Scenic Norway Knitters and Crafters Tour

Oslo and Bergen, Norway

BT
Battenkill Textile Tours LLC
  • Email address verified
5 reviews
Sep 26 - Oct 4, 2024
Group size: 16 - 28
Scenic Norway Knitters and Crafters Tour
Oslo and Bergen, Norway

Battenkill Textile Tours LLC
  • Email address verified
5 reviews

Sep 26 - Oct 4, 2024
Group size: 16 - 28

About this trip

Explore historic Oslo, charming Bergen, and the surrounding spectacular countryside with knitters and crafters from across the US. Itinerary also includes two optional spa days at one of Norway's most highly rate properties, a 3-dimensional needle felting workshop, a day-long tour and workshop at the Hardanger Folk Museum and a trunk show and class with Oslo-based knitwear designer Sidsel Hoivik. Go behind the scenes with visits and factory store shopping at the Hillesvag yarn mill and Oleana sweater knitting company. In an effort to lighten the carbon footprint/climate impact of our tour, we are eliminating use of private motorcoach for part of the time and relying on walking and mass transit. As such, this will be a more physically active trip than some. Comfortable walking shoes and a commitment by all participants to traveling light will be important. 

Meet your host and tour guide

Mary Jeanne Packer, the founder of Battenkill Textile Tours LLC, has been leading groups of knitters and fiber enthusiasts on trips around the world (and around the corner) since 2006 when she put a small ad in the national knitting magazines to see if anyone might want to come and spend a few days knitting, wine tasting, and visiting fiber farms in the Finger Lakes; and 20 people signed up! Those first 20 said they would "like to go to Ireland sometime"; and the rest is history. Mary Jeanne is the founder and co-owner of Battenkill Fibers Carding and Spinning Mill in Greenwich, NY. 


Andrew Hutter is an American ex-pat who has been living and working in Oslo, Norway for most of the last 35 years. So it's an understatement to say he knows his way around. This is Battenkill Textile Tours' 4th trip with Andrew. Many of our travelers comment that having this fun-loving guy as our guide is one of the highlights of their travel experience.

What’s included

  • Hotels
    All four star or better. One with full spa.
  • Motor coach
  • English speaking guide
  • All breakfasts
  • Welcome dinner
  • Farewell banquet
  • Some other group meals
    Refer to detailed itinerary for other meals included.
  • Workshops
    Two knitting classes and a 3-dimensional felting workshop
  • All admissions
    To various museums and historic sites
  • Gratuities
    For guides, drivers, servers, etc.
  • Porter service
    Porterage on one bag only.

What’s not included

  • Airfare
  • Airport transportation
  • Meals not listed
    Refer to detailed itinerary
  • Alcoholic beverages

Available Packages

Double room

Two people in one room with one attached bath. Each room has two beds.

$4,135
Deposit:$1,000
Single room

One person in one room with attached private bath.

$4,920
Deposit:$1,000

Itinerary

Norway!
Scenic Norway Tour for Knitters and Crafters

  

Day 1- September 26, Thursday, Oslo

Arrive today on your own to the Thon Hotel Opera, conveniently located next to the train station and the Opera House, Oslo’s landmark building. We’ll meet this evening for a welcome dinner.

Day 2 – September 27, Friday

This morning we’ll have a behind the scenes tour of the Opera House and see where they are making the sets and costumes. Afterwards, there will be time for a walk up the marble clad sloping roof for a great view and commentary by your local guide Andrew Hutter. We then continue our tour of Oslo using our tram passes that we’ll have for the next two days. We’ll visit Oslo’s City Hall, where the Nobel Peace Prize is handed out and then on to the National Museum where we’ll see Edvard Munch’s The Scream and many other paintings along with the history of Norwegian design from the Viking era to the present. In the late afternoon, we’ll make our way to the trendy Grünerløkka area to an old community house that we’ve rented for two days of activities. First, indie dyer Tuva Hoen will have a pop-up shop and then we’ll have a dinner with lots of local specialties.

Day 3 – September 28, Saturday, Oslo

Today half the group will have a 3-hour workshop with Sidsel Høivik  where you’ll do Embroidery on Knitting. Information will be provided to you before the workshop so that you can do some optional preparatory work to get the most out of your time with Sidsel. Half the group will do the workshop in the morning while the other half has free time to for sightseeing and shopping. After lunch, the group switches. Lunch today will be Norwegian style in the community house – you’ll make your own open face sandwiches with a variety of fresh breads and toppings that locals use. Dinner at our hotel.

Day 4 – September 29, Sunday, Oslo to Solstrand Hotel

This morning we take the scenic rail journey to Bergen, climbing to above the tree line and continuing past a glacier. Upon arriving in Bergen, we’ll transfer by coach to the Solstrand Hotel & Spa located on a fjord south of Bergen. This family-owned hotel is considered to be one of the best spa resort hotels in Norway and will be our base for the remainder of our tour. Dinner at our hotel.

Day 5 – September 30, Monday, Solstrand

This morning you have free time to explore the surroundings along the fjord and the nearby town of Os. You can also use the free pools and saunas or book a spa treatment at the hotel. This afternoon, we’ll make the 30-minute drive to Bergen. After a short orientation tour, you’ll have free time to explore this quaint city with its UNESCO listed Bryggen wharf area and lots of shopping opportunities. We’ll return for dinner at our hotel.

Day 6 - October 1, Tuesday, Workshop at Hardanger Folk Museum

Today you’ll get a healthy dose of fjord scenery on our full-day excursion to the Hardanger Folk Museum as we drive along the Hardanger Fjord to village of Utne, which we’ll ferry across the Fjord to reach. Here we’ll first have a tour of their Bunad collection (folk costumes) and the rest of the museum. Afterwards, we’ll have a workshop making Sjona mittens using a twinning technique. Lunch will be had during a break in the workshop and you’ll sample some local homemade lefse during a coffee break. Dinner at our hotel

Day 7 – October 2, Wednesday. Excursion to Oleana

Morning free for spa treatments and enjoying the pools and ambience at our hotel. In the afternoon we’ll drive to Oleana knitwear for a tour and time to shop at their factory. Dinner at our hotel.

Day 8 – October 3, Thursday, Excursion to Hillesvåg 

This morning we drive to the Hillesvåg yarn factory, a yarn mecca for Norwegian knitters. Here we’ll have a workshop in 3 dimensional felting, a tour of the factory and (of course) plenty of time for shopping. Lunch will also be had here. Afterwards, we drive to the Øvre-Eid Farm for a tour of this family-owned farm that goes back to the 1500’s. After the tour, we’ll have a buffet farewell dinner featuring Norwegian specialties. 

Day 9 – October 4, Friday

Tour ends after Breakfast. 


INCLUDED

- Breakfast daily, 8 dinners and 3 lunches

- All Workshops and entrances in the itinerary

- Train journey from Oslo-Bergen and 48-hour transportation pass in Oslo

- All tips for group activities, includes guides, tour director, bus drivers and porters

- Porter service where available including 1 bag from Oslo Hotel to the Solstrand Hotel & Spa (so you won’t have to take your big bag on the train)

NOT INCLUDED

- Airfare to and from Norway

- Transportation to and from airport

- Travel insurance

ACCOMODATIONS

Thon Hotel Opera in Oslo

Solstrand Hotel & Spa (30 minutes from Bergen)

Your Organizer


BT
Battenkill Textile Tours LLC
5 reviews
Battenkill Textile Tours combines your love for fiber arts with your yearning to discover the unknown.

Reviews

I completely enjoyed this trip with MJ. Smooth transition from hotel to hotel. Great accommodations, classes were interesting, hosts were gracious. A complete delight. Food was fantastic. I require a special diet. Whenever we had a meal, our guide, Andrew, made sure staff was aware of my dietary restrictions. I encourage anyone to take a trip with we travel.
By Claudia D for Scenic Norway Knitters and Crafters Tour on Oct 07, 2024
MN
The trip to Norway with fellow knitters was above and beyond my expectations. The hotels weee beautiful and comfortable. Food was all amazing….especially the local delicacies. Absolutely north went wrong. Our guide Andrew is the best! Thank you for the perfect vacation!
By Margaret N for Scenic Norway Knitters and Crafters Tour on Oct 06, 2024
This trip far exceeded my expectations!!! We had great accommodations and delicious food! Our guide was very well informed and made the trip interesting and provided us with opportunities to experience cities and countryside. I loved the balance of time spent seeing historic sites and time spent in workshops and shopping for Nordic yarn! I appreciated meeting local people and visiting a local farm! Bergen is my new favorite city and I will be back!!! Thank you Battenkill Textile Tours for organizing this very special knitting tour! I am already looking forward to my next trip with you!
By Jennifer M for Scenic Norway Knitters and Crafters Tour on Oct 06, 2024
AW
A fabulous trip as usual for Battenkill Textile Tours. Good accommodations, great food and many, many Interesting things to do... especially the fiber related workshops, visits to museums and fiber shopping opportunities!
By Ann W for Amazing Canadian Maritimes for Knitters and Crafters on Jul 03, 2024
It was an amazing trip! Weather was perfect, the 3 classes we had excellent, and the second and third hotels were very comfortable. The first one was ok but not quite up to snuff. There were some last minute changes in itinerary and the bus driver and tour leader handle them well.
By Linda G for Amazing Canadian Maritimes for Knitters and Crafters on Jun 25, 2024

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