Norway travel guide
Think Norway and images of fresh air, dramatic fjords and untamed wilderness spring to mind. And quite right too: Norway is a geographical stunner
Stretching from a temperate European latitude right up into the Arctic Circle, Norway has a vast landmass but a population of under five million – Mother Nature is mistress here, and has been a bit of a show-off.
Norway’s west coast is over 25,000km long, ragged, island-dotted and spectacular: the fjords of Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord have even been declared Unesco World Heritage sites
Away from the coast Norway’s landscape is mountainous and wild, pocked with surprisingly vibrant towns and traditional rural villages. In the far north of Norway the Sami still herd reindeer, while intrepid travellers flock to mush husky-sleds and marvel at the northern lights.
Unless they go further north still – Norway’s outlaying Svalbard archipelago offers the chance to see polar bears under the midnight sun.
Wanderlust recommends
- Kayak around the small fishing communities of Sommarøy, high up in the Arctic Circle, during the midnight sun
- Snorkel with killer whales (yes, really), or watch them from the warmth of a boat, at Tysfjord, north Norway
- Delve into Sognefjord and the surrounding, rugged west coast, some of Norway’s most stunning landscapes
- Learn ancient myths and legends on the remote and beautiful island of Selja, a 15-minute boat journey from Selje, south of Ålesund
- Camp – for free – around Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), the dramatic ledge overlooking lovely Lysefjord
- Look for polar bears and walrus from the deck of an expedition ship while cruising around Spitsbergen
- Scan the skies for the northern lights in Norway’s far north
- Find free things to do (museums, parks, forest hikes…) in Oslo, Norway’s cool capital
Wanderlust tips
In Norway, make the most of your hotel breakfast buffet so you only need a snack lunch – this will keep costs down. Look out for city-bike schemes, where you can hire bikes for low prices (available in Oslo, Trondheim and beyond). If traveling in summer, when the sun barely sets, bring an eye mask.