Norway is attracting an increasing proportion of millennial travelers, born between the 1980s and 2000. Are you one of the new ‘adventurers’ looking for an authentic traveling experience? Did you know you can enjoy activities such as a visit to the Opera House in Oslo, a sunset dinner in Bergen along with snowboarding at Stryn Summer Ski Centre and hiking in the north? With even more direct flights available to Norway with Norwegian, here's more on why you should visit Norway, the perfect travel destination.
Norway is more than stunning fjords and mountains
Norway is renowned for its beautiful fjords, mountainous terrain, and northern lights, which yearly attract millions of international travelers. However, many may be surprised that cities and towns are within easy reach of the natural wonders, providing excellent opportunities to combine nature with urban atmospheres consistent with Michelin-starred restaurants, concerts, and art galleries.
To the tunes of Kygo
Follow five friends (video below) on their adventures in Norway including kayaking in Trondheim; to hiking along the Helgeland coast in the north.
The video was filmed across all of Norway, including Oslo, Bergen, Balestrand, Nordfjord, Ålesund, Trollstigen / Troll’s Path, Åndalsnes, Trondheim, and Helgeland coast. Produced by the Norwegian award-winning agency Bleed
While traveling through Norway you might like to tune into lively tunes by top DJ Kygo. The Norwegian artist and DJ have topped lists across the world over the past couple of years.
Getting to Norway
Norwegian the best low-cost airline in Europe for the last consecutive four years and the world’s best low-cost long-haul airline for two consecutive years is currently expanding to even more destinations. Did you know that there is a direct service available from Edinburgh to Oslo-Gardermoen then a further 12 transit destinations within Norway and most flights within Europe offer free in-flight WiFi?
Traveling Within Norway
As mentioned there are several transit destinations available with Norwegian but did you know that Hurtigruten offers a sailing service to 34 ports from Bergen all the way up the coast to Kirkenes, located just outside the Russian border? Each port offers something different from places of interest to delicious and fresh produce. Currently, Hurtigruten is building the latest hybrid explorer ships, the first of its kind. Designed by Rolls-Royce, in collaboration with the recognized Norwegian yacht designer Espen Øino, and are due to be delivered in 2018 and 2019. Already named, after “Roald Amundsen” and “Fridtjof Nansen” the two most influential Norwegian polar pioneers.
“It is exactly 105 years since Roald Amundsen became the first person in the world to plant his flag on the South Pole; 128 years since Fridtjof Nansen skied across Greenland; and 120 years since Richard With, Hurtigruten’s founder, first started exploration tourism in the Arctic. What could be more natural and appropriate than to name our new ships after these inspiring trailblazers,” said Hurtigruten CEO Daniel Skjeldam.
The ships are not only going to be more modern, and comfortable as well as consist of environmentally friendly technology but will have a number of outside decks to admire the serene vistas and nature as you cruise along by.
Accommodation
There are lots of accommodation options available in Norway. To help you decide check out the Tripadvisor Travellers Choice Awards 2017 - Top 25 Hotels In Norway.
New Attraction - The Loen Skylift
On May 20th Loen Skylift will be officially opened by Her Majesty Queen Sonja, thereafter ready to welcome guests from all over the world. It is the quickest and easiest way to explore the Norwegian mountains. Transporting visitors on the world's steepest aerial ropeway, over 1,000 metres above the Nordfjord, and providing breathtaking panoramic views over the fjord landscape. At its fastest, the journey takes only five minutes, and the goal is that at least 40,000 visitors will take the journey up and down this year. Loen Skylift will be available to the public all year round. Some believe it may be the number one tourist attraction in Fjord Norway in the coming years.
Local food and mountain adventures
From Mount Hoven, you have access to several kilometres of built and signposted hiking trails, and in winter you can go snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and ski touring. The popular climbing route Via Ferrata Loen, with Gjølmunnebrua suspension bridge (the longest Via Ferrata Bridge in Europe), is ending up at Mount Hoven. Once you have arrived at the top, you can enjoy fine dining with local ingredients at the mountain restaurant, at the edge of the cliff, before you take the Cable Car back to Loen.
Skrei
While visiting Norway don't miss the delicious food! Including the seasonal Skrei, only available in UK shops/restaurants from February till April.
Caught straight from the cold, clear waters of Northern Norway, the delicacy lands on top restaurant menus, fishmongers, and fish counters across Whole Foods Market, Booths, Harrods, and Selfridges.
Skrei (pronounced Skray) is a migratory cod from Norway, caught in its prime and in perfect condition after an arduous 1,000km swim from the Barents Sea to Northern Norway, and it is only available between January-April every year.
Skrei fishing in Norway has an extraordinary history with at least 1,000 years of recorded seafaring and fishing heritage dating all the way back to the age of the Vikings, which has helped shape Norway into the country it is today. Today this annual phenomenon is met with great celebration each year, as hundreds of millions of Norwegian cod migrate back to their spawning grounds yet only a small percentage of all landed cod will be branded with the prized dorsal finSkrei branding, which acts as quality assurance.
Thanks to its rather epic migration, Skrei is lean and rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals. It also enjoys a firm flesh with obvious fat lines and chunky pearly white flakes that melt away effortlessly during cooking. The fish can be prepared in a variety of ways* and can be enjoyed both raw and cooked. Since its introduction to the UK in 2012, Skrei has been swept up by our finest chefs, including Ambassador Michel Roux Jr, Simon Hulstone, and Daniel Galmiche who have all served Skrei in season at their Michelin-star restaurants.
Michelin-star chef Michel Roux Jr comments:
”As a chef, I am always looking for exceptional ingredients, Skrei cod is one of those that never lets me down. The texture, taste, and assured quality are what makes Skrei one of the finest products to cook with.”
If you are not visiting Norway during this time but will be in London don't miss the opportunity to Join Michel Roux Jr at the Supper Club in London, where he will be cooking up a storm with the finest Skrei.
©Norwegian Seafood Council
I hope you have enjoyed reading and are inspired to visit the beautiful country of Norway. Don't forget to share! Happy Travels:) x