Budget travel to Norway. Planning and transport. Food in Norway

September 27th, 2014 , 12:26 am

When going to Norway on your own for the first time, it is very important to have as much information as possible about the features of traveling in this country. A trip to the homeland of the Vikings will be beautiful, dizzying and at the same time unlike anything else; Norway is at the highest level adapted precisely to independent travel, amazingly combining wild, uncultivated nature with civilized infrastructure. To achieve harmony and complete mutual understanding with this country, you need to be prepared for certain moments.

So, not at all briefly, but in great detail, I share the information necessary for everyone who wants to travel to Norway outside the restrictions of organized tourism.

Norway is a very long country, stretching from south to north. If you have no more than two weeks for the entire trip, I recommend choosing one part: either the northern or the southern. Saying " South part“, I don’t mean the very, very south of the country. This is just a symbol contrasted with the north, roughly speaking, the southern half of the state. The western part of this half is the region of the famous Norwegian fjords. Often those who travel for the first time start with it.
Part of the fjords covers several regions or “fylkes” at once - Rogaland, Hordaland, Sogn og Fjordane, Møre og Romsdal.

A significant number of travelers choose a nomadic style of travel in Norway. This means that they spend every or almost every night in a new place. Thus, in 10-14 days all of the above regions are covered, but in each of them attention is paid to a very limited number of objects - “what we managed to see, we saw.”

Even when preparing our first trip to Norway, I came to the conclusion that this type of vacation was not an option for our family.
Firstly, collecting and disassembling all your belongings every other day is not at all fun.
Secondly, we are with the child. In this case, the more settled, the less fatigue for everyone.
Thirdly, the weather is always an important factor in Norway. It is completely unpredictable and from year to year it can differ radically from previous seasons. Rain and low clouds can change the sun several times a day, or they can cover the entire sky for several days in advance. Therefore, when passing the intended places, a tourist easily risks not seeing them, not going on some trek - and all because of bad weather. And in the evening you have to be in a different place!

We are not happy with this scheme. If it didn't work out today, it can be done tomorrow. It’s easy to change plans on the go, adjust the program to suit fatigue, mood, weather, desire, and well-being. And explore the area you find yourself in as much as possible, without limiting yourself to the well-known must-see spots.

As a result, on trips to Norway I usually choose three or four habitats, spending several days in each. And we will explore not all 5 regions, but one or two. Don’t hesitate - you can spend more than one week in any of them, and it won’t be boring.

Living in one place, every day we make radial trips in different directions. Approximately within 70-100 km from housing. Does it seem like very little? Nevermind. You need to know Norwegian roads.

The fact is that the fjord region is almost continuous mountains, serpentines, and tunnels. And narrow roads. Sometimes they are even single-lane, but at the same time double-sided - with widening for passing lanes. Therefore, the average speed in mountainous areas is approximately 50 km/h. This is why it takes a lot of time to travel long distances.

Housing

You can forget about hotels in Norway. Unless you live in a city and have considerable capital, because Norway is an expensive country. But few people want to relax in the cities there; that’s not what Norway is famous for. And wealthy travelers are often inclined to save some money. Therefore, it is better not to stay in Norwegian hotels.

What is widespread there to an unprecedented scale are campsites, a great variety of them. In them you can find accommodation for every taste and budget - from tents (brought with you) to cottages. There are houses with everything you need, but without a bathroom and shower, there are houses with all the amenities.

There is always a separate building with showers and toilets, most often licked to a shine. Of course, vacationers are expected to maintain cleanliness and respect for others.
In addition, there is a separate public kitchen with the necessary utensils, as well as a laundry room.
Showers and washers/dryers are available for a fee. Shower on average 10 CZK for 5 minutes. Washing/drying - 10 CZK per operation. Most often, crowns need to be exchanged for special tokens at the reception desk at the campsite.

If you are not traveling with a tent, but are staying in a house, then keep in mind the arsenal:
A standard house has a set of utensils for eating and cooking (although there are unfortunate exceptions), a small stove, and a refrigerator. Pillows and blankets.

Almost always bed linen (pillowcases, duvet covers, sheets) are not included in the price. They are not cheap, so it is better to bring your own. Occasionally you also have to pay for pillows and blankets. If the house is booked in advance, it is better to clarify these points.

Final cleaning (“final cleaning”) is almost 100% not included in the price. It is significantly expensive to pay extra for it, so many people clean it themselves. Brush-buckets-rags are available in each house. The main rule is to leave the house in the condition in which you arrived. But even if you were unlucky, and there was a dishonest family in front of you that left dirt, it is better not to be like them.

When searching for campsites in Norway, I can offer alternatives:

Or enter the word “camping” in the search bar on Google Maps; a lot of red dots appear on the map - that’s what it is. The points are active, Google will give you all the information about them. If the campsite has its own website, Google will show the link.

You can contact the campsites or call them and agree on a reservation. As a rule, there is no advance payment for the reservation; you will not even be asked for credit card details. Few campsites do this. We didn't choose these.

Some travelers do not book anything at all, but look for a campsite each time on the spot, as the trip progresses. We don’t really like to do this; we like the certainty and guarantee of the overnight stay we need in the right place and for the required number of days.

The second way to live in Norway is private cottages. They are both more expensive and cheaper than campsites. Their main feature and often disadvantage: in the high season (from June to the end of August) almost all are rented out for a full week - from Saturday to Saturday. This is not always convenient when planning a trip. Especially with short holidays. Who is interested in sites for finding cottages - write, I will provide links.

Finally, there are campers - houses on wheels. They are also common. In Norway, renting a campervan is very expensive, but they are often rented in other European countries and driven to Norway.

Honesty

Much of the Norwegian tourism industry is built on honesty. For example, you arrive at a campsite, but the owners are not there. Instead, you see an advertisement like: “In vacant houses, the key is in the door. Come and live. We'll be there in the evening. If you are leaving in our absence, leave the house in a tidy condition, with the key in the door, and put the money “there.” And that's all.

Another example of honesty: berries at roadside stands in summer season. There is a trough with berries on the counter, and next to it is a small box for money.

However, in such cases it is better to have cash with you, although in 90% of cases you can get by with a credit card.

Traveling by public transport

This matter is not as comfortable in Norway as, for example, in Switzerland. However, this option is also acceptable, especially in the fjord region; in the north the situation is worse.
Travel is possible by trains and more often by buses. Difficulties:

Pleasure is not cheap
- a more limited choice of places to visit
- adjusting to the schedule (and in rural areas, buses, you understand, do not run every 15 minutes)
- search for housing in close proximity to bus stops.

But even with such components, travel is possible and quite feasible; I know a number of very successful examples. So if you are interested in public transport sites, please contact us.

But still, if possible, then it is strongly recommended to take a car.

Rent a Car

Like everything else, Norway is not cheap)).
Having enough time, you can arrive not in Oslo, but in Stockholm; in Sweden, car rental is significantly cheaper, but it takes almost 2 days to get to the fjord region in Norway. In total, you need to have 4 extra days in reserve for such hauls. We don't have that luxury, so we overpay in Norway. We always conduct an extensive search, on various aggregators, as well as in individual companies.

This year, a Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 with a manual from Europcar cost us $1,100 for 15 days, without additional insurance.
My husband purchased insurance separately from the company http://www.worldwideinsure.com/, and selected it based on successful reviews from communities.

The cost of gasoline (diesel) = 15 (14) crowns per liter, +/- half a crown in different places.

Cash settlements

The national currency in Norway is the Norwegian krone.

When making payments, in 95% of cases you can get by with a credit card. It is possible to use debit, but in some places it does not work, judging by numerous reviews from people. Most often at some gas station. Therefore, along with a debit card, it is better to have a spare one - a credit card. And be sure to know the card PIN code! It is needed everywhere.

Despite the blatant civilization, it is better to have a certain supply of cash with you. Where you sometimes need cash:

Berry from private owners
- some toll roads to attractions (each road costs approximately 30-40 CZK)
- in some run-down campsite, where we never stopped, the grandmother said that payment is only in cash (which is 500-600 CZK per night)
- payment for a musk ox safari excursion to the guide
- in the event of a normal technical malfunction of devices for accepting credit cards or other failures from which no one is insured - this is anywhere.

Usually we buy 400-500 kroons, for all sorts of cases, if anything, you can withdraw it from any ATM in Norway. It is not recommended to bring currency and change it at exchange offices - they remove their draconian commissions. By the way, in Israeli exchange offices we just bought crowns in exchange for shekels.

But in general, even a magnet in a souvenir shop can be easily purchased with a credit card. Ferry crossings are the same story.

Nutrition

With catering as with hotels. Expensive, rare and not good everywhere. Expensive fast food, including. Therefore, almost all independent travelers cook for themselves. Occasionally they stop at some cafe to pamper themselves or drink tea with the national dessert - waffles with jam.

For an example of the price for such a tea party in one of the places we visited:

Waffle with jam - 30 CZK (about 5 dollars)
Two teas and coffee together - 70 CZK ($11)

Products for self-sufficiency are purchased from supermarkets of various chains. You can often find good prices and discounts in the Coop and Kiwi networks. Their websites are very convenient, you can see which store is located where and find out the opening hours.

A very common way to cook meat and fish while traveling is on a disposable grill. They are sold in superstores and gas stations. The price of each is 15 CZK. The coals are already impregnated with something, so that they light up almost with one fiery glance. One grill is not enough for a very large portion of meat, so if you are traveling with a large group and want a kebab on such a grill, it is better to buy several.

I'll try to remember the prices of some products...

Fresh salmon fillet - 4 pieces of 125 grams = 42 CZK, frozen - 38 CZK (by the way, this is cheaper than in Israel).
Pork steaks for grilling = from 50 CZK per kg; beef... we don’t take it there, it’s higher than expected))).
Bread spreads, such as processed cheese with flavorings = 18-25 CZK for a small jar.
Bread ranges from 13 (this time we didn’t come across it) to 32 crowns per loaf, an average of 23 crowns.
Milk = 15 CZK.

Some tourists use gas burners. Most often these are those who travel with their own tents, but even those who stay in cabins sometimes also prefer to have freedom of action and cook lunch outdoors on a stove. Here you need to keep in mind that gas cartridges cannot be transported on airplanes, so they must be purchased locally.
We didn't have a burner. We had breakfast and dinner in the houses, and for lunch we packed a picnic bag: sandwiches or fried fish fingers/cutlets/sausages, bread, spreads, some vegetables, sweets. Plus a small thermos with boiling water and tea bags. Disposable tableware for such lunches.

Picnics

Since we're talking about that.

In Norway, everything is conducive to a wild, but at the same time civilized holiday. For example, “Christmas trees” for parking and picnics.

Along the highway you can often see a sign with a Christmas tree with a table on it. This means that soon there will be an exit on the side of the road to such a resting place, which is nicknamed the “Christmas tree”. There are tables with benches on it, and sometimes there is a toilet (very clean, with paper, a sink and soap, and it’s free).

And in some places near the fjords you can even find a house with a shower and laundry! You put in 10 crown coins and use it.

Often such Christmas trees are located in picturesque places - overlooking a lake or fjord. The best place for a lunch break.

Clothing and additional equipment

Clothes should be different and suitable for the cold, even in August. I'm not talking about down jackets in the summer season, but there should be a normal jacket, preferably waterproof and windproof. And a jacket. Sometimes you want to pull it all together and you won’t even feel the heat.

So, it’s best to dress for walks according to the cabbage principle: T-shirt, sweater, jacket. So that you can take off and put on each top layer as needed.

Trousers. In any case, it is recommended to take not just pants, but a change. For May-June, for example, it is better to take some that are slightly insulated (not ski boots, but simply lined with insulated fleece), and others that are lighter. If you plan to spend a long time outdoors, they are very helpful in the cold and wind. If you are traveling at the end of July-August, you can do without these.

It's good to have a light waterproof suit - jacket + pants. Something like this:

For trekking - trekking shoes, trekking socks.
Additionally - light sneakers, sports sandals (these are optional), flip-flops (very useful for camping).

Ear bandage (used very often on tracks in the mountains, even in August) or a cap.

Trekking poles are a great help for unloading your knees, supporting your arms, etc. Useful thing.

Flashlights (if you are not traveling during white nights) - just in case.

Shoe dryers are possible, BUT (!!!) it is prohibited to dry trekking shoes with a waterproof layer using thermal devices! Often a similar warning is indicated on the boots. Even if the percentage of waterproofing is low, it will also disappear during thermal drying; subsequently, such boots will get wet even from light rain.

For backpacks, it is good to have a waterproof cover. On the tracks you never know whether it will rain, how strong it will be and how long it will last.

Wherever we were going during the day, we always had a dry set of clothes in the trunk for each of us: pants, socks, T-shirt, sneakers.

From clothes to weather

Main weather site in Norway: http://www.yr.no/

The weather, as I already said, is unpredictable. It can be hot and sunny in May, and in July you can fall into the rainy season and freeze, like Mowgli in the cold. It will happen with Norway! A peculiarity of the northern country is quite frequent low clouds. Not fog, but cloudy. When thick feather beds cover the mountains right down to the ground. It’s a cool sight, but if such beauty stands for several days, you won’t see much.
Therefore, you need to be mentally and physically prepared for absolutely any weather. There are no rules here.

Seasons

From weather to seasons! Still, there are certain rules according to which the seasons differ from each other. For example, in May and June, incredibly beautiful snowy mountains, often striped like zebras, look very elegant. Full-flowing waterfalls flowing from melting glaciers and snowfields on the tops. There are many flowers, nature is waking up, mountain lakes half covered in ice, and it’s truly beautiful! In addition, there is daylight almost around the clock. But: many high-mountain tracks are not accessible, some very scenic mountain roads are closed in May, there is still little blue color in the glaciers, because... They are still covered in snow, and it is often cold. Until the end of June, real spring reigns in Norway.

By August, flowering is reduced, the mountains cease to be invitingly snowy, the greenery is not fresh, but already deep and dark like summer. Actually, in terms of natural beauty, August is not the most beautiful time. But there are plenty of berries and mushrooms, all the tracks are accessible, it’s warm enough, even if it’s rainy.

September often marks the Indian summer, many are lucky enough to have good and mild weather, in the north of the country you can even sometimes see the northern lights!

The end of September - the beginning of October is the time of golden autumn, crimson shades - a delight for the eyes and the camera. But the weather is much less stable, rains are frequent, the first snowfalls are possible in the mountains, and the days are short.

But in general, any season in Norway is good in its own way, you just need to find the right approach)).

So, on July 17, 2016, my girlfriend and I went to own car at the very long journey in our life. We were planning to travel whole month in foreign countries: Finland, Sweden, Norway. But the main goal of our trip was Norway.
We packed the essentials for the trip, and the car (Hyundai accent) turned out to be packed to capacity. The trunk and back seat of the car were fully equipped, so if 3 people had gone, we wouldn’t have all fit in. Our goal was to spend as little money as possible, since, as you know, Norway is an expensive country. Therefore, the most important thing that needed to be taken was a tent, sleeping bags and foam, so that you could sometimes spend the night in nature and not pay a lot of money. We also took with us a gas burner for cooking and a supply of gas. We collected all kinds of cereals and noodles, since it would be expensive to buy all this there. We haven't forgotten about clothes either. Even though it was summer, our route lay through the North Cape, and this is the northernmost point of Norway, not counting Spitsbergen.
On the first day, we traveled the longest distance we had traveled during the entire trip - 790 km from the city of Dubna (north of the Moscow region) to Vyborg, where we had already booked a hotel. This was the first time we were going to cross the border like this, in our own vehicles. Therefore, we tried to get as close to the border as possible in order to storm it early in the morning. In the morning we woke up and went, crossed the border without problems, although we read that some people were being turned away there.
Finding ourselves in a foreign country in our own car, we were a little scared. We observed the speed limit strictly, even with reserve, but then we realized how it was local residents drive cars, and have entered into their driving style.
We drove around Finland for just over two days and spent the night in two hotels. We were passing through Finland in transit, so we saw almost no beautiful places in it, although it was beautiful here:

The North Cape met us with strong winds, but we were ready for it

During our entire trip to Norway, we traveled no more than 550 km per day, since it was impossible to travel any more. Because while driving you stop every kilometer to enjoy the beautiful view and take photos.
Next, we stopped booking hotels and began to rely on the fact that we could find accommodation for the night along the road, and if we couldn’t find it, then we had a tent.
Looking at the whole trip as a whole, after we visited it, I understand that the most beautiful thing about Norway is its north. We traveled from north to south and it was our mistake. We observed all the sights in descending order. Therefore, I would advise you to start from the south.
Further on our way lay the beautiful island of Senja.

After Senja Island, we planned to take a ferry to Andøya, but we didn’t have time, the queue was already forming the next day. So we decided to go by car. The next day we were already there, but, unfortunately, the weather let us down - fog began to appear from the sea, and most of the trip around this island was spent in fog. Although sometimes we drove beyond the mountains, where the fog and cloudiness had not yet reached, but made attempts to break through. And somewhere the mountain defense failed.

Then we visited Lofoten. These are wonderful islands and we arrived at them on time. The manager of the campsite where we stayed told us that the day we arrived was the first day of summer. But we didn’t notice this, since we were driving from the island of Senja, where the weather was wonderful a day ago. In Norway, the weather is changeable, as written in blogs and articles. But we were still lucky with the weather. It was often good, and if it rained, it happened just as we were moving between attractions. And in fact, all this is not accidental, because before the trip I took care to choose the travel dates. I wrote a script that took 14 years of weather data for several major cities in Norway, discarded extreme temperature changes, and showed me averages over short calendar periods for those cities. Yes, on Wikipedia you can find average temperatures by month for cities around the world, but I needed more accurate information. A period of a month is too broad. I divided everything into five-day periods. In the end, according to my calculations, it turned out that it is better to go to Norway from mid-July to mid-August, which is what we did.
On the first day in Lofoten we were unlucky - it was raining. But then the weather cleared up, and we traveled around them thoroughly, even walking long distances twice.

We spent 3 days in Lofoten, and when I noticed from the weather sites that several days of rainy weather were coming our way, we hurried to leave the islands so that the rain would catch us on the way, and not while we were enjoying the views.
Next, road 17 awaited us, in my opinion, the most beautiful road on our way. It began with the Salstraumen whirlpools, which appear 1-2 times a day according to a schedule known in advance. But not everywhere this road can be called a road, since moving along it you need to make several ferry crossings. Along the entire length of the road there are many beautiful places that are located in close proximity to the road or at a distance from it. For example, one of the attractions is a mountain with a through cave.

After driving along Route 17, we headed towards Kristiansund to check out one of Norway's top attractions, the Atlantic Road. Further along our route were several famous fjords, as well as a 24.5 km tunnel. Afterwards we visited the city of Bergen.
I believe that when traveling around Norway, you need to avoid large cities, since all the beauty of Norway is in its nature, and the cities do not have it.
Next, an exciting journey awaited us to the Troll tongue, which we decided to go to and return in one day, and we succeeded, although we were unlucky with the weather near the tongue itself. But while we were going there, the weather was good

Here we, of course, made a mistake. The best thing to do is to go to the Troll's tongue with an overnight stay; in one day you can get pretty exhausted. The most difficult section of the route is the 1st and 3rd km towards the language, especially if you are walking at night. The first km is very steep, there is a lot of mud, so it’s very easy to slip and break something. We went to the language around 9:30 and returned at 23:30.
That's it, after the language we were already exhausted, and the view outside the window was no longer pleasing, since we had already visited all the most beautiful things, and this was the 20th day of our trip. We decided to move towards the house, but we decided to check in south coast, so we went there. Next was Oslo, which was as indifferent to me as Bergen. Let's move on. We drove from the border with Sweden to Stockholm and spent one day there. Next is an 11-hour ferry to Turku (Finland). He was great and not expensive.

We also passed through Finland in transit, spending one night in Turku. And then there was the border with Russia, a 3-hour wait due to some problems at the border and that’s it, we are in Russia. We spent one full day in St. Petersburg, since we had not been there for a long time, and then we went to Dubna.

That's all. The journey turned out to be very interesting and unique.

I was born, raised and live in the city of Vilnius. It just so happens that, considering myself a non-professional traveler, blogger, musician and photographer, I have been doing all of this for a very long time and to some extent I can consider myself an expert in all these areas. Since 2004, he began to travel actively and this moment visited 55 countries of the world. At the same time, I started taking a lot of photographs. I have been playing music since school, I have given a lot of concerts, composed, and played in various groups and projects. Well, my interest in history, especially military history, apparently lies at the genetic level. I'm writing about non-standard travel, interesting places, history and music of the whole world. My texts are all original, most of the photographs are too.

Most of us think that traveling around Norway is a very expensive undertaking. But until you try it yourself, you won’t know. The secret of saving for this country is simple - stay away from expensive hotels and restaurants, do not neglect spending the night in tents, buy food in stores, give up alcohol, travel by car and come here in a small group. If you adhere to these truths, then this is what can happen...

One of my acquaintances remarked that visiting Norway should be left for dessert, when you have toured our globe to the maximum and it begins to seem that nothing in this world will surprise you. We did not listen to this advice and, like hungry children, pounced on sweets at the first opportunity. A win-win option with cheap air tickets Vilnius-Oslo could not be ignored by us. The idea of ​​refusing to visit the expensive city peace of Oslo, and go straight for a week to the coveted fjords.

And now our small company of five people was already standing on Norwegian soil at the Gardemon airport. Here we rented a very small Toyota Caris car. After loading our sleeping bags, backpacks and tent, the neat little machine began to resemble a shed, which really didn’t bother us. After all, a better understanding of the world for such unsurpassed travelers like us could not be found. We had to travel two thousand kilometers along almost the entire western coast of southern Norway. The starting point of our pre-planned route was Lysefjord. Photos of the Prekistolen rock beckoned our inexperienced hearts and nothing could stop us. Although already at the very beginning of our journey many trials awaited us...

I have nothing to write about Oslo - we passed through this super-expensive city using high-speed tunnels. The initially set goal of getting to know the nature of the country drove us forward. An exception was made only for the “stavkirke” or in our language the church near the town of Heddal not far from Oslo. This wooden structure, amazing in its modesty and at the same time sophistication, was mesmerizing. The carved fragments of the roof were somewhat reminiscent of Viking ships, and the wall ornaments in the form of runic signs and figurines undoubtedly possessed some kind of magical power. In this church, it seemed that Christianity and paganism were intertwined together, and there were legends. There are many similar churches in Norway, but this one is especially vivid in my memory.

In the town of Kongsberg we saw the first rapids, and then it went on and on, as if on an inclined slope - the first Mountain pass, first mountain valley, the first snow and, of course, the first, real waterfall. It seems to me that this happens to everyone in the mountains - the first powerful, rapid waterfall, somehow unreal for the inhabitants of the plains. Its power, beauty, and swiftness are difficult to describe. He put us into a state of wild delight, from which we practically never recovered throughout the entire week of this trip. This nameless waterfall became our gateway to amazing country fairy tales and daydreams.

In Norway, it is worth choosing paths that are as difficult as possible, avoiding, if possible, the popular tunnels here that pierce through huge mountain ranges. Of course, it is convenient, fast and safe, but if you are guided by such considerations when traveling, then it is not worth going anywhere from home. But serpentine narrow mountain roads almost always lead to places where the real world loses its power, giving way to the harsh, fantastically beautiful scenery of Mother Nature, where you feel like a bug and forget about all your petty problems and joys.

A road marked on the map as an almost dotted line led to the small settlement of Lysebotn, located at the very beginning of Lysefjord. In fact, the excellent asphalt surface was an added bonus to the magnificent desert mountain scenery. This road, like most others like it, is closed in the winter and, perhaps for this reason, is not so popular in the summer. At the very end, this path ends in an unforgettable serpentine down to the mouth of the fjord from a height of thousands of meters. This was my first serpentine driving, it gave me a lot of emotions. When, after a long descent, I looked at the path I had taken from the bottom up, I couldn’t believe that it was possible not only to drive down from this almost vertical mountain, but also to drive up.

Despite the fact that our company did not plan to do this, fate had its own way and the very next morning we drove back to the top without any problems and then went down again quite normally. It was in Lysebotn that my fear of driving in the mountains disappeared forever. But this was preceded by other not unimportant events. Immediately upon arrival, it became clear that there was no gas station in this tiny settlement, which meant that going back with an almost empty tank was impossible. The ferry ran only twice a day, early in the morning and in the afternoon. I had to look for accommodation for the night.

There are no problems with this in Norway. There is no such extensive network of campsites and roadside hotels as here anywhere else in the world. Places for tents, campers, cabins and luxury rooms for the financially advanced - in short, a full range of services was observed in almost any populated area. In Lysebotn we settled, unbeknownst to us, in a very remarkable place. It turned out that extreme sports enthusiasts from all over the world settled in a campsite near the very shore of the fjord. Jumpers or jumpers come here all year round to parachute jump from the local steep cliffs more than a thousand meters high. All the walls of the small two-story hotel that hosted us were covered with excellent photographs taken during such jumps, and in a small diner nearby there were several parachute canopies hanging from the ceiling. Several broken-down mountain bikes, snowboards, and a guitar, clearly often used here for its intended purpose, also fit well into the interior of the eatery. Later the guys told us that parachute jumping with a bicycle or skis, depending on the time of year, was especially chic among the local company.

Our immediate goal was to visit the Prekistolen rock, so we were planning to leave here in the morning. Unexpectedly, our plans were changed by a conversation with a Dutch traveler whom we accidentally met in a cafe in the evening. It turned out that this guy had been traveling on foot around Norway for three months. According to him, there are not many more beautiful places than the local mountains, even with all the abundance of choice in Norway. Well, he called Prekistolen a tourist attraction for fat and lazy Americans. But Kjerag, according to him, was a completely different matter. This was the name of an egg-shaped stone stuck in a crevice at an altitude of 1080 meters from the sea. You only had to look closely to see the image of this stone everywhere in Lysebotn. Road signs, postcards, guidebooks and paintings - the legendary stone was depicted everywhere. To simply drive through this place would be madness.

The walk to Kjerag took more than two hours, during which we climbed along barely noticeable paths, crossed streams and cracks, or briskly slid through snow drifts that had not melted after the winter. Elevation changes from 600 meters to 800, and then an entire kilometer into the sky sometimes forced us to practically climb rocks on our knees. But all the difficulties of this first foray along the mountain steeps of Norway were blocked by the extraordinary desert landscapes of Lisefjord. Despite the abundance of melt water, on these rocks, with traces of a glacier once sliding down, practically nothing grew on the plateau except moss. The severity of these places was added by dizzying abysses, in which the neighboring shores of the fjord and the lost village of Lysebotn were visible in the haze. Childish delight on the verge of insanity filled us when we approached the cliff from which paratroopers were jumping. I haven’t often complained about a fear of heights before, but here I didn’t want to approach the edge of a kilometer-long abyss. Unless you crawl up and look into the abyss with a mixed feeling of horror and intoxicating euphoria. The second shock awaited us near Kjerag himself.

Not a single postcard or even the most reliable story can convey the virgin beauty of this place. This, in general, not at all a small piece of rock seemed to hang in the air, ready to slide down into the abyss. While we were all trying out which angle would be best to capture this unforgettable sight, my wife suddenly appeared at the top of Kjerag.

It should be noted that even at the car site I noticed a remark at the end of the information stand: “Few of those who reach Kjerag dare to climb it. For most people, it’s enough just to admire it from the outside.” As I rushed after my wife, I realized what the compilers of this information had in mind. The stone could only be approached along a narrow sloping path from the outside of the high rock. Moreover, there was nothing to grab hold of with your hands. It was enough for me to look down to give up the risky idea. Don’t consider me a coward, but the instinct of self-preservation turned out to be stronger and I joined the very majority for whom it was enough to simply see this place.

It's a pity we didn't get to see one of the 2,000 jumps that are done here every year. On the way back to the car, we met more than one group of extreme sports enthusiasts with parachute backpacks on their shoulders. When, after a long descent, we finally found ourselves in our hotel, many of those guys were already, as if nothing had happened, looking through the recently filmed footage of the jumps. Undoubtedly, one advantage of this entertainment was the sheer speed of descent. What took our company more than three hours and buckets of sweat, they only needed a few minutes of free fall.

We continued our journey on the ferry, which took us along the entire Lisefjord to the village of Forsand. On the way, we were lucky enough to see fur seals, whose colony had chosen this wild corner of Norway, and the world’s largest wooden staircase with 4444 steps, and admire the absolutely correct square shape of that same Prekystolen rock. It seems to me now that your first trip to Norway should not begin, but end with Lisefjord, one of the most romantic places on Earth.

Having moved across road bridge Lysenfjord, from Forsand we steadily began to move up to the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Despite the average speed, which does not exceed 50 km/h in the mountains, in four days our Toyota Caris almost reached the ancient capital of Norway, Trondheim. True to their plan to avoid big cities, then we turned back towards Oslo. This amazing route ran along high mountains, eternal snow, huge lakes, rushing rivers and, of course, a myriad of waterfalls. Norway can rightfully be called the queen of waterfalls in the world. Sometimes it seemed as if there was one waterfall for every house here. Among the high rocky mountains with caps of snow on top they cannot be counted. Nevertheless, it is not at all difficult for me to single out among the abundance I saw the three most impressive ones.

One of these prizes in my ranking undoubtedly belongs to the double Latefossen waterfalls. There is no way to get past it. The road passing through the ancient a stone bridge, goes right next to the waterfall itself. Two powerful streams rush down with a deafening roar literally a few meters from the freaking motorists. The entire bridge is constantly shrouded in a cloud of water spray. Tourists who decide to stay here do not stay long, risking getting wet to the skin and going deaf from the constant noise of falling water.

Having turned a little from the planned path, we decided to visit the place marked on the map with the name Våringfossen. A long, drawn-out climb up through numerous tunnels and winding turns brought us to a large parking lot with a huge number of people and cars. The Voringfossen waterfall turned out to be the highest and most majestic of all we saw on this trip. Several powerful streams of water fell in strange white streams from the edges of the semicircular depression. The height of the waterfall reached almost 200 meters. WITH observation deck the whole waterfall was as if in the palm of your hand. Not far from the edge of Vorigfossen was a three-story oblong motel building. Next to God's gigantic creation, the hotel looked like a matchbox built by people. I felt like I was just a grain of sand here in the eternal cycle of life.

And one more waterfall that is undoubtedly worth mentioning is Tvindefossen. Unlike the others, we went to it, knowing in advance where we would end up and what we would approximately see. Image Tvindefossen is one of the most common natural brands in Norway. Nevertheless, the almost ideal stepped shape of the waterfall, its beauty and royal grandeur cannot but delight tourists who come here. The 60-meter-high waterfall seems to be woven from hundreds of small cascades and streams. With its shape it resembles some kind of royal throne or pedestal. There is a large campsite at the foot of Tvidefossen. Enchanted fabulous beauty this place, we, along with many others, also decided to spend the night here. Here we managed to pitch a tent almost at the very edge of the waterfall on a small island formed by streams from Tvindevossen. Despite the rather loud roar of falling water, I slept very soundly that night, and the stunning morning landscape from the tent opening could even replace a hearty breakfast. In short, a decent waterfall in great place the fabulous country of Norway - this is the assessment of an inexperienced tourist like me.

It is worth noting that, despite the delightful natural scenery of all these overnight stays, breakfasts, lunches and dinners, which never ceased to amaze us with their diversity and sophistication, there were places from which we wanted to escape, and quickly. None of our modest company will forget our third overnight stay in Norway. Here, as soon as we paid for the place and began to set up our tent, we were fiercely attacked by local midges. She literally covered all the uncovered parts of the bodies in a swarm, clearly taking great pleasure in our fury over this matter. The only thing that saved us from this hopeless situation was the inappropriate behavior of insects indoors. As soon as the midge hit a tent or car from the air, it immediately lost all its aggressiveness, apparently dreaming of only one thing - to get out into the wild. But in the morning, our company managed to set a time record for closing the camp. Within 15 minutes of waking up, the tent and all our things were thrown into the trunk and interior of the car, and a couple of seconds later we were already racing away from this version of the Norwegian hospitality of the little bloodsuckers.

Probably everyone imagines that the roads of Norway are magnificent. However, we must not forget about the huge differences in elevation of its mountainous part. Apparently tired of this endless winding up and down the rocky slopes, the Norwegians decided not to spare money on building convenient through tunnels. It's no joke to cut many kilometers of holes in the rock! Those travelers who prefer these convenient, but so dull paths lose a lot to the splendor that can only be seen by following old crooked and inaccessible routes. There is nothing more amazing than watching how quickly the landscape changes from the bright green coast of the fjords to the deserted, improbable gray background of the slopes of the ridges. The most interesting thing awaits the traveler at the top. Here the road continues in the middle of eternal snow, blue ice and only in places a thawed surface with numerous streams and puddles. Sometimes three-meter-high snowdrifts surrounded our path, threatening to take away our memory of the summer from which we had arrived only a few minutes ago.

Somewhere beyond the Jostedalsbreen glacier, our Toyota again rose to a height of thousands of meters above sea level, and around the next snow-covered bend we suddenly saw a working ski resort. As expected, there were lifts and rental centers here. necessary equipment, and snow removal equipment, and the inevitable cozy cafe. I probably looked wild from the outside in shorts, a T-shirt and a baseball cap among young people wrapped in overalls with skis and snowboards. But now it became clear why the Norwegians are the constant champions of winter sports.

The Jostedalsbreen glacier itself turned out to be a remarkable local attraction. Unfortunately, we were not able to climb it ourselves. But the view from below of this shapeless block of compressed bluish ice could not leave us indifferent. There was something very cold and gloomy about this ancient glacier, which was slowly disappearing from the face of the earth, a silent witness and participant in the glorious tales of Vikings and trolls.

Having traveled around the glacier along its western side, we began to look for accommodation options for the night. For this purpose, it was decided to turn onto a narrow path leading into the mountains to a place called Bodal. The higher we climbed, the more anxious our souls became. There was something subtly eerie in the mountain walls on either side and the quiet lake surface along the road. There was also obvious tension with spending the night here. Somehow the whole thing looked unusually wild and deserted; in general, it was a very picturesque mountain valley. About halfway along the route, we made a short stop at a roadside information stand. The history of this place turned out to be sad and instructive for the king of nature - man. In 1905, a natural disaster occurred here near a small village. A giant mudflow, undermined by the annual melting of snow, descended into the valley. Part of a steep mountain range collapsed into a deep-sea lake. Tons of rock filled in a matter of minutes water surfaces a lake stretching for many kilometers. Just a few kilometers away, a village was overwhelmed by a giant wave. More than 35 people are missing. But something else was surprising. Exactly 33 years later the disaster repeated itself. A new gigantic collapse occurred in exactly the same place. This time, the village that had grown up nearby over the years was washed away. Again more than 70 people died. Oddly enough in this, it would seem God damn place, people still live. The reason for this was not only the fertile soil of these places, but also the fact that, according to scientists such a catastrophe can no longer happen, since the underwater space of the lake is already completely littered with rock from previous disasters.

We found ourselves in a creepy place! But it was too late to turn back. Suddenly we saw a roadside sign for Bodan Camping. Having gone down almost to the very shore of the lake, we stopped at a deserted, but, nevertheless, neatly trimmed clearing. Judging by the state of the half-rotten benches and the collapsed toilet (exotic for Norway!), one could assume that the campsite had not been in operation for many years. In all other respects, this place was ideal for our first free overnight stay in these parts. Of course, it was not difficult for us to guess that we found ourselves somewhere nearby near a lost village. The ill-fated rock was clearly visible from the side, with really visible traces of the mudflow. And a kind of melancholy appeared in my soul... When I went to get water from the lake, I unexpectedly made an amazing discovery for myself. Looking at the mountain range on the opposite shore of the lake on the rocks darkened by moisture, I suddenly began to notice some regular shapes. From these shapes a giant, slightly sloppy design was formed. I did not have to make much effort to see in these contours the figure of a giant warrior with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. Of course, it is not difficult for the reader to accuse me of having an overly wild fantasy, but my friends could also easily confirm these lines. Although I agree that we were all very overexcited that evening. Sleep could not come to us for a long time that night. We listened to the slightest rustle and creaking in the night forest, and the image of a merciless Viking warrior could not leave our crazy heads.
But the first rays of the sun quickly dispelled our fears, and the natural pattern on the rock no longer seemed so scary in the morning. We were racing forward again! Ahead of us was one of the most advertised places in Norway - the Troll Road.

This day was no exception from the rest. There would probably be enough adventures and stunning sensations in Norway for the next year. Our company even started a morning joke: Well, what will surprise us this day?! - and every new day he never ceased to amaze. Along the way, we first found ourselves in winter again. Moreover, the further north we went, the more Norwegian June looked like late January, and the more amazing it was to go down to the shores of the fjords into the realm of bright green summer. This was especially felt in the town of Gerenger on the shores of one of the most famous Norwegian fjords included in the list world heritage UNESCO. Although, in my opinion, the whole of Norway should be included there as a resting place for human illusions and tensions.

But now the curtain is up - we are on the deserted plateau of the Troll Valley. Here, suddenly, amazing unearthly scenery began to appear on our way. The giant rocks on both sides of the road suddenly came to life right before my eyes. Silent, formidable guards, petrified for centuries, looked without emotion at the earthly cockroach whirlwind. Mount “Bishop” really resembled a minister of religion in a cassock sitting down to rest. Well, the huge rock “King” looked like a bearded Viking, slightly bowing his head with a crown. Ancient legends came to life right on our way. Neither numerous crowds of tourists, nor heaps of souvenirs, nor extreme skydivers could knock down the feeling of the insignificance of our human existence. The ancient spirits of the Trolls paid absolutely no attention to the human rubbish at their feet, condescendingly allowing themselves to be seen through the eyes of photo and video cameras: “Vanity of vanities, gentlemen! You are insignificant, but we are eternal!

Our time was running out. For dessert we wanted to see the Atlantic, and only after that we could calmly return home through Oslo. However, before that, luck smiled again and we managed to taste the delights of Norwegian fishing.

On the way to the Atlantic, we stopped for the night at a campsite right on the shore of another fjord. Our attention was immediately attracted by a huge number of fishing people, from young to old, both from the shore and from various floating devices. You should have seen our faces when the guy from the camping reception immediately gave us a fishing rod without further ado, in response to our question about how we could go fishing here. Imagine my surprise when, after the first attempt to throw a hook into the water (and it should be noted that I had not fished from the shore since childhood!), I pulled a huge starfish ashore. Following it, a pink sea urchin soon found itself in the bucket, and my friend and comrade Zhenya soon caught a medium-sized cod. Apparently, underwater life was in full swing here. It seemed that this night in Norway was supposed to be fun, but a fishing rod suddenly snapped in half and a spoon that sank to the bottom of the fjord radically changed our plans. The reception was no longer working and my friend and I dejectedly trudged off to bed. Nevertheless, I will never forget the taste of morning cod fish soup and the sparkle of Zhenya’s eyes from such unexpected Norwegian bites!

Norway won our hearts, and the spirits of ancient Trolls and Vikings moved into our souls, but, as if wanting to finally trample our heads, swollen with impressions, a few more exciting adventures were finally prepared for us. Trollkirka or Troll Church was a complex of interconnected caves located an hour's walk from the highway to the Atlantic.

These caves are located on three levels and are connected to each other by a complex system of manholes and passages of various sizes. We decided to overcome the first level of the caves, about 70 meters long, together with my wife. To put it mildly, it was eerie walking along a passage devoid of sunlight, every now and then, climbing over rubble of slippery stones and jumping over numerous channels. But what a reward awaited us at the end of this path! Having squeezed through another rubble on our way, we found ourselves in a huge grotto up to 7 meters high. Daylight came through from numerous crevices in its vault, and a powerful cascade of water fell right in the center from somewhere above. Truly, Mother Nature herself created a real altar here. And the sophistication of her fantasies could be the envy of any architect in the world. Anyone could go down to the second grotto on a higher level, including those who are afraid of the dark and suffer from claustrophobia. This grotto was not inferior in beauty to the first one we saw, although it lacked the effect of surprise. Here, too, there was a waterfall in the center, and the height of the vault reached 9-10 meters. I managed to find the entrance to the third level of caves, which were much narrower and less passable. But here the arguments of reason turned out to be more powerful than my eternal passion for new adventures. Moreover, time was running out. We set off on our way back to the car abandoned on the side of the road.

The final chord of our trip was a visit to the so-called Atlantic Road. This was the name of the path passing through several dozen islands, connected by long causeways and bizarre arched bridges. Some of them wriggled in all conceivable and inconceivable directions, as if trying to violate the imaginary laws of mathematics and logic. The guidebook advised driving along this route in the fall during storm season. Surely we should have done this another time.

Well, it is here, dipping my feet into the cool waters of the Atlantic Ocean, that I can put an end to my story. There was no doubt left; I found myself in a kind of captivity in Norway. These colorful mountains, deep fjords, furious waterfalls and quiet villages with their ancient spirit inhabitants easily won a piece of my heart and soul, forever leaving in them an inexorable desire to return to the boat again and again...

The journey lasted 2½ weeks. In the first days we quickly swept through the whole of Finland from the south almost to the very north. Then we leisurely drove through Norway from northwest to southeast, visiting a large number of natural, historical and urban noteworthy places - from the North Cape to Preikestolen. And in last days no less rapidly swept from west to east through Sweden and Finland back to St. Petersburg. The total was approximately 6800 km (according to the car odometer) plus numerous short and long ferry crossings, which we did not consider.

The main impression of the trip: harsh northern nature beautiful! Sea, fjords, mountains, glaciers, wild rivers and waterfalls, unusual vegetation in the north - mosses and lichens, deer roam everywhere as if there were no people around, the sun shines all night, dozens of bridges and tunnels every day, the height constantly changes from 0 to 1000 meters above sea level, which really stuffs your ears. I wanted to stop every 50 kilometers and photograph it all en masse so that I could show it for three years.

The main disappointment of the trip: on the fifth day of the trip my camera died, unable to withstand the harsh northern climate, so there will be no photographs.

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2. The journey began through Finland, and Finland gives us unexpected surprises every time. This time the surprise was the open-air bell museum, which we met near the 4th road somewhere in the south of northern Ostrobothnia.

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3. We stopped in Oulu to walk for a few hours and spend the night. Oulu turned out to be big and nice Finnish city, as expected. In the photo - a sculpture of a policeman on market square, one of the symbols of the city.

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4. The next day was Rovaniemi - the largest city in Europe by area, but quite small in population. I didn't like Rovaniemi, unlike Oulu. The development is chaotic and uninteresting; there is no sense of Finnish comfort. Pictured is Lordi Square, the central square of Rovaniemi, named after the famous modern Finnish punk rock band.

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5. Near Rovaniemi we crossed the Arctic Circle back and forth several times :-) and walked around the “museum” village of Santa Claus, more precisely, Joulu-pukki, if in Finnish. We also wanted to go to the underground Santa Park, located under the Arctic Circle, but in those days it was closed due to “summer Christmas”. This is the last Finnish photo, and next will be Norway itself.

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6. The northernmost point of our journey is the North Cape, the northernmost point of mainland Europe, located on a 300-meter cliff on an island connected to the mainland by a 6-kilometer tunnel 250 meters deep. We tried to get here during the week of the summer solstice and certainly at midnight to enjoy the highest possible midnight sun. Unfortunately, we were unlucky with the weather at midnight (the raining clouds started at 50 meters altitude, and the North Cape is at 300 meters altitude), but the northern weather suddenly changes several times a day, and after a couple of hours it was already quite sunny.

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7. The glacier (or snowfield?:) on the mountain in summer on a sunny night is beautiful! All snow glaciers are located at different heights, so they begin to melt at different times, which is why mountain streams and waterfalls flow continuously in the Norwegian mountains throughout the summer.

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9. But Hammerfest is considered the northernmost real city in Europe, although it is located somewhat south of Honningsvåg. There are almost no attractions in the city, there is only a polar bear museum, which is located right in the city administration building. After the wet Hammerfest, my camera became damp and refused to turn on, so there will be no more detailed photographs; all other photographs were taken on a mobile phone in order to somehow dilute the text of this post with pictures.

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10. In Alta we went to the rock art museum. In the second half of the 20th century, numerous hollowed out rock paintings were found here quite by accident, the age of which is from 6 to 3 thousand years, they were cleaned and completed. touched up and put on display for everyone to see. Elk-deer, bears, people, boats, scenes of hunting and fishing and other shamanic actions. And in the upper right corner we saw something similar to a computer keyboard.

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11. The next day we were in the Lofoten Islands. Previously, they were engaged in fishing, but now they are mainly engaged in tourism (since a few years ago the new E10 road was laid here and a couple of dozen bridges and tunnels were built). The photo shows the historical fishing (and now museum) village of Nusfjord. Previously, fishermen lived here, and now these houses house a museum, hotels and fish restaurants.

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12. The Lofoten Islands are also located above the Arctic Circle, so the sun shines here at night in summer. Taking pictures with your phone in backlight is, of course, a perversion. But, unlike the North Cape, this picture was honestly taken at astronomical midnight.

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13. Another former fishing and now tourist town on the Lofoten Islands - Oh! The settlement with the shortest name. In Norwegian its name is written as "Å". By the way, the houses stand on legs not only because it is more convenient for fishermen, but because it is open Atlantic Ocean and here there are ebbs and flows several times a day, the water level fluctuates by about a meter.

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14. To avoid taking the same single road again, we crossed from the Lofoten Islands back to the mainland on a 100-kilometer ferry to Bodø. The view of the Norwegian mountains from the sea is also beautiful. Unfortunately, this cannot be conveyed in a mobile photo.

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15. On the same day (more precisely, on the same polar day, because by this time we began to have a complete disconnect between day and night, and the calendar day was already completely different) we crossed the Arctic Circle again and gradually began to return to more common latitudes. The Arctic Circle in Norway on the E6 road is more severe than the one near Rovaniemi: here it is on a plateau at an altitude of 680 meters above sea level on a bald plateau, blown by all the winds, and all this plateau has been built by visitors with traditional Sami cairns.

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17. Trondheim, also known as Nidarus, is the ancient capital of Norway. There is ancient fortress, an ancient Gothic cathedral built in the 11th–13th centuries, and an embankment with houses of unusual architecture. Unfortunately, by the end of this day the weather had deteriorated again (in Norway it changes several times a day to the completely opposite one), and by this day we were somewhat behind schedule, so we examined Trondheim very superficially and in the rain, time to wait for a good We no longer had any weather.

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19. After Trondheim, interesting and scenic roads. For example, the “Atlantic Road”, laid across the islands on west coast Norway with numerous oddly shaped bridges. Since this is the very, very coast in front of open sea, this is the very place where, during high tides, water begins to flow into long narrow fjords, at such moments there is a very rapid current under the bridges.

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20. “Troll Staircase” (also known as “Troll Road”) is one of the most popular Norwegian natural and man-made attractions. A picturesque 7-kilometer serpentine road with a 10% gradient, rising among waterfalls to a height of almost 700 meters.

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21. On our trip there were steeper and more extreme roads, but the “Troll Staircase” stands out among them because it looks very picturesque from above, and there are equipped observation decks, overhanging the cliffs.

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22. Geirangerfjord is the most popular natural attraction in Norway. A very long and narrow (about half a kilometer) fjord with emerald-colored water, stretching windingly among the picturesque mountains. All access to Geiranger is either along extreme serpentine roads or by ferry.

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24. Setting off from Geiranger further along our route, we accidentally noticed a sign to some natural attraction, and turning onto an inconspicuous winding path with a sign that you drive here at your own peril and risk, a few minutes later we found ourselves on Mount Dalsnibba at a height 1500 meters above sea level (she turned out to be the most high point our journey). It’s good that we traveled by car and not on foot, because we constantly carry our entire supply of clothes with us, and often several times a day we had to change from a light T-shirt and shorts to a warm jacket with two sweaters and a hat.

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27. And this is a man-made attraction - the Flåm railway, leading from the shore of one of the fjords to an 800-meter height to the main line railway line Oslo - Bergen. Previously, this railway had a transport and cargo function, but in our time it has become exclusively touristic. During the hour-long ascent, absolutely wonderful views of mountains, valleys, gorges and waterfalls open from the windows of the carriages.

The Kingdom of Norway (in Norwegian Kongeriket Norge) is a country occupying the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The name of the state comes from the Old Norse word Norðrvegr - “way to the north”. Norway is washed by three seas: the Barents Sea in the northeast, the Norwegian Sea in the west, and the North Sea in the southwest. Norway is an elongated and narrow country, more than 30% of its territory is covered with forests and many rivers and lakes. More than half of the country's area is occupied mountain ranges. It has borders with Sweden, Finland and Russia.

The territory of Norway includes the Spitsbergen archipelago (Svalbard), the islands of Jan Mayen and Bear in the Arctic Ocean, as well as Bouvet Island in the south Atlantic. In addition, as a result of the 1961 convention, Norway lays claim to Peter I Island and Queen Maud Land in Antarctica.

Norway has a population of 5,328,212 people (as of 2019). The area of ​​the country is 385,207 km². About 30 thousand inhabitants represent the Sami ethnic group. The Sami have their own culture, traditions and language. Most of these people live to the north Arctic Circle. The form of government in Norway is a constitutional monarchy; the formal head of state today is King Harald V. The capital of the country, where the seat of government is also located, is the city of Oslo.

Norway is famous natural resources: stunning coastal views, amazing fjords, glaciers, forests, rivers, mountains attract fans active rest and landscape tourism, fishermen, hunters from all over Europe. The man-made attractions of Norway are no less popular, and tourists from all over the world come here to admire the unique phenomenon of the Northern Lights.

Current time in Oslo:
(UTC +1)

On October 6, 2009, the UN presented a report on the standard of living in 182 countries, according to which Norway topped the list of the most developed and prosperous countries in the world.

How to get to Norway

To get to Norway, Russian tourists most often use planes or ferries.

By plane

Direct flights

There are not many direct flight options from Russia to Norway. These are Aeroflot flights from Moscow to Oslo and Norwegian airline flights operating from St. Petersburg to Oslo - the main ones air gate countries.

In addition, you can fly from Murmansk and Arkhangelsk on a direct Nordavia flight to the Norwegian city of Tromso.

Wideroe airline flies from Murmansk to the Norwegian city of Kirkenes.

Connecting flights

Almost all European airlines fly to Oslo, so with a connection you can get to the capital of Norway by any European carrier operating flights to Russian cities. Below are the main connecting flight options.

• Lufthansa: via Frankfurt from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don, Samara
• AustrianAirlines: via Vienna from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don
• BrusselsAirlines: via Brussels from Moscow
• Swiss: via Zurich from Moscow, St. Petersburg
• SAS: via Stockholm and Copenhagen from Moscow, St. Petersburg
• CzechAirlines: via Prague from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Rostov-on-Don, Samara
• AirFrance: via Paris from Moscow, St. Petersburg
• KLM: via Amsterdam from Moscow, St. Petersburg
• Finnair: via Helsinki from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg
• AirMalta: via La Valletta from Moscow

On a ferryboat

You can also get to Norway by water: many companies want ferries from Denmark, including Color Line, Stena Line, DFDS, Fjord Line, Smyril Line.

From Germany (Kiel) the ferry Color Fantasy and Color Line of the Color Line operate voyages to Norway. Color Line ferries also operate from Sweden (Strömstad), Iceland, Scotland and Faroe Islands. In turn, Russian tourists can get to Sweden by ferry from St. Petersburg.

By train

Norwegian Railways (NSB) operates trains on domestic railways Oh. Norway is connected to the continent by a fairly developed railway network. For example, there is a regular train service between Oslo and Copenhagen several times a week. Travel time between the continent and Oslo is usually at least 24 hours, but all trains have sleeping compartments. There are many discounts available for travel within Europe and Norway. You can get from Russia to Norway by train with a change in Helsinki.

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Story

The first mentions of the country date back to the beginning of our era, when the territory of present-day Norway was occupied by German-speaking Scandinavian tribes who decided to cross the Atlantic in the Middle Ages. At the end of the 9th - beginning of the 10th century, immigrants from Norway settled in Iceland, England, France, and Ireland. Scientists suggest that at the beginning of the 11th century, Norwegian sailors even reached America.

At the end of the 10th century, the country adopted Christianity, and the Catholic clergy began to play a prominent role in the life of the state. Until 1380, Norway owned many territories in North Atlantic, including Iceland and Greenland, after which it found itself subordinate to the stronger Denmark. Norway freed itself from Danish rule only after the Anglo-Danish War of 1807-1814, now falling under the control of Sweden. The country's independence was proclaimed on May 17, 1814, which led to a military conflict with Sweden, which was again decided not in favor of Norway. The country finally became sovereign only in 1905, after which a referendum was held in Norway, and by the will of the majority it was proclaimed a constitutional monarchy.

During World War II, Norway was occupied by fascist troops, the north of the country was liberated Soviet troops in the fall of 1944, and the entire territory became free on May 8, 1945. In 1949, Norway joined NATO.

Today Norway is the largest oil and gas producer in Western Europe, and the country has large mineral reserves. The Norwegian merchant fleet is famous throughout Europe.

Climate and weather in Norway

The climate of Norway is quite harsh; large amounts of rainfall occur throughout the year. They are most common on the west coast of the country; the wettest time of year in this region is autumn and winter. Inland in southeastern Norway and in northern areas (Finnmark) it also rains frequently. Happens here in summer greatest number precipitation, and winter and spring in these places are very dry.

The climate throughout the country is not the same. Mild temperate sea - in the west, it is determined by the influence of the warm North Atlantic Current. January and February are quite warm here: from 0 to -4 degrees, the average maximum is from 0 to +2. In July and August, night temperatures are 10 - 12 degrees, daytime temperatures are 16 - 18 degrees. The rainiest time of the year is September and October, when monthly precipitation reaches 170 - 240 mm.

In the central regions of Norway the climate is temperate continental. From October to March there are frosts in these places. The coldest month is January; at night the temperature can drop to -17 degrees below zero, and during the day to -7 degrees. The warmest month is July, when the usual temperature at night is +10 degrees, and during the day - 18 degrees.
In the far north the climate is subarctic. The coldest month is February, with average temperature air up to -22 degrees. The warmest is July (average minimum temperature +6 degrees, maximum +18 degrees).

Many tourists are attracted to the country by a unique celestial phenomenon - Northern lights. It is best observed between November and February in the most northern regions of the country. It occurs because positively and negatively charged particles of solar energy enter the Earth's atmosphere and collide with particles of neutral gas at an altitude of 100-300 km.

Weather in Norway by month

Reviews by month

Photos of Norway

Cities and regions

Cities of Norway

Attractions

Museums and galleries

Entertainment

Parks and Recreation

Leisure

Transport

Private guides in Norway

Russian private guides will help you get acquainted with Norway in more detail.
Registered on the Experts.Tourister.Ru project.

Things to do

Norwegian fjords

Of course, no visit to Norway would be complete without an excursion to the country’s most important natural attractions—the Norwegian fjords.

Norway has the largest number of fjords in the world. Fjords are works of art created by nature itself. They appeared at a time when glaciers began to retreat, and the resulting valleys were filled sea ​​water. The water that fills the fjords is salty and clean.

Cruise routes and active holidays

A cruise in Norway is one of the best ways get to know the country. There are more than 30 ports along the entire coast of Norway where cruise ships call. The most interesting cruise routes are trips to the fjords, the North Cape, Spitsbergen and the Lofoten Islands. Many of the destinations where cruise ships call offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities, including hiking, fishing, wildlife safaris, golf, polar expeditions and much more.

Ski holidays in Norway

Getting around the country

Public transport in Norway includes trains, buses, air and water transport. IN major cities In Norway, there are places where you can get a certificate of public transport. Tourist offices also provide information on movement within Norway.

Bus service in Norway is very well developed, a network of bus routes connects all the country's largest cities with each other and with the smallest ones settlements, with airports and ferry terminals.

The Norwegian railway network consists of five lines radiating from Oslo: the southern Sarlandsbahnen (from Oslo to Stavanger), the mountainous Bergensbahnen (from Oslo to Bergen), the central Dövrebanen and Rørosbahnen (from Oslo to Trondheim) and the northern Nordlandsbahnen (Trondheim-Bodø). The total length of the country's railways is 4,087 km. Along the route of trains there are 775 tunnels and more than 3,000 bridges.

Taxi in Norway is also a fairly expensive mode of transport. Cars only run within the city.

Norwegian roads are considered perhaps the best in the world. Their total length across the country is about one hundred thousand kilometers. To rent a car in Norway, you must have an international driving license, credit card and paid insurance. You can learn all the intricacies of car tourism in Norway from our special material “Car rental in Norway”.

There are 53 air ports in Norway, here are the six most popular.

Net water transport in Norway it is very well developed. Express boats and car ferries connect almost all cities and towns on the coast, as well as large and small islands.

This brief information about moving around the country, you can read more about all the nuances in the article “Transport in Norway”.

Communication

The official language of Norway is Norwegian, which belongs to the North Germanic language group, which also includes Danish and Swedish. As a rule, speakers of Norwegian, Danish and Swedish will always understand each other. Geographical features the location and settlement of the country played a significant role in the development large quantity regional dialects, and led to the fact that today there are two official written versions of the Norwegian language in Norway: Bokmål (“Book Norwegian”) and Nynorsk (“New Norwegian”). Bokmål, which was based on written Danish, is most common in the eastern regions of Norway. Nynorsk, artificially created by linguist Ivar Åsen in the mid-19th century, was based on the dialects of western Norway.

Bokmål and Nynorsk have the same status official languages, but bokmål is more often used in Oslo and other big cities. Nynorsk is used by 10-15% of residents, mainly in the west, and is used in the preparation of government documents, in literature, theater, television and during religious services.

Today, about 30 thousand people in Norway consider Sami their native language. The Northern Sami language belongs to the Finno-Ugric language group, and today, along with Norwegian, it is recognized as the official state language in northern regions Norway.

Due to the increase in tourist flow in Norway, English language. It is the main language for communicating with foreigners. Less popular are German and French. In addition, the country has approximately 4,000 mute citizens who use Norwegian sign language.

Culture

Norwegian culture is linked to history and geographical location countries. It originates in the Viking tradition and sagas, although Western European culture also had a significant influence on it. The harsh climate and mountainous landscape contributed to the emergence of a unique peasant culture, which was based on medieval Scandinavian laws. The constant struggle of the people of Norway for survival, for independence, and admiration for nature have become the leitmotifs of Norwegian literature, music, and painting.

Music

The history of Norwegian music goes back to ancient times, as evidenced by archaeological excavations on the territory of the country. Norwegian folk instruments are extremely diverse: among them there are various types of violins, harps and flutes. Norwegian ethnic music is multifaceted. In particular, it includes lyrical-epic motifs created during the Viking times.

Academic music in Norway appeared quite late - at the end of the 18th century, due to more than 400 years of dependence of the country on Denmark. The founders of the Norwegian school of music are considered to be Halfdan Kjerulf, who wrote romances; Ole Bull, composer and virtuoso violinist; Ricard Nurdrok, author of the national anthem. The most famous Norwegian composers are without a doubt Edvard Grieg and Christian Sinding. In addition to them, it is worth remembering the names of F. Valen (a student of Arnold Schoenberg), Alf Hurum, Harald Severud.

The most famous Norwegian music group in the world is A-ha, founded in Oslo in 1983. The group plays in the electro-pop style that emerged on the crest of " new wave" Norway also has a highly developed metal music scene, especially the black metal and viking metal scenes. Moreover, most of the founders of this musical movement came from Norway. Among the most popular are Antestor, Burzum, Darkthrone, Mayhem, Immortal, Emperor, Gorgoroth, The Kovenant, Storm, Windir.

Also in Norway there are a lot of musical groups whose style can be defined as symphonic metal and gothic metal, jazz, ethno-jazz and free jazz.

Literature

The history of Norwegian literature begins with the collection of sagas "Elder Edda" and the poetry of the skalds. The most famous Old Norse writer is the Norwegian Snorri Sturluson. The 19th century in Norwegian literature was marked by a collection of folk tales and legends created by Asbjørnsen and Moo. With the advent of Christianity, European authors began to have a significant influence on Norwegian literature.

The 20th century was marked for Norwegian literature by the emergence of three Nobel laureates in the field of literature: Bjornstjerne Bjornson (1903), Knut Hamsun (1920), Sigrid Undset (1928). The most famous Norwegian author is Ibsen, who wrote the plays Peer Gynt, A Doll's House and The Woman from the Sea. Erlend Lou is considered the most famous Norwegian writer of our time. And the novel by another Norwegian writer, Jostein Gorder, “Sofia’s World,” was translated into 40 foreign languages.

Architecture

The architectural traditions of Norway began with stone buildings that arose at the turn of the first and second millennium. The main example of Norwegian architecture was the Nidaros Cathedral. Before its construction, houses in Norway were built exclusively from wood due to its availability - it was from this that the poorest segments of the population built their homes. However, many wooden buildings deserve the close attention of tourists, for example, such as the Bryggen Shipyard in Bergen.

European architectural styles have had little popularity in Norway, but the country still has some remarkable examples of their influence: the Baroque church in Kongsberg, the Rococo Damsgård timber mansion, and the Oslo University and Stock Exchange building.

Painting and sculpture

Norwegian painting has long adopted the traditions of German, Danish and Dutch artists. However, in the 19th century the beginning of the national fine arts. Its founders can confidently be called Johan Dahl, Fritz Thaulow and Kitty Keeland, as well as the expressionist Edvard Munch with his famous painting “The Scream”.

The main national sculptor of Norway is considered to be Gustav Vigeland, a self-taught person who created a huge number of sculptures symbolizing human relationships and emotions.

Sport

Norway is mainly developed winter views sports, which is due to its geographical location. At the Winter Olympics, athletes from Norway most often take gold and silver medals in skiing and speed skating. The Norwegian biathlon team is one of the strongest in the world; it includes six-time world champion and the most famous modern biathlete Ole Einar Björndalen. Norway hosted the Winter Olympic Games twice in the last century: in 1952 in Oslo and in 1994 in Lillehammer.

Kitchen

Norwegian cuisine is unpretentious and high-calorie, its tradition developed under the influence of the harsh Scandinavian climate. The main components of Norwegian cuisine are fish, meat, cereals, bread and dairy products. A special feature is the almost complete absence of sauces - this is done in order to preserve the natural taste of food.

Norway has been exporting dried cod and herring to Europe for over 1,000 years. Herring is considered one of the main food products in the country. A Norwegian proverb says: “A true Norwegian eats herring 21 times a week.” Cold appetizers, pates, salads, soups, hot dishes, and pies are prepared from herring. Of the other seafood, of which there is a great variety in Norway, the first place is occupied by salmon, but in addition to it there are many other equally tasty fish: trout, halibut, mackerel, catfish. IN summer time Norwegian shrimp are especially popular. Another Norwegian delicacy worth trying at the restaurant is whale meat.

Typical dishes of Norwegian cuisine are: lutefisk - dried cod pre-soaked in an alkaline solution and then soaked in water; forikol - lamb meat with cabbage and potatoes, traditionally prepared in the fall; rakfisk - fermented trout; smörbröd sandwiches. Tourists can be recommended to try elk and venison as a delicacy. Local brown goat cheese is also good. It has many varieties, differing in taste and color - from yellow to chocolate.

Homemade pastry shops are very popular in Norway. They bake bread, pies and buns - different in each county (province), according to its own special recipe.

Norway is one of the world's leading milk consumers. Another particularly common drink is coffee.

The traditional alcoholic drink in the country is aquavit, or akevitt. It is a strong 40% potato or grain alcohol infused with spices: cumin, dill, coriander, cinnamon, fennel, anise, St. John's wort. Experts believe that a true akevitt must float in the hold of a ship to Australia and back, only then will it receive the necessary taste, and can be called Linie-akevitt - having crossed the equator twice (linie).

In the frosty winter in Norway they drink gløgg. It is reminiscent of mulled wine: it is also brewed from red wine with cardamom, cloves, raisins and almonds. It is usually served with ginger cookies.

So that tourists can navigate the cost of food in cafes and restaurants in Norway, it should be noted that dinner for 50 - 100 crowns is considered cheap. The average price for lunch in a cafe will be 80 - 120 CZK, and in a restaurant from 150 CZK and above. A glass of beer (from 0.4 to 0.5 l) in a pub can cost from 30 to 60 CZK. By the way, the national Norwegian beer is called “Rignes” and has a very decent taste. In any cafe or restaurant you can ask for a free glass of water after making your main order. You can safely drink tap water in Norway; it is truly drinkable, so you can save on bottled water from the store.

Shopping in Norway

Store opening hours across the country vary greatly. In large cities, supermarkets and department stores usually operate according to the following schedule: Monday - Friday: from 9.00 or 10.00 to 17.00; Thursday: from 9.00 or 10.00 to 19.00 or 20.00; Saturday: from 9.00 or 10.00 to 15.00 or 16.00. Some large supermarkets and shopping malls are open even until 20.00 and longer. Gas stations, which sell food products, are open until 23.00.

Speaking about shopping in Norway, it should be noted that residents of the country do not at all have a passion for brands as such, preferring the quality and environmental friendliness of things, regardless of whether they belong to big designer names. It is in Norway that you can purchase the latest trend, made from environmentally friendly materials. For example, the fashionable Grünerløkka shopping district in Oslo is home to a huge number of boutiques offering eco-friendly fashion items, such as shoes with recycled rubber soles. The general passion of Norwegians for the fashion for ecology and charity deprives status brands that exploit the cheap labor of third world countries from all chances. This is probably why there are no stocks, outlets or malls in Norway. But there you can buy unique clothes made from environmentally friendly cotton, soy, bamboo or silk.

In Norway you can buy some brands of expensive Swiss watches relatively inexpensively.

Among the authentic souvenirs from Norway, you should definitely bring real Norwegian wool sweaters. Knitting is one of the oldest handicraft traditions in Norway. The oldest fragment of a knitted product that has survived to this day dates back to 1476 - 1525.

It is worth paying attention to Norwegian jewelry. The craftsmanship of Norwegian jewelers dates back two thousand years, and besides, the jewelry has the highest quality standards. Troll figurines, pewter and glassware, porcelain and ceramics, silver, wood products decorated with paintings, goat and deer skins, and furs are also popular among tourists.

Addresses of stores and outlets in all regions of Norway can be seen on official website of the norwegian tourism board .

Tax-Free

When shopping in Norway, do not forget to issue tax-free receipts!

This is available in over 3,000 stores nationwide. Value added tax in Norway is 25%, with checks refunding 20% ​​on industrial goods and 14% on food products.

Within a month from the date of purchase, non-EU citizens can use VAT refund checks. The minimum purchase price is 315 CZK for industrial goods and 285 CZK for food products.

VAT refund points are located at airports, at road borders, on ferries and cruise ships in Norway, in total there are more than 55 points. Norwegian VAT refund offices (Norwegian Global Refund Checks) are part of the Global Refund network of cash refund offices, so tax-free checks can also be cashed in major airports Europe, and at locations in some countries outside of Europe, such as Japan, Singapore, Korea and China.

To receive cash using a tax-free check, a tourist must have the purchased product in undamaged packaging, a receipt from the store and a tax-free check, a passport or ID card.

Connection

Throughout Norway, there are three types of payphones: red (accepts coins of 1, 5 and 20 kroner, except for coins with holes in the middle, as well as plastic cards), black (works only with coins) and green (works only with plastic calling cards). 35, 98 and 210 CZK, sold at Narvesen kiosks or post offices). The minimum cost per minute of conversation is 2 crowns. Preferential tariff starts at 17.00 on weekdays and weekends.

Norway's international code is 47, outgoing international code is 00. Some city codes: Oslo - 2, Bergen - 5, Trondheim - 7, Stavanger - 4.

To call from Russia to Norway from a landline phone, you need to dial: 8-10-47-city code-subscriber number. From Russia with mobile phone: +47-city code-subscriber number. To call from Norway to Russia, you need to dial 00-7-city code in Russia-subscriber number. The cost per minute of conversation will be 2 crowns.

You can call home quite economically by purchasing a Libara SIM card, which is sold in almost all large stores in Norway. In this case, the cost of a minute of conversation will be 1 crown.

Safety

Norway is an economically stable country located in a calm region of Europe, so traveling to Norway promises to be safe, with friendly locals and a warm welcome.

Visa regime

The processing time for documents at the embassy is up to 2 weeks. To obtain a Norwegian visa, you need a valid passport, 2 application forms with photographs, and an invitation (tourist, private or official). For tourist and private invitations, only a single-entry visa is issued; for a business invitation, a multiple visa can be issued. A consular fee will be charged.

Embassy, ​​consulates and visa centers of Norway in Russia

Embassy and consulates of the Russian Federation in Norway

Emergency numbers in Norway

Where to stay

Below we will look at the various accommodation options in Norway in a little more detail.

Norway Hotels

In Norway there are hotels for every taste and budget, of every type and design. Tourists can choose a hotel with a modern design in the center, a SPA hotel in the mountains, a cozy family mini-hotel in the forest, or even an outlandish ice hotel.

Our section “Hotels in Norway” will help you get acquainted with the hotel base and make a choice. To book hotel rooms, you can use the proven Booking service. com.

Compared to the rest of Europe, hotel prices in Norway are quite high. The cost of accommodation usually drops on weekends and summer months. In addition, special family rates are available. Most of the country's major hotel chains also offer discounts.

Hostels in Norway

Budget accommodation in Norway is also possible: the country has about a hundred youth and family hostels, part of two networks - Hostelling International Norway and VIP backpackers. Both chains offer accommodation of an excellent standard of quality for their class, coupled with good locations. The price for accommodation in a hostel is as follows: a place in a room costs on average from 100 to 300 CZK, a double room - from 300 to 600 CZK. Blankets and pillows are provided everywhere, but you need to bring your own bed linen or rent it from the hostel.

Living on farms in Norway

Norwegian farm stays have recently become popular in light of the popularity of sustainable living in Europe. In most of these places, guests will be offered a clean bed, hearty food from their own garden, horseback riding, fishing, hiking or boating. You can see a list of farms offering similar accommodation.

Houses and cottages in Norway

It is also very popular to live in houses and cottages located in nature: along the coast, near fjords, in forests, valleys and mountains. They can be rented privately. Some give up very short term, others - for at least a week. This type of accommodation is good because the tourist manages his own leisure and recreation independently. You can view the list of proposed options.

Accommodation in fishing huts in Norway

This is another one popular look placements along the coast of Norway, especially in the provinces of Finnmark, Troms, Nordland, Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal. These buildings originally served as shelter for fishermen going fishing in the Lofoten Islands. The fisherman's hut is called "rorbu". In a village consisting of such huts, the tourist will be offered to go fishing either independently or as part of a group on board a local fishing boat. Most of these huts are equipped with a kitchen and a bathroom with shower. They are typically insulated, making them suitable for year-round habitation. It is better to book a rorbu hut in advance, especially if tourists are planning to come to Norway in July and August.

The cost of living in a “rorbu” with two bedrooms will cost a tourist from 600 CZK per day. Most often the price is charged per cottage rather than per person. Bed linen and towels cost extra. You can view the full offer of such accommodation in Norway.

Ice Hotel Sorrisniva Igloo

Norway has a unique type of accommodation. In this luxury hotel, all interior and exterior decorations are made of snow and ice. The hotel enjoys a picturesque location on the banks of the Alta River, approximately 15 km from the town of Alta in Finnmark. The Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel opens every January and closes in the spring, after which the ice structure melts. You can find out more information about this hotel and also book it.