Norway is filled with incredible views and places to see. But where to start?
Use this list as your starting point for just some of the spectacular places you must see in Norway!
My mom, uncle, aunt, and I went on a tour of Norway last August. Our tour organizer and guide was the amazing Arnhild, who my mom met through her church in Iowa.
Although Arnhild has made Iowa her home for the last few years, she regularly returns to her Norwegian homeland to visit and lead tours.
The places below are some of the wonderful places we visited while touring with Arnhild.
Related:
- Norway: 9 Things You Need to Know Before You Go
- Norway Packing Guide: What You Need to Pack for an Amazing Trip
1. Trondheim
The first stop on our tour was Trondheim, which set the bar high for the rest of our trip.
Trondheim was the capital of Norway for over 200 years during the Viking era. It is home to must-see places like the Nidaros Cathedral, Old Town Bridge, and colorful wharves.
Nidaros Cathedral
Did you know that the Nidaros Cathedral was the site of one of the most important pilgrimages during the Middle Ages? Or that you can still follow those same pilgrimage paths today?
There’s just something fascinating to me about being able to follow the same path as those who walked it hundreds of years ago.
The pilgrimage paths are marked by posts and signs that contain a white square and a red cross. You can take multi-day hikes or just take a casual stroll around Trondheim. Read more about the hikes here.
While in Trondheim, stop by the Nidaros Cathedral to take a tour and attend a church service. The service is in Norwegian, but you can follow along in with an English-translation pamphlet.
Old Town Bridge & Wharves
Trondheim’s Old Town Bridge and colorful wharves provide some incredibly picturesque views.
The colorful buildings of the wharves reflect perfectly in the water. The soaring red arches of the Old Town Bridge provide a visually-appealing gateway into Trondheim.
When in Trondheim, head over to the Old Town Bridge for some of the best views of the colorful wharves.
Know Before You Go
Plan on rain. It rains more than 203 days a year in Trondheim. You read that right. It rains more than half of the year in Trondheim.
But the beautiful colors of the wharves complement the cloudy skies perfectly.
Pack a raincoat and umbrella in your luggage, and make sure your shoes are waterproof.
Related:
Check out this video of the amazing things to see in Trondheim!
2. Trollstigen
Trollstigen is a mountain road in Norway with 11 hairpin turns, dizzying mountain views, and beautiful waterfalls.
Many of the roads in Norway are quite narrow and Trollstigen is no exception.
Large buses, motorcycles, bicycles, and cars all carefully navigate the road on the way to the lookout point at the top of the mountain.
And what a view it is.
Pack
Know Before You Go
If you’re prone to motion sickness, plan on taking precautions before driving on Trollstigen.
The twisting roads and views aren’t great for those of us prone to motion sickness.
I took motion sickness medicine before getting on the road. My mom, who also suffers from motion sickness, just made sure she was in the front of the bus and kept her eyes forward.
Related:
See some of Trollstigen’s amazing views in this video.
3. Geiranger
If you’re looking for stunning fjord views, then Geiranger is your place.
The Geirangelva River flows down the mountain, through Geiranger, and empties into the fjord.
You can follow the river’s path down the mountain by walking down a staircase with beautiful lookouts.
Know Before You Go
Even during the summer months, it’s pretty chilly in Norway.
Plan on bringing a light jacket and a thicker jacket to layer on top for the colder days and while close to water. I like packable jackets that pack down into a pocket-sized square to save room in my luggage.
Related:
Experience the beauty of Geiranger in this video.
4. Flam
Want to experience the fjords from the water? Head to Flam to take a cruise through the fjord.
Flam is a heavily-visited tourist destination with a port that boasts plenty of food options and gift stores.
Before going on your fjord cruise, try out one of the amazing Norwegian soups or purchase a Norwegian-made hat in a gift shop to remember your travels.
On the cruise, you’ll see sweeping mountain views and several waterfalls.
The outside of the cruise ship can be chilly, but an indoor space with panoramic windows offers an opportunity to keep warm without missing the views.
Know Before You Go
After visiting some more rural destinations in Norway, the volume of people in Flam may come as a shock. However, many tourist destinations are popular for a reason. In the case of Flam, it offers a majestic fjord cruise that you don’t want to miss.
Related:
Want to see more of Flam? Take a look at this video.
5. Oslo
The capital of Norway offers a wonderful variety of things to see and do. Here are two of my favorite options:
The Viking Ship Museum
Although I’d
Oslo’s Viking Ship Museum has three Viking ships that were once seafaring vessels before they were used in burial rituals.
It’s fascinating to think of an era when these ships roamed the world. And surreal to witness a relic from a thousand years ago in our modern world.
The museum also features some of the artifacts buried with the ships.
This is a must-see stop in Oslo.
The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History / Folk Museum
If you want to get an overview of life in different parts of Norway throughout the centuries, head over to the Norweign Museum of Culture History.
The Norwegian Musem of Cultural History, or Folk Museum, features homes, churches, barns, schools, and other structures from historical times in different regions of Norway.
Some of the structures are re-creations and others are hundreds of years old.
Be sure to stop-by this open air museum when you visit Oslo.
Know Before You Go
Oslo’s public transportation system is fairly easy to navigate. While in Oslo, we took ferries and buses without any issues.
Before going to Oslo, map out your transportation plan so that you can buy tickets in advance and have a good idea of the transportation schedules.
Related:
Check out some of the sights to see in Oslo in this video.
In My Suitcase
To help you prepare for your trip to Norway, here are some items I recommend you bring along for your trip:
- A light rain jacket to use as a base layer. It rains quite a bit in Norway, so you’ll want a rain jacket to keep you comfortable.
- An umbrella for protection from the rain.
- A thicker, packable jacket for added warmth when on the water and in higher altitudes.
- Sturdy shoes that are waterproof. You’ll likely be spending a lot of time walking in Norway and you want shoes that are sturdy, comfortable, and waterproof.
- A GoPro to capture Norway’s incredible views. Sometimes a video is necessary to capture the full majesty of the country. You can check out my GoPro videos of Norway here.
I hope these tips help you to plan your own amazing trip to Norway. Happy travels!
Comments or Questions?
Have a comment or a question? I’d love to hear from you! Visit me on Instagram @eastbymidwest and leave a comment or DM, or send me an email at pam@eastbymidwest.com.
