Norway Things to Do Tips by FletteMette

In my opinion, Bergen is an absolute must-see for tourists coming to Norway. The 245000 inhabitants make this the country's second largest (but certainly the most pleasant;o) city. (Biased, me?? Not at all!:o)

Bergen is beautifully situated among seven mountains on the fantastic, wild, western coast of Norway - and is known as the "gateway to the fjords" - but don't travel straight to the fjords, waterfalls, mountains or glaciers nearby - spend some time in this nice little city as well.

King Olav Kyrre sailed into Vågen, the harbour, and founded the city Bjørgvin (the old Norse name of Bergen, meaning "field among mountains") in 1070 - and Bergen's colourful harbour has ever since been very important for the city, making it a hub for trading and shipping. The old wharf area, Bryggen (the row of colourful wooden buildings seen in my main pic), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Bergen's prime landmark.

Bergen has one of the world’s oldest symphony orchestras, many interesting museums (including the home of composer Edvard Grieg) and several international festivals - the most well-known being Festspillene which take place every May. Bergen has also got Norway's best football team - Brann - we won the league in 2007, and will surely repeat it this year!;o)

Bergen is a very charming city, and has lots to offer any visitor - some of the attractions include the Fish Market, the Aquarium, the funicular ride to the top of mount Fløyen, cable car to Mount Ulriken for some spectacular views of the city and surrounding islands - and most importantly: just strolling around the cobbled streets and numerous narrow lanes and alleys between pretty little wooden houses, enjoying a skillingsbolle (Bergen's special cinnamon bun) in one of the city's bakeries, and having a pint or four of Hansa beer somewhere by the sea... ahhhh lovely....

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Website: http://www.visitbergen.com/default.asp?sp=GB&bhcp=1

Tromsø, with 62000 inhabitants, is the largest city in Northern Norway. This is where I've been living for the past few years, studying at the world's northernmost university... :o)

Situated at the arctic latitude of 70 degrees north, Tromsø has a relatively mild climate, with temperatures rarely falling very far below zero C in winter. (-18 C is the all-time low). In my opinion, Tromsø's main attraction is the fantastic nature surrounding the town - steep, wild mountains, fjords and scenic islands. If you're travelling to Tromsø in winter you have a great chance of seeing the beautiful, dancing northern lights (aurora borealis) - and for two whole months in summer you can enjoy life under the midnight sun. Go skiing, ice fishing, snowmobile riding or reindeer sleighing in winter - and enjoy hiking, fishing, whale watching (or perhaps just sun bathing, beer drinking & barbecuing) in summer... :o)

In Tromsø you'll find all kinds of "the world's northernmost" this and that - including a university, brewery - and Burger King (but that's not the one in Storgata / the main street!;o) The town is known as "the gateway to the Arctic", and has been the starting point for many Arctic expeditions - you'll find several museums in Tromsø focusing on this part of the town's history. Among the museums, the most popular one is Polaria with its arctic aquariums and seal pool.

The town has lots of cafés, pubs and restaurants - and the nightlife is surprisingly good, probably because of the relatively large number of students in Tromsø.

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Website: http://www.destinasjontromso.no/english/index.html

"The decision is...Lillehammer!!" - those words uttered by (then) IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch in 1988, awarded Lillehammer with the 1994 Winter Olympics and changed the small town by lake Mjøsa for the foreseeable future. If you're even remotely interested in sports you'll have heard of Lillehammer - the town that hosted what is officially known as "the best winter olympics ever" ;o)

Lillehammer has around 25000 inhabitants, and is situated in Oppland county, at the northernmost end of Norway's largest lake, Mjøsa. Lillehammer's small town centre is pretty and picturesque, with many late 19th century wooden buildings - and with lots of cafes, restaurants and shops along the pedestrian street Storgata (Lit. "the big street", pretty much every Norwegian town has a street called Storgata, *very* innovative...;o). Oh, and Lillehammer *isn't* pronounced "Lillyhammer", like Juan Antonio Samaranch and most tourists seem to believe - try Lill-eh-hammer and you're a bit closer..;o)

There are quite a few things to see and do around Lillehammer. Maihaugen open air museum (see separate tip) is an excellent museum, with nearly 200 buildings, including Garmo stave church. Among the other museums in town is, of course, an Olympic museum - the largest sports related museum in Norway. The Olympic sites are other must-see attractions, with Lysgårdsbakkene ski jump arena as the most interesting spot. The view from the top of the ski jump is supposed to be great, but it was too rainy and foggy to see much when we were there. :o) If you're travelling with kids (or perhaps you're just a little childish;o) you'll probably want to visit Hunderfossen family park and Lilleputthammer, with various activities and a miniature copy of Lillehammer's main street.

Lillehammer is a nice place to visit both summer and winter - and if you're interested in winter sports, the Lillehammer area is, quite obviously, a great place to be.

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Website: http://www.lillehammerturist.no/english/sommer/index.htm

The small town of Røros, with around 5500 inhabitants, is situated in the county of Sør-Trøndelag, 150 km to the south-east of Trondheim. Røros is known for its copper mines, which were developed in the mid-17th century. The last mine at Røros closed in 1977.

Røros is among the coldest places in Norway - the town is situated in the inland, some 600 meters above sea level, and has a more continental climate than most parts of Norway. The "all time low" is an impressive -50 degrees Celsius - so if you're visiting Røros in winter, be prepared for a pretty cool experience...!

The town was completely destroyed by Swedish troops in 1679, and since rebuilt. The entire town centre consist of well-preserved and colourful timber buildings, and the town with its nearby mines has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980.

Røros Church was built in 1784, and is the only stone building in the old centre of Røros. The church, one of Norway's largest, is situated on a hill above the town centre, and can be seen from most of the surrounding area. This church is one of the most important and well-known religious buildings in Norway, and is something of a symbol of Rørøs. Guided tours are available.

Røros Museum, located in a rebuilt smelting hut, focuses on the history of Røros as a mining town, and has accurate models of the machines and equipment used during the 333 years of mining in the area. You will notice the massive slag heaps in the area - these are also among the historical sites protected by law. You can also visit Olavsgruva (Olav's mine) around 13 km to the east of Røros, guided tours of the copper mine are available.

Røros is known for its quality arts and crafts, and there are several great shops worth visiting. (I really like Lysgaard ceramics, see tip on my Røros page!;o)

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The municipality of Lyngen is situated in the northernmost parts of Troms county, in the north of Norway - around 70 km from Tromsø. Travelling to Lyngen from Tromsø takes about 45 minutes by car, followed by a 20-minute ferry ride across Ullsfjorden.

There are only a little over 3000 inhabitants in Lyngen - sharing an area covering 810 km2, making this peninsula quite far from crowded...;o) The Lyngen peninsula is situated between two fjords: Ullsfjorden and Lyngenfjorden, and the administrative centre of Lyngen municipality is situated at Lyngseidet. Lyngen is all about wild, varied nature: On the Lyngen peninsula you'll find the Lyngen alps - Norway's wildest, most spectacular mountains, with peaks rising almost 2000 metres above the fjord. (The highest peak is Jiehkkevarri, at 1833 metres)

There are several small glaciers in Lyngen, there are mountain lakes, waterfalls and rivers, and the opportunities for outdoor activities are pretty much endless: hiking, glacier walking, skiing and snowboarding, mountain climbing, horse riding, dog sledding, snow mobile riding, canoeing, fishing in lakes, rivers or sea - Lyngen is a paradise for those who enjoy playing outdoors.

Lyngen is situated almost 400 km to the north of the Arctic circle, and is of course a great place to experience the midnight sun (Late May - late July), the polar night (late November - late January) as well as the northern lights. (September - early April.) Read more about this in my General tips... :o)

Directions:
Troms is the second most northerly county of Norway. From Tromsø, 45 minutes by car to Breivikeidet - ferry from Breivikeidet to Svensby. You can also go by car to Olderdalen (on the E6) and from there catch a ferry to Lyngseidet - or drive to Lyngseidet on the western side of Storfjorden (from Nordkjosbotn), no ferries needed for this option.

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Website: http://www.destinasjontromso.no/english/lyngen.html

If you ask Norwegians what *Hardanger*makes them think of, the answer will most likely be fruit trees, fjords, waterfalls - and the Hardanger bunad. (The bunad is the Norwegian national costume - see my local customs tips for more!)

Hardanger is a beautiful region surrounding the Hardanger fjord in western Norway. In Hardanger you'll find all those things most tourists come to Norway to experience: fjords, mountains, waterfalls and glaciers.

There are excellent opportunities for hiking in the area - and *nothing* beats Hardangervidda - northern Europe's largest mountain plateau, and Norway's largest national park. Try glacier walking or climbing on the two large glaciers in the Hardanger district (Folgefonna and Hardangerjøkulen), go river- or fjord kayaking, mountain biking, fishing - or enjoy skiing and snowboarding all year round. (At the Folgefonna glacier in summer - see www.folgefonn.no for details.)

Hardanger is not all about outdoor activities, though: the region has a quite important place in Norwegian culture. The traditional Hardanger embroidery, as seen on the Hardanger bunad, originates from the area, and so does the Hardanger fiddle which is used by Norwegian folk dancers. There are several museums in Hardanger that might be worth visiting, including Hardanger Folkemuseum in Utne, and Agatunet in Ullensvang. Røldal stave church is also worth visiting.

May and early June, when half a million fruit trees blossom along the fjords, is the perfect time for a visit to Hardanger - simply stunning. Around 40% of the fruit production in Norway takes place in Hardanger - and if you visit the region during harvest season (end of June - early October), make sure to try some of the delicious fruits (apples, pears, sweet cherries (mmmm!), plums) and berries (strawberries, raspberries) grown here!

There aren't any big towns in the Hardanger area - but several small towns and villages, among them Norheimsund, Ulvik, Odda and Eidfjord.

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Address: Hordaland county, western Norway
Website: http://www.visithordaland.com/visartikkel.asp?art=246
Other Contact: http://hardangerfjord.com/

Senja is Norway's second largest island, covering an area of almost 1600 km². The island is situated to the south-west of Tromsø, in the county of Troms in northern Norway.

The landscapes of this island are very varied, and Senja is known as a "Norway in miniature" - there are sheltered bays and idyllic beaches on the western side of the island, fjords and steep mountains on the outer side facing the open sea - and in the island's interior there are lakes, pine- and mountain birch forests, and marshlands. The scenic road along the outer side of Senja is being developed as a "National tourist route" - there are 18 of these tourist routes in Norway, through the most spectacular parts of the country. Visit Ånderdalen national park, and some of the numerous small fishing villages on Senja.

One of the prettiest little islands I've ever seen in Norway (and there are *many* lovely little islands here!!;o), is Husøy - a tiny island situated in a fjord in the north-western part of Senja. Husøy translates to House island, and the small island is almost completely covered with houses.

Senja is situated to the north of the Arctic Circle, and has midnight sun between late May and mid July.

You can read more about Husøy and Senja, and how to get here, on my Troms page.

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Directions: County of Troms, to the south-west of Tromsø.

Aurland is a municipality right in the heart of Fjord Norway, beautifully situated by the Aurlandsfjord and the Nærøyfjord - these are arms of the 204-km long Sognefjord. Aurland has around 1800 inhabitants, of which 1100 live in the village of Aurlandsvangen. The rest live in even smaller villages in the lower river valleys, including Flåm, Gudvangen and Undredal.

In Aurland you'll find both spectacular fjords, rivers, waterfalls, glaciers and steep, wild mountains - the dramatic nature of this region is among Norway's top tourist attractions. Around 100 cruise ships visit the Aurland Fjord each year, and the area is a great starting point for fjord trips or mountain hikes. The world's longest road tunnel connects Aurland to Lærdal to the east - but driving the narrow, steep, old road across the mountain between Aurland and Lærdal is a lot more interesting than whizzing through the mountain in in a 24,5 km long road tunnel.

The famous Flåmsbana, part of the "Norway in a Nutshell"-roundtrip, is one of Norway's most visited tourist attractions - the incredibly steep Flåm railway offers quite breathtaking views of the Flåm valley, as the train climbs almost 900 meters from the village of Flåm by the fjord, to Myrdal in the mountains. Another exciting option would be riding a bike down the old Navvies' road (Rallarvegen) from Haugastøl and Finse (on the Oslo - Bergen railway) to Flåm.

If you come to Norway looking for stunning scenery, chances are you'll end up in Aurland. For more information on the region, have a look at my Sogn og Fjordane - page.

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Address: Aurland, county of Sogn & Fjordane. Western Norway
Website: http://www.alr.no/?sp=GB

Urnes stave church is situated high above the fjord in the municipality of Luster, near Sogndal - in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, western Norway.

Urnes stave church was built around 1130, and is believed to be the oldest of the remaining stave churches. It has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List since 1979, and is particularly known for its exquisite animal carvings. Urnes is my favourite of the many stave churches I've visited - the wood carvings are beautiful, and the location is also quite unbeatable!

Parts of the church have been dated to 1050-1100, and it is believed that there has been one, possibly two, older churches on this site before the stave church was built - and that parts of these churches were recycled into Urnes stave church.

The stave church is open to the public from June 7th to August 31st, between 10.30-17.30.
Admission prices:
Adults: NOK 45
Students / Children: NOK 30
Family (Parents + kids up to 18 years of age) : NOK 90

To get here, take the small car ferry from Solvorn (or drive the narrow road from Skjolden). No need to bring your car along on the ferry, the stave church is situated a short (but steep) walk from the ferry quay. Gorgeous views of the fjord and the fruit trees! To find out more, see my Sogn og Fjordane page.

If you want to know more about the stave churches, please see my "General tip".

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Website: http://www.stavechurch.org/

Maihaugen Open Air Museum is situated in Lillehammer, in the county of Oppland, eastern Norway. Maihaugen is one of the largest museums in Norway, and it is the most popular tourist attraction in the Lillehammer area - pretty much every Norwegian has heard of Maihaugen.

The Maihaugen area is quite large, with almost 200 buildings, and you'll need *at least* a couple of hours here.

The open air museum has three parts: The Rural Collection - my favourite - consists of old (ca 1700-1900 mainly) farm buildings from the Gudbrandsdal valley, and also a stave church (from ca 1200). There are goats, sheep, chickens and other farm animals on the fields, and you might also run into the people "living" at some of the farms - the fields at Maihaugen are cultivated the way it was done in the 1890s, and the area is really pretty, with lots of wildflowers.

Then there's the Urban Collection, with town buildings from ca 1800 to around 1950, and the 20th-Century Collection which consists of seven houses from different decades of the last century. The interiors of these 7 houses are based on real homes - with loads of details - the houses are supposed to look just like they did in their original locations. Quite fascinating! Guided tours every hour.

Don't forget the exhibits in the main building - various temporary exhibitions, and also exhibitions about Norwegian history, Norwegian stamps and the postal history of Norway, as well as folk art from the Gudbrandsdalen valley.

Opening hours:
May 18 - 31: Every day 10-16
June 1 - August 31: Every day 10-17
September 1 - 30: Every day 10-16
October 1 - May 16: Tues - Sat 11-16, Sunday 11-18

Admission prices:

Adults: 80 NOK (Sept 1 - May 31) / 100 NOK (summer)
Children (age 6 - 15): 40 / 50 NOK
Family (parents with children up to 15 years of age): 200 / 250 NOK
Students / senior citizens: 70 / 80 NOK

Guided tours are available in several different languages - see the website for details.

There's a cafe and a very nice gift / souvenir shop in the main building.

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Phone: +47 61288900
Address: Maihaugveien 1
Directions: Lillehammer town centre.
Website: http://www.maihaugen.no/
Other Contact: post@maihaugen.no