Yes, Norway has cities that are well worth a visit — Hallo, Oslo! Hei, Bergen! God morgen, Tromsø! — but nature is right there at every moment.
Where the coast of Norway meets the Norwegian Sea, there are more than 1700 fjords — stunning waterways lined with sheer rock cliffs and dotted with dramatic waterfalls, storybook villages, and friendly goats and sheep. The best way to experience the fjords? By boat, of course: a dinner cruise, catamaran, sailboat, kayak, ferry, whale watching boat, or a breathtaking ride on a fjord safari.
Inland, you can meet the locals of past and present. Stop by the fascinating Viking Village to time travel to 1000 CE (and learn to throw an axe!), or spend an afternoon among the bears, reindeer, wolves, lynx, and leopards at the Bjørn Parken (Bear Park). You can feed a fox!
When you’re ready for a meal, too, sink your teeth into Norway’s national snack: the hot dog — with lingonberry jam and french-fried onions — or try the ubiquitous and one-of-a-kind brunost (brown cheese). Caramelized, savory, and surprising, it’s just what you want on a cracker or waffle. And don’t sleep on the smoked salmon, pickled herring, or shrimp plucked from the nearby icy waters.
In this episode, we get excited about all the exhilarating, unexpected, delightful adventures Norway offers — and talk about why the Norwegian government employs financial planners and moral philosophers. Then we recommend five great books we love that took us to Norway on the page, including a Gothic historical novel, a riveting story of WWII bravery, a thriller about a wilderness hike gone wrong, a fresh take on Norse myths, and a quirky novel set in the Lofoten islands.
Read the full transcript of Norway: Vikings, Bears, Boats, and Bergen.
The Reindeer Hunters by Lars Mytting, Deborah Dawkin (translator)
The Night of the Scourge by Lars Mytting, Deborah Dawkin (translator)
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
The Sandman series by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth (illustrator)
Perhaps you’d like to listen to some Viking-appropriate music while you dig into these links.
And some photos to set the scene…
Rick Steves: Svalbard Bound: A Trip to Norway’s Far North.
Cecilia Blomdahl is a wildly entertaining vlogger who lives in Svalbard. Her videos about her everyday life in the Arctic are really interesting.
Everything you need to know about beautiful train journeys in Norway. And here’s Travel+Leisure on the railway ride from Oslo to Bergen.
Rick Steves on Bergen: Awash in Maritime Heritage and Salty Charm, Bergen Beckons — and UNESCO on the Bergen waterfront.
You can ride the Fløibanen funicular in Bergen — and stay overnight in The Cone.
A love letter to the Trekroneren hot dog stand in Bergen. More on Bergen’s hot dog love from Atlas Obscura and The Guardian.
Boats on the fjord! Our recommendation — THE FJORD SAFARI! And other ideas about the best fjord cruises in Fjord Norway.
Here’s a really nice website about Vikings in Norway — and info about the Viking Village here and here.
Statement 1: The first seven notes of the Christmas carol’ Deck the Halls’ are identical to the first seven notes of the Norwegian national anthem.
Statement 2: The Norwegian government is heading a vast, global scheme to line the pockets of the wealthy.
Statement 3: Norwegians celebrate Easter by cos-playing as rabbits. Påskekrim! A Norwegian crime fest.
The Bell in the Lake by Lars Mytting
Fun facts about stave churches — and an amazing directory to Norway’s stave churches.
We Die Alone: A World War II Epic of Escape and Endurance by David Howarth
Jan Baalsrud — The Great Story of Norwegian People’s Courage and Dedication and Will to Survive: Part 1 — Part 2 — Part 3 — Part 4.
The Hike by Lucy Clarke
Lucy Clarke: How a terrifying hike in Norway inspired my next novel.
The characters in this book go hiking on Blefjell: info on the mountain here and here.
Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
The Sunlit Night by Rebecca Dinerstein Knight
Everything you need to know about Lofoten: The World’s Most Beautiful Islands, Lofoten Lights, and Lofoten’s Living Viking Museum.
Congratulations! You made it to the end. Here are your rewards:
You definitely want to see the Dragon’s Eye, a ‘fantastical pothole that emerged from ice 16,000 years ago.’ It really does look like a dragon’s eye!
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