Land of the Midnight Sun and of the elusive Aurora Borealis – the Northern Lights – Norway is a nature-lover’s paradise. While the country isn’t exactly a budget destination, there’s no charge to enjoy nature. Courtesy of allemannsretten (right of access), you can also camp for free.

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Norway is part of Scandinavia and of the Nordic countries (Scandinavia, Finland and Iceland). Norway has a long rugged coastline, while mountains, glaciers, forests, lakes, rivers and valleys dominate much of the interior.

Distances are long within the country – in fact, Oslo to Kirkenes is about the same distance as Oslo to Rome. About halfway up, around Bodø, you’ll cross the Arctic Circle. And if that’s not far enough north, continue to Svalbard. At 79 degrees north, you can’t get much closer to the North Pole without actually being there.

Summer nights are long and light. In the north, the sun’s up 24/7, and even in the south, the sun sets only for a few hours during the night. Winter nights are equally long and dark. For a few months, it’s dark when you leave for work or school in the morning and dark again when you go home. However, that doesn’t mean Norwegians necessarily prefer summer. Winter is the favourite season for many, and Norwegians are said to be born with skis on their feet. Cross-country skiing is hugely popular (and has been since the Viking era) and it involves pretty much everyone. Die-hard skiers get out their roller skis – or practice down-hill skiing (often bikini-clad) – during summer.

City focus: Bergen

On the west coast, Bergen is the second-largest city in the country and is almost 1000 years old. It is the starting point for Hurtigruten (Coastal Express), as well as the gateway to the fjords.

Bergen was named European City of Culture in 2000 and the residents of this pretty Hanseatic merchant city are justifiably proud of their home town. A stroll along UNESCO-listed Bryggen Wharf, sampling yummy fish cakes at the lively fish market, exploring shops and cafes in colourful, wooden houses along narrow cobbled streets are just a few of the many things Bergen has on offer.

Bergen is surrounded by seven mountains, many of them easily accessible from the city centre. Try Fløibanen, the funicular railway up to Mount Fløyen or Ulriksbanen cable car to Mount Ulrikken for some spectacular views and excellent hiking.

Getting to and from Norway

The main entry to Norway is through Oslo airport (OSL), but you can also arrive by boat, train, bus or car from Denmark, Germany or Sweden. In the north, there are international bus routes to and from Finland and Russia. Many cruise ships stop in Oslo, Trondheim, Bergen and the Western fjords.

Local air carriers include the budget airline Norwegian Air Shuttle, as well as the venerable old Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS), a member of Star Alliance. Local carrier Widerøe flies to Norway from Copenhagen and Amsterdam using small Dash-8 aircrafts. Ryanair flies dirt-cheap from various European cities to Torp and Rygge. They have the audacity to call both Oslo, although they are one to two hours from the capital. That said, both airports have good connections by train and/or bus to Oslo.

The high-speed and eco-friendly Airport Express train takes only 19 minutes between Oslo airport and the city centre.

Train and roads for car and coach pass into Norway from Sweden at several border crossings. Cruise ships often make stops in Oslo and along the fjords.

Getting around Norway

Bus

If you’re going further north than the Arctic Circle, your overland option is by road. Buses are reliable and relatively frequent. Again, booking ahead can get you excellent bargains. Major bus companies are Nor-Way Bussekspress and Lavprisekspressen.

Train

Going between the major cities (Oslo–Bergen and Oslo–Trondheim), the train crosses mountains and is a feast of spectacular scenery. The conductor on the Trondheim train will often announce sightings of the rare, shaggy musk ox when crossing the mighty Dovrefjell Mountain. You might also spot reindeer along the tracks. The Bergen Line is rated among the most beautiful train journeys in the world; and good fares are available if you plan well ahead.

Car and camper rental

If you have time and a bit of money, hiring a car is recommended – especially in the north, as buses are less frequent and distances vast. The Western roads are absolutely stunning, especially the Atlantic Road, Ørneveien (Eagle Road) and the winding Trollstigen (Troll’s ladder). Most major car hire firms have a presence and you can sometimes get good deals with free mileage.

Plane

Distances are vast, so flying is the quickest and often the cheapest option. Norwegian Air Shuttle offers good fares. In the remote areas of the west and north, Widerøe operates small aircrafts. If you want to go to Svalbard, flying is really your only alternative: Longyearbyen is 1.5 hours by air from Tromsø.

Cycling and hiking

A great Norwegian pastime is a fottur (literally “a foot trip”), often from cabin to cabin. The Norwegian Trekking Association maintains 460 cabins around the country and has about a quarter of a million members.

There are several bike routes as well. Rallarvegen, the foot path used by the Bergen Line construction workers in the early 1900s, is recommended. Take the train to Finse or Haugastøl, then bike from an altitude of 1300 metres down to the fjord at sea level.

Cruise and sail

Hurtigruten (the Coastal Express) serves both as a cruise ship and local transport along the long, mountainous coastline. The full 11-day journey goes from Bergen to Kirkenes and back, stopping at heaps of beauty-spots along the way, including the UNESCO-listed Western fjords, the Lofoten Islands, Hammerfest (the world’s northernmost city) and mystical, misty North Cape.

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• Take a trip on Hurtigruten, either the entire 11 days or for a shorter stretch.
• Do Norway in a Nutshell, with the steep Flåm railroad and boating on UNESCO-listed fjords.
• Check out the Northern Lights at the Arctic Circle.
• Visit Svalbard for some polar bear spotting, dog sledging or snow scooter driving.
• Visit on 17 May, the national day, when every city, town and village has a children’s parade and offers heaps of fun.
• Take a hike, preferably from cabin to cabin. If you hike with the Trekking Association and meet the love of your life while hiking, you wouldn’t be the first.
• This is controversial, but I’ll offer the suggestion anyway: Try some whale carpaccio. Or reindeer meat.
• Wander Oslo with a walk on the Oslo Opera House roof, visit Frogner Park to see Vigeland’s nudes and head to Bygdøy to explore Norway’s 1000-year-old maritime history, including Viking Ships and Polar explorers.
• Stop by Cafe Blitz for some waffles. This is also in Oslo, and also controversial: The Blitz House is an occupied house and the City of Oslo has threatened to evict the occupants for years, but they’re still there. This is an interesting way of experiencing locals. Norwegians tend to be quite political; the Blitzers certainly are.
• Visit Drammen. Just 40 minutes from Oslo, this river city has undergone a classic ugly duckling to beautiful swan-transformation in recent years and has received numerous awards for urban planning. Take a walk along the river promenade (or swim or fish for salmon), check out the snazzy architecture and funky art, stop for strawberries at Bragernes Torg, the largest market square in the Nordics, or best of all: hike Kjøsterudjuvet Gorge.

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