6 Best Photo Spots in Trondheim

September 2, 2026

Trondheim rewards a camera more than you’d expect from a city its size. These 6 spots cover the classics without much walking between them.

1. Nidaros Cathedral’s west front

The facade holds 76 sculptures of kings, saints, and biblical figures across tiered niches, one of the most significant sculptural projects in Norway. Only 5 statues survive from the Middle Ages, the rest is a 20th-century reconstruction, worth knowing as you frame the shot rather than assuming you’re photographing unbroken medieval stonework.

2. Gamle Bybro at golden hour

The 1681 Old Town Bridge, nicknamed Lykkens Portal, carries red wrought-iron arches added in 1861 and is one of the most photographed spots in the city for good reason. Early morning or evening light along the Nidelva gives the wooden buildings on both banks a warm glow.

3. Bakklandet’s wharves, from the Krana lookout

The classic shot is the row of colorful old wooden dock houses leaning over the Nidelva on stilts, but the best angle isn’t from the riverbank, it’s from Krana, a lookout between Nedre Bakklandet 10 and 18. Fewer people know to look for it, which usually means a clearer shot.

4. Kristiansten Fortress

This hilltop star fortress, built starting in 1681, offers wide views back over Midtbyen and the fjord, with the cathedral’s towers visible in the distance. It’s a good late-afternoon stop, free to enter, with no crowds to work around.

5. The Munkholmen ferry crossing

The short summer ferry ride from Ravnkloa out to Munkholmen (roughly NOK 95, verify) gives you the classic view back at Trondheim from the water, plus the island’s own fortifications and monastic ruins once you land. It only runs roughly May or June through August or September, so this one’s seasonal.

6. The Stiftsgården

One of the largest wooden palaces in Northern Europe, with more than 100 rooms, the Stiftsgården’s sheer scale and pale wooden facade make it an easy standout even from the street, no ticket required for an exterior shot.

Timing it right

Norwegian light shifts fast and often, so build in slack for weather rather than chasing a single perfect hour. In summer, the long daylight around the June solstice, close to 20 hours 47 minutes, gives you far more flexibility on timing than a typical city break would.

For the history behind these sights, see our things to do guide , and for quieter angles on the same neighborhoods, see our hidden gems guide .