52 Reasons to Visit Norway

1. Taking the Fløibanen funicular to the top of Mount Fløyen in Bergen, for stunning views of the harbour and city

2. Spending some time in the Lofoten Islands – ranked as among the most beautiful in the world by National Geographic Magazine

3. Climbing on the top of the new Oslo Opera house’s roof, for great views over the Oslo waterfront

4. Witnessing the awesome spectacle of the northern lights (anywhere above the Arctic Circle in winter… if you’re lucky)

5. Feeling the rhythm at the Notodden Blues Festival in Telemark, taking place every year in late August

6. Spotting whales on a whale safari off the Vesterålen Islands.

7. Attending Bergen International Festival, June, one of Scandinavia’s main cultural events, featuring music, literature, theater, dance, opera, and more

8. Joining a giant crab safari in Kirkenes, northern Norway – you get to eat your catch on the beach at the end of it

9. Celebrating 17 May, Norway’s national day, on Karl Johans gate, Oslo’s main thoroughfare

10. Wandering the cobbled-stoned streets of Gamlebyen, Scandinavia’s best preserved fortress town in Fredrikstad

11. Cruising the Norwegian coast from Bergen in the south to Kirkenes in the North with Hurtigruten

12. Fishing in the Namsos River for wild Norwegian salmon

13. Spotting herds of wild reindeer in the Hardangervidda, northern Europe’s largest mountainous plateau

14. Enjoying lunch at Solsiden, Oslo’s best seafood restaurant, right by the harbour, on a sunny summer day

15. Taking the hike to Prekeistolen, near Stavanger, one of Norway’s most popular day walks, attracting thousands every year.

16. Ice-skating on myriad frozen lakes in winter, pretty much anywhere in Norway

17. Cross-country skiing in Rena or Lillehammer, for arguably the most beautiful winter landscapes you’ll ever see

18. Sailing in the Hvaler Archipelago, a summer paradise in the Oslofjord

19. Spotting fine examples of Jugendstil architecture in Ålesund

20. Scrutinizing the horizon from mainland Europe’s most Northernly point, the North Cape

21. Gorging on cherries in the Hardanger Fjord in summer, or seeing the blossoms in spring – the fjord is home thousands of apple and cherry trees

22. Hiking in the Lyngen Alps just outside Tromsø

23. Exploring the Nærøyfjord, Norway’s smallest fjord, and a Unesco World Heritage site, by kayak

24. Taking the scenic Flåm Railway from Myrdal down to the Sognefjord – it’s the steepest one you’re likely to ever try

25. Picking cloudberries, the queen of berries, and making jam to bring home (or buying the readymade version in a local delicatessen)

26. Learning about the industry that made Norway rich at the Norwegian Petroleum Museum in Stavanger

27. Watching daredevils jump from the brand new Holmenkollen ski jump in Oslo (opened March 2010)

28. Visiting the Munch Museum in Oslo: the most comprehensive collection of the artist’s works anywhere in the world

29. Cycling Rallarvegen, a popular route along the Hardangervidda

30. Spotting polar bears on Svalbard, Norway’s outpost in the Arctic Ocean

31. Being awed by the sheer scale of Nidarosdomen, Norway’s biggest cathedral in Trondheim

32. Learning about the Sami people and culture in Lapland

33. Admiring relics of the Viking era at the Viking Ships Museum in Oslo

34. Shopping at Bergen’s famous fish market right on the harbour

35. Making the most of longest days of the year while the midnight sun lasts in summer

36. Going for a stroll on the Unesco World Heritage site of Bryggen, famed for its Hanseatic building, Bergen

37. Visiting Lysøen, the stunning summer residence of violin virtuoso Ole Bull, on a gorgeous island a few kilometers south of Bergen

38. Admiring the intricate woodwork of stave churches, beautiful wooden churches dating back to the middle ages

39. Wandering the streets of the picturesque mining town of Røros, also the coldest spot in mainland Norway

40. Wondering how Saltstraumen, the world’s most powerful maelstrom, some 30km east of Bodø, works

41. Getting musical at the Ringve Museum, featuring the country’s largest collection of musical instruments

42. Feeling the spray on your face at Vøringfossen, Norway’s most photographed waterfall

43. Going wild at Kristiansand’s Zoo, a must for children of all ages

44. Catching international rock bands and local artists at the Øya Festival in Oslo, August

45. Taking part in the wooden boats festival in Risør, one of many picturesque villages on the Sørlandet coast

46. Camping in some really remote areas, with access to acres of untouched nature all to yourself

47. Sharing a glass (or two) of aquavit, Norway’s most famous tipple, with locals

48. Admiring the panoramic view outside Molde, famous for its 222 mountain peaks

49. Going skiing in the middle of summer at the Stryn Summer Ski Center

50. Taking the kids to see the world’s tallest troll at the Hunderfossen Amusement Park near Lillehammer

51. Marvelling at the beautiful statues in Vigeland Park, Oslo, named after Norway’s most famous sculptor

52. Indulging in a soak, or a massage, at Farris Bad in Larvik, recently voted best spa in Scandinavia.

For more information on Norway, check out www.elusivemoose.eu, or these great books on Amazon Insight Guide Norway, Norway Eyewitness Travel Guide, or Rick Steves’ Snapshot Norway

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