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Norway: Places That Define Its Glorious History

Reine, Norway

by William Taylor

Norway is a beautiful country which offers a wide range of experiences; there is almost certainly something to interest you regardless of what you enjoy. There are a huge number of museums and a huge range of cultural and historic activities to indulge in. The country is one of the most prosperous in the world as well as having some of the most spectacular landscapes.

Rail Routes

One of the best ways to travel around Norway and enjoy the stunning scenery is to use the reliable train service. Despite the huge number of mountains the rail system manages to cover the entire country; with the aid of seven hundred and seventy five tunnels and over three thousand bridges! The best place to start is Oslo as you can reach almost any destination from there.

Hurtigruten

Hurtigruten ferryThis is a ferry service which runs every day of the year and covers the farthest parts of this beautiful country. You can catch a ship from Bergen and enjoy a twelve day voyage which stops at dozens of fascinating places en route. If you love adventure you can use the ferry service like a bus and hop on and off at each of the ports to explore.

Geirangerfjord

Norway is well known for its fjords, huge expanses of water surrounded by snow capped mountains and grassy fjords. It is a picture perfect setting and something that must be seen at least once in your lifetime. One of the best views is from the top of Dalsnibba which stands at 4,905 feet and offers spectacular views of the world below.

The Arctic Circle

Part of Norway is inside the Arctic Circle and this means there are two impressive sights to witness. The first is in the summer months where the sun never sets; it is a bizarre and slightly surreal sensation! In the winter months the opposite is true, the sun never really rises, and the best days have a dull hue casting shadows across the land. This is also the best chance you will have of seeing the Northern Lights; the sky will transform into a myriad of different colors. It is, to say the least, entrancing.

Fjord, NorwayNational Day

This is a national festival and is as important to the Norwegians as Independence Day is to the Americans. It marks the day the country gained its independence from Denmark. There are celebrations, concerts, festivals and fireworks across the country. The atmosphere is electric! May 17 is Norway’s National Day. And if you’re planning a visit during this time of the year, then you’ll be happy to know that the weather is quite pleasant too.

Lillehammer

Lillehammer is a year round tourist destination. It is located at the south of the Gudbrandsdal valley and consists of a museum which includes one hundred historic houses, Peer Gyants Cottage and, most importantly, some of the best ski slopes in the world. The 1994 Olympics were held in Lillehammer and there are literally hundreds of opportunities for skiing, snowboarding or even skating.

Atlantic Ocean Road

This stretch of coastal road is just five miles long but it is an essential link between hundreds of small islands. It is a mecca for those who love the sea, whether fishing, diving or just looking. The views are fantastic and there are plenty of fascinating villages to visit on the way.

Jotunheimen

The Jotunheimen area of Norway is home to the highest mountains in Norway. It covers 1,351square miles and is also home to a wide range of wild animals. Reindeer are one of the most popular and common sights around the vast lakes and glaciers in this region.


Guided sightseeing trip in Lillehammer area

If You Go:

Norway is not a cheap country to travel around in but it is worth saving the money to make this special trip. The scenery and the experiences this country offers will be remembered by you for a lifetime! Get to know more about Norway’s fascinating people and historical background by exploring the museums. The best and most impressive are in Oslo. The Viking Ship Museum for example, will reveal a lot of fascinating details about the country’s past. Make sure to check it out, and turn your Scandinavian adventure into a memorable experience.


Self-Guided Norway roundtrip: Oslo to Oslo

About the author:
William Taylor is a traveling freak from his teenage and has traveled many destinations around the world. He also loves writing about his traveling experiences and sharing about the places he has explored. He writes for www.baltictravelcompany.com, which specializes in Baltic holidays, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and the Nordics.

Photo Credits:
Reine Norway by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash
Hurtigruten ferry by Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia / CC BY
Arctic fjord by Conor Sheridan on Unsplash

Tagged With: Norway travel Filed Under: Europe Travel

Norway: I Traveled To Bergen

Bergen NOrway
by Marc Latham

I traveled on the sea to Bergen
I traveled with the rain to Bergen
I traveled through history in Bergen.
In Bergen they all blended together.

Bergen’s beautiful location on Norway’s south-western tip; gateway to Norway’s two UNESCO natural heritage fjords; has almost daily rain. Moreover, the precipitation regularly falls as hail and snow even in May. However, I also saw how beautiful the water looked sweeping the air from Vagen bay to Mount Ulriken; the highest of the seven mountains circling Bergen’s UNESCO cultural heritage Bryggen docks.

Bergenhus fortressAlthough the sea seems to stop a long way from the mountains, I realised they meet nearly every day; and that it is an ancient tale painted differently each time. Sometimes the sky expresses itself with bold snow; leaving a picture that demands your attention. Other times it impresses with light brush strokes of ephemeral rain; hiding the boundary between wet and dry land. If you look closely, it often seems to use two hands to do both of the above at the same time. Set against Bergen’s northern mountains, I noticed precipitation falling as snow and rain at the same time for the first time.

The sun does shine on Bergen, and was shining brightly when I arrived. After sunshine and showers, land and sea, three or four hours journey from Haugesund airport, I presumed I was enjoying sunshine after rain in Bergen as the blue sky and Bergen’s colourful mountain houses seemed to sparkle in the cold air. I’d seen this in many photos over the years.

I’d planned to start my travelling life in Bergen twenty-five years ago; working the summer picking fruit before heading south; but a later summer start meant I headed straight south. The ferry I’d planned to take had now stopped running, but cheap flights are plentiful from the U.K.

sunrise over BergenA combination of the visual splendour and memories of past hobo travels inspired me to walk to the Vandrerhjem Montana hostel half way up Mount Ulriken, where I’d booked five nights accommodation.

The choice of hostel was justified that night by the sunset. It was at the surprisingly late time of 10pm; around the same time as midsummer in the U.K. I’d thought Bergen would be at about the same daylight hours as the U.K in early May. As the sun settled into the light cloud horizon like a fried egg in a frying pan, the fjord lit up like a real fire, and the mountain houses shone like precious topaz.

The next morning I completed the climb to the top of the 643 m (2,110 ft) Ulriken, providing a panoramic view of Bergen stretching from western sea to eastern valley and lakes. For those who don’t fancy a hike/climb, there is a cable car up to the peak. There is also the Floibanen Funicular from Bergen’s centre to Ulriken’s western neighbour Mount Floyen.

The next day I reached Bergen’s historic Bryggen docks, after circling around Bergen’s centre in another mixture of sunshine and showers shining and sweeping from the south and west.

Edvard Greig statuePassing the lake-looking Store Lungegardsvann; which is in fact the sea reaching around Bergen’s centre like a curling outstretched arm and big clenched hand; I walked up past parks decorated with Edvard Greig and Ole Bull statues to the colourful Logen theatre house.

I then wandered to the left, taking me to the sardine factory rather than Bryggen. With all day to spare and nothing else to do I wasn’t too perturbed by this; it actually worked out well when I happened upon a sea-front green park area with totem pole and trees.

So I reached Bryggen from the south, passing the 17th century Nykirken church, tourist office and fish market. While Bergen’s centre to my right has many wonderful buildings, churches and statues, there is no doubt that Bergen’s old docks Bryggen area is the city’s architectural jewel in the crown.

I booked a boat trip to the Osterfjord for the next day at the tourist office. It turned out to be well worthwhile, as I sailed through a steep-sided fjord for the first time, alongside Europe’s largest inland island; each side of the fjord was under deep snow at the time, inspiring the imagination as well as providing ascetic beauty. The scenery must have changed little since Vikings sailed the waters.

Hanseatic league museumBergen’s distinctive docklands buildings are built on the original site of the city, dating from the 11th century. Its strategic location helped Bergen become Norway’s capital and the largest city in Scandinavia during the Middle Ages. It was a member of the Hanseatic League trading confederation, and there is a museum commemorating merchant life from 1360-1754 in the red, green and yellow wooden buildings on the eastern edge of Bryggen.

The western side of Bryggen leads to the Bergenhaus Fortress, which used to guard the entrance to the harbour. Haakon’s Hall and a defensive tower survive from the 13th century. There is another green park area inside and around the fortress grounds. It leads to Bergen’s old town and more colourful harbour buildings. The old town’s cobbled streets are now filled with quaint shops and cosmopolitan eateries.

After five days I took the railway east to Voss, before completing the famous train journey to Oslo over the Hardangervidda plateau. There was spectacular forest, lake, river and waterfall scenery under the winter wonderland world at high altitude.


Private Shore Excursion: Bergen By Car

If You Go:

Marc flew with Ryanair from London Stansted to Haugesund. Bergen is a major airport, but there were cheaper flights to Haugesund at the time.

Marc stayed at the Bergen Vandrerhjem Montana hostel.. For those who would rather stay in the centre there are many hostels and hotels in Bergen.

Norway has a short summer season.

There are good savings on public transport in Scandinavia if booked ahead. Marc travelled in Norway by train and from Oslo to Stockholm on Swebus.


Bergen Shore Excursion: Bergen Walking Tour

About the author:
Marc Latham travelled to all the populated continents during his twenties, and studied during his thirties, including a BA in History. He now lives in Leeds, writing from the www.greenygrey.co.uk website. He has posted a Norway narrative and more photos on his travel25years.wordpress.com website. His Norway travels inspired a couple of Folding Mirror poems, published on his fmpoetry.wordpress.com website.

All photos are by Marc Latham.

Tagged With: Bergen attractions, Norway travel Filed Under: Europe Travel

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