Dramatic Landscapes and Boya Glacier

Pass through some of the most spectacularly dramatic landscape in Norway on the way to Bøya Glacier and the unusual Norwegian Glacier Museum nearby.

Settle in for a scenic drive inland, passing through Jostedalsbreen National Park, which encompasses the largest glacier in mainland Europe. Glaciers are so prominent in this part of Norway that it is only fitting that the Norwegian Glacier Museum is located in nearby Fjæland. While browsing the exhibitions, you can expect to learn how glaciers are formed, why their ice appears to be blue, and how scientists obtain ice cores from glaciers that reveal climatic conditions thousands of years ago. You may even see a 30,000-year-old mammoth tusk.

To further enhance your understanding of glaciers, you will proceed to Bøya Glacier. As large as it looks, Bøya is only a branch of the much larger Jostedal ice sheet. Even so, its size is staggering. You may simply pause for photos of the glacier or enjoy a leisurely walk to the glacial lake that Bøya has formed. Either way, it’s easy to see how the glacier has altered the landscape as it moves imperceptibly toward the sea.

Over lunch at a nearby restaurant, you might discuss the power and majesty of Norway’s glaciers before returning to the pier. The route back is impressive, as you will pass more splendid scenery.