🇳🇴Norway · Places to discover
What to see in Trondheim?
23 places selected by the community - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.
Landmarks & heritage
5 places
1Wikipedia · CC BY-SALandmark
Erkebispegården
The medieval archbishop's palace adjoining the cathedral, one of Scandinavia's best-preserved palatial complexes. Home to the Norwegian Crown Jewels and fascinating archaeological exhibitions.
2Wikipedia · CC BY-SALandmark
Gamle Bybro
Trondheim's iconic red wooden bridge spanning the Nidelva, offering the postcard-perfect view of the colourful warehouses of Nedre Elvehavn. It's the image locals never tire of gazing upon.
3Wikipedia · CC BY-SALandmark
Bakklandet
A pristine 18th-century timber neighbourhood on the eastern bank of the Nidelva, untouched by modern development. Cobbled lanes, colourful houses and independent cafés make it the city's most vibrant and authentic quarter.
4Wikipedia · CC BY-SALandmark
Munkholmen
An islet in the middle of Trondheimsfjord that has served successively as a Benedictine monastery, state prison and fortress. In summer, ferries carry locals out for swimming and picnics—a twenty-minute escape from the quay.
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Landmark
Landmark
Stiftsgården
Scandinavia's largest timber mansion (1774) and the official royal residence in Trondheim. The rococo interior, visitable in summer, reveals surprising grandeur for a wooden structure.
Museums
4 places
6Wikipedia · CC BY-SAMuseum
Trondheim Art Museum
Art museum housing Norway's largest collection of paintings outside Oslo, featuring works by Munch, Krohg and Astrup. The Art Nouveau decorative arts wing is a pleasant surprise often overlooked by visitors.
7Wikipedia · CC BY-SAMuseum
Ringve Museum
Norway's national music museum housed in an 18th-century manor surrounded by botanical gardens. Guides play historical instruments live during visits—an experience truly unlike any other.
8Wikipedia · CC BY-SAMuseum
NTNU Science Museum
Science museum of Trondheim University, covering archaeology, natural history and regional ethnography. The collections of medieval ecclesiastical art recovered from rural churches are particularly remarkable.
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Museum
Museum
Sjøfartsmuseet – Trondheim Maritime Museum
Maritime museum housed in an 18th-century warehouse on the Nidelva, tracing the city's maritime and commercial heritage. The collection of Viking ship models and coastal navigation pieces is surprisingly captivating.
Religious sites
2 places
10Wikipedia · CC BY-SAReligious site
Nidarosdomen
The world's northernmost Gothic cathedral and the coronation site of Norwegian kings. Its interior, graced with Gabriel Kielland's stained glass, is breathtaking, especially in the soft light of late afternoon.
11Wikipedia · CC BY-SAReligious site
Ilen Church
Neo-Gothic red-brick church from 1889 in the working-class Ilen neighbourhood, often overlooked by tourist circuits. Its soaring interior proportions and Art Nouveau stained glass deserve a detour from the city centre.
Castles & fortresses
1 place
12Wikipedia · CC BY-SACastle
Kristiansten Festning
A 17th-century fortress perched on the hillside east of the city, having withstood every Swedish invasion. The panoramic views across Trondheim and the fjord from its ramparts alone justify the climb.
Nature
4 places
13Wikipedia · CC BY-SANature
Lianvatnet
Forest lake at the heart of Bymarka, twenty minutes by tram from the city centre. Locals come here to swim in summer and skate in winter — a verdant lung quintessentially Trondheim, far from any tourist crowds.
14Wikipedia · CC BY-SANature
Estenstadmarka
A peri-urban forest east of Trondheim with well-marked trails used daily by locals for running, skiing and woodland walks. Autumn transforms it into an exceptional natural playground of colour and mushrooms.
15Wikipedia · CC BY-SANature
Gråkallen
Trondheim's emblematic 520-metre summit, reached by the vintage Gråkallbanen tramway from the city centre. Commanding views of the city, fjord and mountains, with numerous hiking trails and cross-country skiing routes departing from the top.
16Wikipedia · CC BY-SANature
Nidelva riverside walk
Stroll along the Nidelva river from Nedre Elvehavn to Tempe, winding between restored warehouses, parks and private gardens. A leisurely route that Trondheimers instinctively take at weekends.
Parks & gardens
1 place
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Park
Park
Botanical Garden – NTNU
Trondheim University's botanical garden, one of Europe's most northerly, with remarkable alpine and arctic plant collections. Free and rarely crowded, it's ideal for a verdant escape in the university quarter.
Viewpoints
1 place
18Wikipedia · CC BY-SAViewpoint
Utsikten – Bymarka
Sweeping viewpoint in Bymarka affording a 180° panorama over Trondheim, the fjord and its islands. Accessible in forty-five minutes' walk from Skansen stop, it's the locals' favourite spot for sunrise.
Activities
2 places
19Wikipedia · CC BY-SAActivity
Pirbadet
Municipal aquatic centre with direct fjord views from the indoor pools—a distinctly Norwegian concept. Locals swim here through winter with snow falling outside, a memorable sensory experience.
20Wikipedia · CC BY-SAActivity
Gråkallbanen – Historic Tramway
Norway's last wooden tramway, connecting Trondheim's centre to Lian in the forest since 1924. The journey itself is the attraction—locals ride it to reach cross-country ski trails or the Bymarka forest.
More to discover
3 places
21Wikipedia · CC BY-SAPlace
Nedre Elvehavn
Former shipyard reimagined as a cultural and commercial quarter on the west bank of the Nidelva. Painted wooden warehouses now house galleries, artist studios and restaurants—Trondheim's urban renewal at its finest.
22Wikipedia · CC BY-SAPlace
Solsiden
Former shipyard transformed into a vibrant waterfront neighbourhood on the Nidelva, with terraces, restaurants and local nightlife. Less showy than guidebooks suggest — this is where Trondheimers gather on summer evenings.
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Place
Place
Torvet – Market Square
Grand central square dominated by an equestrian statue of Olav Tryggvason, the city's founder in 997. Saturday morning's market, with local producers, flowers and street food, is a weekly ritual for residents.
Also 🇳🇴 in Norway
