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Founded by a Viking king in 997, Trondheim, in central Norway, was the Norwegian kingdom’s capital for nearly 200 years. For centuries, the city was perhaps best known for its royal pedigree, thanks to its most prominent landmark, the opulent Nidaros cathedral. Begun in 1070, the edifice has since served as the site where many of the country’s royals have been officially or ceremonially crowned, and as the end point of medieval pilgrimage routes. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Trondheim morphed into a college town: It’s home to the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, as well as several other universities. In the past decade or so, it’s become a culinary destination as well — surrounded by fjords and farms, restaurants have easy access to fresh ingredients — and even more recently, it’s established itself as a fledgling center of contemporary art.
Earlier this year, the art museum PoMo (the name is short for Posten Moderne, or Modern Post Office) opened in a 1911 post office in the town center, a few blocks from where the celebrated Norwegian artist Kjell Erik Killi-Olsen debuted his avant-garde art space, K.U.K., in 2021. PoMo, a collaboration between the Paris-based architect and designer India Mahdavi and the Norwegian architect Erik Langdalen, is a dramatic and joyful transformation of a 43,000-square-foot Art Nouveau building, now filled with the collection of the museum’s founders, Trondheim natives Monica and Ole Robert Reitan, including works by Isa Genzken and Catherine Opie. A month later, in February, the Reitans also opened the lavishly designed Nye Hjorten theater next door. “When I was growing up here, the city didn’t even have a fine arts museum,” says the conceptual artist Ingar Dragset. “It’s very exciting what’s happening in Trondheim at the moment.”
Though it’s the third largest city in Norway, Trondheim has a population of just over 215,000, which means it still feels more like a small town, albeit one with a world-class orchestra. And while the art scene may be its latest enticement, the natural setting and outdoor diversions are as magnetic as they’ve ever been. Built around one of the largest fjords in Norway, Trondheim is adjacent to islands and forests carved with premier downhill- and cross-country ski runs. (This year the city hosted the Nordic World Ski Championships.) In summer, the surroundings lend themselves to fjord-side walks, kayaking excursions and park picnics. We asked a few locals and frequent visitors, including Dragset and Mahdavi, to recommend some of their favorite spots in and around Trondheim. Click here for a map of the locations mentioned below. The Insiders
Charlotte de Staël, the owner of the city’s fashion boutique Shine, and a granddaughter of the Russian-born French artist Nicolas de Staël, moved to Trondheim from Paris 30 years ago. The conceptual artist Ingar Dragset, raised in Trondheim, is part of the Berlin-based artistic duo Elmgreen & Dragset, best known for their permanent art installations, including “Prada Marfa” in West Texas. After winning the television cooking competition “Top Chef Norway” in 2016, the Trondheim-based chef Reneé Fagerhøi opened the city’s Bula Neobistro. Earlier this year, she opened her second restaurant, the American-inspired Olgas, in the Nye Hjorten theater. The architect and designer India Mahdavi, who lives in Paris, spent two years traveling to Trondheim as the lead interior designer of the recently opened PoMo art museum. Sleep
“The hotels in Norway go all out when it comes to breakfast. There’s even an annual contest. The Scandic Nidelven, while not especially pretty, constantly wins the Norwegian competition for best hotel breakfast. That’s because 90 percent of its breakfast buffet is made up of local specialties. Make sure to ask for a room that looks out over the river. “The Nidaros Pilgrim Hotel might have small rooms — it caters to people making pilgrimages — but it’s decently priced and has a terrace and looks out over the river. It also has a nice breakfast (the bread is made from the hotel’s own grains) and has 23 bedrooms [along with two four-bed dormitories], all quite cozy and most outfitted with antique furniture. You have to book very far in advance for the summertime. “For those who want to escape the city for a short stay on the Atlantic coast, the Stokkøya Beach Hotel — a hotel with glamping tents on a white-sand beach within a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Trondheim — is very popular. It’s hidden in the dunes with a restaurant on the beach, which serves fabulous seafood.” — Charlotte de Staël “The Britannia Hotel is like the Claridge’s of Norway. It was an old palace hotel that was renovated several years ago and now offers good food and very comfortable spaces in an extremely central location.” — India Mahdavi Eat and Drink
“Bula Neobistro has fun, colorful interiors. The staff are very big on natural wines. I always discover a new favorite bottle every time I go there. “A sweet thing to do is to walk along [the Nidelva] where there are some old-fashioned pubs housed in former fishermen’s sheds. Kafé Skuret is a great example of this kind of place. In summer, it’s nice to drink a beer or schnapps and sit in the sun and look at the old boats docked in front.” — C.D.S. “Baklandet Skydsstation, a famous café in a historic neighborhood next to the Nidelva, serves traditional herring dishes and a delicious fish soup. It’s the perfect place to try Norwegian aquavit. “One of my favorite bars in the world is Moskus. It’s small; the staff play vinyl. It’s like something out of a Murakami novel. The people from the city’s art scene hang out here, but it’s the kind of place I could bring my mom. They also make really good cocktails.” — Ingar Dragset “My first head chef, Håvard Klempe, just opened Kombo on the top floor of a building that overlooks the whole city. It’s flashy in a good way and the food is so insanely good. It’s the kind of cuisine you can’t put in a box: modern and creative European food. They also have a great collaboration going on between the chef and the mixologist [Jørgen Dons], so they have really good drinks as well. “The best bakery in the city is Isak-Sellanraa adjacent to the library. They bake artisanal organic sourdough. There’s also a cafe. I love the name. It’s inspired by one of my favorite books, “Growth of the Soil,” by Knut Hamsun. It’s about a guy named Isak who has a farm called Sellanraa.” — Renée Fagerhøi “Tollbua is a lively waterside bistro in an industrial stone building. They serve a delicious four- to six-course set menu, which might include scallops served with sea buckthorn or smoked salmon with gooseberries. “Spontan is a wine bar with a seafood-inspired tasting menu. You can just drop in and grab a seat at the bar, or you can book a table for a more fine-dining experience.” — I.M. Shop
“Tantes Hage, whose name means ‘aunt’s garden,’ is by the Nidelva, not far from the cathedral. It’s a very sweet, personal place run by a couple. The name says it all: It’s a garden with a greenhouse, and there are lovely plants everywhere and outdoor furniture. They serve delicious baked goods and home-cooked dishes, but most of the furnishings — a lot of antiques and flea market finds — are for sale. I ended up with some lovely plates the last time I was there.” — I.D. “One of the city’s stylish fashion boutiques is the Shine shop, which sells a mix of Scandinavian and French designers. One wall of windows peeks into the garden of the royal family’s palace.” — I.M. “Even urban hipsters will love the woolly jumpers, perfect for cold Nordic weather, and the nautical-style clothing and work wear found at Sjøsprøyt.” — R.F. Take Home
“Husfliden sells traditional Norwegian things like old objects carved in wood, wool blankets, special knives and the silver jewelry that you wear with your traditional outfits. In Trondheim, for special occasions women wear a wool skirt and tight woven wool vest. “There’s a tea shop in the historic center called the Gravraak Teateliér where the owner blends all her own teas, often using plants that she grows and forages for.” — C.D.S Explore
“It’s so important for me that Trondheim has the National Museum of Decorative Arts and Design. The Hannah Ryggen tapestries [on display there] were so inspiring to me when I was a child. Ryggen was a tapestry artist working in the early 20th century, and her style was modernist. Her work contained political messages. One of her famous pieces, “Ethiopia” (1935), referred to Mussolini’s invasion; it’s an incredible work. “The K.U.K. is an example of a more recent contemporary artist space — one that was initiated by Kjell Erik Killi-Olsen, a local and one of Norway’s most prolific artists. It’s all about young art and artists. “The Ringve Music Museum was founded by Victoria Bachke, originally from Russia, who was a music lover and collected instruments. Around the museum there’s a beautiful garden.” — I.D. “There are quite a few classical music aficionados who travel to Trondheim just to listen to T.S.O. [Trondheim Symphony Orchestra], the city’s classical music orchestra. You can often catch them at the Olavshallen concert hall.” — C.D.S. “Rotvoll, an area where I grew up, is a nice place to explore and have a picnic. It feels like you are in the countryside, but it’s only 15 minutes [from the city center] by bus. There’s a beautiful organic farm, close to the sea, with a little farm shop and juicery where they make apple juice. In summer, there are tons of sunflowers everywhere.” — R.F. “A friend of mine took me to Sjøbadet, an incredible sauna on the water. From the inside, you have this endless view. Norwegians are very serious about their saunas. It’s very normal to go three times a week at 8 a.m. and then jump into the freezing water afterward. It’s a community, multigenerational thing. “Everyone in Trondheim has bicycles and is always either biking or walking. There’s a great walk called Ladestien that’s about eight kilometers [five miles] and follows the fjord, with several small historic churches and cafes along the way.” — I.M. These interviews have been edited and condensed. Read past editions of Flocking To here.
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