diving tower. It gains its uniqueness through its location, right to the left behind the central train station, in the area of harbour and industries. Don't worry, it's the cleanest water in the world!
• If the weather is nice and the fjord is warm, the best swimming spots are found east of the city. The 4 Lade area contains a footpath along the fjord, which passes many of the best swimming spots. (Bus 3 to Strandveikaia, then walk along the industrially-looking road to the left... and you'll find beauty soon!) Also, the 5 Rotvoll/Ranheim area further out is brilliant for sunbathing and swimming. (Bus 6 to Rotvoll or longer, or local train to Rotvoll station)

Winter sports

• Go skiing at 6 Vassfjellet just outside Trondheim, in the season there's a bus service from Munkegata, and a Ski Shop with ski and snowboard rental service.
• Cross-country skiing is popular from November to April with hundreds of kilometres of tracks in 7 Bymarka and 8 Estenstadmarka. You can rent skis at 9 Skistua in Bymarka, bus 10.

Events

If you want to know what's up right now on the local culture scene, consult the city's official event calendar trdevents.

• Every year in the end of July and the beginning of August, you can visit the St. Olav Festival. The festival is a celebration of Olav Haraldsson, who attempted to Christianise Norway. The festival's programme consists of both religious contributions, like masses for pilgrimages in the Nidaros cathedral and cultural festivities like concerts, Medieval plays, lectures, exhibitions and many other activities.

• Minimalen Short Film Fest. In March you may watch the best of Norwegian and Nordic short films, as well as the best of the international film scene. 

Learn

The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim represents academic eminence in technology and the natural sciences as well as in other academic disciplines ranging from the social sciences, the arts, medicine, architecture to fine arts. Cross-disciplinary cooperation results in innovative breakthroughs and creative solutions with far-reaching social and economic impact.

Work

If you're looking for work check out the website of the governmental agency NAV. Tech industry boom; Yahoo's arrived & there's other start-ups. If you are truly impressive in this field they'll pay for your move and process your work visa. But you have to excel in your field; if there's a Norwegian that can do your job, they'll get him/her not you.

Buy

• 1 Nidar factory outlet, Bromstadveien 2. Tu-Fr 10-18, Sa 10-15. Chocolate anyone? Nidar, one of Norway's largest candy manufacturers have their factory here in Trondheim. In their factory outlet you can buy their products at discounted prices. Often there are some minor faults with the products, like missing best before date, but nothing to worry about, really. 

Shopping Streets

• 2 Nordre gate. The central shopping street in Trondheim, with international stores as well as local shops. Clothes, food, jewellery, watches, electronics, and much more can be found in this pedestrian-only street. 

• 3 Thomas Angells Gate. Crossing Nordre gate at approximately half-way, this is a slightly smaller street with record shops and different other stores. 

• 4 Fjordgata. Following the canal at the north of the city centre you have this lengthy street filled mainly with speciality stores as well as a decent selection of restaurants. 

Malls

Trondheim Torg in the winter next to the central square which here has been turned into a skating rink

• 5 Trondheim Torg, Kongens g 11. Smack in the middle of the city, this mall should be able to suit most of your needs. This mall especially has many diners/cafés. In 2005 it was extended with about 20 new stores and cafés. No frill, nothing fancy, just a centrally located shopping mall with good prices. 

• 6 Mercur Shopping Centre, Kongens gate 8. Also very central, this is a smaller and slightly less crowded shopping centre than Torg; a good alternative. 

• 7 Byhaven, Olav Tryggvasons g 28. Slightly posh shopping mall with a slight majority of expensive stores. Granted, there were many more posh stores when it opened some years ago now, but the posh environment seems to remain. 

• 8 Solsiden, Beddingen 10, Nedre Elvehavn. Solsiden translates directly to "The Sunny Side". It was realized and hurriedly transformed from an abandoned shipbuilding site into the hippest shopping mall Trondheim has to offer. Very stylish and well thought out in beautiful surroundings flanked by penthouse apartments as far as you can see. It has a long stretch of restaurants/bars located by the old area where ships were launched back in the good ol' days. Perhaps the most enjoyable of the malls in Trondheim(?). Walk across the pedestrian bridge from close to the train station, or get any eastbound bus from the centre. 

• 9 City Syd, Østre Rosten 28 -30, Tiller. The largest shopping mall in central Norway, with 38,000 square metres of shops, restaurants and whatever else you can think of. Slightly off the beaten tourist track but it can be reached by bus/taxi. The buses 46 and 47 connects City Syd with downtown and has frequent departures, the ride is about 15 minutes. In addition there are 2 other shopping malls in close proximity (200 and 300m) to City Syd (easily spotted from the City Syd parking Lots), "StorM Sentret" and the larger "TillerTorget". 

• 10 City Lade, Haakon VIIs gate 9 (3 km from the centre, bus 4 takes you there). A new-ish, large mall at Lade. 

• 11 Sirkusshopping, Falkenborgvegen 1 (take bus 6, 7 or 36 to the Strindheim stop). Brand new (as of spring 2013) shopping centre east of the city centre with about 100 stores, restaurants and service facilities. 

Eat

Studentersamfundet, the site of eating, drinking and events

Trondheim has food spots to suit every taste, though remember that eating out is generally very expensive, just like elsewhere in Norway.

Budget

• 1 Studentersamfundet, Elgeseter gate 1. The weird, wild, round, red house that houses the Interrail centre in summer and the student society otherwise. The café Edgar serves some decent grub for not too much money (the chocolate cake is big and cheap, but there's also bagels, sandwiches and other pub food). To get to Edgar, go in through the glass doors and up one floor. Lyche (entrance to the south) serves really good food (the burgers are the most popular dish, but they also serve soups, fancier dinner options, dessert) for just a few kroner more than a fast food chain. Just by the main entrance, Sesam makes the city's most hyped and beloved burgers. All southbound buses stop at Studentersamfundet. Everything is accessible by wheelchair. 

• Student canteens, ☏ +47 73 59 32 50. The size of the university means there are 21 student canteens around, serving up pretty bad food at some of the prices available (NOK48). Day card (breakfast, lunch, dinner): NOK60 (students only). 

• SiT Kafe Rotvoll. 
• SiT Kafe DMMH (Sirkusshopping mall). 
• SiT Kafe Kalvskinnet, Gunnerusgate 1. 
• SiT Kafe Øya (near St. Olav's Hospital). 
• SiT Kafe Kjelhuset. 
• SiT Kafe Hangaren. 
• SiT Kafe Realfag. 
• SiT Kafe NTNU. 
• SiT Kafe Dragvoll. 
• Matbaren Dragvoll Idrettssenter. 

• Hot Dog. Any kiosk will offer pølse in a bun and/or lompe (a soft tortilla-like patty) with condiments, and it may appear to be a cheap meal, though making a habit of eating pølse at all times is strongly discouraged.

• 2 1001 Natt, Olav Tryggvasons gate 23. About 90NOKfor a kebab. In the main thoroughfare through the centre, 1001 Natt is one of many kebab-places in the centre of the town. They are mostly pretty similar with regards to quality and price. 

• 3 Tavern, Sverresborg Alle 11 (bus 8 to Trøndelag Folkemuseum). Hardly a bargain at normal times, this old 18th century-inn dishes up all-you-can-eat klubb (potato dumplings with bacon and brown cheese sauce) every Tuesday for well below NOK100. Well worth it, for a taste of real Norwegian peasant cuisine. Be prepared to roll down the hills towards the city afterwards, this is filling food! 

• 4 Ramp, Strandveien 25a. This totally laid-back, semi-organic offering in the squat area of Svartlamon is a good places to while away the hours while watching totally exotic people doing their stuff. Great food at great prices. The letdown is the view of a train goods terminal, a German-built submarine bunker complex and that it is cool to the point of pretension; bring your tats and dreads. Any eastbound bus will take you to Strandveien stop. 

• Egon Tårnet, offers some basic inexpensive food, see splurge section below.
• 5 Deli de Luca, Olav Tryggvasons gate 27. Take away sandwiches, buns, pizza wraps, calzones and hot dogs. You can have a small and tasty mael and a soft drink for well under NOK100. 

Mid-range

Tyholt tower featuring a rotating restaurant

• 6 Bakklandet Skydsstation, Øvre Bakklandet 33. The place to find old Norwegian standards, such as kjøttkaker (meat cakes) and baccalao (dried, salted cod in a tomato sauce), in what must be the city's most charming and least right-angled house. Doubles as a cosy cafe-cum-pub at night. The restaurant is quite small with around ten small tables, so you might want to come a bit outside regular dining times to get a seat. 

• 7 Cafe Ni Muser, Bispegata 9. Nice, artsy café with good food and a big outdoor section. Their outdoor section is packed with artsy types in summer. A lovely spot to get imbibed, just by the Cathedral. A bit too close to the traffic-ridden Prinsens gate, however. 

• 8 Egon Tårnet, Otto Nielsens vei 4 (bus 20 or 60 to Tyholttårnet/Otto Nielsens veg), ☏ +47 73 87 35 00, taarnet@egon.no. M–Th 10:00–23:00, F Sa 10:00–23:30, Su 11:00–22:00. The rotating restaurant at the top of Radio Tower in Tyholt. At the lower end of the price list you will find large American-style sandwiches and hamburgers, at the higher end steaks. There are also other Egon restaurants around town, the most central being in Søndre gate, Prisens gate and at the Solsiden mall. Pizza buffet NOK107, hamburgers and sandwiches NOK150-200, mains around NOK200-350. 

• 9 Kvilhaugen gård, Blussuvollsbakken 20 (bus 60 to Kvilhaugen). If you venture out of the centre to get your beer, make it here. Wonderful outdoor seating with views of most of Trondheim. Inside, it's an old farmhouse with plenty of atmosphere. It's also a restaurant with mains from NOK150-300 from the a la carte menu as well as four different 3-course menus starting from around NOK550 per person. 

• 10 Tulla Fischer, Kongens gate 8. A café and bar near the market square with a varied menu of foods. Yes, they do have a range of pizzas and the burger of the house here, but also dishes like confited duck or steamed mussels with aioli. Extensive beer, wine and drink list (including local artisanal beers) and a quite popular place for just going out for a drink. 

Splurge

• 11 Emilies, Erling Skakkes gate 45 (close to the theatre). A homely gourmet restaurant with a slant towards French cuisine, Emilies is one of the top offerings in town. 

• 12 Credo, Ørjaveita 4 (Credoveita just behind Byhaven shopping centre. Enter through the "hidden" door to the left of the restaurant, and walk up the stairs.). This is one of the best restaurants in Trondheim, with a stellar wine list, this restaurant manages to be both informal, creative and top-end and prices to match. If you want to get away with spending less, their bar on the 1st floor serves the daily special (choice between fish and meat) for NOK150 (Jan 2011). It's always delicious. 3-course dinner for NOK275. The bar turns into a rocking place at night. Above the Credo restaurant is the 3b for grown ups. Rock and indie for people who know their musical history, and the occasional live gig of guaranteed quality music. Entrance in the dark alley around the corner from the restaurant. Hard to spot unless the smokers are taking fresh air. 

• 13 Havfruen, Kjøpmannsgata 7. The name translates to mermaid, and they do indeed specialize in seafood and fish. They have both a three to seven course menu starting from a whopping NOK498, an a la carte menu with small fish and seafood tapas for around NOK100-150 each, as well as the fish and the meat of the day. The restaurant itself is located in an old fish warehouse at the bank of Nidelva. 

Drink

Bakklandet, a good district for eating and drinking

Trondheim has a rocking nightlife. However, everything closes fairly early, meaning that there's a well developed culture for after-parties in homes. To find one, the area just outside Downtown and Harvey's in Nordre is the best bet, or befriend someone working at the Studentersamfundet, that can take you into the private quarters of the house. They are only allowed one guest each...

Learn the customs if you want a good time... essential words are "Vorspiel", referring to the pre-parties people have before they go out, and "Nachspiel", the after-parties. Vorspiels are necessitated by the very high prices in bars and clubs... the idea is generally to drink as much as you can before going out, spend as little as possible while in the venue, and drink more afterwards.

Also, beware of the stringent regulations governing the sale of alcohol! You can only get drinks of strength 4,7% or less from regular shops. So, only beer. Also, they stop selling beer at 20:00 sharp on weekdays, 18:00 sharp on Saturdays and they don't sell it at all on Sundays... a legacy from Christian Democracy. Beware of the alcohol-free beer too, there's lots of it, and many people drink it if they are driving — if you see beer that seems cheap(er than the rest), check the strength.

If you want wine or spirits, you'll need to find a Vinmonopolet, the state-run liquor stores. There are only a few in Trondheim, and they close early, 17:00 or 18:00 during the week and 15:00 on Saturdays. Sunday? Forget it. The most central one can be found in "Søndre gate", as well as in Byhaven mall, Solsiden mall, Valentinlyst mall, City Lade mall and CitySyd mall.

The cafe scene in Trondheim is the best developed in Norway, with tons of fine coffee-and-cake spots around. Most double as pubs during the night.

Mainly alcohol

• 1 Studentersamfundet, Elgeseter gate 1. A big, red, round temple to partying. Major concerts coincide with political meetings, discussions, wine tasting, disco, football matches and... you name it. You are certain to get lost in the mazes of this wonderful house. Fairly empty in summer and on weekdays, but on term time weekends it's good. Expect to pay around NOK30-60 in the door on weekends, more if there's a major concert going on. The place is run by approx 1300 student volunteers who do everything from serving drinks, rigging concerts, sing in Samfundets choir, play in Samfundets symphony orchestra and hold political debates. Befriend anyone who works there, and try to gain access to their private quarters. Most volunteers are enthusiastic people that often are easy to befriend if you, i.e. a foreigner, show interest. The private quarters are secluded areas where the volunteers hang out after work, and is an even more elaborate maze with some 20 pubs that stay open all night (and day... and night again...) 

• Kjemikjellern, (Often pronounced Sjemisjeller'n by drunk students visiting from southeastern Norway), A great place for getting drunk in the weekends, very cheap beer and booze. Try befriending some local students and you might get to taste some lovely karsk.

• 2 Bar Circus, Olav Tryggvasons gate 27. Small, quite popular pub/venue and almost always very full - but that's not just because of the music or location, but because of the beer price which is cheap in Norwegian terms (NOK36 for 0.4L.) 

• 3 Den Gode Nabo, Øvre Bakklandet 66. Just across the Old Town bridge and down a scary-looking staircase, this is a brown fisherman's pub in an old warehouse. As atmospheric as it gets, they have Trondheim's most lovely outdoor seating in summer. The place is divided between the "grown ups section" by the entrance, and the "student section" further in. Popular among students and all others and not too expensive if you prefer the regular brands. Furthermore, they have an exceptional range of beer and a friendly and knowledgeable staff who are always happy to suggest new things to try. 

• 4 DownTown, Nordre Gate 28. Near the crossing of Nordre gate and Fjordgata, it is widely known among students due to its pianobar. Cheap beer during the week (NOK19 for 33cl) and a lot of international students, especially on Thursday. According to their home page the bar is closed for renovation as of September 2014. 

• 5 Club Gossip, Nordre Gate 23. This is an another nightclub which together with DownTown is the main nightclub visited by students and young people (early twenties). On special occasions, halloween for instance, Gossip will be the club most likely to host theme parties. 

• 6 Blæst, Tmv-kaia 17. In the new Solsiden complex at Nedre Elvehavn, Blæst is the best and most affordable offering. Discos and major concerts are held. Good outdoor seating along the whole front, but Blæst has the cheapest beer of the 6-7 pubs there. 

Many bars and clubs are at Nordre gate, "North Street"

• 7 Cafe 3b, Brattørgata 3b. 3b is an institution in Trondheim. Leading on in the "big beer war" of the -90's, it was dirt cheap for years. Now it's more expensive, but it's still an enjoyable, black hole catering for rock and indie kids of every denomination imaginable. Hiphop kids have their own private dungeon down the corridor behind the bar in the basement. 

• 8 Fru Lundgreens, Kjøpmannsgata 50. In the basement of the concert hall, Fru Lundgreens looks like the inside of a lung but has good, cheap beer and a brilliant jukebox. Crowd is rock. Pooltable in the back. Prices vary on time, but always good value. The food of the day is good if you need something with your beer. 

• 9 Carl Johan, Olav Tryggvasons gate 24. The northernmost end of Nordre gate is the hub of Trondheims nightlife, with mainstream discos, sausage kiosks and lots of drunk, well-dressed people. Carl Johan is a straightforward pub with more relaxed ambience than most offerings in the area. 

• 10 Familien, Dronningens gate 11, ☏ +47 73 51 66 00, post@familien.in. Plays all kinds of music and caters to all kinds of people. A nice place if you want to dance, discuss or just drink with the other people. Cheap beer before 23:00. Entrance is normally free, except for weekends and whenever there are concerts. 

• 11 Trondhjem Mikrobryggeriet, Prinsens gate 39. A brewery pub offering a range of beer brewed in-house (about six kinds plus a seasonal special). Prices for a 0.5L about 50% higher than elsewhere, but the only place in town to offer an IPA and a bitter from tap - along with the other four. Substantial food is served, too. 

• 12 Lille London, Carl Johans gate 10, ☏ +47 73 51 80 95, post@lillelondon.no. 11:00–02:00 Monday–Saturday, 12:00–02:00 Sunday. "Little London", pub that caters to a wide variety of people. They show football games live, and the second story has a billiards room with three pool tables. During the weekends there is often live music in the second story. 

Mainly coffee

• 13 Mormors Stue, Nedre Enkeltskillingveita 2. In the centre of town, this cafe has a cake-buffet on Sundays, NOK69 for as much cake and tea/coffee as you can eat and drink. Carrot cake, cheesecake, apple cake, chocolate cake... all are totally edible. The free coffee's not up to Dromedar standards by far, but do go in a group and hang out for an hour or two. It's a good way to spend a hung over Sunday afternoon. Opens at noon on Sundays, be sure to arrive on time to ensure you have place to sit. Although being a café, it's most known as becoming the cheapest place to buy beer, which at the same time provides a nostalgic atmosphere. The downside is that you have to come early to be sure to get a seat, and that it closes early. 

• Dromedar Kaffebar, Four cafés in the city. According to one Wikivoyager the best coffee in Norway, ultra-top-quality coffee comes with the typical laid-back Trondheim atmosphere thrown in for free, especially at their Bakklandet café. No wifi access. 

14 Nedre Bakklandet 3

15 Nordregate 2

16 Olav Trygvassonsgate 14

17 Nedre Bakklandet 77

• 18 Cafe Horneman, Kongens gate 7. Cozy and calm old-fashioned café in a large yellow wooden building right in Trondheim downtown. Apparently operated by the local association for the retired persons, it's popular among the city's senior citizens. They have fresh sandwiches, cakes and on weekdays lunch too. In the summer you can enjoy your coffee break in the backyard garden of the building. 
• 19 Starbucks solsiden, beddingen 2, 7014 Trondheim (any bus to solsiden), ☏ +4746741874. 07.00-20.00. starbucks is a coffee shop/ café with good coffee and food. Starbucks solsiden is one of the bigger starbucks and it has a fine atmosphere. Free wifi. (updated Nov 2015)

Sleep

View of Trondheim

Budget

Camping

There are several managed camp sites, some with huts. If you want to go free-camping, get the tram to the terminus at Lian and walk into the forest from there. Some people camp rough in the area around the fortifications of Kristiansten festning: Do this at your own risk. (This is technically a park.) There is an unofficial law in Norway stating that nature is for everyone, you may camp out anywhere if you keep a distance of 300m from homes/structures. It underscores Norwegians' deep love of the outdoors and their trust in people using but not abusing this precious resource. If you want to camp close to the city, it's allowed to camp behind the Studentersamfundet, under the administration of Trondheim InterRail Centre, during the summer months for a low fee.

• 1 Flakk Camping, Flakk ferry terminal (Bus 75 to Flakkråa, infrequent). Close to the ferry terminal for the car ferry to Fosen. 
• 2 Sandmoen Bed & Breakfast, Sandmoflata 6 (Bus 19 or 47 to Sandmoen). This is a Bed and Breakfast that also has a space for camping. South of the city and frequently served by slo-o-ow bus. Shop, huts and all amenities. 
• 3 Vikhammer Motell & Camping, Vikhammerløkka 2, Vikhammer (Local bus towards Stjørdal or local train to Vikhammer station, day pass not valid). East of the centre near the fjord. 
• 4 Storsand Gård Camping (Local bus towards Stjørdal, fairly frequent, day pass not valid). East of the centre and maybe the most picturesqure of the lot. 
• 5 Øysand Camping, Gamle Kongeveg 56, Melhus (Local buses towards Orkanger, frequent, day pass not valid). South of the city near the Øysand beach. 

Hostels

• 6 Trondheim Hostel (Trondheim Vandrerhjem), Weidemannsvei 41 (Bus 63 to Sigurd Bergs allé), ☏ +47 73 87 44 50, booking@trondheimvandrerhjem.no. Is located on top of a hill, fairly close to the centre, Lademoen and the fortress. Clean, efficient and nice. From NOK365. 
• 7 Pensjonat Jarlen, Kongens gate 40 (near the main square), ☏ +47 73 51 32 18, booking@jarlen.no. Slightly more expensive, but still good for Trondheim. Dorm: NOK320, Double: NOK690. 

Hotels

• 8 Singsaker Sommerhotell, Rogertsgt. 1, ☏ +47 73 89 31 00, sommerhotell@singsaker.no. Is a lovely studenthome converted into a summer hotel while the students are home during the summer. It's located near to city center and the University. The standard is simple, but upgraded this year (summer 2008). The breakfast buffet is included. The hotel opens in the middle of June and closes in the middle of August (this may vary). Be early to book if you want a room with bathroom, although the common bathrooms are really nice too. Dorm: NOK260, Double: NOK698-889. 

Mid-range

Olav Tryggvasons gate in the evening

• 9 Best Western Chesterfield Hotel, Søndre gate 26, ☏ +47 73503750. This hotel is a piece of England in the middle of Trondheim. It's within walking distance to bus- and railway station, shopping malls and museums. Buses to and from the airport (Værnesekspressen) stop right outside this hotel. 

• 10 Thon Hotel Trondheim, Kongens gate 15. You will find the hotel in the middle of the historic district in Trondheim, only 50 metres from the town square. The airport shuttle bus and most of the public transportation stops close to the hotel. Fixed low prices; NOK695/895 single/double. 

• 11 Thon Hotel Gildevangen, Søndre gate 22B. The hotel is ideally situated in the middle of Trondheim, a short 300 metres walk from both the train- and bus station. Airport shuttle stops right outside the hotel from the airport. 

• 12 Best Western Nova Hotell Kurs og Konferanse, Cicignons plass, ☏ +47 73 80 63 00. As the name reveals, it is also a conference centre with a large number of conference rooms. The hotel reception is on the 4th floor, the rooms on the 5th and 6th - you need to take an elevator up there. On the bottom floor there is a movie theater. The rooms seem to have been recently renovated, and as pretty much any mid-range hotel, they include bathroom and tv and there's free Wi-Fi. Breakfast is included in the rates. In addition to this you can fry your own Norwegian-style waffles on the 4th floor in the evening between 18 and 21. On the downside, on nights with live music in the pub in the same building you will hear the music in your room too, whether you want it or not. double: NOK945. 

Splurge

• 13 Hotell Britannia, Dronningens gate 5, ☏ +47 73 800800, britannia@britannia.no. With its 1890's façade, and a matching but modern interior is the most stylish hotel in the city. Its location in Dronningens gate 5 is in the middle of town. It has two restaurants, a number of bars, and modern but stylish rooms. There are also a number of themed rooms, like rooms decorated by well-known Norwegian artists. Prices start at NOK1100/1300 and go a long way up. 

• 14 Radisson BLU Royal Garden Hotel, Kjopmannsgate 73, ☏ +47 73 803000. Modern palace of glass, brass and marble with 295 rooms. Centrally located, excellent communications, but a little soulless. Rooms from NOK1198/1298. 

• 15 Rica Nidelven, Havnegata 1, ☏ +47 73 568000, rica.nidelven.hotel@rica.no. Even more modern and located in the harbour, offers a very very good breakfast buffet. 

• 16 Clarion Hotel & Congress Trondheim, Brattørkaia 1, ☏ +47 73 925500. Newest hotel in Trondheim. It opened late April 2012, and has a beautiful view over the city from the Skybar in 9th floor. The Skybar is worth a visit, and you can go there to enjoy a cup of coffee without staying at the hotel. 
• 17 Scandic Lerkendal, Klæbuveien 127, ☏ +47 2161 5100, lerkendal@scandichotels.com. A brand new hotel, opened in summer 2014, with a viewing room on the uppermost (21st) floor with great views of Trondheim and its surroundings. Rates include breakfast. The hotel also has a gym and several conference rooms, and there is free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. NOK1200. 

Stay safe

Nidelva in southern Trondheim

Generally considered to be the sort of city where little old ladies can walk safely in dark alleys. It is also not terribly uncommon that regular people will go to great strides to give you back your wallet if you drop it, with cash and credit cards intact.

The only "danger" you might encounter are the occasional youths stumbling around in large groups on Friday/Saturdays. The same goes for Trondheim as anywhere else; leave drunk people alone and it's a good chance they'll leave you alone as well.

There are some beggars and rough people. Norway has an extensive social welfare system, and everyone is guaranteed a place to live and a minimum hand out from the government (for single person approx. NOK5000 a month). Beggars are therefore usually people whose economical difficulties are related to excessive use of drugs or alcohol. In the summer, you might also encounter foreigners who have travelled to Norway on the purpose of begging for money. Begging is not illegal in Norway.

Connect

Internet cafes are scarce as most people are connected at home. You will however find a few PCs at some museums and public buildings, reserved for visitors, and more at the public library (may be waiting time). Your accommodation will likely offer free Wi-Fi.

• Wireless Trondheim (Trådløse Trondheim). A wireless network covering most of the city centre. 3h=NOK10, 24h=NOK30. 
• Trondheim Public Library (Trondheim folkebibliotek), Peter Egges plass 1, ☏ +47 72 54 75 00. M–Th 09:00–19:00, F 09:00–16:00, Sa 09:00–15:00. Free usage of computers for 2 hours, free Wi-Fi. 
• Main Post Office, Dronningens gt. 10. 
• The Railway Station has an electronic information kiosk about the city. It has a keyboard but the web browser has no address bar, so you can only click on links to other sites. But find your way to Google (it's possible, be creative), and you can type in the address of the website you want to visit into Google Search.
• NTNU University Library. Several libraries around on different NTNU compounds with some of them having PCs reserved for visitors, even though this is mainly for visitors of the university. 

Go next

Hell is just a short ride away

The two main areas for those who are fond of hiking are Estenstadmarka and Bymarka. To get to Estenstadmarka, take for example bus #5 to Dragvoll. Bymarka you can reach by the Trondheim's only tram line — Gråkallbanen. Be sure to put on a pair of good boots: the terrains of Trøndelag tend to be very wet.

Day trips

• Øysand is one of the best beaches close to Trondheim. Get the Orkanger-bound buses. You may also rent a car.
• Take the local train to Hell station and get a photo of yourself in the front of the cargo office ("Gods-Expedition"). If you can't be bothered going there, you can still buy a one-way ticket to Hell from Central Station... for that special someone.
• For alpine and cross-country skiing, there are two major ski resorts on the Swedish side of the border; Storlien is 100km from Trondheim, Åre about 150km.
• Røros (150km southeast) a world heritage listed old mining town.

Further away

• Kristiansund (200 km west) a city with interesting architecture next to the ocean. If you're with a car, why not continue along the Atlantic Road (Atlanterhavsveien) to Molde; this is often listed as one of the world's most spectacular drives.
• Board a Hurtigruten ship; the southbound one goes to Bergen, the northbound one all the way to Kirkenes near the Russian border.
• Northwards there's more than a day's drive to the Lofoten archipelago, a little less to Vega (Norway). South you can get to places like the scenic Geiranger fjord, Galdhøpiggen (Europe's highest mountain north of the Alps) and other amazing landscapes of mountains, fjords and glaciers. And, of course, the capital Oslo.
• You can of course also head across the border into Sweden, the nearest provinces being Jämtland County and Dalarna.

Hitch-hiking

Hitching a ride out of Trondheim can be difficult. The best spots require a bus ride at the start.

For south/south-westbound travel, the bus stop close to the Shell station at E6, just across the street from City Syd shopping mall, may be the best choice within city limits. Get bus 46 to City Syd and walk, or get the Orkanger/Fannrem-bound bus that stops right there. If you want to make it clear whether you are going the E6 (towards Oslo) or the E39 (towards Molde/Ålesund), you need to get the Orkanger/Fannrem-bound bus to Øysand (for E39) or the Støren-bound bus to Kvål (for E6). This may be sensible, as the traffic splits roughly in half at Klett/Leinstrand, where the two main roads meet. If you are lucky, a bus driver would drive you to the best available hiking spot free of charge (especially if you are from abroad).

For north/eastbound travel, get bus 7 or 36 to Travbanen stop. Sadly, there are no good hitching spots beyond the start of the highway. To avoid short runs, it may be wise to get a bus or train to Stjørdal (close to the airport), then hitch on the E6 or E14 depending on where you want to go. In Stjørdal, there are good spots at both roads close to the station.

Routes through Trondheim

Narvik ← Hell ←	N  S	→ Melhus → Oslo
Trondheim airport ←	W  E	→ Åre → Östersund
END ←	N  S	→ Molde → Bergen