Destination Guide · Norway
Norway: fjords,
coastal villages,and the midnight sun.
The land the fjords built.
This is a guide to Norway's fjords,and dramatic coast,the way I met them: sailing the narrow inlets where cliffs rise straight from the water,walking the villages that cling to the shore,and driving the mountain roads that make the country famous. If you love a coast with real scale,water that goes on forever,and a light that plays tricks,Norway is the place to plan next.
Below is the Norway I would build any Norwegian dream around:the six highlights that pull most travelers north,the Norway-in-a-Nutshell rail-and-ferry route, cruising the coast the way our partner lines sail it,and when to go for the midnight sun or the northern lights. I will tell you exactly where to go,and what to pack,so your only job is deciding which season sounds more like you.
The places that pull you north
Six highlights,from Oslo to the Arctic.
Most Norway itineraries orbit the same six places,and for good reason. You can meet them by rail,by ferry,or by cruise ship,and each one earns its spot on any shortlist,however much time you have.
Oslo, the capital at the head of the fjord
The capital sits at the top of the Oslofjord, a city of water, museums,and quiet green space. The Opera House's sloping white roof runs right down to the water,so visitors walk it as a matter of course,and the Munch Museum,on the waterfront,holds the world's best collection of Edvard Munch,including The Scream.
Bergen,the gateway to the fjords
The old wharf of Bryggen,rows of wooden,gabled warehouses,in ochre,and red,leaning over the water,is a UNESCO World Heritage Site,and a working part of town. Take the funicular up Mount Fløyen for the classic view over the rooftops,and here,the west coast,and the real Norway,begins.
Geirangerfjord,the postcard fjord
The UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord is a sheet of dark water ringed by cliffs that rise almost straight up,with waterfalls crowding the slopes. Cruises,and ferries,thread its length,and the viewpoints far above,at Dalsnibba,and Flydalsjuvet,framethe view everyone photographs.
Nærøyfjord,a ferry ride through the narrows
One of the narrowest fjords in Europe,and a UNESCO-listed waterway where the cliffs close in until you think you could touch them from the boat. The short ferry crossing between Flåm,and Gudvangen,is one of the most beautiful boat rides on the continent,on a good day.
The Lofoten Islands,peaks that touch the sea
An archipelago inside the Arctic Circle where jagged peaks drop straight into the water. Fishing villages like Reine string red rorbu cabins along the shore,and in summer the sun barely sets,painting the summits in gold until the middle of the night.
Tromsø,and the northern lights
Tromsø,above the Arctic Circle,is one of the easiest cities in the world for northern-lights viewing: fly in,put on warm clothes,and walk out to the dark shore. From late September into early spring,the aurora dances over the city,and the fjords,sometimes every few nights.
Bergen,Geirangerfjord,& the Romsdalen Valley
The scenery that made Norway famous.
No account of Norway is complete without the places where the country feels biggest:a wooden wharf city,a fjord that defines the postcard,anda pair of mountain routes few drives ever forget. These are the stops I go back to, cameras or no.
01
Bergen,an evening in the gateway city
Take the funicular up Mount Fløyen,for the view over the city's wooden rooftops,and harbor,and you will understand why travelers alight in Bergen,and stay. The wharf at Bryggen is color,and history: wooden warehouses from the Hanseatic era,now galleries,and studios,still leaning over the water exactly as they have for centuries. From Bergen,the fjords begin.
02
Geirangerfjord,the view that names a country
If Norway has a look,this is it:a narrow fjord backed by snowy peaks,with the village of Geiranger tucked where the mountains relent. The ferry,or cruise ship,sails between cliffs where waterfalls like the Seven Sisters,and the Suitor,pour over the edge,and everyone stands at the rail in the same cold wind,smiling. Take the road up to Dalsnibba,and the whole valley reads like a map.
03
Trollstigen,the road up the mountain
Above the Romsdalen Valley,the Troll's Path,or Trollstigen,climbs the plateau,in a series of switchback bends that look impossible from below. Drive it slowly,and stop at every viewing platform,and you are rewarded with the Stigfossen waterfall pouring down beside the road,and a panorama of peaks,and valleys that seems to go on forever. It is the most dramatic road drive in southern Norway.
04
Trollveggen,the Troll Wall
Across the valley from Trollstigen rises Trollveggen,one of the tallest vertical rock faces in Europe: more than a thousand meters of sheer cliff above the valley floor. Even from the road it reads as impossible,a wall of stone catching the evening light while the rest of the valley turns blue. Photographers love it at golden hour,and everyone else simply stands,and looks,for a long time.
Rail-and-ferry route
The classic rail-and-ferry day.
Norway in a Nutshell is the one-day sampler that stacks the country's greatest hits into a single route: two famous train rides,a ferry through a UNESCO fjord, and a bus across a mountain valley. It works beautifully as a day from Bergen,and even better as the heart of a longer itinerary,overnight in Flåm.
The Bergen Railway,Oslo to Myrdal
From Oslo,the mainline crosses the Hardangervidda plateau,one of the highest standard-gauge rail crossings in northern Europe. The scenery shifts from lakes to birch forest to bare mountain,untilthe train pulls in at the tiny high-mountain station of Myrdal.
The Flåm Railway,down to the fjord
At Myrdal,switch onto the Flåm Railway,a steep branch line that winds down the mountainside,past the Kjosfossen waterfall,and drops dramatically,to the village of Flåm,atthe head of the fjord. In less than an hour you travel from snowline to sea level.
The ferry through Nærøyfjord
From Flåm,take the ferry through the Nærøyfjord,a narrow,UNESCO-listed waterway where the mountains close in until they seem to touch overhead. The boat glides past tiny farms cut into the cliffs,villages that have stood the same way for centuries,and waterfalls that fall straight into the sea.
Bus to Voss,then rail to Bergen
At Gudvangen,a bus climbs steeply out of the valley,over the pass,and down to Voss,where you rejoin the Bergen line for the final rail run in to Bergen. In one day,that is Norway: mountain plateau,steep railway,UNESCO fjord,and a city of wooden wharves,all strung together by train,and ferry,and bus.
Views from the waterline
The coast,by water.
Norway's coast wasn't built for roads;it was built for boats,and cruising is how many travelers meet it best. Ships thread the fjords up close,call at villages that roads barely reach,and turn the most dramatic coastline in Europe into a string of easy mornings on deck.
The coastal express
Hurtigruten's coastal express route links Bergen,in the south,to Kirkenes,near the Russian border,calling at more than thirty ports along the way,many of them places that otherwise take days to reach. Sail it in full,or in segments,and the fjords,the Lofoten Islands,and the northern lights,in season,all arrive from your cabin.
Fjord cruises
Round-trip fjord itineraries sail out of northern European cities,every summer,picking up the same classic stops: Bergen,Geirangerfjord,Ålesund,and Flåm,and spending whole days threading the narrow fjords at a pace only a ship can manage. Whole days of unframed scenery,and every evening,a new town for dinner.
Our partner lines
We book Norwegian voyages with two lines we know well: Hurtigruten,forthe coastal express,and expedition sailings,and Norwegian Cruise Line,for classic fjord round-trips with the convenience of a large,modern ship. Both are partners of Somewhere Beyond,so your Navigator can match you to the right ship,and cabin,at no cost.
Timing your trip
When is the best time to visit Norway?
Norway gives you two completely different countries,depending on which side of the year you arrive: one bathed in endless light,and one where the sky switches on after dark. Neither is the wrong answer,so choose by the show you want to see.
Summer:the midnight sun
From late May into late July,north of the Arctic Circle,the sun never fully sets,painting the fjords,and the Lofoten peaks,in gold until the middle of the night. June,July,and early August are the classic months: fjord sailings run daily,the mountain roads open,and every day feels stretched. It is the light that makes first-timers plan the return trip.
Winter:the northern lights
From late September into early April,dark,clear nights above Tromsø,andthe fjords light up with the aurora,sometimes every few nights. October,February,and March offer a sweet spot: dark skies,activity high,and a warm city for home base. Pack properly,plan a few nights,and let the forecast do the chasing.
Practical tips
The details that make the journey comfortable.
Pack layers,and not a single big coat
Norwegian weather changes by the hour: sun,rain,wind,and chill, sometimes all four before lunch. Pack in layers:a base layer,a wool or fleece mid-layer,a windproof shell,and a warm hat,even in July. Comfortable shoes matter more than style,because the best views come at the end of walks.
The currency is the krone (NOK)
Norway uses the Norwegian krone,NOK,and cash is rarely required: cards are accepted almost everywhere,from urban cafés to mountain ticket desks. Keep a little cash anyway,for tiny ferry kiosks,and set the budget honestly: prices run higher than most travelers expect,and Norway rewards doing fewer things well.
Getting around:trains,ferries,and flights
The rail network links the big cities,the ferries cross the fjords,and connect the islands,and flights stitch together the long distances north of the Arctic Circle. Rent a car if you want the freedom to stop at every viewpoint on roads like Trollstigen,but the trains,and ferries,do most of the work brilliantly,and do it scenery-first.
Autumn in the fjords
What is happening in Norway right now.
Autumn is Norway's quiet, golden season: the summer sailings ease off, the birches flare into color, and the Arctic nights open for the aurora. Here is what the season is doing right now, and what to plan around.
The fjords in autumn color
September and October turn the birch forests gold, red, and amber against the deep blue of the fjords, with the color at its peak in October. It is the quieter, golden side of Norway, and the Flåm Railway through the fall mountainsides is arguably at its most scenic now.
The aurora returns
From late September the northern lights come back to the Arctic sky, and October is among the best months of the year to see them, with mild temperatures compared with midwinter. Tromsø remains the easiest base: fly in, dress warmly, and walk to the dark shore.
Mountain roads bridge the seasons
Seasonal roads like Trollstigen usually stay open into October and close for winter at the first heavy snowfall, so autumn is your last window to drive them. Check the road status the day before, because the closing date shifts with the weather.
Festival season in the cities
Bergen hosts its international film festival in late September, and Tromsø welcomes the Insomnia festival of electronic music each October. A city night or two fits beautifully between fjord days this season.
Ready for Norway?
Norway is one of the destinations we plan best: fjord cruises,the Norway-in-a- Nutshell rail day,a Hurtigruten coastal voyage,and northern-lights timing,all matched to how you like to travel. Tell us your dates,and a Navigator will build the trip around you.