Anyone been to Norway?

Phate · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:05

Fancy surprising SWMBO this year with a trip to Norway to spend a romantic few days driving around, soaking up the jaw-dropping scenery and learning about some of the old Viking culture!

Also, we've been watching Vikings...we wanna go see the fjords and stuff

Anyway, anyone here been? any recommendations for times of year to go? when to avoid? places to go? things to do?

TIA

Jake

ScoTTyBEEE · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:08

It's a big country to drive around. A flight to Tromso is something similar to flying to Dubai. Take your full alcohol allowance if you fancy a drink.

Diddums · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:08

No mate, nobody has, sorry.

Phate · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:09

Forum mod;30493098 said:
No mate, nobody has, sorry.

Well god dammit. I thought this would be a good place to ask

tom_nieto · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:10

Depends entirely on what you want to do and when you want to go. The far north in the Lofoten islands is absolutely stunning, but I wouldn't go in the depths of winter as the sun won't really rise! Bergen and Kristiansand are both very pretty. Again, I think the spring/summer would be the time to go. The big caveat would be if you were desperate to see snow/northern lights which is only possible in the winter. It's beautiful, but not aways the most exciting of places unless you are mad keen on the outdoors. I would try to find a hytte somewhere!

Phate · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:21

tom_nieto;30493101 said:
Depends entirely on what you want to do and when you want to go. The far north in the Lofoten islands is absolutely stunning, but I wouldn't go in the depths of winter as the sun won't really rise! Bergen and Kristiansand are both very pretty. Again, I think the spring/summer would be the time to go. The big caveat would be if you were desperate to see snow/northern lights which is only possible in the winter. It's beautiful, but not aways the most exciting of places unless you are mad keen on the outdoors. I would try to find a hytte somewhere!

Thats awesome, thank you!

For Northern lights we're looking at Iceland next year. But thinking of a late summer long weekend this year maybe

Tuppy_Glossop · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:26

I spent a week in Aalesund up the west coast. Direct flights from Manchester. I hired a mountain bike and rode around some islands. I took a fishing trip out on a boat. I went to a big music festival. Ate reindeer.

Rich · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:27

I have only been to Oslo, and in the summer. Its expensive. Like eye watering. £10 for a beer give or take. Oslo is a nice enough city, but in hindsight I would have rather gotten out into the country. Bergen is a good shout, looks very pretty.
I would personally do this if I were to go back:

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/norway/travel-tips-and-articles/76243

DONOHUE07 · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:29

Yup, if you drink bring lots of money it's very VERY expensive

Shadowness · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:30

Been there few times on business.....luckily I wasn't paying for anything......as it's freaking expensive!

But a very nice country though!

radderfire · 11 Feb 2017 at 11:37

I haven't been but I've seen a few programmes on TV and it looks worth a visit. Henry Cole did a World's Greatest Motorcycle Rides programme on Norway, see if you can find it (Quest TV).

Places of interest:

Bergen

Sognefjord, longest Fjord in Norway

Voss has an extreme sports festival every year:

http://ekstremsportveko.com/photo

Not that I recommend anything too dangerous, but probably an interesting place.

Ryan0r · 11 Feb 2017 at 12:01

Been to Norway a few times with work, I love flying in low and seeing all the brightly coloured houses with their wee private piers and boats in amongst the fjords and rivers.

Beautiful place, Bergen is stunning, but yes, beer is bloody expensive. And their coins have holes in the middle

Phate · 11 Feb 2017 at 12:07

Bergen is sounding and looking like a good idea. Looking on a map it looks like we can drive around and check out/photograph the scenery. Enjoy the city.

Time to check out some prices!

tom_nieto · 11 Feb 2017 at 12:12

There is a fast ferry which runs from Stavanger to Bergen which is a good experience but also might make flying in from the UK a bit easier as Stavanger is a larger city.

Street · 11 Feb 2017 at 12:20

I've been to Oslo in the past and last year went out walking in the Hardangervidda National Park in the winter. Oslo didn't really do it for me but the mountains were stunning. Luckily we didn't have any chance to spend money during the week but when we got back to Oslo to fly home everything was ridiculously expensive.

neil_g · 11 Feb 2017 at 12:25

Been to Stavanger (coastal town), Rosendal (Fjords), Eidfjord (Fjords) and Haugesund (coastal town).

The first 3 were all lovely places, Rosendal and Eidfjord and the surrounding areas were amazing scenery.

Stavanger was a nice town for a wander, west of the dock are some nice quiet back streets with really nice little houses and to the east more of a shopping town.

Rosendal walking around the area there are some fantastic bits of scenery, mountains and rivers etc. We also went around the coast to Bondhus to walk along the river to get a view of the glacier. We were on a fairly tight timescale so went up to the first lake and back in 2hrs but you could easily spend a whole day up there.

Eidfjord again an amazingly scenic area for a wander around, we also had a quick trip to the Vøringfossen falls and a whistle stop at Sysenvatnet dam. Which again are gorgeous places.

Haugesund we weren't overly impressed with, we got the impression it was more of an evening place with lots of restaurants and bars. Otherwise there didn't seem like there was much to see or do in town.

Diddums · 11 Feb 2017 at 12:39

Phate;30493100 said:
Well god dammit. I thought this would be a good place to ask

Don't listen to all these imposters Phate, they're all lying. Nobody here has been to Norway.

Bassmansam · 11 Feb 2017 at 13:14

Been to Tromso and saw the Northern lights, it was amazing. Also done a fjords tour which and saw some amazing scenery. Went to Iceland the year before and the weather was rubbish for the whole trip so didn't see the lights. In Tromso your in the arctic circle so theres a better chance if seeing them.

Phate · 11 Feb 2017 at 13:19

Well I looked into Bergen, then Tromso...it all looks so amazing

Although it seems like Oct/Nov is just a bad time to go, its almost raining constantly!

May need to rethink this for early next year...

Glaucus · 11 Feb 2017 at 13:21

Nope, but would love to do one of these cruises, its not a normal cruise though
https://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/