Norway Travel Guide

Unlike most European countries, Norway isn’t really known for its cities. Sure, Oslo is a nice enough place and well worth a stop, but Norway is all about fjords and glaciers and mountains and ancient fishing villages. There is a reason those Vikings kept coming back with their ill-gotten gains, Norway is a very pleasant place, especially during the summer with its midnight sun and mild weather.

What To Do

Since this is where you’ll be arriving, it’s a good thing that Oslo is a very pleasant, if unspectacular, capital city. There is plenty of gorgeous Scandinavian architecture on display in a fairly compact city center. Of course there are museums and galleries and the majority of Norway’s cultural events taking place here, but Oslo also has parks and forests to enjoy as well as active nightlife. It may not be worth your entire holiday, but it’s definitely worth spending a day or two here.

Bergen is the second largest city in Norway, but it’s the gateway to the reason most visit the country at all. This walking-friendly and historic town is where trips begin visiting the western fjords and is also near Central Norway’s highest mountains and largest glaciers. They also have jazz and pop music festivals during the summer as the town fills up with holidaymakers from all over the globe.

Getting There

If you are coming from more than a country or two away you’ll want to fly into Oslo Airport (code: OSL). It’s the country’s largest and your best chance of getting a good deal. It’s not close to Oslo’s center, but there is a high speed train connection that goes into the center as well as cheaper local buses. If you are coming from within Europe you can book a flight into Bergen International Airport (code:BGO). There are shuttle buses and cheaper local buses that can get you into the city center.

Where To Stay

May through October are the months to visit Norway as some more remote places close outside of this season completely. Of course you can find hostels in Oslo year round, and there are plenty of hotels in Oslo as well. The seasons are more critical when searching for hostels in Bergen and hotels in Bergen. May is a popular month to visit and the better and cheaper places can sell out early so plan ahead.

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