Once you've visited Norway, you will never leave it behind, it will stay forever in your mind.
Norway is a beautiful, mystique country known for its stunning fjords, picturesque landscapes, and vibrant cities. Whether you're interested in exploring the natural beauty of places like the Geirangerfjord or the Lofoten Islands, or you prefer to visit cultural attractions in cities like Oslo or Bergen, Norway has something for everyone. We really enjoyed our visit to this Scandinavian gem!
After having Norway on the bucket list for some time, we finally had the opportunity to plan a holiday there. But Norway is huge, and there is so much to see or do, what to plan and how? Seeing an episode of the tv programme "Rail Away" with a nice train route from Oslo to Bergen in Norway, we were inspired. Let's discover this part of Norway by train! This way you will see a lot of beautiful nature and it is a very relaxed way of travelling.
We decided to visit the cities of Bergen, Oslo and Trondheim and use these as a hub, so we could easily make a day trip from there; this worked great for us. First we arrived in Bergen by plane and unfortunately it was a bit rainy, so we decided to visit some museums instead, which was really interesting. We bought a combo ticket via Kode - Museum of art, crafts, design and music. It were several different buildings to see a large variety of art etc. Further did a lot of walking, through the city and around it to see more nature.
While strolling around the city, a bit off the beaten track we came across two lovely coffee places, great for breakfast but also for lunchtime.
Kaffemisjonen: One of very few independent and locally owned specialty coffee shops in Bergen, Norway. We are free to choose who we want to source our coffee from, and our selection process is carried out through frequent blind tasting sessions. We work with some of the best Norwegian coffee roasteries to have coffee delivered to us on a weekly basis, in addition to importing coffee from selected foreign roasteries.
Klee Kaffe: A new experience in home cooking, coffee, matcha, sweets, beer or wine is what we stand for. A new place in Bergen to meet friends, study for the next exam, have a business meeting or maybe even a first date, we are here for you.
From Bergen we also made a nice train ride to Flåm with the Flamsbana. The Flamsbana is a 20.2-kilometer long railway line between Myrdal and Flåm in Aurland Municipality, in Vestland county, Norway. A branch line of the Bergen Line, it runs through the valley of Flåmsdalen and connects the mainline with Sognefjord.
Flåm is a village in southwestern Norway, in an area known for its fjords. It sits at the end of Aurlandsfjord, a branch of the vast Sognefjord. The dramatic Stegastein viewing platform juts out high above the Aurlandsfjord. South of Flåm Harbor, the 17th-century wooden Flåm Church lies in the valley. The Flåm Railway offers valley and waterfall views as it climbs to a station on the Hardangervidda plateau.
After visiting Bergen, we moved on to Oslo, the capital of Norway. On the way from Bergen to Oslo we passed the highest point en route, Finse. Finse is a locality in the mountainous north-east of Ulvik municipality in Vestland county, Norway. Located on lake Finsevatnet, it is centered around Finse station, a railway station on the Bergen Line, which is the highest station of the Norwegian railway system at an elevation of 1,222 metres above sea level.
Oslo... much bigger and more vibrant than Bergen. You really notice this is the modern economical centre of Norway. Unfortunately, again it was rainy upon arrival, so we did the same trick... visit a museum. We decided to visit the Munch Museum, which is all about the great Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. This museum is huge, 12 stories of paintings, but also other nice surprises, like a look-a-like of Munch's house, info about his heritage and life and of course a special place for several versions of "The Scream", his most famous painting. Besides, when you have children, do visit this museum, it is really great for kids with several activities, so they won't get bored. Last but not least, this museum also has a very nice restaurant at the top floor and outside; really enjoyed lunch there.
What was also really nice is that there are quite some coffee bars in the cities, like Oslo. This works well for breakfast or a (to go) lunch. Some we visited and liked a lot...
Evita Espresso Bar: Evita serves all kinds of espresso drinks, and you can buy brewing equipment and coffee and tea by the pound. If you would like a bite to eat, they offer fresh-made bagels, sandwiches and a selection of lunch dishes. Evita also offers cakes, pastries and bread from their own kitchen, croissants from Pascal, and smoothies.
Lille Oslo Kaffebrenneri: A nice cozy place where they roast their own coffee, but also serve cakes and sandwiches for lunch.
Again we did a lot of walking; there was a nice walking tour around the harbour, parks and riverside we enjoyed very much.
Finally we visited Trondheim, the most north of the three cities and so far our personal favourite. Maybe because we had the best weather here. The train ride from Oslo to Trondheim was also very beautiful and versatile in nature. Lots of luscious green forests, huge lakes.
Because of the great weather in Trondheim we did not visit a museum and did lots of walking again. Trondheim is again a great city to explore on foot. While walking you do not only get your exercise, but you also see a lot of the surroundings. We did a few walking tours, one Trondheim city tour following all eight bridges in the city centre and one following the coast line, both self guided just following the signs.
In Trondheim our favourite hang out was Café Løkka a bit student pub style between Bakkladdet and Solsiden, the old industrial area. Simple food and a great atmosphere; a place where the locals go...
From Trondheim we made a day-trip to the historical town Røros. Røros is the administrative centre of Røros municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. The town is along the river Hyttelva and along the Rørosbanen railway line, about 10 kilometres south of the village of Glåmos and about the same distance north of the village of Os in neighbouring Innlandet county. In Røros we actually did a guided tour via the local museum, which is also worth a visit. During this guided tour, you'll learn about Røros' history and the meaning of the several types of wooden houses in the centre. Really worth a visit!
After Røros and Trondheim, one more day in Oslo before flying back to the Netherlands. Really loved Norway and we will definitely go back, probably exploring more up north.
Visit Norway the official travel guide for more adventure!
Pics credit: unsplash@wix, & J. Boonacker
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