As one of the most northernmost countries in the world, Norway is a unique and beautiful country that has a lot to offer. The small-town charm of its cities combined with its powerful and surreal landscapes makes it one of the top travel destinations in the world. Explore a lot of new things to see and do in Norway and even indulge in a number of adventure activities.
A land with a beautiful landscape, exceptional architecture, an oddly unique and interesting culture swarmed with fairytales and art to accompany it, various ethnic foods, and respectful well educated people (typically willing to help an asking tourist). Beautiful naturalistic spots cover the Norwegian landscape, and they present a different form of unparalleled beauty depending on you rite of visitation.
Norway have great winter attractions such as different slopes for skiing and snowboarding (although incomparable to the Swiss alps the ones in Norway remain friendly and applicable to your average tourist). In the summer Norway have beautiful beaches and locations, especially different fjords, “trolltungen”, and Lofoten.
Norway also have older fortress’s from Norway’s quite difficult history with its neighbouring countries (another interesting topic to go through). Oslo offers numerous beautiful museums such as the Viking museum, Kon-Tiki Museum, and some art displays of Norwegian artist such as Edvard Munch, Teodor Kittelsen, and Adolf Tidemand.
In the fall, spring, and summer Norway can offer you with trips to the forest, those of which you will never forget. The Norwegian nature is exquisite and more untouched than the other contending countries. Take a trip to Norway! Those who visit Norway always call it something new, different, and a trip/experience that they will forever remember.
If you want to know more about what is there to do in Norway or any travel guide or culture of any country, then go through our blog. Below are our recommended activities for those lucky enough to visit this Scandanavian gem:
1. Visit the Oslo Cathedral
Here comes one of the best things to do in Oslo. Norway is home to some incredible cathedrals but if you are only going to see one, choose the Oslo Cathedral as this is one of the oldest in the country. Originally built in the 11the century, this cathedral was the first church in Norway. However, the building visitors can currently see dates back to 1694.
In fact, the main church in the city and its real form would have been built in the 11th century. The church is built in baroque style and since you know the time period of its establishment, you can expect that the place would have certainly seen a procession of iconic events, for example, the royal family.
The architecture of the Oslo Cathedral is in a classic baroque style that is common in Norway and features a large organ, colorful murals, and many golden accents. Now, this is sure that you will be going to explore a lot about the history here. Besides this, you can visit a few other things like the large organ, ornate pulpit, and the eye-catching colorful murals that cover the ceiling.
Because of the cathedral's beauty and history, it is still used today by the Norwegian Royal Family and the Norwegian Government.
2. Check out the Vigeland Park
Visit the Vigelandspark, a sculpture-park with a ton of statues by Gustav Vigeland, all dealing with emotions and human relations. The most famous one may be "Sinnataggen". It is the largest sculpture park in the world. It features hundreds of pieces which were created between 1907 and 1943 by artist Gustav Vigeland.
3. Check out the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History
A great next stop in Oslo is the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. This museum is home to the country’s largest prehistoric and medieval archaeological collections. In fact, the museum includes an informative history on Norway from the 1500s to the present day and even includes items from the 13th century.
The museum also features actual Viking ships at Bygdøy, artifacts from medieval churches, and a rune archive. Additionally, another fun fact about this museum is that although it is very Norweigan-centric it includes at least one artifact from every continent as well.
4. Check out the Norwegian Petroleum Museum
The city-centre of Stavanger is by itself worth a visit. In summer it has large cruise-ships in harbour, and a lot of nice streets with a good atmosphere. Stavanger is known as the oil-capital of Norway.
While there, it may be worth it to set aside a couple of hourse for visiting the petroleum museum. It tells the tale of this part of Norwegian industry, and has quite a lot of amazing models and explanations for how it all works. Turns out it's a lot more complicated than just drilling a hole and pumping the oil up. A modern oil-rig is a wonder of engineering. The museum itself is built with a architecture meant to remind you of a oil-rig.
5. Hike to the Pulpit Rock
One of the simplest yet rewarding activities you can (and should) partake in when in Norway is hiking. There are an endless amount of extraordinary trails in Norway that let you immerse yourself in the peace and tranquility of Norway's natural beauty. Additionally, what’s nice about Norway is its variety in trail length and difficulty.
For example, a hike to Pulpit Rock is only five miles and allows visitors to take in the view of the Lysefjorden fjord below. It was chosen for having the top 10 views in the world by Lonely Planet. Very few places in the world have such an outstanding view and require a relatively short distance to travel.
Pulpit Rock also gives visitors a unique experience in so far as the rocks that form the trail and the plateau date back as far as 10,000 years according to geologists. There's a drawback to Pulpit rock. The first is precisely that it is so spectacular. In the main season, especially in weekends in June-August it's pretty crowded. There'll be a lot of other people also visiting.
If you're seeking solitude then this isn't the hike for you. And of course there's the sweating. It's not a difficult hike. The distance is less than 4 KM in each direction, and it's on a good and well-marked path. But it is a hike. You should wear reasonable shoes (no high heels). You should expect to spend about 4 hours for the hike, and it's smart to bring a water-bottle and some kind of lunch. Also recharge the batteries in your camera.
6. Hike to the Kjerag
If you've still not had enough you can consider also hiking to Kjerag. That hike is about twice as hard as the pulpit rock one, but still doable for anyone above 8 years who is in normal physical shape. The Kjerag Bolt is the second most famous, and even scarier. If you have the nerves to step onto this small rock you will be looking down at a 1000 meter freefall.
7. Hike to the Trolltunga
Travel by bus from the town of Oslo to Odda. If you arrive in Bergen, the next step is to reach the Odda. If you are in Kinsarvik or Lofthus you can go by public bus to and from Odda. The town where you can start trekking towards Trolltunga, and specifically from Skjeggedal, 10 km east of the villages Tyssedal and Sørfjorden.
Do you like hard hikes or even climbing? You want to see things like Trolltunga and Hermannsdalstinden. Moreover, there are hikes that are several hour hikes such as Trolltunga, which is a 17-mile round-trip (8 to 12 hours). After doing the treks to Kjerag and Preikestolen, finally go to Odda to trek to Trolltunga, one of the main things to see in Norway.
Trolltunga is perhaps the most famous trek or hike in all of Norway, a natural rock formation located in the region of Hordaland. Therefore it is touristy and you are going to meet quite a lot of people during the whole trip. For many Trolltunga is a dream, for others the most spectacular hiking route in Norway. The summit of Trolltunga is 1250 m above sea level.
Trolltunga is undoubtedly an icon, a place that defies the laws of nature that challenges the vacuum at 700 m above Lake Ringedalsvatnet. Skjeggedal is the starting point of the trekking. The only way to get there is by hitchhiking or by the shuttle buses. In the tourist information center, apart from obtaining maps and removing all doubts, they can rent suitable equipment for hiking.
It is not necessary to return to the same place to return the clothes since at the beginning of the trek there is a place where you can leave everything at any time of the day. The most beautiful and interesting option to discover the Trolltunga is camping. The sunrise over Lake Ringedalsvatnet is spectacular. Free camping is forbidden in Odda, and perhaps the only option would be to go to the glacier area.
The recommended season for hiking in Trolltunga is from June to September. In some parts see a small blue lagoon, which is typical of glaciers, and in others, see a pink spot, which is caused by the dust of the Sahara desert and is very common in the European Alps. The best location for photos on that hike is a rocky ledge called Trolls Tongue. Being on top of Trolltunga is something very difficult to put into words.
8. Hike to Vøringfossen waterfall
Other than the Vøringfossen waterfall itself, the immediate area has a parking-lot for tourists, a restaurant and a few souvenir-shops that sell the usual plus postcards and the like with pictures of the waterfall. Other than this, and of course options for hiking in the surrounding area the immediate area has nothing to do or see.
If you are there by car, there are however several other things to see and do that are within a pretty small distance. If you're an outdoors kind of person have a look at the Via Ferrata to Trolltunga which is less than an hour away by car.
9. Hiking to Jotunheimen National Park
Say hello to one of the prime summer getaway spots in Europe that is just perfect for those who love hiking by heart. Though you may find a number of national parks that are too greatly maintained by hiking trails, but when it comes to Jotunheimen National Park, also called the Home of the Giants, nothing can beat the place.
With 60 glaciers, you will also be exploring 275 summits over 200 m that makes Jotunheimen fantastically beautiful, which is also the home to some very famous trails like Hurrungane, Besseggen, and not to forget about Galdhopiggen, highest peak in Norway. Take the Skagastolsbu route, and reach the foot of a lake and a glacier with snow-capped summits around it.
10. Funicular to Fløyen
Do this on your first day in Bergen. The Fløibanen Funicular will take you up Fløyen Mountain for the panoramic views you see in the pictures. Buy only a one-way ticket unless your legs are very tired! You can walk back down comfortably, there's a good and well-marked pedestrian-street leading down.
The views you get from the top will help you get a feel from the city, including seeing where most other attractions are located. There's a nice area on top with forests and lakes and a network of trails and paths. If you're feeling to get away for the city for a bit of strollin' in the forest, you cannot do worst than not bringing a bit of picnic and finding a quiet spot up here.
There's a restaurant on the top, but it's quite touristy so price/quality ain't stellar. Have lunch at the restaurant there or have a glass of wine whilst you take it all in.
11. Photograph Bryggen
Bryggen, also known as Tyskebryggen, is one of the cities most photographed areas and famous for it's colourful wooden houses on the old wharf. These Hanseatic heritage commercial buildings have been on the UNESCO list for World Cultural Heritage sites since 1979.
12. Listen to a classical concert in Troldhaugen
With the right timing, you might have opportunity to go listen to a classical concert held at a small intimate concert-hall built discreetly in the hillside next to the home of Edvard Grieg or even if there's no concert that suits your tastes at the time you're there. He was popular in his own time and correspondingly had a very nice home in a wonderful plot that is open to the general public today.
13. Train Trip on Flåmsbana
The Flåm train is considered one of the tourist attractions of Norway and it is not for nothing considering the spectacular nature of its route, between the mountains of the interior and one of the most beautiful fjords in the world, as a final culmination.
The Flåm Train has been chosen several times, by journals specialized in travel, as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world, running from the end of Aurlandsfjord, a tributary of Sognefjord, to the high mountains, where lies the Myrdal station.
This trip takes travelers from the small town of Flåm, located at sea level next to the Aurlandsfjord fjord, to the top of the Myrdal mountain station, 867 meters above sea level. Within the 20 kilometers of travel it is possible to feel the wild force of nature, to see rivers that cross deep ravines, waterfalls that precipitate from steep mountains.
In the small town of Flam, the final point of arrival of the Norwegian train, a breathtaking view opens before the eyes of the travelers. The train journey can be done both in winter and in summer, although in Norway the temperature is considerably low compared to southern Europe.
This trip is known as "Norway in a Nutshell", and you can book it as such. It is however cheaper to simply buy the needed tickets for the various parts of the trip yourself since it's all public transportation anyway. The trip goes like this. Train from Oslo at 08:05 to Myrdal where it arrives at 12:59. Train from Myrdal down the spectacular Flåm valley. Departs at 13:10, arrives in Flåm at 14:00.
Boat from Flåm at 15:10, arrives in Gudvangen at 17:20. This takes you in the Nærøyfjord, one of the nicer fjords in this part of west-norway. Bus from Gudvangen at 17:25, arrives in Voss at 18:20, also a trip with pretty neat landscapes. Train from Voss at 18:40, arrives in Bergen at 19:57.
14. Take a Drive down the Atlantic Ocean Road
Although hiking is a great way to see the natural beauty in Norway, a scenic drive allows you to cover a lot more ground and take in plenty more sights. If you are unsure what route to take, drive down the Atlantic Road is referred to as the world's most beautiful drive and is considered the Norwegian construction of the century. This drive connects the island, Averøy with Norway.
Additionally, what's great about this drive is just five miles long and includes a series of bridges that enhance the area's natural beauty. Another great road trip is driving through the Lofoten Islands as they beautifully display Norway's powerful mountains, rugged coastlines, and sandy beaches along with several charming, small Nordic towns.
