North Sea Cruise: Sandnes
In this fourth post of a multi-part series, Bethany explores Sandnes, Norway on her North Sea cruise on Crystal Serenity.
Come spend the day with me in Sandnes, Norway as I sample some local artisan goodies on a foodie walking tour.
North Sea Full Itinerary
Below is the full itinerary for the trip. This post includes details about Sandnes. Looking for info on other stops? Check out the ‘Links’ section at the end of this post!
- August 5-6: Copenhagen, Denmark
- August 7: North Denmark
- August 8: Kristiansand, Norway
- August 9: Sandnes, Norway
- August 10: Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland
- August 11: Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland
- August 12-13: TĂłrshavn, Faroe Islands and a sea day
- August 14-17: Reykjavik, Iceland
- August 16: South Coast of Iceland
Sailing Into Sandnes
We made our way further north along the Norwegian coast to the lovely city of Sandnes. This is our last stop in Norway for this cruise. This is the first not-so-great weather day…it was rather cool and rainy. But I enjoyed the views of the city as we arrived at the port this morning nonetheless!
Foodie Walking Tour
I had a great time on an absolutely fantastic excursion this morning: Sandnes Artisan Flavors Experience. I was one of only six people on the excursion, so we were a very small group. A short bus ride from the port brought us to our first stop, where we started the walking tour through Sandnes. We stopped along the way for chocolate, fish soup, and pastries.
Chocolate Demonstration at Chili Chocolate
The first stop on the tour was a demonstration by one of the owners of Chili Chocolate. He started off by pouring us each a cup of delicious hot chocolate. He told us how he and his wife started their company, Chili Chocolate, which makes a wide variety of hand-crafted chocolates. As he regaled us with charming stories while demonstrating how to temper chocolate, he shared several samples of the different chocolates they make…each one was better and more decadent than the last!
After enjoying both the chocolates and the demonstrations, we set out walking through Sandnes to our next stop. Along the way, I enjoyed the sights of the city.
Fish Soup at GamlaVærket
The next stop was GamlaVærket, a charming restaurant and hotel in the heart of the Sandnes city center. This gorgeous spot is over 200 years old and was originally the home of a factory that made bricks and pottery. This morning, we enjoyed a delicious bowl of traditional Norwegian fish soup, served with a hearty homemade bread.
Warmed by the fish soup, we continued our walking tour through Sandes. We passed the beautiful old brick church, along with many other interesting sights.
Pastry at Sirkus Renaa
Next up was a cute and quirky bakery called Sirkus Renaa. Here we enjoyed some delicious cinnamon pastries with coffee or tea.
Shopping for Chocolates
Our tour ended at the local shopping mall, where we were able to visit a retail shop for Chili Chocolate (the first stop on our tour). I stocked up on several of my favorites from the morning demonstration, including some delectable raspberry licorice balls and chocolates with sea salt, nuts, and caramel. Everything here is so delicious (and so beautiful)!
Back to the Ship
After the fun morning excursion, I returned to the ship. I took the opportunity to relax on the ship this afternoon after a busy few days (and knowing I had many more busy days to come!). I enjoyed a light snack at The Bistro this afternoon…after all of the goodies on the morning excursion I definitely did not need a full lunch!
Formal Evening
It’s formal night tonight on the ship! This is one of my favorite nights on the ship. Crystal does a Formal Evening on all cruises that are 8 nights or longer. I love an opportunity to get dressed up and eat some incredible food, and tonight was no exception!
I sipped some bubbly in Crystal Cove before heading into Waterside (main dining room) for tonight’s decadent dinner:
- Appetizer: Petrossian Royal Daurenki Caviar with traditional condiments
- Main Course: Broiled fresh cold water lobster, with fresh asparagus, truffle-chive risotto, lobster cream
- Dessert (which was so pretty I had to take two pics…one from the back and one from the front!): “Bittersweet Passion” (passion fruit mousse, bittersweet chocolate, coffee, hazelnut)
Conclusion
I had such a great time on my foodie walking tour of Sandnes, Norway. I always take the opportunity to do foodie tours while traveling, as I find that is one of the best ways to really understand the local culture and vibe. Even though the weather was a bit cool, damp, and grey, it did not damper the morning excursion. It was also nice to have an opportunity to relax on the ship this afternoon before having fun at Formal Night.
Links
Check the main page for this cruise to read more about my adventures:
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