The Western Fjords

Well, this is the big one: the world-famous, Unesco-listed, oft-photographed fjord that's on the radar of nearly every visitor to Norway. And in purely scenic terms, it's impossible to argue against the case for its inclusion: it is, quite simply, one of the world's great natural features, a truly majestic combination of huge cliffs, plunging waterfalls and deep blue water that's guaranteed to make a lasting imprint on your memory.

But with prestige comes popularity. Incredibly, up to one million visitors come here every year to see the sights and scores of cruise ships dock at the port each day in summer. At certain times of day you're unlikely to enjoy much peace and quiet, especially around the main port of Geiranger.

Thankfully, out on the fjord itself, peace and tranquillity remain and a ride on the Geiranger–Hellesylt ferry is an essential part of your Norwegian adventure.

This twisting, sky-topping corkscrew of a road is the most famous stretch of tarmac in Norway. Completed in 1936 after eight years of labour, the Troll's Ladder is a stunning feat of road building, spiralling up the mountainside through 11 hairpin bends and a 1:12 gradient, and after heavy rain, waterfalls cascade down the mountainside, drenching cars as they pass. To add to the thrill, much of it is effectively single-lane, meaning traffic jams and passing vehicles are part of the hair-raising experience.

The narrow valley of Jostedalen meanders north from the shores of Lustrafjord all the way to another impressive glacier, Nigardsbreen – perhaps the easiest of all to access and definitely the best if you want to do a glacier walk. Remote and beautiful, the valley actually sits between the borders of two national parks, Jostedalsbreen and Breheimen.

Loen's swishest attraction is this sleek cable car, one of the steepest in the world, which whisks you from the edge of the fjord to the top of Mt Høven – 1011m in about five minutes. Obviously the views at the top are epic, but there are also lots of trails to hike and, in winter, great skiing. There's also a fine restaurant (mains 140kr to 365kr) with what has to be one of the best dinner views anywhere in Norway.

This 20km-long engineering wonder hauls itself up 866m of altitude gain through 20 tunnels and, at a gradient of 1:18, is one of the world's steepest railway lines. It takes a full 45 minutes to climb to Myrdal, which sits on the bleak, treeless Hardangervidda plateau, with the vintage-styled train passing deep ravines and thundering waterfalls (there's a photo stop at awesome Kjosfossen). The railway runs year-round, with up to 10 departures daily in summer, dropping to four in winter.

The eight storm-lashed bridges of the Atlantic Ocean Road buck and twist like sea serpents, connecting 17 islets between Vevang and the island of Averøya. The UK's Guardian newspaper once crowned it the world's best road trip. For a highway that is barely 8km long, the weight of expectation may be too great, but it's certainly hugely scenic. During the autumn storms you'll experience nature's wrath at its most dramatic. In season, look out for whales and seals offshore.

Projecting out high above the fjord at an altitude of 630m, this marvel of modern engineering is one of Norway's great viewing points. Clad in pine and balancing on worryingly slender steel legs, it seems to roll down into the fjord, with nothing but a glass rail between you and a long, long drop. It's popular, so it's worth getting up early or staying late to have it to yourself.

It's about 8km up the narrow, winding road from Aurland.

The far northern port of Ålesund might be far from the bright lights of metropolitan Norway, but it's rich with some of the country's finest examples of Jugendstil (art nouveau) architecture – a legacy of a huge rebuilding project that took place after a devastating fire in 1904. Set out over a hook-shaped peninsula, the town is now the home base for Norway's largest cod-fishing fleet, and it's an attractive, lively town and unsurprisingly has some superb seafood to try.

Some 30km southeast of Lærdalsøyri along the E16, this 12th-century stave church was raised beside one of the major trade routes between eastern and western Norway. Dedicated to St Andrew, it's one of the best known, most photographed and certainly the best preserved of Norway's stave churches. It's simple, inky interior and sublimely rustic altar are deeply moving. Beside it is the only free-standing medieval wooden bell tower remaining in Norway.