Trondheim: Where mustaches meet medieval majesty

Welcome to Trondheim – where Nidarosdomen cathedral towers like a gothic crown jewel, local rock anthems echo from every pub, and the mustache is practically part of the regional dress code. This city proves it: the heart of Norway doesn’t always beat the hardest in the biggest places.

Trondheim is Norway’s fourth-largest city, and while it might not shout for attention like Oslo, pose for Instagram like Bergen, or flash its petroleum-fuelled wallet like Stavanger, this place has mastered the art of cool without even trying. Much thanks to the laid-back local inhabitant, the Trønder.

Meet the stereotypical Trønder.

Hometown pride

But what exactly is a Trønder, you may ask? Picture a person built for long winters and
longer conversations – once you get past the initial awkwardness, that is. Small talk isn’t exactly the native tongue here. Instead, you’ll find a charmingly unfiltered and self-ironic sense of humour sharp enough to slice through even the strongest coastal breeze.

Add to that a wardrobe often accessorized by a leather vest, a deep-rooted love for trønder-rock (yes, it’s an entire genre and practically a national treasure), and a hometown pride that runs deeper than the Trondheim Fjord itself.

And then there’s the mustache – so beloved it is considered a local landmark. With classic Trønder wit, they’ve even dubbed their city “Bartelona”, a clever mash-up of bart (Norwegian for mustache) and well, a certain sun-soaked Spanish city. After all, they’ve already got the iconic cathedral, so who needs the Mediterranean?

Photo by Natalija Pogorelova Beliajeva

No-frills drinking customs

You might think the Espresso Martini is the height of sophisticated coffee cocktails, but the Trønders were spiking their brew long before it hit the mixology menus. Forget fancy glassware and coffee liqueur; karsk relies on coffee with a bold splash of moonshine. Often so strong it could strip paint.

Moonshine, or hjemmebrent, bubbled its way into Norwegian culture during the prohibition years from 1914 to 1927, when legal booze was as rare as small talk at a Trønder party. Even after the ban was lifted, the homemade tradition kept simmering in barns all over the country, right up until the practice was officially outlawed in 1989. Yet, karsk has survived as Trondheim’s no-frills tipple of choice.

However, these days the locals use the legal stuff bought in Vinmonopolet, which is Norway’s state-run liquor store.

Photo by Leiv Aspen - Oi! Trøndersk Mat og Drikke

Local icons

But of course, no region can build its reputation on mustaches and moonshine alone.
Trondheim is also the birthplace of icons like Mona Grudt, the small-town beauty who
snagged the Miss Universe crown in 1990, Petter Northug, the cross-country skiing legend whose blend of gold medals and attitude has made him a household name, and Anne B. Ragde, author of the internationally acclaimed novel Berlin Poplars, which helped paint Norwegian, and more specifically Trønder family life, onto the global literary map.

Photo by CH | Visit Norway

Medieval bucket list

While the capital Oslo might swagger around like Norway’s big shot, and Bergen might
drape itself in architectural glamour, Trondheim has long worn its underdog status with pride. The Trønder mentality is stitched together by a down-to-earth way of life and an unmistakable sense of belonging.

Whether you’re digging into a bowl of sodd (a traditional meat and vegetable soup so comforting it practically tucks you in) or belting out a classic trønder-rock anthem in a local pub, Trondheim proves that Norway’s soul isn’t measured in size, but in character. And standing tall at the city’s core is Nidarosdomen. Not just an architectural showstopper, but once the most important pilgrimage site in Northern Europe, luring medieval travellers long before hashtags and bucket lists were a thing.

So, if you’re after medieval grandeur, honest company, music with more heart than polish, and the occasional mustache sighting, Trondheim’s got you covered – coffee cup in hand. It’s the kind of charm no picture could ever capture.

Photo by CH | VisitNorway