Baltic Cruises

Resting on Norway’s coast just north of the Arctic Circle, Bodø was built upon herring fisheries that flourished in the 1870s. The fisheries also provided the basis of growth, as Bodø gradually emerged to become an administration center, regional financial hub and the urban city it is today. Its centerpiece is the beloved Gothic cathedral, with its impressive organ and honeycomb bell tower. The city’s “Swedish Town” is a cherished remnant from post-war times, when Sweden built this housing as temporary shelter during rebuilding. But it might best be known for Scandinavia’s largest museum dedicated to air flight: the Norwegian Aviation Museum, a remarkable collection of historic civil and military aircraft. Near Bodø, one of nature’s most amazing natural phenomenons rolls in every six hours. The world’s strongest tidal current rushes through the strait of Saltstraumen, creating whirlpools of up to 32 feet wide and 16 feet deep.