norway trip guide

Welcome to Norway

Harald Hognerud - DeHistoriske

Visit the amazing Norway Fjords

Fjord Norway - Robin Strand

Bryggen Wharf is one of Norway`s most historical sights

Øyvind Heen - Visitnorway.com

In Norway you will find architectural masterpieces

Christopher Hagelund - Visitnorway.com

Discover Norway by activities

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Visit Norway with the enchanting and famous Norwegian fjords and discover Norway's culture, cities, nature and much more...

Norway is world-famous for its beautiful nature, especially the Norwegian fjords . Also, the many  national parks are impressive with mountains, ice-blue glaciers, deep green forests, lakes, and beautiful green valleys and pastures. Norway is one of the three Scandinavian countries; with Denmark and Sweden, Norway is ranked as one of the best countries to live in and has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

The Norwegian coastline is 25,148 km, but including the long fjords, mainland, and numerous small islands, the length is more than 100,000 km.

Every year in Oslo, the Nobel Peace Prize  ceremony takes place by the Norwegian committee. 

The northern lights and midnight sun

In the north of  Norway , the sun never sets during the summer, so that you can see the sun 24/7. This fantastic view is called the midnight sun .

The sun never rises above the horizon in the winter, making northern Norway the perfect spot to watch the Northern Lights, and the season is from September to April.

In northern Norway, you can discover the Northern Lights  from September to April, and the sun never rises above the horizon.

See more: Northern Lights and midnight sun in Tromsø

Norway´s major cities

Norway has borders with Finland, Sweden and Russia and the coastline face the North Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf stream runs along the Norwegian coast, and the climate here is mild and relatively wet, and to the north and east, the winters are longer and colder.

Oslo is the capital with about 635,000 inhabitants. Other major cities are Bergen, Trondheim , Tromsø and Stavanger  . Europe´s northernmost point is North Cape .

See more:  What to see and do in Oslo

The Norwegian fjords are world renown

Norway has the highest concentration of fjords in the world. The Geiranger Fjord and the Nærøy fjord is on the Unesco World Heritage List.

Norwegian nature can be just as wild as it is beautiful. The weather may change quickly in the mountains – from bright sunshine to rain, dense fog and strong winds. 

See more: Experience the Norwegian Fjords

Norway is the home of skiing

A Norwegian proverb claims Norwegians are born with skis on their feet, and Norway is undoubtedly a winter sports nation, with skiing and cross-country in particular as the two most beloved sports.

Norway is undoubtedly a winter sports nation, with skiing and cross-country as the two most beloved sports. The Norwegians appreciate their family, friends and leisure activities, and on weekends they love hiking in nature, skiing, biking or other outdoor activities.

The best-known skiing areas are Lillehammer, Beitostolen, Dovrefjell, Rondane, Hallingdal and Valdres.

Many ski centres offer Alpine skiing and snowboarding, including Hafjell, Trysil, Kvitfjell and Hemsedal. The ski season lasts from November to Easter.

Extreme sports like freeskiing, kiteboarding, downhill and mountain bike racing, rock climbing, rafting, parachuting, and BASE jumping are becoming increasingly popular.

In 1957 The Outdoors Recreation Act (Allemannsretten) allowed everyone to access the open country, even private property. In Norway, there is a network of well-maintained trails and cabins. 

Norway facts

King Harald V. has been the head of state since 1991. The king has no political power but performs ceremonial duties. Norway has a parliamentary democracy and is one of the most democratic countries in the world. The parliament is called Stortinget.

Essential values in Norway are economic, social and gender equality and openness and equal rights in general – such as financial, social and gender equality.

In Norway are living 5.300 million people live, and Norway is the third happiest in the world, according to the 2022 World Happiness Report. Other top countries are their Nordic neighbours, Finland (no.1) and Denmark (no.2).

Norway is the world’s largest exporter of salmon.

> See why visit the Nordic countries

Famous people from Norway

Edvard Munch and Henrik Ibsen are widely regarded as influential figures in the history of art and literature.

Today noway is the world’s biggest exporter of black metal music. The so-called Nordic noir literary genre has been prevalent in recent years. Here we will mention authors like Jo Nesbø and Karin Fossum. 

Major industries in Norway 

The country has a very high standard of living and a sound health system like the other Nordic countries . The major industries in Norway are chemicals, food processing, metals, gas and oil, shipping, pulp, and paper products.

What to See and Do in Norway

Norway Fjords

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Narvik is the gateway to the Arctic

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Welcome to Alta

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The Pulpit Rock

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Holmenkollen & Ski Museum

The Geirangerfjord

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Amazing viewpoints in norway.

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Quiet for a thousand years since the marauding days of the Vikings, Norway often seems remote to outsiders, even mysterious – remarkable given its geographical position close to the heart of Europe. Beyond Oslo and the famous fjords , the rest of the country might as well be blank on the map for many visitors. Yet it’s out of the cities and off the major roadways that you’ll experience Norway at its most magical: vast stretches of serene, postcard-perfect landscapes where it is at times possible to travel for hours without seeing a single soul. There is nothing tame – and precious little tamed – in this wilderness where everything is on a grand scale, from the deep, blue-black fjords and rearing snowy peaks to jagged forested hills and seemingly limitless expanse of Arctic tundra.

Where to go in Norway

New norwegian cuisine.

Norway stretches north in a long, slender band from the Skagerrak, the choppy channel that separates the country from Denmark, its coastline battered and buffeted by the Atlantic as it juts up towards the Arctic Sea. Behind this rough and rocky coast are spectacular mountain ranges, harsh upland plateaux, plunging river valleys, rippling glaciers, deep forests and mighty fjords of unsurmounted beauty – an exhilarating landscape begging to be explored by car, boat or bike, on skis or even husky-drawn sled. Perhaps inevitably, the fjords are the apple of the tourist industry’s eye – with the infrastructure to prove it – though when well-heeled English and German gentlemen travellers arrived here in the late nineteenth century on the hunt for the Scandinavian exotic, Norwegians were so poor that you could hire a gillie or two for next to nothing. It is this stark contrast – between a severely impoverished past and an astoundingly wealthy present – that, for locals at least, remains a salient characteristic of life up here. Since the country happened upon vast oil and gas reserves under the Norwegian Sea in the 1960s, Norway has managed to assemble one of the most civilized, educated and tolerant societies in the world – one that its population maintains a deep loyalty for and pride in.

Norway may have a clutch of attractive, cosmopolitan cities , appealing destinations in their own right, but where the country really shines is not in its urban culture, but rather in the low-key, amiable small-town feel that pervades throughout its settlements. This is not to say that Norway suffers from provincialism – Munch, Ibsen, Grieg and Amundsen, to name but four, were all Norwegians of international importance, to say nothing of the many millions of Norwegian descent today successfully making their way somewhere off in the greater world. But one thing is for certain: every Norwegian you will ever meet will at some point make their way back to this remarkable country, put on a pair of old hiking shoes and head off on foot for yonder mountain, reminding themselves how lucky they are to have one of the world’s most ravishing landscapes right at their back door.

Though for the most part its people live in small towns and villages, Norway’s five largest cities are the obvious – and the most popular – initial targets for a visit . They begin with urbane, vivacious Oslo, one of the world’s most prettily sited capitals, with a flourishing café scene and a clutch of outstanding museums. Beyond Oslo, in roughly descending order of interest, are Trondheim, with its superb cathedral and charming, antique centre; the beguiling port of Bergen, gateway to the western fjords; gritty, bustling Stavanger in the southwest; and northern Tromsø. All are likeable, walkable cities worthy of time in themselves, as well as being within comfortable reach of some startlingly handsome scenery. Indeed, each can serve as a starting point for further explorations or as a weekend destination in their own right. And wherever you arrive, the trains, buses and ferries of Norway’s finely tuned public transport system will take you almost anywhere you want to go, although services are curtailed in winter.

Outside of the cities, the perennial draw remains the western fjords – a must, and every bit as scenically stunning as the publicity suggests. Dip into the region from Bergen or Ålesund, both accessible by public transport from Oslo, or take more time to appreciate the subtle charms of the tiny, fjordside villages, among which Balestrand, Lofthus, Loen, Flåm, Ulvik and Mundal are especially appealing. This is great hiking country too, with a network of cairned trails and lodges (maintained by the nationwide hiking association DNT) threading along the valleys and over the hills. However, many of the country’s finest hikes are to be had further inland, within the confines of a trio of marvellous national parks: the Hardangervidda, a vast mountain plateau of lunar-like appearance; the Rondane, with its bulging mountains; and the Jotunheimen, famous for its jagged peaks. Nudging the Skagerrak, the south coast is different again. The climate is more hospitable, the landscape gentler and the coast is sprinkled with hundreds of little islands. Every summer, holidaying Norwegians sail down here to explore every nautical nook and cranny, popping into a string of pretty, pint-sized ports, the most inviting being Arendal and Mandal, the latter the proud possessor of the country’s finest sandy beach.

Hiking remains the most popular summer pastime in Norway, but there are alternatives galore, from whitewater rafting – for example at Voss – sea-kayaking at Flåm, and guided glacier walks on the Jostedalsbreen. In winter, it’s all change when the Norwegians take to cross-country skiing in their droves, shooting off across the Hardangervidda mountain plateau, for example, from Finse, though some prefer Alpine skiing and snowboarding at specialist ski resorts like Geilo and Oslo’s Holmenkollen.

Away to the north, beyond Trondheim, Norway grows increasingly wild and austere – two traits that make it perfect for off-the-beaten-track adventurers – as it humps and lumps across the Arctic Circle on the way to the modern, workaday port of Bodø. From here, ferries shuttle over to the rugged Lofoten islands, which hold some of the most ravishing scenery in the whole of Europe – tiny fishing villages of ochre- and red-painted houses tucked in between the swell of the deep blue sea and the severest of grey-green mountains. Back on the mainland, it’s a long haul north from Bodø to the iron-ore town of Narvik, and on to Tromsø, a delightful little city huddled on an island and with plenty of Arctic charm. These towns are, however, merely the froth of a vast wilderness that extends up to Nordkapp (North Cape), one of the northernmost points of mainland Europe, and the spot where the principal tourist trail peters out. Yet Norway continues east for several hundred kilometres, round to remote Kirkenes near the Russian border, while inland stretches an immense and hostile upland plateau, the Finnmarksvidda, one of the last haunts of the Sámi reindeer-herders. And finally, a short flight away, there is the wondrous chill of Svalbard, rising remote in the Arctic seas, islands of rolling glaciers and ice-glazed mountains where the snowmobile or Zodiac is more useful than a car.

Top image © Mumemories/Shutterstock

Discover more places in Norway

• Bergen and the western fjords Travel Guide
• Central Norway Travel Guide

• Norway’s population numbers just under 5 million, of whom 600,000 or so live in Oslo, the capital. Bergen, Norway’s second city, clocks up about 250,000 residents, while around 40,000 indigenous Sámi (Lapps) live mostly in the north of the country.

• Norway has a surface area of 386,000 square kilometres, of which half is mountain and a further third forest, lake and river.

• Norway is a constitutional monarchy and the present king, Harald V, came to the throne in 1991. The parliament – the Storting – sits in Oslo, but many functions are devolved to a complex network of local authorities.

• Forget the seafood – frozen pizza can lay claim to being Norway’s national dish: Norwegians eat over 20 million of them each year.

• Norway is not a member of the EU , but has signed up to the EEA (European Economic Agreement) free-trade deal.

• The Lutheran Church of Norway is the official state church and over eighty percent of the population belong to it, however nominally. Lutheran jokes are legion: one shipwrecked sailor to another “Don’t worry: I make 50,000kr a week and I tithe; my Lutheran Pastor will find us.”

Upon tasting a piece of Norwegian flatbread, a Parisian woman in the mid-1800s described it as having “the shape and size of a plate, and the same consistency”. With images of dried mutton, potato dumplings, cabbage stew and lutefisk , Nordic food has rarely been anything to write home about. That all changed in 2010, when Copenhagen’s Noma was named the world’s top restaurant by a panel of 800 chefs and critics, sending the foodie world into shock and turning tastebuds towards Scandinavian kitchens.

Even before this time, though, Norway had begun to reinvent its culinary identity, with new foodie movements, celebrity chefs and a series of government initiatives, such as the Arctic Menu Scheme and Taste of the Coast–aimed at supporting local food producers , preserving local farming traditions and championing the rich heritage of Norwegian ingredients. The country is now in the middle of a kitchen renaissance, returning to its long-standing local food traditions; once again, Norwegians are consulting their grandmothers’ recipe books.

Given nearly 25,000 kilometres of rugged coastline, 150,000 lakes and some of the world’s best angling rivers, it is no surprise that a huge variety of locally caught fish and seafood predominate in Norwegian kitchens. Norway’s diverse landscape also provides habitat to a range of sheep, elk, reindeer and woodland fowl that graze on some of the greenest, most unpolluted grasses in the world, lending their meat a rich, succulent taste. And the country’s temperate summers allow plants to ripen at a slower pace than elsewhere, infusing fruits and vegetables with a supple flavour that you can taste the instant they hit your tastebuds.

Travel advice for Norway

From travel safety to visa requirements, discover the best tips for traveling to Norway

• Eating and drinking in Norway
• Sports and Outdoor activities in Norway
• Shopping tips for Norway
• How to get to Norway
• Getting around Norway: Transportation Tips
• Travel Tips Norway for planning and on the go
• Best time to visit Norway

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written by Rough Guides Editors

updated 07.06.2024

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The best places to visit in Norway in 2024

Mar 14, 2024 • 8 min read

Stunning culture-filled cities are tucked away in Norway's incredible landscapes © BlueOrange Studio / Shutterstock

Simply put, Norway is spectacular. Along the west coast, shimmering blue fjords carve deep into the interior, with picture-perfect villages hugging the shores and gravity-defying farms clinging to the steep slopes above. Elsewhere, the coastline is less dramatic but still stunning with white-painted towns and countless islands, while interior Norway has some of Europe’s wildest, most beautiful mountains, interspersed with green agricultural valleys and stretches of deep forest.

Almost anywhere you go in Norway you’ll find scenery to take your breath away and abundant activities to inspire you. Here are the best places to visit in 2024.

Best for museums and architecture

Norway’s energetic, innovative capital boasts top-notch historical and cultural museums, a creative food scene, and cutting-edge architecture such as the striking new Munch Museum and the iconic opera house, designed to resemble a glacier. A stroll along the new waterfront promenade is a great way to get a close-up look at Oslo’s evolving cityscape. And after a year-long renovation the Nobel Peace Center reopened in November 2023 . 

Planning tip : One of Oslo’s top attractions, the Viking Ship Museum , is closed until 2026, but the Fram Museum is another great ship-centered attraction that tells the fascinating story of Norwegian polar exploration. 

2. Lofoten Islands

Best for astonishing Arctic beauty

The Lofoten archipelago is vivid, dramatic, and irresistibly photogenic, with jagged mountains rising from the sea and colorful villages hugging rocky shores that are moss-green in summer and blanketed in pristine snow in winter. Come for the hiking, the kayaking, the arts scene, the history, the wildlife, the seafood, or just to admire the incredible views on this outer edge of northern Norway. In summer, there’s almost endless daylight, while in winter, the aurora borealis often shimmer overhead in undulating waves of green, yellow, red, and purple. 

3. Jotunheimen

Best for hiking and trekking

Home to Norway’s 29 highest summits, plus hundreds of other peaks over 2,000 meters, Jotunheimen – whose name means “home of the giants” – is rugged, wild, and an irresistible lure for hikers and climbers. Base yourself in a mountain lodge or cabin and go for day hikes, or embark on a multi-day wilderness trek through incomparable scenery. Much of the region is protected within Jotunheimen National Park , which is within easy reach of the fjord region and several cities. 

Planning tip : Join the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) for discounts and special access to a large network of staffed lodges and unstaffed cabins throughout Norway, including many in and around Jotunheimen. 

4. Sognefjord

Best for stave churches and pretty fjordside villages 

The longest and deepest fjord, the Sognefjord carves into the interior from the west coast to the edge of Jotunheimen. Its many scenic arms include the stunning UNESCO–listed Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord. Several of Norway’s 28 surviving medieval stave churches are located around Sognefjord, including two of the most impressive, Urnes and Borgund. Also around the fjord are picturesque villages such as Fjærland, the book town; idyllic Solvorn; Undredal, known for its goat cheese; and Flåm, the lower terminus of the scenic Flåm Railway.

Planning tip : Sightseeing cruises on the UNESCO fjords operate between Flåm and Gudvangen, connecting to a bus to complete the round trip. If you’re driving another option is to take the car ferry between Kaupanger and Gudvangen.

5. Hardangerfjord

Best for waterfalls and cider

Norway’s second-longest fjord, the Hardangerfjord is known for its fruit orchards and many spectacular waterfalls. There are endless things to do here, from kayaking peaceful inlets to cycling the fjordside roads, hiking up to isolated Kjesåsen Farm, or trekking onto the glaciers of Folgefonna National Park. The Hardangerfjord is gorgeous at any time of year, but mid-May to mid-June brings an additional layer of beauty with the blossoming of the region’s many apple and cherry trees. Be sure to sample some of the locally produced cider and juice while you’re here.  

Planning tip : Norled’s fast passenger ferry runs from April through October, making it possible to travel between destinations around the Hardangerfjord without a car. There are also a few car ferries that you can walk aboard for free.

Best mix of urban attractions and outdoor recreation

Norway’s second-largest city is a charmer, starting with its UNESCO-listed waterfront district, Bryggen, a delightful warren of colorful wooden buildings and narrow alleyways where merchants from the powerful medieval Hanseatic League once held sway. Though framed by mountains – there’s wonderful hiking within easy reach – Bergen is very much a maritime city, as reflected in its vibrant restaurant scene highlighting fresh fish and seafood.

Planning tip : The Bergen Card offers free or discounted admission to many of Bergen’s excellent museums and other attractions, as well as tours and transportation.

7. Geiranger

Best for panoramic fjord views

The UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord is another of Norway’s most beautiful fjords, with sheer walls, impressive waterfalls, and abandoned farms clinging to high cliffs. The ferry journey between Geiranger and the quieter village of Hellesylt is stunning, as is the land approach to Geiranger from the north on Route 63, Ørnevegen (the Eagle Road), which makes 11 hairpin turns as it winds down the mountainside. Stop at Ørnesvingen, the highest switchback, for panoramic views. 

Planning tip : East of Geiranger, Route 63 continues along the north side of the glacial massif. Take the side road from Djupevatn (toll) to the Dalsnibba lookout for a stunning look back towards Geiranger. 

Best for early 20th-century architecture and design

Regularly voted one of Norway’s most beautiful cities, Ålesund owes its special character to a devastating fire in 1904 that razed the town, leaving 10,000 people homeless. When the city rose from the ashes, it was with an entirely new cityscape in the Jugendstil (Art Nouveau) style, making it unique in Norway. For an incomparable panorama of Ålesund and its magnificent natural surroundings, climb the 418 steps to the Aksla viewpoint, overlooking the city center.

9. Trondheim

Best blend of history and innovation

Norway’s historic Viking capital, Trondheim is a lively university town, a medieval pilgrimage destination, a science and technology hub, a culinary hotspot (it was the European Capital of Gastronomy last year), and so much more. The Nidelva River flows through the city center, lined with colorful warehouses. Rent a kayak or take a sightseeing tour by boat for the best views. Trondheim’s star attraction is Nidaros Cathedral, a medieval masterpiece built over the grave of Norway’s patron saint, King Olav II Haraldsson, while across the river, the 17th-century Kristiansten Fortress played a major defensive role during the Scandinavian wars before being occupied by the Nazis during World War II.

10. Nordland Coast

Best for wild coastal road trips

In a country where gorgeous views are everywhere, Kystriksveien , the coastal road from Steinkjær to Bodø (the European Capital of Culture for 2024 ), stands out with its seemingly infinite views of mountains rising from the sea, sandy coves, pretty fishing villages, and countless islands including the birdwatching hotspots Vega and Lovund. The whole route stretches 400 miles (650 km) and takes a minimum of four or five days to drive, with several ferry crossings and numerous worthwhile detours along the way. Kystriksveien is also a wonderful cycling destination; guided tours and luggage transport are available.

Planning tip : Ferries along the route use the Autopass system for tolling. If you don’t have a transponder, register an account in the FerryPay system to avoid a surcharge for mailed invoices. Visit www.autopassferje.no for details.

Best city for year-round outdoor activities

Located 217 miles (315 kilometers) north of the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is northern Norway’s largest city and unofficial capital. In summer, you can hike, kayak, sauna-hop and savor the city’s urban delights under the midnight sun, while in winter, there are excellent chances of seeing the aurora borealis casting a magical glow overhead as you ski, snowshoe, dogsled and reindeer sled across pristine wintry landscapes. Winter is also the best time for whale watching, whereas summer is the prime season to take a birdwatching cruise in search of puffins and other seabirds.

Local tip:  Since 2001 Tromsø has been twinned with Gaza City, a topic which is now being keenly discussed by locals. 

12. Svalbard

Best for remoteness and Arctic wildlife

Tromsø not far enough north for you? Then head to Svalbard , an Arctic archipelago located roughly halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, and one where Norwegian, Russian and other citizens all inhabit in a visa-free zone. During the polar summer the islands come alive with migratory species such as whales and seabirds. Polar bears and reindeer wander across the landscape year round, while seals and walrus can often be seen hauled out on ice floes or island shores. In winter, the long polar night descends over the archipelago as the only natural light comes from the moon, stars, and the brilliant auroras that frequently dance across the heavens. 

Planning tip : Despite its small size, Svalbard’s administrative center, Longyearbyen, has a surprising range of restaurants, making it a good place to sample the flavors of the Arctic.

This article was first published Jul 22, 2012 and updated Mar 14, 2024.

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The Ultimate Norway Travel Guide: What to See + Insider Tips for Your Trip

Planning a trip to Norway? You’ll love it. From the best time to visit to unmissable places to see and insider tips – here’s your step-by-step Norway travel guide.

It’s probably a bit unfair to outrightly declare a country the most beautiful in the world, but Norway would certainly be a top contender. Its otherworldly landscapes of deep fjords, rugged coastline, majestic glaciers and jagged mountain ridges make for a stunning adventure .

Throw in the picturesque fisherman huts and the colourful Northern Lights that dance around the skies and you have one hell of a country to explore. 

It’s certainly not cheap and, in summer, its popularity makes for some serious crowds around the main areas in the south, but there is still so much of the country that will invoke a sense of true remoteness and of reaching the far corners of this planet.

It’s a once-in-a-lifetime sort of trip. 

PS: Planning your trip to Norway? Watch this video packed with tips!

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How to plan a trip to norway: before you go, best time to visit .

High season in Norway is during summer between June and August, when domestic tourists tend to take holidays along with most other Europeans.

During this time, the days are long and it’s ideal for hiking, cycling and cruising, although there’s no guarantee of much warmth. Accommodation and transport like trains are especially busy in summer and it’s hard to secure places and tickets on short notice.

The best time to visit Norway is in the shoulder season, particularly the months either side of summer. May and September offer mild temperatures but far fewer crowds than in summer. 

Although winter is traditionally considered low season, because of the bitterly cold weather, it’s not technically a terrible time to visit. If you dress properly and come prepared for the cold then Norway is a true winter wonderland. For cross country skiing and other winter sports, this is the best time to visit Norway.  

The Northern Lights, one of the country’s biggest drawcards, dances around the sky from September onwards and tends to peak over winter between December and February. Want in on the action? Check out my guide to stunning Northern Lights Hotels in Norway .

Handy Resources for Getting To Norway 

To help plan your trip to Norway, these resources and websites will help you with logistics and for getting decent prices.

• Skyscanner is one of the best flight resources for comparing prices. You can also search for an entire month to see when the cheapest dates are to fly for a particular city or country.
• Look into travel passes like Travelpass Nordland which offer multi day passes on different types of transport and their app also has a handy travel planner with transport information so you can plan ahead
• Maps.Me is a mapping app that allows you to download for offline use and is one of the best all round navigation apps for any country. You can also pin locations, allowing you to plan where you want to go and what you want to see. For hiking it’s also a good safety mechanism as most trails are marked on the app and the GPS means you can check where you are, if you think you might be lost
• Booking an all-inclusive tour with companies like Intrepid Travel or G Adventures eliminates many of the hassles of trip planning and logistical challenges. However, it also reduces some of your freedom and last-minute ability to change plans
• For day trips, using Get Your Guide is the best way to find high-quality tours with reputable companies. There are hundreds of options in Norway on there, from fjord cruises to foodie tours.

Where to Stay 

Hotels and hostels are of quite a high standard in Norway, although they’re also likely to take up a huge chunk of your budget. The country’s HI Hostels which is run by the Norwegian hostelling association are the budget traveller’s mainstay and can be booked through their website. Otherwise, Booking.com is where you can compare and book hotel accommodation in advance.

Cabins dot the Norwegian landscape in their thousands and are often referred to as hytter or rorbuer or wooden cabins. They are usually self-catering affairs with a couple of bedrooms. They are always found around campgrounds and they are the most popular choice of accommodation on the Lofoten islands. You can often rent a hytter starting from around 800kr per night. 

Camping is a popular choice for both locals and foreign visitors and there are literally hundreds of campgrounds ranging from basic tent sites to complex setups with first-class facilities. You can expect to pay around 300kr for two people and a tent with a car.

Packing for Your Norway Trip

Let’s be honest, no matter what time of year you decide to go, the most important item to pack will be a warm coat or down jacket. The weather in Norway is notoriously unpredictable and even in summer you can face all four seasons in one day. 

The best way to pack for your trip is to think about layers. That way you can be prepared for whatever weather you encounter. 

Other than a warm jacket, a weatherproof or rain jacket is also a good addition, especially if you plan on hiking or getting outdoors. A good pair of walking shoes or insulated hiking boots are also good footwear options if you plan on heading anywhere remote or doing any outdoor activities. 

Surprisingly, sunscreen is also a must pack for Norway. The air is often so cold that you don’t feel that you’re burning, but the sun is extremely strong at any time of year. 

Travel Insurance

It’s important to arrange travel insurance before you depart for your trip. If you pay for full comprehensive cover, it should protect you from illness, injury, theft and cancellations. 

If you plan on doing any extreme or winter sports like skiing, you may need to check if your insurance will cover you, as generally this may require an additional payment.

The same goes for hiring a car. Check that your personal insurance will cover you for any injuries obtained while driving and whether there is an additional cost. 

Suggested Guidebooks

The best guidebooks for travelling in Norway are Lonely Planet Norway and The Rough Guide to Norway . Both are considered the best in the guidebook game and can help plan your trip. 

There are also e-book versions available if you prefer not to lug a heavy guidebook around with you.

Norway Visitor Guide: What to Do During Your Norway Trip

Top 10 things to do in norway , explore the capital, oslo.

One of the most exciting cities in Europe, it has a growing music scene, modern architecture, wide bike lanes, some of the best baristas in the world and the northernmost three-star Michelin restaurant.

But that’s not all. A nearby island filled with some of the coolest museums in Europe, a Royal Palace and the epic Nobel Peace Center are a few more reasons you need to visit. And don’t get me started on the pastry scene.

Take the Train from Oslo to Bergen

An incredibly beautiful train journey through some of the country’s best scenery, you’ll be astonished at the feat of engineering it would have taken to build such a rail line. 

Wander Through the Streets of Bergen

The medieval wharf of Bergen is UNESCO listed and the beautiful old buildings with fairytale-like houses and bustling art galleries makes this city especially enchanting. 

Take a wander through Bryggen, the wharf area of the city, before heading up on the Fløibanen funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen. From here, marvel at the city below you.

 See the Northern Lights from the Lofoten Islands

If seeing the Northern Lights isn’t on your Norwegian bucket list, I don’t know what to say…

Scattered with traditional villages against a mountainous backdrop, Lofoten is one of the country’s biggest drawcards. It’s also one of the best places to see the Northern Lights .

Visit the Gateway to Norway’s North, Tromso

The largest city in the far north and often referred to as the capital of the Arctic, from this city you can admire fjords, whales, the midnight sun and take a tour to see the northern lights without having to travel too far from the centre. Many people decide to try dog sledding in Tromso too.

Road Trip the Kystriksveien Coastal Route

This stunning road trip along the coast is often described as one of the most beautiful drives in the world, passing every sort of landscape you can possibly imagine

Experience Extremities in Svalbard

What happens if you mix an icy haven with one of the world’s toughest terrains and plenty to see and do – including an ex-soviet ghost town? Svalbard, of course.

A huge group of islands in the northernmost part of Europe takes extremes to the next level, with 60% of the area covered in glaciers and an array of Arctic wildlife you’ll likely never see anywhere else, such as polar bears which outnumber people there.

Hike to Pulpit Rock near Stavanger

The now-insta famous lookout at Pulpit Rock is crowded with people in summer, but you can’t deny that the two hour hike up to this spectacular viewpoint is worth it.

Despite what you might think, this hike is actually pretty easy. Though it does get chilly – wrap up warm or you might just end up very very angry (and cold)

Take a Ferry Along Geirangerfjord

Frequently considered as one of the world’s top natural attractions and best ferry rides, you can admire the waterfalls running down steep mountains and the bright blue water of this incredible place.

Spend Time in Lively Trondheim

The country’s third-largest city has colourful wooden buildings with plenty of cool cafes and food markets and festivals frequently bringing the streets to life.

There’s much to see and do in Trondheim, but a couple of unmissable spots are the historic Kristiansten Fortress, which sits on a hill overlooking the city. As well as this, the adorable streets of Bakklandet are home to well-preserved wooden buildings and cosy cafés. people-watching opportunities for daysss.

Suggested Norway Trip Itineraries 

In Northern Norway you can experience the best of the Arctic and experience things you can’t see in many other places in the world. For a truly unique trip follow this two week itinerary north:

Oslo – Trondheim – Bodo (northernmost stop on the train line) – Narvik – Tromso – Alta – back to Tromso – Lofoten Islands – ferry to Bodo – back to Oslo

If you have plenty of time and want to see as much of the country as you can, here’s an itinerary for catching all of the highlights of Norway, possible by using a combination of train, bus, flights and rental car if you are happy with driving in Norway . It would take around three weeks to complete.

Oslo – train to Bergen – Stavanger – Geirunger for a ferry through the fjord – Trondheim – take the Kystriksveien Coastal road trip – Bodo – Narvik – Tromso – Lofoten Islands – back to Oslo 

How to See the Best of Norway for Free 

Norway is known as an extremely expensive country to travel in and so seeing as much of the country for free as possible is certainly ideal. Here are some tips on how you can get things for free in Norway.

Couchsurfing is a great way to explore Norway for free. You can basically stay or ‘crash’ at someone’s place and create meaningful interactions with the locals and your host at the same time. In the larger cities like Oslo and Bergen, it will not be difficult to find a host for the night. However, in the smaller towns and more remote areas you may have to plan and reach out to a host in advance. 

Wild camping is also a great way to not only stay for free but also experience some of the best of Norway’s landscapes. If you come prepared with proper camping gear and warm clothing, wild camping is allowed in most outdoor places. You only have to respect basic rules like, leave no trace, do not pitch on private property and keep away from any buildings. 

Hitchhiking is also a popular way of getting around and is quite common, especially in the southern half of the country where roads are busy enough. Although there are certain risks with hitchhiking, especially if you travel solo, you’ll find other travellers also hitching a ride in order to reduce the cost of transport. Just listen to your gut instincts. 

Dishes to Try in Norway 

• Reindeer – usually roasted, it’s one of the main dishes non-vegetarian tourists like to try at least once on their visit to Norway
• Cheese – Norway’s cheese has been made internationally recognised by Jarlsberg, first made in 1860 and you can find it in most tourist-oriented restaurants 
• Stockfish – unsalted cod dried in Norway’s cold air on wooden racks is one of the country’s longest sustained export commodities
• Fish is generally considered a food staple in Norway and is eaten three or four times a week. Salmon is particularly popular and surprisingly, relatively cheap compared to other dishes

Top Drinks in Norway 

• Aquavit – considered the national drink, this is a potent distilled spirit made from potatoes and flavoured with a variety of herbs and spices such as fennel, cumin or cardamom
•   Glogg – the traditional Scandinavian mulled wine adds aquavit to red wine simmered with cloves and cinnamon
• Mead – also known as honey wine, is a fermented drink made from honey, it’s considered a traditional Viking drink 

Norway Travel Guide: Things to Know Before You Go to Norway

Tips for travelling to norway.

• Consider the month you are travelling around Norway and research how much daylight there is and what the weather will be like because this will not only influence what clothes to pack but also whether certain roads will be blocked or certain experiences like seeing the Northern Lights will be possible
• Book train tickets and accommodation in advance for cheaper deals, particularly if you are travelling in summer when things book out weeks in advance
• You can get a local SIM card for your phone that should cost around 100kr and cover about 80% of the country, which is pretty remarkable considering how remote a lot of the towns are

Tipping In Norway

Tipping is by no means compulsory in Norway, but it is customary for Norwegians to leave a tip of about 10-20% in a restaurant or bar if the service was good. It’s uncommon to tip outside of the hospitality industry so don’t feel obliged to tip taxi drivers or hotel staff.

Interesting Facts 

• Around half of the population live around Oslo, in the far south of the country
• Two-thirds of the country is mountainous
• Off Norway’s coastline lies around 50, 000 islands amongst the fjords and glaciers
• The Norwegian economy is largely dependent on the petroleum industry
• Norway has one of the lowest population densities in Europe

Handy Phrases for Travelling to Norway

Most people in Norway speak almost fluent English and will not expect a foreign traveller to learn any Norwegian words. However, if you want to try and learn some basics, here’s some phrases to keep handy.

Takk – Thank You

Hallo – Hello

Ha det – Goodbye

Vær så snill – Please

Hvor er…? – Where is…?

En billet til… – One ticket to…

Jernbanestasjon – Train station

Busstasjon – Bus ststaion

Flypass – Airport

Hvor mye koster billetten? – How much is the fare?

Time Zones 

Norway is situated in the Central European Standard Time (CEST) or Central European Time (CET), depending on daylight savings. Daylight savings applies in Norway, like many other European countries and clocks are set one hour forward at the end of March and one hour back at the end of October. 

Electricity + Adapters

Norway uses the common plugs in other European countries, Type C and F, which has two round prongs. Most Scandinavian electricity outlets use 220 volts. 

There is a relatively low health risk associated with travelling to Norway, with rates of disease and illness at a similar rate to other European countries. 

Tap water is also completely safe to drink and of a high quality, so you don’t need to worry about buying plastic bottles or filtering your water.

Still, regular vaccines are recommended such as Hepatitis A and B, polio, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), tetanus, typhoid, pneumonia and influenza. However, there are no required vaccines that will affect your entry into the country.

There is a relatively well-connected and reliable public transport system in Norway, linked by buses, trains and ferries.

However, outside of the southern cities, places are few and far between and towns are sprawled outwards for kilometres. This means that renting a car is the preferred mode of transport for travellers wanting to get deep into Norway’s far north, although this is not exactly the cheapest way to go. 

Car rental for a week can start at 3500kr, although you can often get deals for a weekend rental or in the quieter months.

The major highways are well taken care of and generally open all year round, although you’ll find many of the smaller roads in the north will close for months over winter. 

The national railway has lines connecting Oslo to Stavanger in the southwest, Oslo to Bergen in the west and Oslo to Trondheim and onto Bodo in the north. Many of the train rides start at 800kr for a standard fare ticket, although this will change depending on how early you book and what class you want.

Train travel in Norway is most popular for those wanting a comfortable journey between the major cities. 

Buses reach almost every corner of the country, with the main long-distance company being Nor-Way Bussekspress. Prices are much more reasonable than the trains and can often be bought on the bus on the day, although it’s possible to secure a seat in advance if you’d prefer.

Taking a ferry is almost a highlight of any trip to Norway and around the Lofoten Islands they are almost impossible to avoid. They are usually both for passengers and vehicles and operate on a first-come, first-served basis. 

There are also more speedy and comfortable boat trips and cruises that operate for multiple days along the coast with cabins and restaurants on board. 

There are some relatively cheap internal flights that you can score which can save you time spent on buses and trains.

From Oslo to Trondheim you can expect to pay around 650kr, for example. This only means that you will miss out on some of the fabulous scenery along the way.

Check flights on Skyscanner

Norway is one of the safest countries in the world and its crime rates are extremely low. However, in the major cities you should still be wary of your belongings and valuables, as you should be in most other countries. 

If you practice basic common sense and personal awareness, you shouldn’t have any problems travelling around Norway.

Costs and Budgeting for a Norway Trip

Here’s the bad news – Norway is one of the most expensive countries in Europe. Your budget will need to be much greater and more flexible than perhaps travelling to most other countries.

However, in saying that, there are ways of cutting costs like getting a multi-day transport pass, giving up alcohol for the duration of your trip and self-catering your meals. 

A budget traveller who has a picnic lunch and stays in cheap hostels or hotels could look at spending around 800kr per day. For slightly more comfort, like staying in 3 star hotels and eating out for meals, you could spend around 1500kr per day. 

Read More Norway Travel Guides

• A Guide to the Lofoten Islands Norway: Brilliant Things to Do + Travel Tips
• A Snowy Sami Reindeer Experience in Tromso, Norway
• Norway in Winter: Why It’s Worth Visiting

Best Time and Places to See the Northern Lights in Norway

• A Food-Lover’s Guide to the Lofoten Islands: A Culinary Adventure in Norway’s Arctic Circle

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I’m Julianna Barnaby - a professional travel writer and geek extraordinaire. I started The Discoveries Of to help you to discover the best of new destinations from around the world.

Discovering new places is a thrill - whether it’s close to home, a new country or continent, I write to help you explore more and explore differently.

Related Posts

Henningsvær Travel Guide: Things to do in the Jewel of the Lofoten Islands

15 Incredible Things to Do in Tromso, Norway in Winter

A Food-Lover’s Guide to the Lofoten Islands: A Culinary Adventure in Norway’s Arctic Circle

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How to Plan a Trip to Norway [A Local’s Step-by-Step Guide]

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This is probably the topic that lands in my inbox the most; readers and travellers wondering how they can plan a trip to Norway (or more specifically; how to get started with planning a trip to Norway ).

I know it can be overwhelming, especially as Norway is not only a big country (size-wise), but also because there are just so many incredible places to see.

So, I thought it was time I take some of my email replies and turn them into a blog post so that you can have the best time planning your Norway trip (and make sure that the planning process goes smoothly).

There are a few things you need to think about when planning your trip to Norway, and I have tried to cover them all below. Naturally, you might have an idea already of what you want to do, and what you want to get out of your Norway trip, which is great!

However, I have found that some travellers decide to visit Norway without being completely sure of where they want to go, or how long they want to spend there.

Regardless of which of these two schools you fall into, I hope this post on how to plan a trip to Norway is helpful! Consider it your very own Norway trip planner (except you still have to do the actual planning yourself).

If your Norway trip is bound for Flåm, Aurland and the fjord area where I grew up, please check out the complete travel guide I wrote for the area here!

Table of Contents

Plan a trip to Norway: A Step-by-Step Guide

As mentioned, Norway is a big country with lots of exciting things to see. From the fjords to the northern lights, there is something unique around every corner. Which is probably why it can be so overwhelming to start planning and preparing for your Norway trip.

Therefore, I have created this step-by-step guide to planning a trip to Norway, and all you have to do is follow it! Hopefully, at the end of this post you’ll have an idea of what your Norway trip will be like (or at least how you hope it will look).

Bonus tip : Bookmark this post for later if you are visiting Norway at a later time, and you’re not quite ready to go through all the steps. It is packed with helpful links to help you plan your trip to Norway, and I recommend you check them all out!

8 Steps to Planning a Trip to Norway

Without further ado, here are the 8 steps I share with anyone asking me questions on Norway trip planning!

#1 Do some research

This one may seem a little unnecessary to mention, but you’d be surprised to learn how many people visit Norway without having any prior knowledge of the country (other than the fact that it’s beautiful).

So, in order to not ask one of these stupid questions that tourists in Norway have actually asked , make sure you do some research in the early stages of your trip planning process.

It doesn’t have to take much, just read a travel guide to Norway, such as my ultimate Norway travel guide , and this one about the best fjords to visit in Norway . And of course, familiarize yourself with what Norway is actually famous for before you go.

Once you have some background knowledge of Norway (as in, you should at least know what a fjord is), you are ready for the next step.

#2 Where do you want to go?

For many, I believe this is the hardest part of planning a trip to Norway. Figuring out where to go and where to spend your time during your Norway trip can be challenging, mainly because there are so many amazing places to see (and usually not enough time). But, I have a trick up my sleeve to narrow it down for you.

Start by writing out a list of all the places in Norway you could consider visiting. There are so many great ones, and I recommend reading this post on the best places in Norway before you get started. All places on that list has been recommended by travellers who have been there, so it’s a great place to start.

Then, look at your list and try separating the places/items you have written down into categories, to determine which are absolute bucket list places for you (for example, the Nærøyfjord and the Geirangerfjord), and which you would like to see, but can live without (for example, pulpit rock or Stavanger).

This should make it a little easier to move forward to the next step in this guide of how to plan a trip to Norway.

Side note : you should also think about whether you want to have a base on your Norway trip, or if you want to keep moving. For example, if Bergen is on your list, do you want to stay there for most of the trip and make day trips out of the city to see everything, or are you fine with only spending 1 or 2 nights in each place?

#3 Figure out the time of year for your Norway trip

Another difficult one. A lot of people are unsure of when to visit Norway, and I completely understand. As with most destinations, you have to take into account the typical weather of each season, and of course the temperature.

But, when you are planning a trip to Norway you also have to think about the hours of daylight (in the summer you can have up to 24, and in the winter there are hardly any), and the chances of seeing the Northern lights where you are travelling to.

This can be an overwhelming part of the Norway trip planning process, and I have tried my best to break it down here:

• Summer : the most popular time to visit Norway. More crowds, but also extended opening hours in most tourist areas. All tours are running in the high season, and you have lots of daylight. The weather is at its most comfortable.
• Autumn : my favourite time of year. In September, the warmth of summer still lingers, and you still have a decent amount of daylight. In October and November, the autumn weather starts kicking in, and there are more winds and rain than usual. But, the colours are absolutely breathtaking. Here’s a guide I have written to visiting Norway in Autumn .
• Winter : an awesome time to visit Norway, but perhaps not for your first trip (unless the northern lights are #1 on your list). It gets quite cold, and with few hours of daylight, but if you head up North, chances of seeing the Auroras are high. Here’s a guide to visiting the fjords in the winter , and a packing list for Norway in winter (oh, and a guide to the best time to see the Northern lights in Norway ). If you visit for the holidays, make sure to read my guide to Norway at Christmas before you go.
• Spring : like autumn, spring is a season that can vary a lot. March is practically still winter in a lot of places, whilst May can be warm and crisp, almost like summer. It is a great time to visit, as the days are getting longer, the snow is melting, and there still aren’t as many crowds as in the summer. May has officially become part of the high season, and you’ll find that most tours and activities are running.

READ NEXT: Month-by-month breakdown of the best time to visit Norway

I hope this helped you decide what time of year to visit! It is tricky, but as a general rule, I recommend visiting in the late summer or early autumn for your first trip to Norway. Naturally, I recommend you come back in the late winter/early spring to experience the northern lights!

#4 Decide on your length of stay

I know, I know. Ideally, your Norway trip would last forever, right? Sadly, most of us have jobs to get back to and vacation days to consider, so hopefully, you’ll already know how long your trip will be. But, you may have been considering Norway in addition to somewhere else on this trip, or you may have not been quite sure of how long to take off for the trip.

It’s time to look back on the list of places you want to go in order to determine this. Also, pull out a map of Norway to get an idea of how far away everything is from each other. If Oslo is the only place on your list, you’ll be fine with a 3-4 day trip.

However, if you have several destinations in mind, I recommend a week. Note that travelling between Oslo and the western fjords (and Bergen) can take a day, and it is not possible to travel back and forth in less than 2.

Once you have an idea of where you want to go, this might help you with the length of your trip. If you are traveling long distances, for example from Bergen or Flåm to the Geirangerfjord – consider places to stop along the way, such as in Olden .

I would say that the perfect length for a Norway trip is 7-10 days . Of course, if you have less, you just have to be a little crafty, and understand that you may have to cut some things from your list. Here’s my guide to spending 10 days in Norway.

Side note : if you are short on time (with less than a week in Norway), consider one of my Norway itineraries . I have created them all as a way to help you get the most of your Norway trip, and made them available for as little as $2.99! Browse them all here!

#5 Mode of transportation

Now that you have landed the length of your trip and (hopefully) where you want to go, it’s time to decide on your mode of transportation during your time in Norway. The first thing to consider is whether you should (or want to) rent a car.

Look at your destinations, and again, look at the map . Are these places far away from each other? Does it seem like they can be easily reached by public transport? If the answer to the first question is yes, and the second answer is no, you should consider renting a car for your trip .

Starting in Oslo? Here’s how to get from Oslo to Flåm (transportation guide) .

Naturally, renting a car gives you a lot of freedom, and makes it easier to go where you want whenever you want. However, I also understand that not everyone enjoys driving in foreign countries, and driving in Norway (especially in the winter or around the fjord area) can be challenging.

So I do not recommend driving yourself unless you are very confident about driving abroad.

This leaves public transportation, and I am happy to say that it is more than possible to get most places in Norway using trains and buses (and even planes if you want to see both the north and the south of the country on your trip). Naturally, if you are travelling by public transport, you need to calculate for a little extra time on your Norway trip.

This is simply because not all the schedules correspond perfectly, and even though it is possible to travel almost everywhere using bus and train, it’s not as efficient as driving on your own.

The main companies for trains and bus transportation in Norway are:

• Vy (trains and some buses)
• Nor-way (buses)
• Skyss (public transportation in Bergen)
• Ruter (public transportation in Oslo)

#6 Book your hotel(s)

Are you ready for the fun parts? It’s time for the booking stages in this guide to how to plan a trip to Norway! This is always an exciting part of the planning process, and I love browsing amazing hotels, finding deals and seeing where I’ll be staying on my trip.

I do recommend you book your hotel early, as many hotels can get fully booked in the high season; especially in the more rural fjord areas. In the cities, such as Oslo or Bergen , they don’t get fully booked, but they can get really expensive . So book your hotels as early as you can.

Head this way for some of my favourite hotels in Oslo , and this way for a guide to all the hotels in Flåm .

Find hotels and hotel deals in Norway here:

#7 book your tickets (transport, tours, etc).

As with hotels in Norway, tours sell out quickly, and it is easy to miss out if you dawdle with booking. I always recommend booking as early as you can, and as soon as you know what you want to do. So, get to booking your train and bus tickets, as well as your tours and activities.

As a golden rule, and a top tip from yours truly : Vy publishes their train schedules and tickets 90 days in advance, and if you book soon after this, you may be lucky enough to score your train tickets at what they call “Minipris” (mini price). These are cheaper tickets that can’t be refunded and can help you save a lot of $$$, as train travel in Norway is quite expensive.

As soon as you have your transportation sorted, it’s time to start booking your tours! You’ll find that the cities have more options, but that there are also tours available in cruise destinations such as Olden and Flåm.

Here are some of my favourite tours in Bergen , and below are a few selected ones I recommend around Norway!

#8 Get packing!

Now that you have made it to the last item on the list, you should have an idea of how to plan a trip to Norway! The only thing left to do now is to get packing! Here are a couple of my packing guides for Norway, and I’ll be adding more to the list as I write them (so, as mentioned), do bookmark this post!

What to pack for Norway in the winter

25 Nordic Sweaters you need for your Norway trip

How to plan a trip to Norway: final advice

There you have my step-by-step guide to planning a trip to Norway, and hopefully, it was what you needed to get your Norway trip going!

If you have any questions at all, please leave them in the comments below so I can answer them for everyone to see (chances are, someone else has the same one).

I hope you have realised that the trip planning doesn’t have to be overwhelming, but that in order to plan a trip to Norway you may have to make a few tough choices (mainly, eliminating some destinations you might have wanted to see).

Here are a few more helpful resources for anyone planning a trip to Norway anytime soon:

• The Ultimate Norway travel guide
• eBook: Travel Guide to Flåm, Aurland and the Aurlandsfjord area (by yours truly!)
• Easy-to-follow Norway Itineraries for the perfect trip to Norway (both self-drive and with public transportation)
• 7 Places to stop on a road trip in Norway
• The best places to see in Norway
• Lonely Planet’s Norway guide
• Shortcut to Norwegian: a quick language guide

5 Fun Things To Do in Oslo with Kids [A Local’s Guide]

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Norway Travel Guide

Planning a trip to Norway and not sure where to start? This guide contains an overview of all our articles about visiting some of the most popular destinations all over Norway.

We have been to Norway several times. And every time again, we want to go back before the trip is even over!

The first time we traveled to Norway was in summer when we did a road trip through some of Norway’s most beautiful fjords and charming towns. The second time was just a few months later, in winter, when I visited Tromsø in Northern Norway to experience some of the incredible winter activities like dog sledding, northern lights, and more.

After that, I also visited Svalbard in winter and started planning a summer trip to Lofoten before I was even home…

In this Norway travel guide, you can find all the blog posts from our trips. They are filled with travel inspiration and lots of practical tips to help you plan your own unforgettable trip to Norway.

Whether you are visiting Norway with family or alone, in summer or in winter – these guides should be a good starting point in deciding where to go, the best places to see, and the best activities not to miss.

This is by no means a complete guide to Norway. It’s such a big country with so much more to see and do, and we just scratched the surface. But if you are visiting Norway for the first time and want to see some of the very best places, then this is a good place to start. Read on!

*This page contains affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a qualifying purchase through such a link. More info:  Disclosure.

Norway Travel Tips & Destination Guides

Planning a trip to norway.

• Norway Itinerary (2-week summer road trip visiting the most beautiful fjords)
• Northern Norway Itinerary (Lofoten Islands, Vesteralen, Senja, Tromso)
• Norway Cruise (why visit Norway by cruise)

Stavanger Region (Southwestern Norway)

• Best Things To Do in Stavanger
• Lysefjord Cruise and Pulpit Rock Hike in One Day
• The Norwegian Canning Museum in Stavanger
• Flørli 4444 Hike
• Preikestolen – Pulpit Rock Hike
• Stavanger Hotels & Accommodation

Flam (Southwestern Norway)

• Best Things To Do in Flam
• Meet The Real Vikings in Norway – Viking village Njardarheimr

Lofoten (Northern Norway)

• Lofoten Travel Tips
• Best Things to Do in Lofoten
• Where to Stay in Lofoten
• Lofoten in Summer (weather, packing tips, and helpful info)
• Lofoten Rorbuer (& the best ones to stay in)

Tromsø Region (Northern Norway)

• Best Things To Do in Tromsø in Winter
• Tromso Itinerary – 3 Days in Winter
• Chasing The Northern Lights in Tromsø
• Tromsø Ice Domes – The Ice Hotel of Tromso Norway
• Dog Sledding in Tromso (All Your Questions Answered)
• Best Tromso Tours and Excursions
• Tromso Hotel Guide & Where to Stay in Tromso

Svalbard – Spitsbergen (Arctic Region)

• Svalbard Travel Guide
• Svalbard in Winter
• Svalbard in February – What to Expect
• Snowmobile Tour with Better Moments Svalbard
• Dog Sledding in Svalbard & Ice Caves Tour
• Svalbard Fjord Cruise & Tips for Your Boat Trip
• What to Wear in Svalbard: Winter Packing Tips
• Svalbard Hotels

How to Plan Your Trip to Norway

Budget your trip to norway.

Norway is not cheap, but there are many ways to make your trip more affordable. Travel in shoulder season if you can, book everything (hotels, car rental, tours) in advance, etc.

• How Expensive is Norway

Packing for Norway

Here’s the most complete packing guide for Norway in summer (winter list to follow soon):

• What To Wear and What To Pack for Norway in Summer
• What To Wear in Norway in Winter – Packing List and Tips

Accommodation in Norway

In general, I advise booking your accommodation for Norway as soon as you know your travel dates. Especially if you travel to Norway’s fjords in July or August or toTromsø in February-March, book your accommodation well in advance.

• Find the best deals for accommodation in Norway here

Many places in Norway can easily be visited on your own. Some others require booking tours. Boat tours are very popular, especially in the coastal regions where you’ll find the most beautiful fjords. No trip to Norway would be complete without exploring its fjords!

Often, you can just book tours upon arrival. However, many popular excursions get sold out weeks in advance. So if you know your travel dates and what you want to do, you can just as well book it upfront.

TIP:   For our own trips, we book pretty much all our day tours and organized activities via  GetYourGuide . It’s our favorite one-stop shop for all organized tours because they have the best customer service and cancelation policy we have ever seen. Booking directly with a local company usually means that you can’t cancel for free, let alone get a refund in case something goes wrong. For that, it’s always helpful to have a strong intermediary and GYG is the best one we know.

Getting Around & Car Rental

Norway is a big country, so don’t get misled thinking you can drive and see the best of Norway in just a week or two. Renting a car is the best way to explore different regions, but for the big distances, it’s best to fly. Here you can find the best deals for Norway car rental .

Often, you have to take car ferries between places. In most cases, there is no need/possibility to reserve; you can just show up, get a ticket, and go on the next ferry. However, some car ferries for bigger distances are better booked in advance. So make sure to do your research!

TIP:  Join  our Facebook Group for Iceland and Scandinavia Travel . We have lots of members who know the region quite well and should be able to help you with the practical side of planning a trip to Norway and other Nordic Countries.

READ ALSO: Nordic Gifts (from and inspired by Scandinavian countries)

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You can have the best possible time in Norway by being well prepared. But don't worry, there are plenty of local tourist information offices that are happy to give you updated tips and advice. Here is our quick guide to some useful information.

To buy wine or beer in Norway, the minimum age is 18, 20 for spirits.

Beer can be found in most supermarkets, but is only sold before 8 pm on weekdays and 6 pm on Saturdays. For wine, spirits or strong beer, you must visit Vinmonopolet, the state alcohol monopoly shops, found in most large cities and towns.

Visit Norway has replaced printed travel information with this comprehensive website. Here, you will find numerous travel tips, information about destinations, maps, and  a route planner , directions on  how to get around , as well as useful facts for a soft landing in the land of  the fjords  and  the midnight sun .

The Visit Norway app gives you information about thousands of places to stay, restaurants, activities, and attractions on and near your destination.

Download the app: iPhone:  Visit Norway for iOS Android:  Visit Norway for Android

Budget travel

Yes, it's possible.  See our 12 tips for budget holidays here .

Calling home

Dial 00 followed by your two or three digit country code, area code, and phone number.

On most mobile phones, using “+” instead of “00” will also work.

If you are calling home on a mobile phone, buying a local pre-paid SIM card (called “kontantkort”) may be the cheapest option. 

Customs regulations

Within the limit of NOK 6,000 you are allowed to bring the following articles free of customs and excise duty into the country (note that the quotas are different from when you’re travelling within the EU):

• A limited amount of alcohol and tobacco
• Meat, meat products, cheese, and foodstuffs except dog and cat food, totalling 10 kilos altogether from EU/EEA countries. It is not permitted to import any meat, meat products, milk and dairy products from countries outside the EU/EEA
• Norwegian and foreign banknotes and coins worth up to NOK 25,000

It is prohibited to import the following without special permission:

• Drugs, medicines, and poisons (minor quantities of medicine for personal use are permitted)
• Spirits over 60% alcohol by volume
• Firerams and ammunition
• Mammals, birds, and exotic animals
• Plants/parts thereof for cultivation

For more on customs regulations, please see  Norwegian Customs .

Daylight Saving Time

Also known as summer time, DST always starts on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October.

The clock is adjusted one hour ahead in the summer, to move one hour of daylight from the morning to evening.

In general, airlines, trains, buses, ferries, and shops in Norway are accessible for everyone. But some advance planning will still make it easier for you to get around.  Read more about travelling in Norway with disabilities.

Drinking water

Tap water is universally drinkable in Norway, and tastes great. So no need to buy bottled water.

Most running water in the mountains and forests of Norway is clean enough to drink, but avoid water running through pastures or run-off from glaciers, as this may contain harmful microorganisms.

Norway is the longest country in Europe, and it takes about 30 hours to drive from Kristiansand in the south to Hammerfest in the north. The E-motorways are the main arteries connecting cities and regions.  Read more about driving in Norway .

Along 18 selected roads, the  Norwegian Scenic Routes , natural wonders are amplified by art, design, and architecture that brings you closer to nature in new and surprising ways.

Drones and similar UAVs must generally be kept at a minimum distance of 150 metres from both people, vehicles and buildings that are not affiliated with the drone operator, at an altitude of max. 120 metres above the surface. Never fly closer than 5 kilometres to an airport unless you have explicit clearance to do so. The device must always remain within sight of the operator, who must not be under the influence of alcohol.

All flying must show consideration and respect for people, birds, animals, private property, public spaces and tourist spots like viewing points. Please check with your destination for local regulations and whether there are any military or other restricted areas where flying is prohibited by law.  Read more about  use  of drones on Civil Aviation Authority Norway’s website .

Electricity

220 volts AC (50 Hz) is the Norwegian standard.

Norway uses the continental European standard socket.

Almost all electricity in Norway is hydroelectric , so you can use it with a clear conscience.

Emergency telephone numbers

• 112 – Police
• 113 – Ambulance
• 120 – Emergencies at sea
• 22 59 13 00 – Poisons Information Centre
• 1412 TDD (text phone for the deaf or hearing impaired)

Foreign languages

Most Norwegians speak English, especially the younger crowd.

Many have also learned German, French, or Spanish at school, but skill levels may vary.

Getting here

By plane or by train, by bus or by boat, we can help you  get to Norway .

Internet access

Internet access is good in most towns and cities, either through mobile data, or public Wi-Fi in cafés and other public areas. Mobile data coverage will be patchy in sparsely populated areas. Most hotels have free WiFi, but if this is important to you, it’s best to ask the hotel before you book. Many buses, express buses and trains offer free WiFi, but this will often require registration and may have limited coverage.

LGBTIQ+ travel

Most Norwegians have a liberal attitude towards sexuality and gender identity, and Norway was early in introducing anti-discrimination laws. Most  LGBTIQ+ events and groups  are found in the big cities like Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim.

Norway's currency is “kroner”, with the code NOK. That said,  how much should you tip, pay, or expect to be billed ?

Make sure you read the full rules on the  Norwegian Food Safety Authority's website  well before your trip.

Dogs, cats, and ferrets from all EU countries must have pet passports and ID marking. Unless from Sweden, the animal also needs a valid anti-rabies vaccination. In addition, dogs from most EU countries must be given approved tapeworm treatment minimum 24 and maximum 120 hours before arrival. Small rodents, caged birds, and rabbits must have valid import permits issued by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority.

Certain dog breeds are prohibited in Norway. Norway is amongst the few rabies-free countries thanks to broad awareness and strict rules.

Additional rules apply to non-EU countries. For further information not found on the Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s website, please contact a Norwegian embassy or consulate in your country.

Public holidays

Norwegian public holidays are New Year's Day (1 Jan), Labour Day (1 May),  Constitution Day  (17 May),  Christmas Day and Boxing Day  (25-26 Dec). Movable holidays are  Easter , Ascension Day, Whit Sunday, and Whit Monday.

Most shops will be closed on public holidays, and public transit may run with reduced frequency and capacity. Many restaurants and bars will be open, except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Many museums are open on Sundays and some public holidays, but will often be closed on the following Monday.

Retail therapy

Here's what you need to know about shopping in Norway . And before you go, here is information on  currency and prices . 

Right to roam

In Norway, everyone has the unrestricted right to access the countryside, ­including the national parks.  Read more on the right to roam . 

Before you set out, see  our tips on how to stay safe  in the mountains, on the seas, and on the road.

Indoor smoking in public places is prohibited. This includes hotels, bars, restaurants and all other establishments where food and beverage are served.

You must be over 18 years to buy tobacco in Norway.

E-cigarettes that contain nicotine are legal in Norway and can be imported for personal or medical use. Citizens from the EU/EEA area can enter the country with a maximum quantity of one year's consumption. Citizens from outside the EU/EEA are only allowed to import a quantity that doesn't exceed three months of consumption. When importing e-cigarettes that contain nicotine, it's a good idea to bring along documents, such as a prescription or medical certificate that proves that the products were legally bought for personal use.

Storage of luggage

You will find storage lockers for your luggage at Oslo Central Station. You are welcome to keep your belongings in the lockers at all hours, but you will not be able to access the lockers when the station is closed between 01:30 am and 04:30 am. Make your payment for the use of storage lockers by cash, Visa or Mastercard.

All of Norway uses Central European Time (CET), which is one hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+1).

Norway has many toll roads, but the good part is that you don’t need to slow down to pay.  Read more about invoicing and how to register your car .

Visa requirements and passports

Visitors from the Schengen countries do not need to show a passport or visa when entering Norway. You may still be asked to identify yourself at some point during your trip, so it is highly recommended to carry a valid passport or national ID card with you.

A number of countries have introduced  temporary border controls  at the internal borders in Schengen.

Citizens of some countries outside the EU/EEA must have a visitor's visa. You can easily check if this is required for you, and what rules apply to your country, on the  Ministry of Foreign Affairs  website.

Since Svalbard is outside the  Schengen area , identity checks are made of everyone travelling to and from the archipelago. This also includes Norwegians. All travellers must bring their passport or national ID card. Please read more on entry to Svalbard at sysselmannen.no

Note that The European Health Insurance Card is not valid in  Svalbard . It is therefore strongly recommended to purchase travel insurance before you go there.

What to wear

Norwegian weather is liable to change from day to day, so bring a selection of clothes that you can layer. That way, you can add or remove layers depending on temperature. In addition, bring at least one warm jumper, waterproof coat and/or umbrella and comfortable walking shoes, boots, or trainers.

If you go during the winter, you will need an overcoat, scarf, gloves and warm shoes or boots.

In autumn and spring, you may want to bring waterproof trousers and boots.

You can dress lighter in summer but remember that even summer evenings and nights can be chilly, particularly in the mountains.  Read more about seasons and climate in Norway . 

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Welcome to The Norway Guide

Do you dream of exploring the incredible nature of Norway, seeing the blue fjords with your own eyes, or get close to an authentic stave church? You’re in the right place, because The Norway Guide is about all things Norway, including tourist travel tips, guides for moving to Norway, and posts about Norwegian life and culture.

This is the #1 place for any Norway lover, no matter if you are planning a trip in the next months, are already in Norway and need some help, or just want to learn more about this beautiful country.

Recent posts

What’s a better place to begin increasing your Norway knowledge than in our selection of the newest posts ? This is a good mix of all types of posts, from cultural insight to travel tips and practical knowledge.

Newest posts on The Norway Guide :

• Trollstigen Is Closing Down Until 2025 June 20, 2024

Make your dream vacation to Norway a reality!

Are you dreaming of visiting Norway for your next vacation? You’re not alone!

We have several million foreign tourists every year, and Norway is rapidly becoming a very popular tourist destination for both solo travelers looking for amazing experiences, couples looking to explore the beautiful nature, and families who want to take advantage of all the incredible things Norway has to offer.

We hope that you will be able to use The Norway Guide for inspiration and finding information for your next trip to Norway.

The amazing nature in Norway

One of the most amazing things about Norway is the nature. The freedom to roam principle allows anyone to travel freely in nature without being concerned with who owns the ground, and even allows anyone to pitch a tent anywhere in nature.

This allows you to experience the pristine nature of Norway in any way you like. There are plenty of opportunities to go on guided tours at the most popular natural tourist attractions, or just grab your backpack and go hiking all by yourself in one of the many national parks.

The nature in Norway ranges from incredible fjords in the west, insane mountains in the north, temperate beaches in the south, to humongous forest areas in the east. There’s something for everyone in Norway, no matter if you prefer relaxed nature experiences near major cities, or want to go on multiple day hikes in places like Jotunheimen.

Ready to learn about Norwegian culture?

Norwegian culture is something special, and most tourists are surprised by how different many things are in Norway compared to in other European countries or even the US. Let’s take a deep-dive into different Norwegian cultural phenomena !

You are guaranteed to learn a lot about Norwegian culture, ranging from the reason why many foreigners find Norwegians to be “cold”, to what the Norwegian public school system is like.

These articles are great for people who want to study in Norway, plan on moving to Norway in the future, or just want to prepare themselves for the Norwegian culture before a trip here.

Latest Norwegian news

Catch up on the latest news from Norway ! There are no English newspaper about Norwegian news, but we’re updating you on the most important things that are happening in Norway.

Who we are at The Norway Guide

The Norway Guide is a small family business where we aim to showcase some of the most amazing places in Norway. We hope to be able to educate people as to why they should consider Norway, while at the same time giving valuable information to people who are already planning a trip to our country.

Read more in the about us section .

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you got any questions or remarks! We’re open to suggestions for places and idea to cover in our upcoming posts.

Norway Travel Guide 2024: Your Complete & Up-to-Date Companion to Discovering Norway's Festive Spirit, Culinary Delights, and Fjord Adventures (Unabridged‪)‬

Publisher description.

Discover the Magic of Scandinavia with Our Essential Travel Guide! Are you dreaming of exploring snowy landscapes, seeing the shimmering Northern Lights, or wandering through historic towns? Our Norway Travel Guide 2024 is your passport to unforgettable adventures across Norway's fjords, Sweden's design shops, Denmark's historic sites, Finland's steamy saunas, and Iceland's warm geothermal pools! Here's why this guide is perfect for your family's adventures: Jam-Packed with Fun: From sleigh rides under the aurora to sunny hikes in lush forests, we've got your dream trip covered! Easy Peasy Planning: With our guide in your hand, you'll find planning as easy as pie. We've got all the maps, must-do activities, and insider tips you need! Top-Notch Advice: Get the best, honest advice on where to eat, sleep, and explore, with fun stuff for everyone in the family! Inside you'll find: A GUIDE to the most amazing experiences in Scandinavia. FUN ITINERARIES that help organize your days to get the most out of your trip. But that's not all! We also share: The BEST OF NORWAY'S NATURAL WONDERS: Discover hidden spots only locals know about. FAMILY-FRIENDLY EXPERIENCES: Places where kids and parents will have tons of fun. WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK: Taste the most delicious Scandinavian dishes. Make your next family vacation truly spectacular with our Norway Travel Guide 2024! Click 'Add to Cart' now and start planning the adventure of a lifetime! Join our friendly community of travel lovers at fodors.com/community to share your experiences and ask any questions. We can't wait to help you explore Scandinavia!

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My First Trip to Norway, With A.I. as a Guide

Can artificial intelligence devise a bucket-list vacation that checks all the boxes: culture, nature, hotels and transportation? Our reporter put three virtual assistants to the test.

By Ceylan Yeğinsu

The assignment was clear: Test how well artificial intelligence could plan a trip to Norway, a place I’d never been. So I did none of my usual obsessive online research and instead asked three A.I. planners to create a four-day itinerary. None of them, alas, mentioned the saunas or the salmon.

Two assistants were, however, eager to learn more about me in order to tailor their initially generic recommendations, which they had spewed out within seconds. Vacay , a personalized travel planning tool, presented me with a list of questions, while Mindtrip , a new A.I. travel assistant, invited me to take a quiz. (ChatGPT, the third assistant, asked nothing.)

Vacay’s and Mindtrip’s questions were similar: Are you traveling solo? What’s your budget? Do you prefer hotels or Airbnbs? Would you rather explore the great outdoors or pursue a cultural experience?

Eventually, my chat sessions yielded what seemed like well-rounded itineraries, starting with one day in Oslo and moving on to the fjord region. Eventually, I locked down a trip that would combine the assistants’ information and go beyond a predictable list of sites.

This time around, my virtual planners were far more sophisticated than the simple ChatGPT interface I used last year on a trip to Milan. Though it offered more detailed suggestions for Norway, I ended up ditching ChatGPT in the travel-planning stage after it repeatedly crashed.

Vacay’s premium service, which starts at $9.99 per month, included in-depth suggestions and booking links, while Mindtrip, which is currently free, provided photos, Google reviews and maps. During the trip itself, each delivered instantaneous information by text and always asked if more specific details were needed. Sadly, only ChatGPT offered a phone app, whose information I found to be outdated (the $20-per-month premium version is more current).

I’m not alone when it comes to turning to A.I. for help: Around 70 percent of Americans are either using or planning to use A.I. for travel planning, according to a recent survey conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of the personal finance app Moneylion, while 71 percent said using A.I. would most likely be easier than planning trips on one’s own.

I decided to find out for myself in Norway.

A whirlwind day in Oslo

After I landed at Oslo Airport, all three assistants directed me to the Flytoget Airport Express Train , which got me to town in 20 minutes. I was delighted to find my hotel adjacent to the central railway station.

Choosing accommodations had not been easy. I was looking for a midrange boutique hotel, and the A.I. assistants generated many options with little overlap. I went with Hotel Amerikalinjen , Vacay’s recommendation, which it described as “a vibrant and unique boutique hotel in the heart of Oslo.” Its location was the main draw, but overall the hotel exceeded my expectations, blending comfort and style with the 20th-century charm of its building, which once housed the headquarters of the Norwegian America Line shipping company.

For the one-day Oslo itinerary, the assistants were in agreement, packing in the city’s top sights, including the Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Royal Palace , the Nobel Peace Center, Akershus Fortress and the Munch Museum. I shared my location and asked each assistant to restructure the itineraries to start from my hotel. But when I gave in to my own research instincts and pulled up Google Maps, I saw that the order they suggested didn’t make sense, so I plotted my own path.

By the time I got to Frogner Park at midday, I had already covered half of the sights, and after walking past more than 200 sculptures by the Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland, I was happy to sit down and admire his granite monolith of entwined humans.

For lunch, the assistants recommended high-end restaurants in the bustling waterfront neighborhood of Aker Brygge . But I wanted a quick bite in a more relaxed atmosphere, so I ditched A.I. and walked to the end of the promenade, where I stumbled upon the Salmon , a cozy establishment where I started with salmon sashimi that melted in my mouth and finished with a perfectly grilled fillet. How had my assistants not mentioned this place?

Next on my list was the Nobel Peace Center, the Opera House and the Munch Museum. The assistants had not recommended prebooking tickets, but fortunately, I had done so, learning, in the process, that the Peace Center was closed, a crucial bit of information that A.I. did not relay.

It was chilly for mid-June, and as I walked along the harbor promenade toward the Munch Museum, I spotted small floating saunas, which my assistants had not included. I went back to the ChatGPT phone app for recommendations. Even though I was eager to try a floating sauna, where people warmed themselves and then plunged straight into the frigid waters of the Oslofjord, I took ChatGPT’s suggestion and booked the Salt sauna, which is where I headed after spending a few hours at the Munch Museum, with its extensive works by the Norwegian artist and its sweeping views of Oslo’s harbor.

At the Salt cultural complex , a large pyramidal structure on the water, I was relieved that swimsuits were a requirement. In Scandinavia, saunas are usually taken naked , and earlier, I had asked ChatGPT for the etiquette at Salt, but it failed to give me a definitive answer. After sweating it out with around 30 strangers in Salt’s main sauna, I dipped into a cold-water barrel tub and then tried the smaller sauna options, which were hotter and quieter. It was the perfect ending to a long day.

Waterfalls, lush valleys, raging waters

Each of my assistants had different ideas on how to reach the fjord region. ChatGPT suggested taking a seven-hour train ride and then immediately embarking on a two-hour fjord cruise, which sounded exhausting. Mindtrip suggested taking a short flight to Bergen, known as the “gateway to the fjords,” and setting out on a cruise the next day, which was perhaps more efficient, but would also mean missing one of the most scenic train rides in the world. Vacay also recommended a train ride.

After conversing with the assistants, I decided on a shorter train journey (six hours) that would deliver me to Naeroyfjord , a UNESCO World Heritage site with lush valleys and thundering waterfalls. But to figure out the logistics for transport and accommodation, I needed live train timetables, which I found on my own, and information on hotel availability that none of the assistants had.

At this point, I was desperate for human guidance to navigate the region’s expensive and limited accommodations. This is where the pictures and reviews on Mindtrip were useful, helping me to understand that I would be paying premium prices for the spectacular setting of a mediocre hotel.

The train ride from Oslo to Myrdal was breathtaking: rolling hills, mountain villages, fjords, waterfalls. But nothing prepared me for the majestic one-hour Flam railway ride that followed. Vacay had described it as an “engineering marvel” with a breathtakingly steep descent as it passes picturesque villages, dramatic mountains, raging rivers and pounding waterfalls, complete with a dance performance featuring a mythological spirit known as a huldra.

The next morning I boarded a Naeroyfjord cruise, recommended by Vacay, on an electric, 400-person vessel. I was surprised by the serenity of the fjord. Later I learned from a tour guide that I had been lucky to visit when there were no large cruise ships. It was hard to imagine an ocean liner maneuvering through the narrow, windy fjord, but when I asked ChatGPT, it told me 150 to 220 cruise ships squeezed through the fjord each year, a detail that I felt the travel assistants should warn travelers about.

The cruise ended in the village of Gudvangen, where rain made me cancel a hike to a waterfall and instead try my hand at ax-throwing in the Viking Village Njardarheim. The assistants had told me that there were buses that left town every four hours, a time frame that had worked with my original hiking plan, but now I was stuck. Thankfully, I took note of the A.I. disclaimers to check all information and found an alternative shuttle bus.

On my way to Bergen, I decided to stop in the town of Voss, famous for extreme sports like skydiving and spectacular nature. All the A.I.-suggested hotels were booked, but a Google search led me to the lakeside Elva hotel , which had delicious farm-to-table food. I suspect it didn’t make the A.I. shortlist because it was new.

I ended my trip in Bergen, which, despite being Norway’s second-largest city, maintains a small-town charm with its colorful wooden houses and cobblestone streets. With only half a day to explore, I followed Mindtrip’s short itinerary, starting with a hearty lunch of fish and chips at the bustling waterfront fish market and ending with a funicular ride up Mount Floyen for panoramic views of the city and fjords. The A.I. dinner suggestion at the Colonialen was perfect: cozy vibe, live jazz and locally sourced dishes.

The bottom line

None of the A.I. programs were perfect, but they did complement one another, allowing me to streamline my travel decisions.

Overall, Mindtrip — with its polished, dynamic interface that allowed me to cross-check details with maps, links and reviews — was my favorite. While it gave some good recommendations, Mindtrip needed more prompting than Vacay, which offered a wider variety of suggestions in more detail. Unfortunately, Vacay doesn’t save chat history, which I discovered halfway into my planning after closing the website’s tab on my browser.

The biggest drawback was the absence of phone apps for Mindtrip and Vacay, which led me to rely on ChatGPT’s basic A.I. assistant when I needed on-the-spot guidance. Mindtrip, I’ve since learned, is planning to debut an app in September.

Still, there were times when I desperately craved the human touch. Before setting out on a trip, I always contact friends and colleagues for recommendations. This time, as part of the A.I. experiment, I refrained from reaching out to a Norwegian friend until after my trip, only to find out that we had both been in Oslo at the same time.

That’s one element of travel that I doubt A.I. will ever master: serendipity.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Ceylan Yeginsu is a travel reporter for The Times who frequently writes about the cruise industry and Europe, where she is based. More about Ceylan Yeğinsu

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Dipping Their Toes: Younger generations of travelers are venturing onto ships for the first time . Many are saving money.

Cult Cruisers: These devoted cruise fanatics, most of them retirees, have one main goal: to almost never touch dry land .

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Visit Northern Norway, Norway

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Deep in the Arctic Circle, this landscape of fjords and windswept tundra is one of the best places in Norway to explore the wintry pleasures of snow sports. Here, you can discover some of the most northerly geography to be settled by humans and enjoy traditional pursuits like snowshoeing and dog sledding, as well as some of the more modern adaptations like snowmobiling. And, of course, you’ve got an exceptional chance of glimpsing the northern lights.

The main city in the area is Tromsø, which proudly proclaims itself to be the ‘Arctic Capital’. Spanning both an island and a peninsula, with a bridge connecting the two, the city is a great base for exploring the wilder areas of northern Norway. You can also get to know the history of the city and the region at a handful of museums.

Further inland, the area around Alta is home to several excellent hotels that balance the rugged beauty of the landscape with modern luxury, albeit in a spare Nordic style.

When I visit northern Norway, I feel like I’ve been given a rare glimpse into a different world that few ever get to see — a vast, windswept tundra where the northern lights play out across the sky several nights every week.

Winter activities in northern Norway

For outdoor adventures that require ice and snow, there are few better destinations than northern Norway. You might bundle yourself into reindeer furs and climb into a traditional dog sled pulled by a team of excited huskies. Or, you can drop your line into a small hole in the ice to try your hand at traditional ice fishing.

For something with a little more speed, you might get behind the wheel of a powerful snowmobile for a guided drive across the tundra.

Northern lights & the polar night

Of course, a dark sky helps you see the gauzy veils of light and you’ll find darkness aplenty here. In this part of the Arctic Circle, the sun sets around the end November and doesn’t rise again until mid-January — a period known as the polar night.

Tromsø

Continuously occupied since the Neolithic, Tromsø is the social and cultural capital of this region and has several interesting sights. Tromsø University Museum has exhibitions examining life among the Sámi people as well as the natural history of the area. The Polar Museum goes more in depth into expeditions and adventures in the Arctic from the 17th century until today.

Another highlight is the Arctic Cathedral, a gloriously minimalist edifice with a sharply peaked roof that echoes the country’s mountains or perhaps the cracks and crevasses of glaciers.

Summer & the midnight sun

You can also explore the region’s many rivers and fjords from a boat. You might just enjoy the sunny time on the water, or you could opt to go fishing for the highly prized king crab — an enormous crustacean with a leg span that reaches 1.8 m (almost 6 ft).

Best time to visit Northern Norway

For winter activities, plan your trip for between October and April. These months provide the optimal weather for outdoor fun in the snow, as well as the most hours of darkness, to improve your chances of seeing the northern lights. The polar night starts in late November and lasts until mid-January.

For summery activities, plan to visit during the long days between May and early September, when you’ll encounter relatively warm temperatures. For the maximum sunlight, visit between late May and mid-July to take advantage of the midnight sun.

Festivals, events and seasonal reasons to visit

• Early February: Celebrate the Sámi people’s culture, businesses, and competitions during a week-long Sámi Festival in Tromsø.
• Late January – early February: The Northern Lights Festival brings together performers from all the arts, including music and dance, for ten days in Tromsø.

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Suggested itinerary featuring Northern Norway

This sample itinerary will give you an idea of what is possible when you travel in Northern Norway, and showcases routes we know work particularly well. Treat this as inspiration, because your trip will be created uniquely by one of our specialists.

Luxury northern lights winter break in the Arctic Circle

10 days from $11,595pp

Map of Northern Norway

Places & hotels on the map, places in and around northern norway.

• Tromsø Northern Norway
• The Lofoten Islands 219 miles away

Accommodation choices for Northern Norway

We've selected a range of accommodation options for when you visit Northern Norway. Our choices usually come recommended for their character, facilities and service or location. Our specialists always aim to suggest properties that match your preferences.

Malangen Resort

Lyngen Lodge

Scandic Ishavshotel

Manshausen Island

Ideas for experiencing northern norway.

Our specialists seek out authentic ways to get to know the places that could feature in your trip. These activities reflect some of the experiences they've most enjoyed while visiting Northern Norway, and which use the best local guides.

Snowmobiling across Finnmarksvidda plateau

Home to Arctic hares, moose, and herds of reindeer, the Finnmarksvidda plateau is a landscape few ever glimpse. This snowmobiling trip across the snowy plains gives you a chance to explore the wilderness first-hand.

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Oslo Is One of Europe’s Coolest Cities — and It Has One of the Best New Hotels in the World

Where to stay, what to eat, and where to shop in Norway's capital.

One travels to a new city to correct assumptions, to pave over impressionistic fragments with the real deal. One does not sit down at a Paris café expecting to be seated next to Catherine Deneuve any more than one goes on an expedition to the North Pole in hopes of an internship with Santa.

Øivind Haug

But within hours of landing in Oslo, the Norwegian capital presented me with a prismatic fantasy version of itself. Did I come here to order warm cheese buns and a pilsner on the patio of the cultural center and café Litteraturhuset, a table over from the country’s prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre? I did not. Did I come here to angle for a glass of orange wine later that night at the bar Becco , only to find myself shoulder-to-shoulder with Renate Reinsve, the star of Joachim Trier’s Oscar-nominated The Worst Person in the World ? Nei. Nor did I ever think I’d see, also at Becco, a DJ/priest (take all the time you need to let that combination sink in) hovering over a pair of turntables. But over the course of a week in early September, Oslo insisted on presenting an idealized montage of blazing sunsets, arresting art, bracing fjord swims, and a populace that’s exactly as cool as I’d imagined.

Is there a city right now that feels as culturally inclined, well funded, and environmentally minded as Oslo (crowned “Green Capital” by the European Commission in 2019)? Since the discovery of oil in the North Sea in the late 1960s, Norway has gone from being one of the most underdeveloped countries in the region to one of the richest on the planet. It would take more than a week, not to mention a different skill set, to study the sociological effects of the economic boom. Suffice to say the tendency for self-deprecation among Norwegians is so apparent that it verges on dysmorphia.

More recently, Norway’s natural resources have also put it in a politically uneasy position. Soon after war broke out in Ukraine, it supplanted Russia as the EU’s primary gas supplier; since then the country’s profits have become astronomical — and controversial. If Norway is Europe’s biggest deposit box, what are the ethics of keeping the money locked inside (instead of, say, dedicating a portion to aid Ukraine)?

Oslo insisted on presenting an idealized montage of blazing sunsets, arresting art, bracing fjord swims, and a populace that’s exactly as cool as I’d imagined.

But even in peacetime, Norway was visibly flush, its infamously high taxes mirrored by a seemingly utopian level of public infrastructure. One could consult a tram or bus schedule in Oslo, but only if one couldn’t afford to wait the minute or two it typically takes for one to show up. It would be possible, I suppose, to track down a cigarette butt or two in Oslo’s breathtaking green spaces. The Ekebergparken sculpture park is an explosion of Modernism and whimsy in the woods south of the city, while the astonishing Vigeland Museet and Frogner parks are fun-house landscapes of fragrant gardens, eye-catching granite and bronze sculptures, and wrought-iron gates that cast shadows down bleach-white steps. I did stumble upon a birdhouse defaced with I ❤ SLUTS! in Kuba Park — but see? Here, even the grit has wit.

Over a plate of skagen toast (prawns, roe, mayo) at Lorry , an Oslo institution that dates back to the 19th century, Simen Gonsholt, editor of the literary magazine Vinduet, deadpanned, “You will run into someone at a party and they will be very secretive and say they have something to tell you, and it always turns out the thing they have to tell you is that they’ve been cast in the new Joachim Trier movie.” The recent surge of Norwegian literary and film exports has helped usher the capital out of the shadows of neighboring Copenhagen (broadly worshipped) and Stockholm (lots of off-the-record comments about Stockholm). Trier’s moody and stylish trilogy of love letters to his city, made up of Reprise ; Oslo, August 31st ; and Worst Person (a laugh riot compared with the first two), reflect the sartorial and conversational tastes of a younger generation of Osloites. People here seem as content to delve into a deeper exchange as they are to hit the dance floor. Just so long as you skip the small talk.

More Trip Ideas: Everything You Need to Know To See the Northern Lights in Norway

But today’s Oslo is not strictly an export business. Three architectural behemoths have altered the skyline in as many years and are drawing waves of tourists. Completed in June 2020, the Deichman Bjørvika library has the breezy feel of an atrium peppered with shafts of light. Inside is the archive of the Future Library, a buzzy project conceived by Scottish artist Katie Paterson, in which authors including David Mitchell, Margaret Atwood, and the Oslo-born Karl Ove Knausgård have deposited manuscripts in inaccessible glass drawers. These works will not be read until 2114.

In October 2021, the city opened the world’s first museum devoted to the Norwegian Expressionist painter Edvard Munch , a structure so prominent on the waterfront that it surely would have appeared in the background of his work, had it existed in the late 1800s. The museum contains 26,000 pieces of Munch’s art, including multiple versions of The Scream (these are tucked behind doors that open and close on a timer, to limit their exposure to light) as well as a version of his magnificent Madonna . The building itself is aesthetically controversial, a slightly perplexing drama to an outsider: if the lauded Deichman Bjørvika library resembles a pile of books that fans out at the top, the Munch museum resembles a pile of books on the verge of tipping over.

Finally, there’s the crown jewel: the National Museum of Art, Architecture & Design , which opened in June 2022. The night before my visit, at Bar Boca (try the pisco sour) in the ever-trendy Grünerløkka neighborhood, a table of thirtysomethings informed me that I would need “at least” two days to “do the museum properly.” I smiled and nodded and sipped.

Let no one say I wasn’t warned.

The next morning, I grabbed a classic skillingsboller (cinnamon bun), available wherever caffeine is sold, and planned on a leisurely perusal of the museum. But when I set foot in the 588,000-square-foot slate-wrapped building, I realized that I should have worn Louvre-appropriate footwear. With nearly 90 rooms holding Norway’s largest collection of art, including works by contemporary artists from around the world — plus more Munch — the place has that new-museum smell (save, perhaps, for the tapestry made from 400 reindeer skulls in the lobby).

But its most wonderful quality is one that evades clear description. It’s easy to stumble, as if by accident, upon galleries filled with enormous paintings by Agnes Martin and Sol LeWitt. Poke your head behind a freestanding partition, assuming the presence of a single sculpture or a wall of photographs, and you’ll be met with the entrance to an entire hall dedicated to performance art. There’s more art on the rooftop, and there are structures you can crawl into. Considering skipping a gallery? I wouldn’t do that if I were you, not before opening that unmarked door along the back wall to see what lies behind it.

Even as I was still there, I wondered how I would begin to describe a city that is still in the midst of describing itself to itself, of being simultaneously proud of and gobsmacked by the world’s newfound interest.

As a New Yorker, I’ve had dreams of finding panels in my closet, trapdoors, and secret passages. These doors opened into extra rooms of my apartment. Sometimes they opened into a whole extra apartment. All I had to do was push. To visit Oslo is to experience this “secret room” sensation writ large. It is a city of pockets, where attractions are being obfuscated not out of snobbery but because the people who designed them trust they’ll be found.

Over the course of my week in Oslo, I learned that even popular destinations contained surprises. The “silent room” — the repository in the Deichman Bjørvika library that houses all those yet-to-be-read works — is, for all the hoopla that surrounded its opening, modest and unobtrusive. The entrance is tucked next to some shelves on the top floor; the interior is bone-dry, and reminiscent of a magical sauna.

Down the hill from Our Savior’s Cemetery, where Munch is buried, I found myself on Damstredet, a small cobblestoned street with well preserved 18th- and 19th-century houses (a man tending to his garden showed me a shortcut to the main road, where I met a Persian cat that escorted me the rest of the way). Through a deep archway in an unmarked basement space nearby, Izakaya serves fragrant Japanese food along with lychee-, sake-, and ginger-based cocktails. Sorgenfri, a “multilevel shop-space and concept gallery” that opened in 2020, holds a coffee shop and bar (small venues in Oslo tend to run on an infinite loop of stimulants and depressants). There’s even a trick to finding good old Becco, despite its location in a more touristy part of town: follow the lights embedded in the pavement, a sort of yellow-lit road.

More Trip Ideas: This is One of the Most Scenic Train Rides in Europe

Meanwhile Kok saunas , which opened its second location along Oslo’s shoreline this past spring, offers unassuming two-story floating cabins that take you out into the Oslofjord. Along the pier in the Aker Brygge shopping district, the wooden structures are hidden in plain sight — until you notice people shuffling up and down ladders in their bathing suits (when it’s cold, they shuffle at a rapid clip). The night before I partook in my own sauna, the bartender at Rouleur, a bar/café/bike-rental concerned with flattering lighting, captured the spirit of the experience for me: “Some people like it because of circulation — it’s a health thing. I like it because there’s nothing like jumping from heat into water that cold to make you not have a thought in your head.” Having now done it myself, I can say that I came for the first and got the second.

Even Oslo's hotels are in on the “pocket” theme. The glamorous Sommerro opened just last September, but this industrial yet elegant space has a long and storied past. Built in 1931, it was once the headquarters of the city’s electric company. The original light fixtures, terrazzo columns, mosaic walls, and massive ground-floor mural are an interior designer’s dream, in that the building came ingrained with soul. Upstairs, each of the 231 carefully appointed rooms and suites are filled with cushy chaises and posh products: Deco meets Byredo. In a seamless transfer from municipal building to luxury space, it has a spa with a sauna and a gym, an underground theater, and six different restaurants, including Ekspedisjonshallen (a name I opted to mumble throughout my stay). It all teeters on the overwhelming (what a marvelous bunker Sommerro would make at the end of the world), but the new additions fit harmoniously. With rooftop access, seemingly endless subterranean levels, and a good story around every corner, the hotel feels like Oslo itself: clever in an understated way, and begging to be explored.

In fact, when I returned to the hotel from Rouleur (having fallen into a spirited conversation with the bartender’s friend about the digestive benefits of aquavit), I spotted a group of women in matching gowns smoking outside who were soon joined by men in tuxedos. It would have been very un-Trier-y of me not to crash a wedding in Oslo, considering that the heroine of The Worst Person in the World meanders into a stranger’s reception at the start of the movie. And since Sommerro is at once upscale and fanciful, it’s ideal for this sort of activity. Finding the party was another matter, however. Following the sound of merriment from staircase to staircase had a surreal quality, with pristine hallways leading to more pristine hallways. But find it I did. If the newlyweds were curious about the identity of that grinning, slightly buzzed stranger in their photo-booth shots, she is me.

Related: This Oslo This Oslo Hotel Is One of the Best New Hotels in the World — and It Just Opened an 11-bedroom Villa

By the time I transferred to the Amerikalinjen hotel — which opened in 2019 in the former Norwegian America Line headquarters — and spotted a cozy reading alcove on a stairway landing, I thought, Yup, that track s. As a rule, one shudders to imagine the global impression of America, but if the U.S.A.-themed Amerikalinjen is any reflection, maybe we’re not so bad. The common areas are dotted with work by Alex Katz and Shepard Fairey. Voted Best Cocktail Bar in Norway at the 2022 Bartenders’ Choice Awards, Pier 42 has a clever menu of Norwegian-themed drinks and their stateside counterparts (Cross-Country Skiing paired with American Football; Holzweiler paired with Calvin Klein, Northern Lights paired with Manhattanhenge — the latter an overgenerous comparison). I refused to try the Statue of Liberty (vodka, green apple, elderflower) because it came in a sizable version of the statue’s head, and I have my self-respect. Instead, I opted for a less high-concept Moscow Mule.

After a couple of these, I needed to start consuming more than the stray cinnamon bun. I was in luck. Oslo is racking up the culinary awards these days, a fact that makes some residents blush. My new friends at Rouleur winced when I mentioned Maaemo and the three Michelin stars engraved into a brass panel outside its door. This is not a reflection of the restaurant, of the life-changing cuisine therein, they told me, but of the über-wealthy clientele who come to Oslo on private planes to “eat and go.” I got a similar vibe speaking with Jostein Wålengen, owner of 10/10, a print shop and design studio. He used to make silk-screened shirts for the Munch museum but “now they have diamond rings of 'The Scream' in the gift shop.” (The limited-edition rings, 18-karat white gold with a pavé face — retailed for $23,000 before they sold out.)

Wålengen approved of my dinner reservation at Hot Shop (the site of a former sex-toy shop in Grünerløkka, its bare-bones website has zero mentions of its Michelin star), where I wound up taking a humiliating number of photos of my food. Would I ever again eat scallops that are not these scallops, raspberries that are not these raspberries? What would be the point? Who knew one could do that to turnips? Plus, the coffee was rocket fuel in a glass. I was up half the night, thinking about my meal.

Even Stockholm’s gimmicky-but-delicious Punk Royale is jumping in, having opened a branch in the posh Oslo neighborhood of Fronger. I’ve been to the Swedish location, and I can say with some authority that you have not known awkwardness until you’ve had a syringe of pea purée shot into your mouth during a work dinner. If you’re thinking of visiting the Oslo outpost, you might want to consider rolling out the aquavit.

With the light fading and one night left in Oslo, I decided to say farewell to this idyllic city by going the classic route: dinner at Lille Herbern . The restaurant is neither new nor hip. It’s been a local favorite since 1929, serving what will henceforth be known as The Best Fish Soup I’ve Ever Had (salmon, mussels, shrimp, carrots, fennel, aioli). Getting to Lille Herbern is its own adventure. It’s located on a tiny island, which is accessed by taking a bus to a well-manicured suburban peninsula (the famed Kon-Tiki Museum, dedicated to Thor Heyerdahl’s expeditions, is a stone’s throw away, so one could do a double feature). There I followed signs to a dock (unmarked, naturally) and prayed a wooden ferry would appear in the marina to pick me up (it did, eventually). I arrived on the last day of the season — desperate seagulls and portable heaters were a sure sign of summer’s end — and ate outside by the glassy water, watching sailboats move across a setting sun, as if pulled by string.

Back on the mainland, I took my time heading to the bus stop, zigzagging through the dreamlike neighborhood of Bygdøy, spotting a tennis court through a fortress of vines and pondering how much it would really cost to live in Oslo. Oh, who wants to spoil that question with an answer? Even as I was still there, I wondered how I would begin to describe a city that is still in the midst of describing itself to itself, of being simultaneously proud of and gobsmacked by the world’s newfound interest.

For so long Oslo has dubbed itself suburban or overlooked, the lesser-loved Scandinavian capital. Have its doors really opened into grander rooms, or is this all still part of the dream? Perhaps ever-evolving Oslo is exempt from the usual corrective impulse to replace impressionistic fragments with reality, to pin a city down. Perhaps the point of a visit is to heed the advice of the country’s most famous son: “I don’t paint what I see,” Munch said, “but what I saw.”

Where to Stay

Amerikalinjen: Opened in 2019, this comfortable, modern hotel has 122 rooms and suites that brim with personality.

Sommerro: Housed in a former electric-company building in the handsome Frogner neighborhood, this 231-key property launched last September and quickly became the crown jewel of Oslo’s hotel scene.

Where to Eat & Drink

Bar Boca: A neighborhood standby with stiff drinks, good music, and a friendly, boisterous atmosphere.

Becco: Join the stylish crowd at this bi-level bar with a sprawling outdoor patio.

Hot Shop: This Michelin-starred restaurant in a former sex-toy shop has won acclaim for inventive dishes made with local ingredients.

Izakaya: A pocket-size spot serving Japanese snacks and alcohol.

Lille Herbern : It’s well worth the bus ride, walk, and ferry trip it takes to get to this storybook dining destination.

Lorry: Ornate paintings and taxidermy decorate this Oslo institution.

Maaemo: One of the world’s best restaurants, with three Michelin stars.

Punk Royale: This Swedish dining experience launched in Oslo last fall. p

Rouleur: A bar/café/bike-repair shop with a laid-back vibe.

Vaaghals: Colorful courses and top-notch wine pairings take center stage at this bright, airy restaurant.

Deichman Bjørika: The new main branch of the Oslo library, by Atelier Oslo and Lund Hagem Architects, houses the Future Library project.

Ekebergparken: Find works by Dalí, Rodin, Jenny Holzer, and other international artists in this 156-acre park.

Kok: With two locations, guests can sauna off a pier or in the fjord. .

Litteraturhuset  : A cultural center with a full slate of events and a quality café menu.

Munch: More than 26,000works by Norway’s most famous artist in a towering museum.

National Museum: Kleihues & Schuwerk’s dazzling building for the country’s largest repository of art.

Vigeland Museet: This installation of more than 200 sculptures by artist Gustav Vigeland is especially beautiful at sunset.

A version of this story first appeared in the May 2022 ssue of  Travel + Leisure  under the headline "Oh, Oslo! "

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A guide to norway’s coastal cruise with havila voyages.

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Four Havila Voyages ships operate on the Norwegian coastal route.

Every day of the year, a ferry sets sail from Bergen, Norway’s second biggest city. It calls at 34 ports before arriving at Kirkenes, close to the Russian border, before making its way back to Bergen. This is the Norwegian coastal route.

Given that the ferries stay close to shore, they offer one of the best ways to experience the stunning Norwegian coastline, explore the remote Arctic region, visit tiny coastal communities, and truly soak up Norwegian culture.

In addition to the important passenger and cargo ferry service, the route is known around the world for its cruise-like voyages sold to tourists.

For a few decades, Hurtigruten was the only company serving the route. But now, four of the 11 ferries plying the route are operated by Havila Voyages , the latest in a long list of companies providing service over the coastal route’s 130-year history .

From delightful dining to brand-new ships specifically designed for the route, here’s what to expect from the new kids on the block.

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Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, havila voyages concept explained.

Typically, international tourists choose from three voyages: the northbound leg, the southbound leg, or the full 11-night roundtrip voyage. The experience of each voyage is akin to taking a cruise but on a ferry.

Passengers on the Havila Polaris out on deck making the most of the arrival into Tromsø, Norway.

The modern ships are comfortable with plenty of space—inside and out—to enjoy the scenery and excellent dining, although there is limited entertainment beyond the landscapes outside and the multiple ports of call.

Trying to choose? The northbound voyage includes longer port stops in cities like Ålesund, Trondheim, and Tromsø. However, the shorter southbound voyage is a little cheaper and includes the delightful sailing through Vesterålen and the Raftsund waterway.

It’s also possible to book shorter voyages, such as Trondheim to Tromsø, or book port-to-port transit between any two ports on the route.

All four ships in Havila Voyages’ coastal fleet are identical. They’ve been designed specifically to sail this historic route, so come with comfortable cabins and tall windows designed to fill the interiors with light and provide plenty of opportunity to enjoy the sights along the Norwegian coastline.

The fleet runs on LNG and each vessel is capable of running emission-free on battery power for up to four hours. This means it will still be able to visit the Geirangerfjord after Norway’s new environmental regulations come into force from 2026.

In fact, to take advantage of this capability, Havila has extended its Geirangerfjord season on the coastal route, adding April and May onto the previous June-August season from 2025.

Large windows are the standout feature of the new Havila Voyages cruise ferries.

The best value accommodations, inside cabins, are designed for port-to-port passengers and shorter journeys, although it is possible to book one for the full voyage. However, for a slightly higher price, the seaview cabins offer significantly more space and comfort for those on a longer voyage.

A few comfortable lounges are dotted around the ship, including the excellent observation lounge. Packed with comfortable seats, the lounge’s vast windows ensure a good view no matter where you sit.

Where Havila’s ships really shine is on the outside decks. Whether you’re hunting for the northern lights in the winter or watching small communities pass by late into the evening under the midnight sun, there’s so much space to take in your surroundings.

A pair of good-sized hot tubs and an outdoor bar open for special events add to the appeal.

Dining Options

Whereas cruises are renowned for lavish buffet restaurants, Havila Voyages offers guests an all à la carte concept. In an effort to reduce food waste , breakfast and lunch consist of unlimited small dishes made to order, while a more traditional three-course dinner is available daily.

The meals are supplemented by snacks and light meals available from the onboard cafe, which is also used by local ferry passengers. A fine dining restaurant with a fixed menu of local cuisine offers an alternative dining option at an additional charge.

A la carte dining three times a day is one of the big plus points of Havila Voyages.

Finally, local dishes are put under the spotlight at specific events, often held out on deck and timed for sailaways or scenic points in the journey.

Onboard Entertainment

The biggest difference from a traditional cruise is the lack of any onboard entertainment. The focus of the Norwegian coastal route is the nature, landscapes, and multiple daily port calls.

Daily talks are held by the onboard team covering the main ports and an introduction to Norwegian culture, but there are few other activities. Many passengers choose to bring books, knitting, or a good pair of binoculars. During the midnight sun period, there will always be something to see.

Port calls range from just 10 minutes in the middle of the night to several hours in bigger cities like Trondheim and Tromsø. Excursions are available covering activities such as dog sledding and snowmobiling in the winter to guided hikes and beer tasting. Bus tours to the North Cape and the Kirkenes Snow Hotel are always popular.

How Much Does It Cost?

As the Norwegian coastal route is operated on behalf of the Norwegian government, the ships are Norwegian flagged, use Scandinavian-speaking employees, and must abide by Norwegian law on things like alcohol taxes and duties.

All of these factors raise the price of a voyage compared with an equivalent cruise. But that being said, no cruise gets as close to the coastline or visits such small, remote Arctic communities as the coastal route.

11-night roundtrip voyages start from approximately $1,250 (inside) per person and $2,100 (seaview) per person, based on two people sharing a cabin. Prices rise significantly in the summer season. If roundtrip voyages are sold out, there may still be availability on one-way voyages (especially southbound) or port-to-port journeys.

Beverage packages are available, but they are offered as a discounted pre-payment package rather than an unlimited model offered by most cruise lines. If you’re traveling as a couple and you like a drink with dinner, a package will probably prove better value than buying individual drinks.

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10 Best Road Trips in Europe [2024 Europe Road Trips Guide]

F act: road trip destinations don’t get much better than Europe. From the winding alpine roads of Switzerland and France to the spectacular coastal routes in Italy and Ireland, there are more incredible road trips in Europe than you can shake a stick at!

Furthermore, there are road trips for all occasions and interests. The best road trips in Europe take you through wine country, around lakes, into ancient towns, and up sweeping mountain passes. Truly, whether you have an afternoon or an entire month available, if you’re looking for an epic adventure, a cultural experience, or a simple break from the city, there’s a European road trip that’s up to the task.

The tricky part’s deciding which one to do first! To help, we’re going to reveal 10 of the best Europe road trips available – whether you go in a car, a campervan , or on a motorbike. Let’s dive in.

The Best Road Trips in Europe

Wild atlantic way in ireland.

The Wild Atlantic Way is an epic road trip that runs 1600 miles (2600km) along the west coast of Ireland. One of the world’s longest-defined coastal routes, it starts from Derry in the north and ends at the pretty town of Kinsale, County Cork, in the south.

Wild in both name and nature, driving the entire distance will reveal the very best of Ireland’s rugged, ancient, and weather-beaten coastline. You’ll pass through stunning countryside and picturesque villages, bearing witness to historic monuments, towering cliffs, and legendary landscapes at every turn.

A few highlights of the route include:

• The magical Cliffs of Moher
• Slieve League (a mountain in Country Donegal whose name in Irish means “mountain of stone pillars”)
• The lively and historic town of Galway, and
• The Ring of Kerry (another famous European road trip)

North Coast 500 in Scotland

The North Coast 500 (NC500) is Scotland’s answer to Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. Widely regarded as the best road trip in Scotland, it brings together 500+ miles of the country’s most impressive scenery, sights, and attractions.

Passing through the notorious Highlands, your mind will boggle at the remote and unblemished beauty on display. Quaint fishing villages, sugar-soft white sand beaches, age-old lochs, rugged mountains, and sites of historical significance are just a few of the hidden gems you can expect to encounter.

Starting and finishing in Inverness – the UK’s northernmost city – you hug the coast of Scotland along a series of existing roads that form a loop around the top of the country. This road trip was actually only established in 2014 but quickly became popular among locals and visitors alike. A few highlights of the route include:

• The huge Smoo Cave, which was formed by both sea and rainwater (making it unique in the UK)
• The ruins of Ardvreck Castle at Loch Assynt
• The wildlife (especially the infamous highland deer!)
• The mile-long Corrieshallock Gorge, complete with a Victorian suspension bridge that crosses it

Check out our guide to things to do in Edinburgh, Scotland .

Atlantic Road in Norway

Often referred to as one of the most beautiful drives on the planet, the Atlantic Road in Norway is a real sight to behold. A unique route and remarkable feat of engineering, the road connects Averoy with the mainland, snaking out over the ocean in a series of small islands and bridges.

Proof that the best road trips in Europe aren’t always the longest, the Atlantic Road itself is only 5 miles (8km) long. Officially, it runs from Karvag to Vevang. However, it forms one section of a longer National Tourist Route between Bud and Kristiansund – the entirety of which is worth driving.

A phenomenal road trip, it’ll be a struggle to keep your eyes on the road as you gaze at the coastal scenery – views that chop and change depending on the weather conditions you happen to experience at the time.

Explore more of Norway! Here are the best things to do in Oslo , family-friendly things to do in Bergen , and our guide to exploring Norway’s fjords .

Almafi Coast in Italy

The Amalfi Coast is one of Italy’s most popular travel destinations. And for a good reason! This 30-mile (50km) stretch of coastline is unlike any other on the planet.

Colorful old villages sit atop sheer cliffs, with cerulean waters below reflecting the blue skies and blazing sun above . Beautiful beaches and hikes litter the area, matched only by the mass of restaurants, bars, shopping opportunities…and tourists!

Trust us, a road trip along this inimitable coastline is hard to beat. Driving down the Amalfi Coast road, otherwise known as the SS163, will leave you speechless.

A staggering stretch of tarmac, it hugs the cliffs and winds through pristine, pastel-colored towns – starting in Sorrento and heading south past Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, and Vietri sul Mare. Take it slow, stop to explore each town, and fall in love with the aptly-named Divina Costiera (AKA the Divine Coast).

Arctic Coast Way in Iceland

You’ll find another of the best road trips in Europe in Iceland. One of the most picturesque countries on earth, it’s full of incredible sights and natural wonders – as well as infamous driving routes that take you past some of its most iconic attractions.

Chief among Iceland’s famous road trips is the Arctic Coast Way. This epic, 560-mile (900km) journey runs along the country’s northern coast, encompassing six peninsulas and just as many islands. The whole route takes anywhere from 3 to 12 days to drive, and a 4×4 is recommended for the trip.

This is nature at its finest, and you’ll pass a huge array of unforgettable attractions. Indeed, it’d require an entire article to provide a complete list of Arctic Coast highlights! To keep things short, here are a select few items to add to your Iceland road trip itinerary:

• The Hofsos swimming pool, with its mindblowing views over the ocean
• The Hofsos basalt columns that rival the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland
• Humpback whale watching
• The geothermal sea baths at Husavik
• The Arctic Henge in Raufarhofn

Transfagarasan Highway in Romania

Welcome to what’s arguably Romania’s best-known road – not to mention one of its most popular tourist attractions.

Over 93 miles (150km) in length and with countless twists and turns, the Transfagarasan Highway looks like it was built solely to please road trippers! Expect switchback after switchback through a stunning landscape , leading up to an impressive high point of 6500 feet and exceptional views over the surrounding area.

The road cuts a striking sight – especially from above. Another amazing feat of engineering, it winds back and forth up a beautiful natural gorge, passes through tunnels, and crosses the Vidraru Dam (offering a fantastic look at the eponymous lake in the process).

Be sure to take your time and stop at the viewing points as you go. This is partly to stay safe on the ascent! But, with so much beauty on display, it’s mainly so you can make the most of the Transfagarasan Highway’s unbelievable scenery.

Ready to explore the Romanian capitol? Here are 10 great activities in Bucharest, Romania to enjoy with kids .

Route Napoleon in France

Route Napoleon isn’t just one of the best road trips in Europe. It’s also one of the most famous.

Following an escape route that Napoleon Bonaparte took in the early 19 th Century, the journey takes you 200 miles (325km) from the coastal town of Golfe-Juan, in the French Riviera, all the way north to the city of Grenoble.

The route’s as scenic as it is historic, too, passing a wide range and ever-changing landscapes from sweet-smelling lavender fields and pine forests to rolling hills, rocky outcrops, gorges, and mountains. Get ready for stunning vistas and equally impressive roads at every turn.

Trekaroo Tip: You can stick with tradition and attempt this Europe road trip in the same direction as Napoleon (from south to north). Yet many people choose to do it from north to south instead. That way, you can enjoy sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea when you approach the French Riviera at the end.

Romantic Road in Germany

Romantic in both name and nature, this wonderful road trip is one of the very best in Germany. The Romantische Straße , as it’s called there, is 285 miles (460km) long and takes you through a slew of charming towns and jaw-dropping countryside, complete with ancient castles that look like something straight out of a Disney movie!

As for how long this road trip takes, consider giving yourself between three and four days to go from the start, in Wurzburg, until the end in Fussen. To prolong your German adventure, we recommend spending another couple of days in Munich afterward. Located just over 1.5 hours away from Fussen, the Capital of Bavaria is a popular travel destination in its own right.

Oberalp Pass in Switzerland

Searching for another iconic European road to drive down? Look no further than Oberalp Pass (AKA Route 19) in Switzerland.

Located at over 6,719 feet (2,048m) above sea level, this high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connects the Graubunden and Uri cantons. However, all you really need to know is that it’s utterly phenomenal! Just under 20 miles long, the pass runs from Disentis to Andermatt and provides unbelievable views of the surrounding mountains at every twist and turn in the road.

Steep and riddled with switchbacks, the pass is magnificent. Take note, though: Oberalp Pass is usually impassable between the end of October through April (although the final dates depend on how much snow and meltwater are present).

Read our full guide to visiting Switzerland with kids .

Glossglockner High Alpine Road in Austria

Last but not least on this list of the best road trips in Europe is the Glossglockner High Alpine Road in Austria – the highest paved mountain road in the country.

Popular with cyclists and sports car enthusiasts alike, this memorable toll route climbs up to an almighty 8215 feet (2504m) above sea level in a mere 30 miles (48km), with no fewer than 36 hairpin bends along the way. It runs from Fusch-Furleiten in Salzburg to Heiligenblut in Carinthia, taking you into the stunning Hohe Tauern National Park in the process.

Once again, this European road trip isn’t available all year round. It’s usually open from the start of May until the end of October, although inclement weather conditions can restrict access to the road at any time of year.

As you can tell, thanks to its countless scenic roads and awe-inspiring landscapes, this diverse continent across the pond is a haven for anyone with a penchant for road trips. In fact, there are so many routes available that picking one can feel impossible!

With any luck, the options in this post will have given you some useful inspiration for which European road trip to do first. From the stunning Swiss Alps to the rugged coastline of Ireland, any of them is sure to leave you with unforgettable memories.

Danny Newman is a digital nomad and freelance writer with a deep passion for travel. He’s also mad about #vanlife and offers fellow enthusiasts wide-ranging advice and inspiration on the topic over at campervantips.com .