So you have a week or two, and are looking for places to visit in Norway. First of all: Great choice of country. Secondly: To ensure you get the most out of your time here, we’ve made this top 3 "must-see" list of places and activities you simply shouldn’t miss.
With some back-of-the-napkin planning, you can see most or all of these in a 1–2 week trip! These are some of the great places to visit in Norway:
1. Over the mountains with Bergensbanen
We recommend you start your trip in Bergen (obviously). But if you don’t, that’s OK too. In fact, if you’re in Oslo, that means you get to enjoy Bergensbanen (the train between Oslo and Bergen) on your way here. There are four daily departures from Oslo to Bergen which take you through some of Norway’s most magnificent landscapes. The trip is about 7 hours, but this isn’t transportation - it’s an adventure.
The Bergen Railway from Oslo to Bergen is Northern Europe's highest railway. The tour has great views and travelling by train is both an easy and environmentaly friendly option. The train is comfortable and reliable and if you book early you can get some good deals. When you arrive in Bergen (or Oslo, depending on your direction), you arrive right in the city center. Saving you time and money getting to and from airports.
Time to spare? Hop off the train in Myrdal and change to the Flåm Railway that takes you down the Flåm valley to breathtaking Flåm.Great place to spend the night.
The village Flåm. Photo: Bergen Tourist Board - visitBergen.com
Next day, enjoy the beautiful train ride on the Flåm Railway, continue by boat to Gudvangen, taking in the beautiful fjord landscape, then catch the bus to Voss and then the train to Bergen. This tour is fittingly called "Norway in a Nutshell" – and will give you a little taste of the variety Norwegian nature has to offer.
The village Flåm is surrounded by high mountains. Although most locals live in the bottom of the valley, you can see houses and farms spectacularly clinging to the mountainside on the most unique places. Flåm is a popular place to visit all year, also by cruise ships in the summer. If you would like to soak up the village atmosphere on your own time and perhaps with less other visitors around, then wintertime is your best option. There are a couple of tours running to Flåm from Bergen also in the winter. On this tour you also get to visit the spectacular viewpoint Stegastein. (see picture below)
2. One of Norway’s most famous attractions - the fjords!
Any trip to Norway should include a visit to Bergen, if nothing else for its easy access to the famous Norway fjords and fjord cruises.
Stegastein viewpoint. Photo: Sverre Hjørnevik - fjordnorway.com
Bergen is a great start point for your fjord tour. Located in between the Sognefjorden in the north and Hardangerfjorden in the south (and not to forget quite easy to fly into with a large number of direct flights), Bergen is a natural place to start your Norway holiday.
So what is a fjord you say? A fjord is a long and narrow inlet shaped by a glacier when the glacier retreated after carving a u-shaped valley. The lower parts of the valley were filled with seawater and so the long and deep fjords was created. It sort of looks like a river, but it's not! And it can be very long and very deep. It is facinating how small you can feel if you are on a boat on the fjord looking up at the high mountains around you.
Well, since we are talking about views - and Bergen: If you are in Bergen, hop on the Fløibanen funicular and get a stunning view of Bergen from above. So you've become a fan of fjords? Who isn’t! And you’re in luck – Bergen is surrounded by them. From Mount Fløyen you get to enjoy both the sight of fjords, mountains, landscapes and cityscapes, all in one great view. No wonder this is one of Norway's most famous attractions.
.jpg)
Mount Fløyen in Bergen. Photo: Sverre Hjørnevik - www.fjordnorway.com
Time to spare? The picturesque Fish Market lies at the heart of Bergen. For 800 years this has been a meeting place for merchants and fishermen. Fancy fresh fish, seafood – or even fruit, berries and vegetables? This is the place to visit!
If you need more ideas of things to do when in Bergen, check out a lot of great tips and top 10 lists here or this useful article about 7 great places to visit in the Bergen region.
3. Northern lights or the midnight sun
The northern parts of Norway are incredible throughout every season. A short plane ride away from Bergen lies Tromsø, with its symphony of northern lights during winter – and it’s neverending sunlight during summer.
Tromsø in Northern Norway. Photo: Gaute Bruvik - visitnorway.com
Don’t really care that much about lighting? Don’t worry. In Tromsø you can go whale spotting, dog sledding – or fish catching. Don’t really care that much about animals either? Tromsø is great for both hiking in the wilderness, and chilling with the more urban locals. They’re pretty friendly.
Time to spare? In Tromsø, there are safaris specifically for reindeer feeding. Do we even need to say more?
If you want to see both the fjords and the north, you can fly between Bergen and Tromsø with Widerøe.
Bonus tip for the adventurous: Hike like a true Norwegian to Pulpit Rock
A short plane ride south of Bergen, you’ll find charming Stavanger. Here you should definitely take a stab at a truly Norwegian past time: hiking. The hike to Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) is a short, and fairly easy hike. (Well, if you ask a Norwegian that is!) But at the top, you will be greeted by a view of Lysefjorden, 600 meters below, that is quite simply unforgettable. Remember that Norwegians are in general very fit and loves the outdoors. Children are brought along on mountain walk from they are babies, sitting in a special child carrier at the back! Bear this in mind if you ask a Norwegian person how long or difficult a particular hike is.
Preikestolen near Stavanger. Photo: Outdoor life Norway
Time to spare and not enough water for you? Well, the Stavanger region actually has beaches! Why not try your hand (or feet) at surfing? Just make sure to rent a wetsuit to stay warm in the Arctic Sea.
Useful tip: How to travel between Stavanger and Bergen.
Have you got your list of places to visit in Norway ready yet? If you need more inspiration, check out the best fjord cruises is Norway and find the right one for you!
to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
