Cruise port guide · Western Norway
A fruit-farming village on the Hardangerfjord, with cider farms a short walk up the hill.
Ulvik is a small village of fruit farmers on the Hardangerfjord. Your ship anchors and a tender takes you to a pier a couple of minutes from everything. The slopes around the village are covered in orchards, and the local cider is the reason a lot of people come back. It's a slow day, and that's the point.
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from the tender pier to the village centre
cider farms within two or three kilometres of the pier
the year the village church was consecrated
when the orchards on the slopes are in blossom
Farm visits, cider tastings and trips over the Hardanger Bridge. Easier than finding your own way up the hill if you only have a few hours.
See the trips from UlvikYou sailed in on a big ship. A smaller boat gets you closer to the farms and waterfalls along the shore.
Find a fjord boatYour ship's daily programme tells you.
Tender boat · 15 min to the centre
Ships anchor between 50 and 300 metres out, and tenders land you about 200 metres from the centre and the tourist information. Toilets and wifi are at the Brakanes Hotel by the water.
Time in port, minus the trip into town and back, and 30 minutes' margin before all aboard.
| Quay | 4 h stop | 6 h stop | 8 h stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ulvik tender pier | 3h 00m | 5h 00m | 7h 00m |
About 4 h 45 min of sightseeing. Works from every quay.
About 6 h of sightseeing. Works from every quay.
A compact centre with shops, cafés and craft exhibitions. The church was consecrated in 1859, and the inside was painted with flowers in 1923 by a local artist, Lars Osa. Look out for poems on walls around the village.
Olav H. Hauge (1908 to 1994) was a fruit farmer in Ulvik and one of Norway's most important poets. The centre tells his story. The exhibitions are open Tuesday to Friday, 10:00 to 15:30, so check what day you're in.
Three farms make cider two or three kilometres from the pier, and you can taste and buy at the farm shops. They don't sell cider on Sundays, so plan your thirst accordingly.
See the trips from UlvikThere are marked trails on the slopes, from short strolls to the Liavegen to Jobykse walk, about three hours. The higher you go, the better the view over the fjord and the orchards.
Eidfjord is 33 km away over the Hardanger Bridge, about 45 minutes each way, and Vøringsfossen is another 20 km up the valley from there. A full trip, but the waterfall is one of Norway's most visited sights.
See the trips from UlvikA coach trip of five to six hours to the town of Voss, 48 km away, usually with a stop at a waterfall, the folk museum and a gondola up to a restaurant at 830 metres. Only for long stops.
Farms, cider and the bigger sights over the bridge. Read the return time against your all aboard.
See the trips from UlvikShort trips on the fjord. Leave time for the tender queue afterwards.
Find a fjord boatA small list, because it's a small place. Worth a look before you decide.
See everything in UlvikMost shops in Norway close on Sundays and public holidays. Museums, cafés and restaurants in the centre usually stay open, often with shorter hours. Here are the public holidays for the next twelve months:
The village, the church and the walks are easy on your own. The cider farms are within walking distance if you don't mind a hill, but a farm visit with a guide is simpler. For Vøringsfossen or Voss, book a tour or the ship's excursion.
Last checked November 2026. Sources: Cruise Norway, Ulvik, Cruise Norway, Cruise Destination Hardangerfjord 2026, Life in Norway, Ulvik.