Bakklandet is Trondheim's most photogenic neighbourhood. Come walk with me!
In the summer:
And in the winter:
Known today for its timber homes, cafe culture and cyclists, its origins actually lie in trade and industry, home to seamen, fishermen and labourers.
As delightful as the street is today, it was very nearly a motorway. In 1965 the city plan proposed the area be demolished and replaced with a 4-lane highway. Needless to say, local residents opposed the plan and after a fight that lasted almost 20 years, the area was saved.
Each year the shops and bars of Bakklandet spill out onto the street for a week-long festival known as Bakklandsdagene. Here's my friend Chris enjoying the view across the river:
It was Sunday night and only a few bikers and locals could be spotted. But it was delightful nonetheless; the cobblestone streets and cute shops and boutiques, all of them nearly side-by-side, seemed to bring out even more of the city’s charm. We managed to find a cozy little bar, tucked below one of the buildings we passed (Keith – Pardon My Norwegian)
You can easily spend an afternoon browsing the galleries and boutiques. My favourite is the art gallery of Høie Glass & Metall, where you can buy some great hand-made glassware:
Bakklandet is a popular neighbourhood for cycling. So much so, small paved sections were added to the cobbled roads to make cycling far easier. The street is also the starting point for Trondheim's bicycle lift, a tourist attraction in itself!
Here you'll find some of the best pubs in Trondheim, including Den Gode Nabo and Antikvariatet, complete with cosy interiors:
And last but not least, the most photographed view in Trondheim is found here, from the Old City Bridge (Gamle Bybro) down the Nidelva river:
The main thing I remembered from Trondheim were the hills as we were walking. I would love to go back with my camera and bicycle though. I’m sure there’s lots more I can discover. Keep blogging and taking photos. You’re tempting me …to return.
Why, oh why, did my great-grandparents emigrate from Trondheim to Minnesota?
I’m planning on being in Trondheim in July participating in the International Choral Festival. I am disabled and use an electric mobility scooter. If I can’t bring or rent a scooter I will be using a wheelchair. Cobblestones may be quaint but they are difficult/impossible and painful for a wheelchair user, and are killers for lightweight travel scooters. Would I be able to get around comfortably in the town, or would much of it be off-limits for me.
Hi Jody. Welcome to Trondheim! This post refers to just one street in the city, and as you can see from the pictures there is pavement as well as cobblestones along some of it. The rest of the city centre is mostly paved road and normal pavement.