See the magnificent coast of Norway from the local ferry

See the magnificent coast of Norway from the local ferry

From Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast by The Independent

May 20, 2026 · 7 min

About this episode

The episode features an interview with Matthew Valentine discussing ferry travel along the Norwegian coast.

Today I'm talking to Matthew Valentine, Global Head of Sales for Havila Voyages – the enterprise that is serving the Norwegian shoreline from Bergen to Kirkenes on the Russian border in competition with incumbent Hurtigruten. Whether you go for the Northern Lights or the Midnight Sun, this is a magical trip – handily subsidised by the government of Norway. This podcast is free, as is Independent Travel's weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it delivered to your inbox. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Simon Calder

Guest: Matthew Valentine

Topics covered

  • Norwegian coast
  • ferry travel
  • Havila Voyages
  • Northern Lights
  • Midnight Sun
  • travel competition

Keywords

  • Norway
  • ferry
  • Havila Voyages
  • Northern Lights
  • Midnight Sun
  • travel
  • Bergen
  • Kirkenes

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Havila Voyages, Hurtigruten

Places: Norway, Bergen, Kirkenes, Russia

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