Christmas and New Year in Flåm
Flåm invites you to a cosy and relaxing Christmas. We have decorated the whole village with winter lights both inside and outside to set the right mood and offer traditional activities and food for young and old.
Welcome to Christmas in Flåm
Welcome to Flåm in December. The peaceful town centre is illuminated outdoors and indoors, our charming shops, such as Memories from Flåm and the Flåm Railway Museum, are excellent for finding unique Christmas gifts, and Flåm Bakery offers traditional baked goods.
Historic Fretheim Hotel has a diverse range of activities, from a traditional norwegian Christmas dinner with live music to celebrations on Christmas Eve. True to tradition, you can also join Santa on the Flåm Railway on selected days and celebrate the arrival of the New Year on a special cruise on the fjord.
Join Santa Claus on the Flåm Railway
Are you travelling with children? Make sure to be in Flåm on Saturday 7th and/or Sunday 8th December. This weekend are filled with fun and good food for the whole family! Before the Family Christmas lunch, you can join Santa on a journey with the Flåm Railway from Flåm to Myrdal and back. Rumours has it that Santa got a small surprise waiting as well.
If you show tickets from the Santa train ride, you get 20% discount on the Christmas lunch.
Traditional Norwegian Christmas at Fretheim Hotel
Historical Fretheim Hotel and its restaurant Arven is open every day throughout the season, just as the rest of the year. For a proper Norwegian winter experience, you should gather around the bonfire in the garden after a day out.
In Norway, we celebrate Christmas on the 24th of December. And on that evening, all guests are invited to join our traditional celebrations with storytelling and handing out of Christmas gifts in the Lobby bar before the Christmas buffet is served.
Food & Drink
Food and drink are an important part of all travels, and maybe even more so during the festive season. This is the perfect time to try some traditional favourites. Restaurant Arven at Fretheim Hotel is open every evening from 19:00. Try the daily 3-course meal or choose from the a la carte menu, buffet is served between 22 December and 1 January.
Like in many other countries, Norwegians like to go out for a good, traditional meal and a party with friends or colleagues before Christmas. On the weekend 29 - 30 November you can join them on a traditional Christmas dinner followed by live music and dancing.
If you don’t fancy a full Christmas party, the Family Christmas Lunch on the 7 and 8 of December is a good option. The buffet style meal is the same, but instead of live music and a bar there will be activities for the children.
If you are in Flåm on the day of Christmas Eve, make sure to drop by Fretheim Hotel’s Lobby bar at 14:00 to try the designated Christmas Eve lunch for families all across Norway: rice porridge. It is made of rice and milk, served with cinnamon and sugar, and traditionally there is an almond hidden in the pot. The finder of the almond usually wins either a marzipan pig or seasonal chocolate.
White Christmas in Myrkdalen
We must be honest and admit that Flåm is not the most snow-rich place in Norway. 45 minutes’ drive away, on the other hand, you find Myrkdalen – one of the country’s most snow sure destinations. Here you find the largest ski resort in Western Norway with slopes suitable for all levels, cross country trails, and a fantastic off-piste terrain. Myrkdalen Hotel and the cafés throughout the resort offer delicious food. If skiing is not your thing, you can join other activities such as horse sleigh rides. On selected days you can even experience dog sledding! Every afternoon throughout the season the ski school organize sledging with snowracers from the top of the chair lift – a lovely and adrenalin filled way to end the day.
The Fjords & Mountain bus have two daily departures between Flåm and Myrkdalen in weekends and Christmas holiday.
New Year's Eve Cruise
Start the new year on board the award-winning, fully electrical Future of The Fjords, surrounded by the UNESCO world heritage landscape on the Nærøyfjord. The modern vessel has large panoramic windows allowing you great views to the firework even if you want to stay inside one of the warm lounges, and its full universal design make it possible for everyone to join.
The New Year's Eve Cruise includes a welcome drink. You can purchase more drinks and light snacks in the bar.
Daily activities
Most of the activities you can enjoy in in Flåm are open daily throughout the winter. Experience magnificent engineering and spectacular nature on the Flåm Railway; reload your batteries with blue winter light and crisp air on a Fjord Cruise Nærøyfjord between Flåm and Gudvangen; and go on a tour to Stegastein Viewpoint to admire the view of the Aurlandsfjord and the UNESCO world heritage listed landscape.
Shopping
Do you need to do some Christmas shopping? Or maybe you just want a unique souvenir to bring home? Drop by Memories from Flåm and the Flåm Railway Museum while in Flåm. Here you find a wide variety of Norwegian and Scandinavian brands, as well as locally made handicrafts, and our own Memories from Norway-collections.
