Norway’s gorgeous scenery and untamed nature have long fascinated visitors and the world alike. Spectacular fjords mark the jagged coastline, mountains rise above lush serene valleys. This is where music, art and literature are part of the soul, where sports like football, skiing and outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, kayaking and fishing are actively pursued regardless of age, and are more of a lifestyle. However, Norwegians can be taken very seriously, are very passionate about current affairs, and is the home of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Wrapped around northwestern Scandinavia, Norway is one of the beautiful places in Europe. Geological processes such as the land rising, the Ice Age and erosion have created a remarkably varied landscape. Deep fjords penetrate the coastal mountain ranges, with glass green waters that reach far inland, to waterside towns and settlements. More than 75,000 islands lie offshore, providing sheltered harbors and passageways for numbers of ferries, cruise ships and fishing boats that maneuver the coast.
The capital Oslo is an energetic and active city centered around a harbor and guarded by a castle. It’s an electric town of traditional timber houses, stately Neo-Classical buildings and the latest in ultra – modern architecture. Café-life thrives and spills outdoors during the summer months. Around Oslofjorden evidence of Norway’s Viking heritage is everywhere. The Vikings voyages took them as far as America in one direction and the Caspian Sea in the other, and their raiding parties were infamous for inspiring terror in the Coastal communities of Northern Europe. Fascinating archaeological finds can also be found from the 9th century, such as sailing vessels, and are on display in museums around Norway.
Northeast of the capital there is abundant farmland that gives way to soaring mountains with peaks reaching as high as 8,200 feet, with long slender valleys with lakes and rivers. The south coast is lined with silver sand beaches set against a backdrop of the Hardangervidda Vestlandet. On the west coast, Bergen, a World Heritage Site and fishing port was granted town status by King Olav Kyrre in 1070. It once was the largest town and capital of Norgesveldet, a region that included Iceland, Greenland, and parts of Scotland.
Norway is the land of the midnight sun and shimmering Northern Lights. In the height of the summer it basks in the daylight around the clock, and in the winter the sun disappears altogether. Regardless of who you are or where you are from, there is something for everyone in Norway…your great adventure awaits you!
Trending Cities
Ålesund, Alta, Åndalsnes, Arendal, Bergen, Bodø, Flekkefjord, Grimstad, Haugesund, Hemsedal, Karasjok, Kirkenes Kristiansand, Lillehammer, Lindesnes, Molde, Risør, Senja, Skudeneshavn, Stavanger, Sunnmøre, Trondheim, Tromsø.
Highlights
Andøya Island, Blåisvatnet Lake, Bryggen, Dovrefjell, Frøya, Gea Norvegica, Hårteigen Mountain, Hedmark, Helvete Nature Park, Jotunheimen, Lista, Lofoten, Magma UNESCO Geopark, Nidaros Cathedral, Nordfjord, Nordland, Rjukan-Notodden Industrial Heritage Site, Rock Art of Alta, Rondane, Røros Mining Town, Røros, Sommarøy Island, Struve Geodetic Arc, The Ålfotbreen Glacier, The Coastal Route, The Nordkyn Peninsula, The Svalbard Islands, The West Cape, Trollfjell UNESCO Global Geopark, Urnes Stavve Church, Vegaøyan – The Vega Archipelago, Vesterålen, West Norwegian Fjords – Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord.
