Wandering Through Trondheim: Rainy Beginnings and Festival Endings

Trondheim was my final stop in Norway, and though the day started gray and rainy, it turned into one of those slow-burning gems that sneaks up on you. I didn’t have an excursion booked, just plans to meet up with friends later in the morning. So I stepped off the ship solo and followed my curiosity through the harbor.

The first thing that caught my eye were some odd sculptures near the port, eclectic pieces made of scrap and debris that felt right at home among the old industrial bones of the waterfront. From there, I climbed a ramp to a footbridge, crossing the tracks into the city. Along the canal, boats bobbed gently against the docks, and colorful warehouses stood on stilts above the water, looking like a row of storybook houses with decades of history behind them.

I wandered without direction for a while, sticking close to the canal, snapping pics of bridges, boats, and old machinery half reclaimed by the city’s modern face. Trondheim has this quiet way of blending its industrial past with a creative, almost whimsical present. You see it in the converted dock buildings, the pop-up art, and pedestrian paths that feel more like art installations than sidewalks.

Once my friends were ready to explore, we headed off together toward the Nidaros Cathedral. This is one of those stops that you don’t expect to leave such an impression, and then it does. The sheer detail in every stone, every sculpture, every arch and flying buttress is incredible. It’s Norway’s national sanctuary, built over the burial site of Saint Olav, the country’s patron saint, and parts of it date back to the 11th century. We arrived just in time to hear the noon bells ring, which felt like a small blessing from the timing gods.

As if that wasn’t lucky enough, we stumbled right into the final day of the Martnan festival. Local vendors filled the square with stalls offering everything from woolen goods to traditional snacks. I was determined to find one more Norwegian waffle with brown cheese before leaving the country, and I did, at Baklandet Skydsstation, a charming little place that felt like stepping into a Norwegian grandmother’s kitchen. That stop also checked a box off my friends’ travel wish list: eating authentic Norwegian food in a local spot.

After some souvenir hunting, wool hats were a clear winner, we headed back to the ship feeling full, dry, and completely satisfied with how the day turned around. Trondheim might not have come in with fireworks, but it left with a solid encore.

Whether you’re here on a rainy stopover like I was or have more time to dig in, Trondheim delivers its magic slowly, but it delivers.