A holiday in Norway, land of the Vikings and fabulous fjords, is heaven. Human settlement Norway has been traced back 15,000 years, but the Vikings were at their most powerful 1,000 years ago and there are plenty of monuments and museum exhibits in Norway which provide insights into this era. Oslo is the international arrival point for Norway and is just under 12 hours flying time from Bangkok.
Don’t MissOslo delights with attractions which include the nicely preserved Oseberg and other Viking vessels at the Viking Ship Museum; Akershus Fortress, a 13th century medieval castle; guided tours of the Royal Palace, the home of the king and queen of Norway; and the huge museum collection of artworks created by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, most famous for his work The Scream. Visiting Bryggen Dock’s colourful, historic World Heritage listed timber houses and riding the Floibanen mountain train are other reasons to add Bergen to travel itineraries. The beautiful fjords of Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord are easily reached from Bergen.
Restaurants and BarsWhale steak, smoked salmon and the heritage Viking dish of pickled herring top the list of must-tries for foodies. Kjottboller meatballs, farikal stew made with lamb and cabbage, and kumla potato dumplings are other dishes available in most Norwegian towns and cities. Krumkake is a cone similar to those served with ice-cream but it is filled with fresh cream and is a mouth-watering dessert. Aker Brygge is an exciting Oslo location for food and nightlife in summer. The waterside at Bryggen in Bergen is another top dining and bar location.
ActivitiesSightseeing tours of Oslo typically take in the main museums at Bygdoy, a boat cruise on Oslo Fjord, Holmenkollen Ski Jump and the fantasy sculptures at Vigeland Park. Tjuvholmen and Huk are two of Oslo’s beaches and are ideal for chilling out on sunny days. Arboretet Beach, mountain hiking and fjord cruises are three good reasons to pop over to Bergen. The Northern Lights plus skiing and snowboarding at Lillehammer attract visitors in winter.
ShoppingPeople planning on bringing lots of souvenirs back from Norway will need a lot of spare cash as prices here are higher than in most parts of the world. Tins of pickled herring and salmon, troll figurines and models of Viking longboats are the common buys. Oslo’s renovated Baerumske Ironworks is home to around 50 souvenir shops.