3 Days in Trondheim Norway

This is our list of the best things to do when you only have 3 days in Trondheim Norway.

We last visited Trondheim Norway in April 2019 as part of our Denmark to Norway Trip.

This city is a “must stop” if you’re in Norway. Three days wasn’t enough time, and we fully expect we’ll return for another visit in the future.

The weather turned colder as we reached Trondheim. What had been previously unseasonably warm temperatures on our trip through Denmark and Norway had taken a sharp dive. It was cool, windy, and snowy as we arrived in Trondheim. We found a use for all the sweaters and coats we had brought with us, which up until now had remained in our suitcase.

However, it is, after all Norway, so the weather didn’t detract from our impression of Trondheim at all. It’s a charming city with a ton of history.

How we travelled to Trondheim Norway

We had just spent 3 days in Oslo, so boarded the train to travel to Trondheim. We booked all of our train journeys ahead of time through the Eurail trip planner app, which we would recommend. With the app, you can easily see the schedules prior to booking the number of days you will be travelling on trains overall.

Things to Do With only 3 days in Trondheim Norway

Nidaros Cathedral

Nidaros Cathedral is the world’s northernmost medieval cathedral. It’s built over the tomb of St. Olav.

There are guided tours offered of this beautiful cathedral, available in a few different languages. We definitely recommend you book a tour in advance if possible.

Archbishop’s Palace and Museum

This museum was built on the same site after a fire in 1983 destroyed two of the buildings. The external façade of this building seems fairly conservative, and doesn’t offer many clues as to what’s inside.

In the 1990s a massive archaeology excavation of the grounds took place involving archaeologists from 12 countries (about 120 people). There were approximately 160,000 finds and the foundations of approximately 100 buildings. One of the most amazing finds was that of three mints, the best preserved being the lower of the three. The mint has been preserved as originally found and is said to be the smallest and northernmost mint in the world.

The museum contains other artifacts, and provides displays of what the Archbishop’s palace would have looked like over different time periods in history.

We were in awe looking at the Mint. Gail enjoys everything relating to numismatics and coins so naturally, it was interesting to see how coins were made long ago. This was a wonderful and surprising find as we made our way through the museum. If there’s a Mint somewhere in any city, Gail will want to visit it, that’s for sure! Even if and perhaps especially if it’s a ancient Mint.

Dora I and Dora II

During our travels in Europe one often comes across reminders of the wars which have ravaged many countries over the centuries. Dora I and II are an example of the strategic and tactical efforts the Nazi war machine carried out during World War 2. These massive concrete structures were built to house submarine pens. The German navy used the pens to carry out maintenance on the submarines in their Atlantic fleet during the Battle of the Atlantic. Having a port in the North Atlantic enabled the U-Boats to remain in combat longer by reducing the travel time to and from port and the Atlantic shipping lanes.

The buildings are huge and constructed of reinforced concrete. The buildings are so strongly built. As a result, it was decided after the war it wasn’t economical to demolish them.

The interiors of the buildings have been converted to various commercial uses. There is new construction on the top of the building that are office spaces. The side facing the port has been repurposed to a boat and yacht mooring.

The picture on the left shows the modern sliding doors and the boat moorings. These buildings were built to withstand the attempts of the allies to destroy them by bombing.

Kristiansten Fortress

The Kristiansten Fortress was built sometime after 1681, and was decommissioned as a military facility in 1816. Today and since 1997 it exists as a museum, and is considered to be Norway’s finest preserved tower fortress of the 17th century.

The fortress is situated at the top of a hill. Therefore, in addition to learning more about the history, you will also see some awesome views of the city and harbour. The donjon is visible from many areas.

Experience Bakklandet

The wooden houses of Trondheim are perhaps the most popular tourist attraction. Bakklandet is indeed a very memorable district of Trondheim. From up close or from a distance, the beauty of these houses is undeniable.

Visit the Emmigrant – Leiv Eiriksson Statue

The plaque says it all here. Also, there’s a Seattle connection too, so for us, it was an fun find. Seattle isn’t far from where we live, so made us feel like we weren’t so far from home after all.

Enjoy the architecture on a stroll around the city

There’s a great mix of older and more modern architecture in this city. Consequently, we think it makes the city more interesting as you walk through. Even on a cooler day for walking, we think you’ll enjoy seeing the variety of the buildings around you.

Visit Rockheim Museum and walk around the harbour

Located at the harbour, this is Norway’s National Museum of Popular Music. If you have the time and the interest, this is worth seeing during your visit. While you’re at the museum, you may want to visit the Yellow submarine at the harbour.

Have lunch and shop in Trondheim Town Center

The lovely square had ongoing construction while we were there, so likely a bit more quiet than usual as a result. It’s worth a visit to the shops and the restaurants. In addition, it’s an easy walk from the Archbishop’s Palace and museum and the Nidaros Cathedral.

We had lunch on a rainy day at Dognvill Burger. It was awesome, and we’d highly recommend the restaurant. A good variety of food, and comfortable environment.

Take pictures of and from the bridges and walkways

There are some beautiful bridges in Trondheim, and gorgeous views from the bridges. Take your time as you stroll along. This unique city will enchant you with it’s charm.

Where we Stayed in Trondheim Norway

We stayed at the Thon Hotel Nidaros in Trondheim. At the time we stayed, the price included free breakfast and evening meal. We were very happy with the hotel. It is located close to everything we visited and close to the train station. We would definitely recommend the hotel to visitors.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our article on Things to Do when you only have 3 days in Trondheim Norway.