Trondheim in 3 Days: Plus Stiklestad
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Three days is the 2-day plan plus Stiklestad, the battle site that explains why Nidaros Cathedral exists at all. Less time, stick to the 2-day version. More time, the 4-day itinerary swaps this day trip’s direction and adds Røros instead.
Book ahead
- A Nidaros Cathedral tower climb slot, if visiting in summer.
- A rental car or the Stiklestad-bound bus/train connection for day 3.
- Any hotel near 28 July-3 August 2026, if your dates overlap Olavsfestdagene.
Day 1: Nidaros Cathedral and Midtbyen
Nidaros Cathedral (entry roughly NOK 120-150, verify), the world’s northernmost medieval cathedral, built over St. Olav’s grave, comes first. Climb the summer-only tower (roughly NOK 70, verify) for the view if it’s open, then walk to Stiftsgården for a guided tour (roughly NOK 100-150, verify). Dinner in Bakklandet across Gamle Bybro runs NOK 500-900 for a mid-range meal. Tip: the cathedral closes to visitors during services, so check the schedule first.
Day 2: Bakklandet, the Trampe, and Munkholmen
Walk Bakklandet’s cobbled streets, photograph the wharf houses from the Krana lookout, and try the Trampe, the world’s first bicycle lift, free since 1993. In the afternoon, ferry from Ravnkloa to Munkholmen (roughly NOK 95, verify, running only May/June-August/September), then finish at Kristiansten Fortress for the sunset view. Tip: confirm the Munkholmen ferry is running for your dates before building the afternoon around it.
Day 3: Stiklestad, where the cathedral’s story starts
About 90km, roughly 1.5 hours, north of Trondheim, Stiklestad is where St. Olav (King Olav II Haraldsson) died in battle in 1030, a death that made Nidaros one of medieval Europe’s four great pilgrimage destinations. The Stiklestad National Cultural Centre covers the battle with dioramas and a short film, sits beside the 1180 Stiklestad Church, and includes a 30-building folk museum. Budget a full day for the round trip plus a couple of hours on-site; a rental car is the simplest way to manage it. Tip: this pairs directly with day 1’s cathedral visit, so do it after Nidaros, not before, the backstory lands better in that order.
| Day | Focus | Rough cost, excl. hotel |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nidaros Cathedral + tower, Stiftsgården, Bakklandet dinner | NOK 700-1,150 |
| 2 | Bakklandet walk, Trampe, Munkholmen ferry, Kristiansten Fortress | NOK 300-450 |
| 3 | Stiklestad day trip (car/transport + entry) | NOK 400-700 |
Compare current Trondheim hotel rates before you book, especially near festival dates.
Read more: for a longer version that swaps Stiklestad for the UNESCO town of Røros instead, see the 4-day itinerary .
One concrete move: do Stiklestad on day 3, after you’ve already stood inside Nidaros. Seeing the battle site once you know whose grave the cathedral was built over makes the whole trip click into place.