While Alan was away attending his Spanish immersion course with Diverbo, I went back to Spanish conversation class for a few weeks. There was a man from Norway, visiting Spain for a couple of weeks and he was in my Spanish class. Of course during class we all speak of things we know, but in Spanish and he mentioned some amazing things about his country. Naturally, I was curious and started to investigate a potential Norway vacation and found a Norway travel guide. I started to see if this could be a good Winter destination or would it be better to visit Norway in the Summer.
We’ve only been to Norway when changing planes at the Olso airport, so we didn’t get to see much at all. It is certainly a country we need to explore more and with us trying to figure out where we are going to go for Christmas, I thought we should check this out too. All I can say is “Wow!”, Norway is beautiful.
Norway Vacation?
First I need to investigate the best places to visit in Norway and the things to do, because I just didn’t know. I had a blast doing my homework and documenting everything for future use. You know me with spreadsheets, whenever I scope out a country, I of course add it to my travel spreadsheet.
I write down places to visit in Norway, links to sites, potential places to stay, estimated costs, and Norway attractions. This is all in research just to see if it is where we want to go. If we don’t go soon, at least the work doesn’t go to waste and I can refer to it in the future. This time it was tough remembering the names and spelling, so I decided to write a post. That way it will help me remember those names and save pictures of the beautiful Norway scenery too.
What is Norway known for?
Well it turns out there are quite a few things and I want to experience them all! It was overwhelming how much is available to do in Norway and it may be a good place to spend a full month in the summer. Oh the wheels are spinning now!
- Norwegian sweets & home cooking, like tasty waffles!
- Northern lights and amazing nature, with waterfalls, glaciers and more.
- We could stay in an ice hotel!
- The great outdoor activities, with skiing, hiking and the list goes on.
- The people, arts and culture. We’d learn more about the vikings, trolls, design, and could also indulge in the museums and art.
- Creating some unique products. Here are some famous things about Norway.
- Fjords
A fjord is a deep, narrow and elongated sea or lakedrain, with steep land on three sides. The opening toward the sea is called the mouth of the fjord, and is often shallow. The fjord’s inner part is called the sea bottom. If the geological formation is wider than it is long, it is not a fjord.
There are more than a thousand fjords in Norway, all along the coast. But most of the iconic ones – those you may have seen on the postcards, like the Nærøyfjord, the Sognefjord, the Lysefjord the Geirangerfjord – are located on the west coast.
Norway Winter
Okay let’s be honest here, who doesn’t want to experience the Northern lights? This is a dream of mine and I know there are many countries to choose from to see them, but Norway looks incredible too. I also have Iceland and Sweden in the back of my mind for this future activity as well. I am not sure about the short days and tons of snow, but it is something we should experience at least once, right?
Norway Summer
Summer is when you can enjoy the endless days! Yep, Norway is so far north that the sun sets in Olso about 11 pm and rises about 4 am. Of course the further north you are in the country the shorter that window of night becomes. Bergen lays a strong claim to being one of Europe’s most beautiful cities and is located along the southwest coast. A celebrated history of seafaring trade down through the centuries has bequeathed to the city the stunning (and Unesco World Heritage–listed) waterfront district of Bryggen, with amazing buildings.
Search for the best places to stay for your Norway vacation
Public Holidays Norway
When you are planning a trip, it is always a good idea to know the local holidays. We’ve been trapped before due to a holiday in Thailand and many other places as well. Please find a list of public holidays for 2018. If you would like to view for another year, just check here.
Here are more references to help you plan your Norway vacation too!
- Top 17 experiences in Norway
- The pretty inclusive Norway travel guide
- Scenic routes in Norway
- 25 of the best things to do in Norway
- Norway Lingo, some phrases to get you started
- Norway experiences and souvenirs
Which would you choose for your Norway vacation, summer or winter? Maybe even both? Tell us why.
Have you visited Norway? Should this be on our Christmas destination list too? Tell us all about it, so we can add your favorite spot to our research.