Norway

Overview

Norway ( Norwegian : Norge or Noreg ) is a land of great fjords, great valleys, wide forests and gorgeous lakes. It also hosts lively cities such as Oslo and Bergen . Norway is the westernmost, northernmost and, surprisingly, the easternmost of the Scandinavian countries – among the Nordic countries only Finland stretches slightly further east. See the midnight sun , watch the Northern Lights , live its rich cultural heritage and eye its distinctive architecture, all the while being tucked within some of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth.

The petty Viking kingdoms of Norway were unified in 872 AD by Harald Fairhair. In the following period, Norwegians settled in many places, such as Iceland , the Faroe Islands and parts of Scotland and Ireland , where they founded Dublin and Waterford . In the beginning of the 14th century, Norway and Sweden were unified as the Norwegian king was also elected king of Sweden. At the end of the century, the two countries and Denmark were unified in the so-called Kalmar Union.

Sweden broke out of the union in 1521. Norway remained in union with Denmark until the Napoleonic Wars of 1814. Because of Denmark being on the losing side of the Napoleonic wars Norway was handed over to Sweden which was part of the winning coalition. Norway declared independence, but Sweden invaded Norway and enforced a personal union, still allowing Norway a great deal of independence.

Sights and landscapes

Norway has plenty of rural attractions – mountains, fjords, islands, glaciers, waterfalls, forests and small villages. Norway's natural and cultural sights often coincide, such as an impressive mountain road within great scenery or the ancient stave churches located in the most serene landscape.

Norway has an abundance of water in all forms: glaciers, snow, fjords, rivers, waterfalls and lakes. Other attractions worth a visit are the northernmost point of Europe at Nordkapp , the islands of Lofoten , the glacier of Jostedalsbreen and the mountains of Jotunheimen . Nordkapp is on an island but connected by road to the actual mainland. Kinnarodden at 71° 8′ 2.04″ near Mehamn is the northernmost point on the European continent (islands not included).

Norway has countless lakes and even inside Oslo there are several hundred. Hornindalsvatnet lake near Stryn and Hellesylt is the deepest lake in Europe at 514 meters, if the lake was completely drained rivers would need 20 years to fill it. Hornindalsvatnet is also unusually clear largely because it unlike many other lakes does not receive glacial meltwater with a characteristic milky turquoise color. Lake Mjøsa, Norway's largest, is the second deepest in Europe. The largest lakes are found in the lowlands of East Norway. Sogn og Fjordane and Telemark have a large number of pretty fjord-like lakes. There are also many lakes around Jotunheimen and other uplands.

Experiences

A great introduction to Norway is the one-day Norway in a Nutshell package on a single ticket from Oslo or Bergen into the mountains, with a boat trip through the fjords. You can break the trip at several interesting cabins for walking or just admiring the view, and even hire a mountain bike for part of the journey. One of the highlights of the 'Norway in a Nutshell' package is Flåmsbana , a 20 km railway that's one of the steepest in the world. Along the way you'll see beautiful mountains, rivers, valleys, waterfalls, and other beautiful sights on your way to the town of Flåm.

Culture and food

Norway is one of the world's most expensive countries for eating, especially in restaurants, and also for retail food. Many visitors choose to bring camping food from another country.

Finer traditional food is usually based on game or fresh fish. Steak, medallions and meat balls from game, deer, reindeer and elk are highly appreciated foods with international reputation, so are fresh, smoked and fermented salmon varieties as well as a host of other fish products. Traditional pastries like lukket valnøtt (marzipan-covered whipped cream cake) are other original contributions to international cuisine. Cheese of various types is common, but one particularly Norwegian favourite is brun geitost (brown goat-cheese), a mild sweet cheese which bears a remarkable similarity to smooth peanut butter in colour, texture and taste.

Planning your route

Norway is a large country with some very difficult terrain so getting around, particularly up north, is expensive and time-consuming. Because of difficult terrain in large parts of the country, navigation is largely related to landscape features such as valleys, lakes, fjords and islands rather than to towns. Norway is sparsely populated compared to continental Europe; visitors should not expect that every name on the map is served by frequent public transport or offers commercial services such as taxi, cafés and hotels – it may not be a town or settlement at all. The best way to see the Norwegian wilderness and countryside is by having access to your own vehicle. This way you can stop wherever you want, admire the view and venture onto smaller roads. Hiking and cycling allow you to experience more of the landscape as you pass through it and as parking spaces in popular nature spots are deliberately kept sparse, in many places it may be better not to be tied to a car.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.