Where to go in Norway

Known for its glorious fjords and dramatic mountains, there’s art and culture in Oslo, history galore in Trondheim and Bergen, two of the world’s most scenic train routes and the unspoiled expanses of the far north around Svalbard and the Arctic Circle.

So if you’re wondering where to go in Norway, we’ve picked out some of the most tempting locations, from cities to fjords and adventures in the far north of the planet.

The starting point for most holidays in Norway, the sophisticated capital ticks all the boxes. Whether you’re hoping to indulge a love of art, discover more about Polar exploration, enjoy eye-catching architecture, visit one of the city’s world-class museums or simply stroll along the buzzing Aker Brygge waterfront, Oslo is perfect.

Oslo Radhuset

Start with a few views as you climb the gently sloping roof of the Norwegian National Opera & Ballet to look out across the Norwegian capital to the fjord, then soak up some art. Oslo is famous for its links with Edvard Munch, and the National Museum houses a fantastic collection of his works, including The Scream.

Fram Museum

Or there’s history to be found at the Fram Museum, home to the Fram, the world’s strongest wooden polar ship, built in 1893, where you can learn the stories of some of Norway’s most daring explorers who ventured through the Arctic and Antarctic. And the open-air Norsk Folkemuseum holds over 140 traditional buildings from around the country, with displays on everyday life in Norway through the centuries.

The Telemark region in eastern Norway is a mix of glorious scenery and rich cultural sites, including a chance to visit Heddal, the most beautiful of Norway’s remaining stave churches. Built entirely of wood, its multi-tiered exterior is as eye-catching as the interior, with decorative rose paintings and ornate carvings telling the story of Viking Sigurd the Dragon-Slayer.

Heddal Stave Church

Or tucked away in its valley, Rijukan was at the heart of one of the Second World War’s most daring sabotage missions, as the Norwegian resistance stopped the Germans from developing an atomic bomb, a story told in the film Heroes of Telemark. Today, the town uses ground-breaking technology to bring sunshine and electricity to its location deep in the mountains. Head up to the top of Gaustatoppen, one of the peaks overshadowing the town, and you can see around one-sixth of mainland Norway on a clear day.

One of Norway’s historic capitals, Bergen was founded over 900 years ago by Olav Kyrre, King of Norway and has been an important trade city ever since. Today, the colourful wooden buildings along the picturesque Bryggen wharf and its other historic sites are its biggest draw.

Bryggen wharf, Bergen

Save time to stop at the cathedral dedicated to Norway’s patron saint, Olav the Holy, as well as Edvard Grieg’s house Troldhaugen, frozen in time as if the composer had just walked out – even his rimless glasses lie where he left them by an open book.

Another of the highlights of a visit to Bergen is the scenery around the city. Take the Fløibanen funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen, where you can look down across the fjord 1,000 feet below. Best of all, arrive into Bergen by train; the Bergen railway is Northern Europe’s highest, passing through snow-covered mountains and remote villages as you cross the Hardangervidda mountain plateau, with views of the Hardangerjøkulen glacier.

View from Mount Fløyen

With more than 1,800 tunnels along the seven hour route, it’s an unforgettable way to start your time in Bergen.

The pretty village of Flåm looks as if it has been whisked straight from a postcard, in one of the most picturesque settings of all of Norway. But while the village itself is a lovely place to wander through, it’s the location which really makes it stand out, as well as a chance to arrive on the Flåm Railway.

Flamsbana train

Travelling from Myrdal, the 20km-long track is one of the world’s steepest and most dramatic railway lines, passing through soaring mountains and past thundering waterfalls, until you reach the Flåmselvi River leading to the lovely Aurlandsfjord, a tributary of the Sognefjorden, Europe’s longest and deepest fjord.

With more than 1,000 fjords to discover across Norway, the country has the second-longest coastline in the world, carved out by glaciers aeons ago. And whether you’re looking to cruise along some of the majestic open stretches of water or hoping for the thrills of traversing the narrow waterways with their towering cliffs, the scenery of the fjords is never less than captivating. But these six are among the best to visit, whether that’s as a short trip from somewhere like Bergen and Flåm, or on a Norwegian fjords cruise.

The deepest and longest fjord in Norway, the Sognefjord is known as the ‘king of the fjords’. Located just north of Bergen, it stretches for 205km and measures 1,308 metres at its deepest point – deep enough to stack around 90 double-decker buses on top of each other.

Sognefjord

Two of its tributaries, or arms, are equally memorable. Aurlandsfjord can be reached by the Flåm railway, one of the world’s most scenic rail journeys, while the aptly-named Nærøyfjord, is Europe’s narrowest fjord and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, squeezed between steep mountain slopes.

The country’s second-longest fjord is no less impressive at 179km long. The Hardangerfjord runs from the Atlantic just south of Bergen all the way to the Hardangervidda mountain plateau, passing through an area that’s famous for its apples. Visit in spring and you’ll see the trees in blossom from the water.

One of the Hardangerfjord’s tributaries, Sørfjorden is home to the rock formation known as the Trolltunga, or troll’s tongue. Around 1,100m above the water, the rock juts out from the cliffs in the same way as a tongue sticking out, giving it its memorable name.

When you think of the Norwegian fjords, you’re probably visualising something very like Geirangerfjord. Often named as the world’s most spectacular fjord, and another UNESCO World Heritage Site, this 15km stretch of water is simply breath-taking with rushing waterfalls plunging down the sheer cliffs, snow-capped peaks and lush greenery clinging to the rock above the deep blue fjord.

Geirangerfjord

One of the southernmost fjords, the Lysefjord is located a short journey from Stavanger and known as the ‘light fjord’, thanks to the pale granite rocks which tower above the water. While it’s shorter than some others at 42km, it packs plenty of quirky attractions in alongside its eye-catching scenery.

One of the best-known is the viewpoint called Preikestolen (or Pulpit Rock), a flat-topped cliff which juts out above the water, but you can also discover the world's longest wooden staircase at Flørli, hideouts belonging to notorious outlaws and the cascading Hengjanefossen waterfall.

Around four hours south of Ålesund, the area around Nordfjord is a favourite with anyone who enjoys nature and often combined with a visit to Loen. Home to the largest glacier in mainland Europe, Jostedalsbreen, and Europe's deepest lake, Hornindalsvatnet, there are walking trails along the ice-blue water as well as a chance to cruise on the fjord.

One of the most northerly fjords in mainland Norway, the Trollfjord is also one of the country’s narrowest, only 100m wide at its narrowest point. The peaks here soar up to 1,100m high, topped by glaciers, and the only way to visit this particular waterway is by boat – there are no roads through the mountains, one of which is formed of the oldest rock in Norway and around 3.5 billion years old.

The fjord’s name comes from the legend of two trolls who were arguing about pasture for their cows, ending with one troll falling and hitting his axe in the mountain range, creating the fjord.

Norway’s former capital, Trondheim was founded by Viking king Olav Tryggvason over 1,000 years ago. The magnificent Nidaros Cathedral is its biggest sight, a towering Gothic masterpiece that’s known as Norway’s Notre Dame. The 11th century building is the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world, with intricate stained glass, and was built over the burial site of St Olav, the Viking king who converted the country to Christianity and Norway’s patron saint.

Trondheim

With a vibrant student population, Trondheim is still very much a living city though, and there’s plenty for those who love culture, from various art museums to Rockheim, Norway’s national museum for popular music. Save time to try one of the city’s famous spiced cinnamon buns known as kanelboller too.

Set in the Nordfjord area, Loen is often called the gateway to the glaciers, making it the perfect place to get outdoors and active. As well as the majestic Nordfjord itself, you can soar above the landscape in the Loen Skylift, one of the steepest cable cars in the world, which lifts you 1,000m up to Mount Hoven.

If you’re curious about how this astonishing scenery was created, it’s a good base to visit the Norwegian Glacier Museum, around 90 minutes away. There are historic sites as well, such as the Olden Old Church nearby, the only cruciform church in the area.

Known as the Gateway to the Arctic, the island city of Tromsø is a mix of polar history and indigenous Sami culture. The city was the point where legendary explorer Roald Amundsen often set sail on his Arctic missions, with a Polar Museum dedicated to the history of Arctic expeditions, as well as the Polaria Arctic Experience Centre, with its aquarium and displays on life in the polar regions.

Tromsø Northern Lights

The Tromsø Museum is another great place to visit, with more background on Sami culture and a chance to learn more about their traditions, including everything from song to reindeer herding. You’ll also find displays on medieval history and the Northern Lights which can often be seen in Tromsø between September and April.

Arctic Cathedral

Save time too for the 20th century Arctic Cathedral, built in an eye-catching iceberg-shaped design inspired by the landscapes of northern Norway, and home to a beautiful glass mosaic,

The North Cape is the northernmost point of mainland Europe, closer to the North Pole than Oslo, and it’s as far north as you can go by land or sea. Its northernmost city Honningsvag is an attractive splash of colour in a landscape that’s often bleached white by snow – you’re beyond the treeline here.

North Cape

But it’s the vast, rugged scenery which draws most visitors to the North Cape, where the plateau rises 307m straight up from the Arctic Ocean. Visit during winter to see the eerie swirls of the Northern Lights, enjoy king crab caught here by local fishermen, or learn more about the area’s history, inhabited since the Stone Age and once a sacrificial site for the Sami people.

If you want to feel like a true Arctic explorer, it’s hard to beat Kirkenes in Norway’s far north, with snowmobiling adventures and the chance to see the Northern Lights in winter. One of its biggest attractions is only found during the winter months, when 25 tonnes of ice and five million litres of snow are used to create the Snowhotel in Kirkenes, home to Norway’s largest ice bar and a series of beautifully decorated snow suites, not to mention some resident huskies and reindeer.

Kirkenes Snowhotel

Close to the borders with both Russia and Finland, there’s some unexpected history to discover here too, including Second World War sites.

By the time you reach Svalbard, you’re on the very edges of the Arctic. The capital of the archipelago is Longyearbyen, the world’s northernmost town, where people are outnumbered by snowmobiles, and where the tiny population is made up mostly of research scientists and students. Wander the main street and you’ll often see reindeer sauntering past; although wild, they’re friendly and will often stop to graze on the front lawns of cafes.

Spitsbergen, Svalbard

There’s more polar history to discover here too, including Ny-Ålesund, where Roald Amundsen set off north in the airship Norge, while Northwest Spitsbergen National Park gives a taste of the Arctic landscapes he encountered, with whales, walruses and seals in the waters, and glaciers looming on the shore.

When you visit Svalbard, you may even get to visit the ice edge, depending on the time of year. As the icy expanses of the Arctic meet the ocean, you’ll find adventures aplenty, from spotting polar bears, to seeing waterfalls cascading into a glacier, plus hikes and kayak trips through this pristine wilderness.

The longest country in Europe, stretching for around 1,100 miles from south to north, it would take you over 30 hours to drive from Kristiansand at the southern tip to Hammerfest in the north – and that’s not even counting the time you need to travel onwards Svalbard. So getting around Norway can often take more planning than other European holidays.

Public transport within cities is very good, particularly Oslo, and there are some scenic public transport options such as the Bergen Railway and Flam Railway, which take you past spectacular landscapes as they transport you from A to B. Norway’s notoriously crinkly coastline, with its endless majestic fjords, is said to measure more than twice the distance around the equator, so unless you’re planning a Norwegian fjords cruise along the coast, you’ll also need to take boats and ferries across the waterways to cut down on distances. These can get very busy in the summer months, and may not always run during the winter months though.

Once you’re heading beyond the bigger cities and tourist centres, the choice is usually either to take buses in more rural areas or to drive. With narrow, winding, mountainous roads in some areas, this is better for confident drivers, especially during the colder months when smaller roads may close for bad weather, and snow and ice make driving conditions more hazardous.

Driving in Norway isn’t cheap either, between hire car costs, high fuel prices, tolls and ferry tickets, while routes often take longer than you might expect if you have to factor in time to cross the fjords or for the road conditions.

Escorted tours to Norway can often be a hassle-free alternative, with any ferry travel booked for you and experienced local drivers to handle the roads. Our Norway tours include a chance to enjoy some of the most scenic public transport routes on the Bergen and Flam railways too.

If you’re heading further north to Svalbard, you’ll need a specialist expedition cruise in order to visit the Arctic Circle, as well as flights from mainland Norway to Svalbard to begin the cruise.

Explore Norway's fjords, cities and historic sites for yourself on a holiday to Norway, or cruise Norway's coast