Welcome to another week and our first November news. The nights are drawing in, ghosts, ghouls and fireworks are done and dusted with for another year and as usual we're busy at Cloud 9 HQ organising and pitching for several events.
Despite how busy we are it is also vital in this industry to keep our venue and destination knowledge as fresh and relevant as possible. Our clients confirm events all over the UK but also worldwide and it is an important part of our job to experience destinations first hand. Recently our Brand Director Fiona spent a weekend in Bergen courtesy of destinations UNLIMITED, Eton Travel Group and First United Events and Incentives and she has shared her experience below.
As a UNESCO World Heritage City and a European City of Culture, the Bergen region has the ideal combination of nature, culture and exciting urban life. It's Norway's second largest city after Oslo and the most popular gateway to the fjords of West Norway.
Our group of 10 met at Gatwick at the respectable time of 9am to start our weekend, and before we new it we had arrived in Bergen after a short 2hr flight. First impressions were the breath taking views flying in to the city followed by experiencing the brand new passenger terminal which gives visitors a great start to their Norwegian adventure.
We stayed at the Radisson Blu Royal hotel in the heart of the old town area on the edge of Bryggen wharf. This great conference hotel comprises of 21 events spaces with a combination of contemporary meeting rooms and historically inspired dining rooms. Dinner transportation was a wonderful evening cruise to the Cornelius Seafood Restaurant where in addition to amazing cuisine all guests are treated to an entertaining history of the restaurant by the charismatic owner.
Saturday saw us boarding the historic train to Flaam and taking a 2 hour journey through the beautiful countryside to reach our destination. Lunch was courtesy of the stylish Fretheim Hotel, but before this we were given a great site inspection of this unique property. The hotel is a beautiful white timber building which dates back to 1850. The newest part of the hotel was built in 2000 but the historical part has preserved the traditional features of the property with 17 'character' bedrooms for an 18th century experience. And yes, this means no TV!
The afternoon saw us kitted out ready for a RIB boat safari from Flaam all the way to Gudvangen. This stunning journey has been rated as one of the most scenic in the world and it did not disappoint. The mountains are majestic and provide an jaw dropping back drop to the beautiful fjords. A quick visit to the brand new Viking Village in Gudvangen was an additional treat to our events programme. This innovative project gives visitors the chance to experience life in a Viking community and learn more about the Viking age.
Our bus trip back to Bergen was broken by a quick visit to the Magic White Caves of Gudvangen, an amazing network of caves brought to life by colour, music and 'magic ponds' which can be hired for events from May to September. Once back in the city we experienced a fantastic dinner in a 'locals' restaurant in the historic area followed by a drink or two in a traditional style bar before calling it a night.
Sunday morning we were up and ready to take a city walking tour with our informative guide who took us to the hidden gems of the old town area and through the beautiful residential streets winding up the hillside. The day was stunning and our ride up to Mt Ulriken on the cable car for lunch gave us a wonderful vista of the whole city. Those of us with conference business took an impromptu site inspection of the Bergen Convention Centre before re joining the group to make our way back to the airport.
The programme arranged for the group gave a great insight into what clients can experience if they choose to stay for a day or two after their conference, or wish to come purely for an incentive. We pride ourselves in gaining invaluable knowledge by partaking in familiarisation trips such as this to be able to share our experiences with our clients. If you have any event enquiries for Norway or any other destination please do not hesitate to contact us and we will help you plan an amazing event!
Have a great week!
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