Visiting Norway for the first time this August.

We arrive in OSL from CPH on 8/15[+/-] and will have four or five days.

Current ITN plans have us spending a day and a half to two days in OSL then taking the NIANT tour from OSL to BGN and spending about 1-1/2 days in and around BGN.

There are several additional things that I would really like to do/see but I am not sure if time will permit based on travel times and distances.

First, I would really like to see Trondheim. From the photos I have seen it looks like an absolutely beautiful city [as does Bergen].

I would also like to see three specific pieces of contemporary Norwegian architecture; [1] the Archbishopric Museum in Hamar, [2] the Glacier Museum in Fjaerland, and [3] the Aukrust Museum in Alvdal. On the map this route looks like neat little triangle from Oslo to Bergen to Trondheim to Hamar and back to Oslo.

Is all of this possible in the time allotted or is it simply too much/too far? I also really wanted to visit Tromso and do the whole – 'North of the Arctic Circle' thing and see the city where Insomnia was filmed but this part had to be axed because of time constraints.

I am more than willing to pay for a rental car if it will make the trip easier. I considered flying from Bergen to Trondheim buy then I thought that it would be better to drive to Trondheim so as to see the museums listed above along the way.

I know that I won't be able to do everything I want in such a short time and I certainly don't want to be too rushed but any help or suggestions would be appreciated.

I'd advise you to reconsider flying. Distances on the map may not look that large, but because the roads usually follow the coastline of the fjords they've very long and windy and it takes ages to get anywhere.

For what it's worth, I don't like either of Oslo or Bergen, and there isn't much in Trondheim aside from the Nidaros Cathedral. Norway's gems are its coastal scenery and the smaller towns: Flam, Geiranger, Alesund, Andalsnes...

What jpatokal said.

FWIW, if you stick with the NIANST you can break it up (it's a very long day if you do it all at once) and stay in Flam or Gudvangen, for instance, and then pick the tour back up. You do need to plan this in advance though as there's not a lot of lodging either place.

What jpatokal said.

You too would avoid Bergen and Trondheim?

That runs counter to what I have heard from many, many non-FT people.

I do already have the nutshell tour planned, mostly [with a stopover].

There must not be much love for Norway on these boards [save the fjords] because I have here either been told or have read that I should [1] spend no more than a day in the nation’s capitol [Oslo] as it is pretty boring and then to [2] avoid its three next largest cities; Trondheim, Bergen, and Tromso.

Weird…

You too would avoid Bergen and Trondheim?

I wouldn't necessarily avoid them, it's just that the larger cities are not where Norway's treasures are. Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim are stops on the way rather than destinations.

Alesund is easy to get to from Bergen and offers far more than Trondheim. That might be something to consider instead.

Yes, Oslo is one of the more architecturally uninteresting cities you'll ever visit, but Vigeland Sculpture Park is fun and the Viking Ship Museum is worth seeing.

Thinking about this more, I don't see how you're going to do all of this in 4-5 days - the 1.5 to 2 days in each Oslo and Bergen, a night somewhere along the NIANST and then stops in Hamar, Alvdal and Fjaerland. If you're staying in Flam, you could get to Fjaerland easily enough from there and possibly save some time. If you fly to Trondheim, Alvdal is a few-hour drive or train ride from there and then you could take the train to Oslo via Hamar. If the architectural sites are most important to you, I'd probably skip Oslo and head out right away.

One more thing ... Wideroe has some limited service between Oslo and Roros that might help. Roros would put you closer to Alvdal than would Trondheim.

I wouldn't necessarily avoid them, it's just that the larger cities are not where Norway's treasures are. Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim are stops on the way rather than destinations.

Alesund is easy to get to from Bergen and offers far more than Trondheim. That might be something to consider instead.

Yes, Oslo is one of the more architecturally uninteresting cities you'll ever visit, but Vigeland Sculpture Park is fun and the Viking Ship Museum is worth seeing.

Thinking about this more, I don't see how you're going to do all of this in 4-5 days - the 1.5 to 2 days in each Oslo and Bergen, a night somewhere along the NIANST and then stops in Hamar, Alvdal and Fjaerland. If you're staying in Flam, you could get to Fjaerland easily enough from there and possibly save some time. If you fly to Trondheim, Alvdal is a few-hour drive or train ride from there and then you could take the train to Oslo via Hamar. If the architectural sites are most important to you, I'd probably skip Oslo and head out right away.

One more thing ... Wideroe has some limited service between Oslo and Roros that might help. Roros would put you closer to Alvdal than would Trondheim.

Thanks for the hints.

Maybe I should shorten my Oslo stay to just one day.

I really am not trying to be argumentative and perhaps you could spread some more light on the situation for me but while I have seen photos of Alesund and it does look quite interesting [Victorian architecture, burned and restored if memory serves] I have also seen these photos: *Photo 1 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/adlibera/trondheim1.jpg), *Photo 2 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/adlibera/trondheim2.jpg), *Photo 3 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/adlibera/bergen1.jpg), *Photo 4 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v176/adlibera/Bergen2.jpg)

That first one of Trondheim in particular looks positively seductive.

I do sincerely take your point about time. As stated above, would taking a day from Oslo make my original plan more doable or do I still need to edit somewhere?

Thanks again.

Thanks for the hints.

Maybe I should shorten my Oslo stay to just one day.

I keep thinking about the most efficient way of doing this ... maybe someone else will have suggestions, too, or can critique my thoughts, but if you don't already have plans set, I'm thinking you should fly into Bergen and start there. If you want the Norway in a Nutshell highlights, you can take a train from Bergen to Myrdal and pick it up there. The Oslo-Myrdal train ride is five hours and not very scenic, whereas it would be two hours from Bergen to Myrdal.

When you get to Flam from Myrdal, take the express boat to Balestrand (another option would be taking a boat straight from Bergen to Balestrand) and a boat/bus to Fjaerland. Spend a night in Balestrand and go back to Bergen.

Fly from Bergen to Trondheim and take the train from there to Oslo via Alvdal and Hamar.

You could figure out where you wanted to spend your nights, but depending on flight times I think you could do this in five days, and you go to Trondheim. :)

I'm sure you know Bergen has Grieg's summer house Troldhaugen and Ole Bull's house on Lysoen is not far away (kind of over the top, but it's a nice island to walk around, picnic and swim off of).
http://delius.the-mill.co.uk/pics/pictures/4.jpg

Have you seen pictures of the Tronsberg Library? Not that you have room for more, but I thought that might interest you since it's contemporary and your interests don't seem to be running toward stave churches. :)

BTW... I hope you'll do a trip report on this. I haven't been to the Glacier Museum or some of the stops on the rail line from Trondheim-Oslo you're goint to hit.

I keep thinking about the most efficient way of doing this ... maybe someone else will have suggestions, too, or can critique my thoughts, but if you don't already have plans set, I'm thinking you should fly into Bergen and start there. If you want the Norway in a Nutshell highlights, you can take a train from Bergen to Myrdal and pick it up there. The Oslo-Myrdal train ride is five hours and not very scenic, whereas it would be two hours from Bergen to Myrdal.

When you get to Flam from Myrdal, take the express boat to Balestrand (another option would be taking a boat straight from Bergen to Balestrand) and a boat/bus to Fjaerland. Spend a night in Balestrand and go back to Bergen.

Fly from Bergen to Trondheim and take the train from there to Oslo via Alvdal and Hamar.

You could figure out where you wanted to spend your nights, but depending on flight times I think you could do this in five days, and you go to Trondheim. :)

I'm sure you know Bergen has Grieg's summer house Troldhaugen and Ole Bull's house on Lysoen is not far away (kind of over the top, but it's a nice island to walk around, picnic and swim off of).
http://delius.the-mill.co.uk/pics/pictures/4.jpg

Have you seen pictures of the Tronsberg Library? Not that you have room for more, but I thought that might interest you since it's contemporary and your interests don't seem to be running toward stave churches. :)

BTW... I hope you'll do a trip report on this. I haven't been to the Glacier Museum or some of the stops on the rail line from Trondheim-Oslo you're goint to hit.

Thanks again.

I will endeavor to post a trip report; photos and all.

The planning for this trip is beginning to get positively Baroque. As it is, one of my oldest friends will be joining me. His wife will be visiting her apparel company's manufacturing facilities in Asia during the month of August so she gave him permission to go on a trip as well.

As I am currently between girlfriends it seemed like a unique opportunity to see some places neither of us had been to before, plus the idea of traveling with a good friend as opposed to a girlfriend who will guilt me constantly for not having precise plans for every single minute makes the prospect even more inviting - "what do you want to do? I don't know, what do you want to do? Make a decision. I am cool; I am willing to do whatever you want to do. Will you just take charge and make a decision..." oy!

The ITN originally included CDG - CPH - OSL - BGN -ARN - HEL - LED in 26 days. Luckily his wife reined my friend in to just 19 days so I was able to create a much more realistic and relaxing ITN.

So, it looks like I will take one day from OSL and one day from BGN in order to accommodate Hamar, Fjaerland, Avdal, and maybe even Trondheim.

Thanks again and keep it comming... :cool: ^

Arn,
I will be in Oslo the same week. We plan on taking a ferry from Copenhagen and spending a 1 1/2 in Oslo before taking the ferry back to Northern Jutland in Denmark.

You too would avoid Bergen and Trondheim?

That runs counter to what I have heard from many, many non-FT people.

I do already have the nutshell tour planned, mostly [with a stopover].

There must not be much love for Norway on these boards [save the fjords] because I have here either been told or have read that I should [1] spend no more than a day in the nation’s capitol [Oslo] as it is pretty boring and then to [2] avoid its three next largest cities; Trondheim, Bergen, and Tromso.

Weird…

I think it depends on what your travel goals are. If it's to see spectacular stuff - well then you're talking fjords - not cities. But there are some noteworthy things to see in both cities - like the Resistance Museum in Oslo (a must see in my opinion if you want to understand some of the recent history of of the country). And we really liked just hanging around Oslo and Bergen for a few days. Meeting and talking with people. Whether it was at "happy hour" at a local bar in Oslo - or taking the Sunday hike "to the hills" that everyone in Bergen who's alive seems to take. Nice thing about Norway is that just about everyone who isn't ancient speaks English. So it is very easy to talk with people - and learn things.

Note that we spent almost 2 weeks in Norway - so we saw the fjords too. And some tundra. And some cities in the "mid-north" (not noteworthy in their own right - but again - we met everyone from local mothers having lunch at cafes to German businessmen who prefered sausages to 12 kinds of salmon at the dinner buffet at the hotel).

We took the train from Oslo to Bergen (beautiful trip). Then we did the rest of the trip in a rental car. I thought my husband was going to die driving those roads (we live in the "flatlands" and aren't used to driving in places like that - makes you understand the "no-tolerance" DUI laws ;) ).

I think with 4-5 days - you will just have to decide what you'd most like to see/do - because I don't think you can do justice to everything the country has to offer in such a short period of time. Also note that I liked the country a whole lot. I guess if you were just trying to do the one thing that is "most Norwegian" in terms of tourism - the most beautiful thing - that would have to be the fjords. But then you would be missing so much in terms of "what makes the country tick". Do I hear 10 days :) ? Robyn

Took the train from Stockholm to Oslo last year.
Nice journey on one of SJ's enhanced X2000 trains.

In any event, Oslo is a big city with small town feel. Pedestrian zone from
the station to the royal palace is decent (heck, we even saw the king and queen speed away!)
Waterfront is spendid scandinavian, castle is a vigorous climb but
worth it.

Norway's gems are its coastal scenery and the smaller towns: Flam, Geiranger, Alesund, Andalsnes...

Agree. And I'd add Molde to this list.

Lillestrøm is a nice little Industrial saw-mill city now with lots of economic activity as it is right in the middle of the railway between Oslo and OSL airport and in nearby Fetsund you can walk on the water (try google "fetsund lenser" and try images).
City has transformed from old thru construction site to being a culturally preserved city with modern cafes and architecture.
City festival around 4th of June if you want to see many local and Norwegian artists.

I just made some award travel plans into Oslo this summer, and will be there for two weeks. While I am planning on spending a couple of days in Oslo and Bergen I was planning on heading north to see the coast line and scenery. Any other ideas?

The OP has received many good tips already, so I'll try not to repeat everything. First a tiny detail: Bergen is BGO, not BGN (strangely enough, as that airport code appears to be unassigned).

Just to give my geographical credentials: I was born and bred in Kristiansund N (KSU); not to be confused with Kristiansand S (KRS), and I now live in KSU again; a port on the western coast, between Ålesund (AES) and Trondheim (TRD). I have lived three years in BGO and twelve in TRD, as well as between six months and a year respectively in BDU (Bardufoss, a garrison 100 miles south of Tromsø (TOS)), BVG (Berlevåg, a small village in the far north) and Odda (an airportless small foundry town at the end of the Hardanger fjord, to the south-east of BGO). I have never lived in Oslo (OSL), but know the city well.

The originally planned route is clearly impossible: there is no way to go BGO-Fjærland-TRD-Alvdal-Hamar-OSL in one or two days and still have any hope of seeing anything worthwhile on the road. Just to give you an idea of timings: my fastest non-stop trip by car OSL-TRD was 5,5 hours; on average driving 5-10 mph above the speed limit. Any faster would jeopardize your driving career in this country for several months. As it happens, the fastest routing OSL-TRD is by way of Hamar and Alvdal, so you could see both in a day. It is doable by train as well, but the trains on the Røros line are slow and offers few daily trains. TRD-BGO could be done in a day by car with a stopover in Fjærland I guess, but it would be a LONG day of driving, and difficult to do by public transport.

As for the choices of places to visit, I'm somewhat surprised to see the recommendations. Many of the places mentioned (Åndalsnes especially) are totally uninteresting in themselves, but are probably mentioned because they are easily accessible and have beautiful scenery in the vicinity. Åndalsnes is a railhead, and thus is heavily visited, but there are no sights except for the magnificent scenery: as the village was devastated in 1940 it has excactly the same architecture as Bodø (BOO), Kristiansund, Steinkjer, Namsos, Voss and Molde (MOL). Molde has a nice new hotel (Rica Seilet; www.rica.no), a beautiful view across the fjord to the mountains on the other side. Ålesund was destroyed in a fire in 1904, and was rebuilt in Jugendstil (Art Noveau), and is well worth a visit for the architecture. KSU is beautifully located on three islands on the coast, with the best port on the coast even as the islands themselves are totally unprotected against the Atlantic. www.kristiansund-kommune.no has some photos. The sixties church is a landmark.

Oslo is good for museums and art (Munch and Vigeland) and for the vicinity of the city to the woods surrounding it. There is no problem spending several days in Oslo and finding it interesting and fulfilling. As for Bergen and Trondheim, they are more interesting. Bergen is beautifully situated, interesting architecture and fascinating locals. In some ways rather it is Germanic, and the city is still marked by the fact that until 1909, London was closer in travel time than Kristiania (as Oslo was then named). I would never recommend skipping Bergen as a firsttimer to Norway! Trondheim is more subdued. The photo mentioned above is representative enough; the cathedral and the older parts of the city, with lovely old wooden houses, are worth at least one or two days. Both Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Kristiansund offer decent possibilities for very reasonable boat excursions in the vicinity.

As for routing: the NIAN could very well be done from Bergen; you get to see the best parts, even when missing out on the highest part of the mountain crossing. But if not flying AF/KL (DL/NW) or SK (LH/UA) into Europe, you would still have to connect to a domestic flight at OSL. If you rent a car at BGO, I probably would do something like: Day 1: arrive BGO or OSL; day 2: NIAN; day 3: rental car BGO-Fjærland-AES; day 4:AES-MOL-KSU (by Atlanterhavsveien) - TRD; day 5: TRD; day 6 TRD-Alvdal-Hamar-OSL. If arriving at OSL I would have a day's break at BGO before driving northwards. If you want to drop a day, drop the NIAN. If you are driving BGO-TRD through the fjord counties, you will in any case get more Norway than just a nutshell!

Between Fjærland and TRD the drive by way of Geiranger and Åndalsnes (The Golden Route) is magnificent, but time consuming. I probably would drop AES in that case (a detour), and stay overnight in MOL.

If you do not want to rent a car, I would take the costal steamer BGO-TRD. In summer it makes a detour to Geiranger, not giving much time to see the in-between ports, but a nice journey. It takes two nights and a day BGO-TRD and is pricey (www.hurtigruten.com). In that case I would do OSL-Flåm-Fjærland-Balestrand as mentioned above on day one, then on the next day go by local catamaran to BGO. On day 3-5 ship BGO-TRD; day 6 train TRD-Alvdal-Hamar-OSL.

Save Northern Norway for the next trip!

Lillestrøm is a nice little Industrial saw-mill city now with lots of economic activity as it is right in the middle of the railway between Oslo and OSL airport and in nearby Fetsund you can walk on the water (try google "fetsund lenser" and try images).
City has transformed from old thru construction site to being a culturally preserved city with modern cafes and architecture.
City festival around 4th of June if you want to see many local and Norwegian artists.
You must be joking! Or an ardent local patriot!

I'd advise you to reconsider flying. Distances on the map may not look that large, but because the roads usually follow the coastline of the fjords they've very long and windy and it takes ages to get anywhere.

For what it's worth, I don't like either of Oslo or Bergen, and there isn't much in Trondheim aside from the Nidaros Cathedral. Norway's gems are its coastal scenery and the smaller towns: Flam, Geiranger, Alesund, Andalsnes...

I second the comments about the driving times and the major cities. Geirangerfjord and Lysafjord are my two favorites among an incredible list of beautiful natural scenery. We have been spending our vacation nearly every year for over 15 years and in Norway and never tire of the scenery, despite $3 a beer in stores ($10 in bars) and $5 to $6 a gallon gasoline (which will probably be $7 this year).

You must be joking! Or an ardent local patriot!

:D ROTFLOL :D ^^ I haven't laughed so hard all day and may have to borrow that line in the future. (Not to say Lillestrom isn't worth a passing visit. :) )

:D ROTFLOL :D ^^ I haven't laughed so hard all day and may have to borrow that line in the future. (Not to say Lillestrom isn't worth a passing visit. :) )
Whatever is worth seeing in Lillestrøm when it comes to modern architecture can be seen from the Airport Express Train passing through the station. Even on the service that doesn't stop there. Daytime services recommended.

Suggesting to the OP as a first time visitor to Norway having less than a week to his disposal that he should spend any time at all in Lillestrøm is akin to suggesting a first time visitor to the US that he should spend his time in Skokie, IL or Parsippany, NJ! Or suggesting to a first time visitor to Italy that Mestre is the part of Venice worth seeing!

:D I am a local patriot.
However, if you are visiting Norway as a private person someone in the vicinity it may be worth it.
I suppose you can see that architecture from the Airport Express Train yes...
I would also say that 4th of July (yes the US independence day) there is a HUGE gathering of all sorts of classic beautifully restored American card from all over the country to drive around and show off if you care for that sort of stuff. Last year we had ~50 hot rod fans bringing their cars from Australia I think.
~1500 American cars last year.

ITN has been finalized.

Arrive Oslo in the AM, a day of sightseeing then up early to catch the NIAN tour; an all-day tour arriving in Bergen that evening. The next day is a full day of sightseeing in Bergen then up early the next morning for an all-day tour of the Hardanger fjord and areas south of Bergen and some more evening sightseeing in Bergen.

Up early again to pick up rental car [confirmed Audi A6 estate for a whopping $1050 all-in for three days!!! – Why are rental cars so expensive in Norway?] and spend the day driving to Fjaerland, stopping for scenery along the way.

Check into the Hotel Mundal and tour the glacier museum and see the Jodenstall [sp?] glacier.

Up early the next morning to drive to Alesund. Two full days in and around Alesund then drop off the rental car and fly from Alesund to Oslo/Gardermoen where we catch a train to Hamar to see the village and museum.

Train back to Oslo for an afternoon of sightseeing and then up early the next morning to catch a flight to Stockholm.

By the way, I don't suppose anyone here knows Sverre Fehn personally [and could facilitate a meeting]? Anyone - anyone? Does anyone here know who Sverre Fehn is? :confused:

Oh well... :D

Sorry, I don't know Sverre Fehn personally, so can't help you with an introduction. He IS quite well-known in Norway actually... :D (But I must confess that I didn't know that he designed the cinema Colosseum in Oslo. You should go to see a movie there; it's at Majorstuen: about two miles from downtown, next to a major metro stop. It's where they screen the big blockbusters. As movies are subtitled, never dubbed, your experience should be undimmed)

But driving from Fjærland to Ålesund you certainly should drive through Ørsta where his latest work is: Aasentunet (http://www.aasentunet.no/default.asp?menu=94) . This is a museum/cultural centre dedicated to the linguist Ivar Aasen. It is not a detour when driving Fjærland - Ålesund. Beware that it closes at 4PM Mo-Fr, and at 5PM on Sundays, and appears to be closed on Saturdays after August 14. It should compensate somewhat for having to miss out on Alvdal.

If you prefer to drive a different route Fjærland -Ålesund, Ørsta is an easy daytrip by car from Ålesund, and there are scheduled, comfortable buses (http://www.timekspressen.no) every hour. The same bus runs in the opposite direction to Molde and Kristiansund BTW.

The glacier is called Jostedalsbreen BTW.

Sorry, I don't know Sverre Fehn personally, so can't help you with an introduction. He IS quite well-known in Norway actually... :D (But I must confess that I didn't know that he designed the cinema Colosseum in Oslo. You should go to see a movie there; it's at Majorstuen: about two miles from downtown, next to a major metro stop. It's where they screen the big blockbusters. As movies are subtitled, never dubbed, your experience should be undimmed)

But driving from Fjærland to Ålesund you certainly should drive through Ørsta where his latest work is: Aasentunet (http://www.aasentunet.no/default.asp?menu=94) . This is a museum/cultural centre dedicated to the linguist Ivar Aasen. It is not a detour when driving Fjærland - Ålesund. Beware that it closes at 4PM Mo-Fr, and at 5PM on Sundays, and appears to be closed on Saturdays after August 14. It should compensate somewhat for having to miss out on Alvdal.

If you prefer to drive a different route Fjærland -Ålesund, Ørsta is an easy daytrip by car from Ålesund, and there are scheduled, comfortable buses (http://www.timekspressen.no) every hour. The same bus runs in the opposite direction to Molde and Kristiansund BTW.

The glacier is called Jostedalsbreen BTW.

Thanks for the info.

Orsta is now definitely on the ITN. Will check out the Oslo Colosseum as well.

I absolutely loved Bergen. Was there two years ago, and going again in 3 weeks.

The pedestrian town square has interesting street performers all the time. The fish market, waterfront area is not big, but it bustles with activity.

As for Oslo, we enjoyed outdoor dining on the waterfront and took an excellent city tour that included the viking museum and the ski jump.

I must say that, other than the prices, Norway has been one of my most favorite places to visit.

I want to check out the Northern Lights up by around Tromso in Norway. Any experiences here with doing that?

I would try to make the Oslo-Bergen railway trip a priority. I am surprised it hasn't been highlighted elsewhere. When built, it was quite an engineering marvel and the sights are beautiful. From Brgen, I would take the "Hurtigruten"
to see some of the coastal areas. http://www.hurtigruten.no/no/default.aspx
I went all the way to NordKapp, but you won't have enough time. Enjoy! I loved it north of the Arctic Circle in July.

fduvall

Thanks for the info.

Orsta is now definitely on the ITN. Will check out the Oslo Colosseum as well.

I would try to make the Oslo-Bergen railway trip a priority. I am surprised it hasn't been highlighted elsewhere. When built, it was quite an engineering marvel and the sights are beautiful.
Actually the OSL-BGO railway ("Bergensbanen") has been mentioned by many posters. When travelling from OSL the NIAN (Norway In A Nutshell) includes travelling on Bergensbanen as far as Myrdal, the junction for the Flåm-branch. Even though missing BGO-Voss-Myrdal (which obviously is part of the NIAN when starting in BGO) which is a nice journey in itself, I would argue that the REAL fascination of Bergensbanen is the mountain part: Ål-Haugastøl-Finse-Myrdal. Unfortunately for the summer sightseers, but luckily for the winter travellers, the line was realigned around ten years ago to increase reliability in winter. A number of tunnels and snowshelters are necessary protect the line: remember with the height of the line (around 1200 metres) the climate is Arctic/Alpine. But rest assured: there still is a lot to see.

I want to check out the Northern Lights up by around Tromso in Norway. Any experiences here with doing that?
Don't go in summer, because you'll get Midnight Sun instead. :cool:

Nonsense aside you might want to time your visit with a solar maximum (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/10mar_stormwarning.htm?list862664). Also try to avoid the long periods of overcast weather that can occur on the North Atlantic seaboard.

Jerene
(DEEPLY offended that TRD was left out of the itinerary ;))

I second the comments about the driving times and the major cities. Geirangerfjord and Lysafjord are my two favorites among an incredible list of beautiful natural scenery. We have been spending our vacation nearly every year for over 15 years and in Norway and never tire of the scenery, despite $3 a beer in stores ($10 in bars) and $5 to $6 a gallon gasoline (which will probably be $7 this year).
American travellers on a budget might be interested to know that you can now buy taxfree on arrival in major Norwegian airports. On international flights, that is.

Jerene
(whose usual load out of AMS has lightened)

Two full days in and around Alesund then drop off the rental car and fly from Alesund to Oslo/Gardermoen... IMHO I wouldn't spend that much time in Alesund but rather spend more of your time on your way there.

Me and my finacee (at the time) did a very similar trip to what you describe and found that Alesund was not the most exiting after-hours place, pretty dead... Maybe we didn't know where to go or that there were other circumstances, but those are my 2 cents.

You will be travelling through some very nice places and breathtaking scenery on your way to Alesund, so I would recommend you stop and take your time getting there and then spend 1 night there before heading back to OSL.

For a town its size (pop ~40.000), Ålesund has a lively nightlife: Sunnmøringer (people from the "fogderi" of Sunnmøre) know how to party! But it might be slightly dead in the week. But the architecture is marvellous, and it's a good base for excursions to some of the greatest scenery in all of Norway. Depending on which way the OP chooses to drive from Fjærland, both Geiranger and Ørsta are good destinations (to or from Ørsta go one way by way of Norangsdalen!), Runde and Molde are also weel worth the trip!

Depending on which way the OP chooses to drive from Fjærland...

How about: Boyum [Fjaerland] – to – Skei Jolster – to – Byrkjelo – to – Nordfjordied – to – Vold – to – Orsta – to - Alesund?

That's the main road, and it's a fine drive! Another alternative would be to go Stryn - Geiranger -Hellesylt (ferry) - Ålesund (check ferry times before setting out). Geiranger is probably the most famous of all the fjords. And the sailing on the frerry is a bargain. Then Ørsta is possible to do as a day trip from AES. (If driving via Ørsta, the coastal steamer goes AES-Geiranger-AES in the summer season; it takes day passengers on this cruise, and is also very recommendable as a day trip)

At the very, very beginning stages of planning a trip to Norway (and parts of Sweden and Denmark) for September. While I know most people go in the summer, do the ferry/boats around the fjords start to close down by September? Will things start closing down around Bergen and other surrounding cities? I do not mind the colder temps too much but will mind missing out on the opportunity to see the sights I am "supposed" to see. Could probably push this off to next summer if need be and go somewhere else in September. Thanks!

Well, Norway certainly doesn't close after summer season is finished, after all we are 4,5 million natives sitting here after the tourists have left! :)

I certainly would not deter anobody from coming here after tourist season has finished: most of the attractive ferries/trains/ships (including the costal steamer) run their ordinary routes, but schedules are sometimes different. Some roads are only open in summer, and some special ferries/local boats only run in summer, but you certainly can travel on the Flåm railway and take a local ship on the Sognefjorden (the two main components of Norway in a nutshell - NIAN) all year. Some sights/museums might be closed, and some hotels, especially in rural areas, might be closed. But in the cities and towns everything should be open. With some planning you could actually enjoy some of the cultural life (theatre, music, art exhibitions) which should be up and running from early September. The one obstacle is that accomodation, except for the weekends, tends to be more expensive outside of the summer season. Hotels in Norway, at least in the cities, actually exist more for business travellers than for tourists. But some astute planning should help you get around that problem.

Well, Norway certainly doesn't close after summer season is finished, after all we are 4,5 million natives sitting here after the tourists have left! :)

I certainly would not deter anobody from coming here after tourist season has finished: most of the attractive ferries/trains/ships (including the costal steamer) run their ordinary routes, but schedules are sometimes different. Some roads are only open in summer, and some special ferries/local boats only run in summer, but you certainly can travel on the Flåm railway and take a local ship on the Sognefjorden (the two main components of Norway in a nutshell - NIAN) all year. Some sights/museums might be closed, and some hotels, especially in rural areas, might be closed. But in the cities and towns everything should be open with some planning, and coming in autumn you could actually enjoy some of the cultural life (theatre, music, art exhibitions) which should be up and running from early September. The one obstacle is that accomodation, except for the weekends, tends to be more expensive outside of the summer season. Hotels in Norway, at least in the cities, actually exist more for business travellers than for tourists. But some astute planning should help you get around that problem.

Thanks for the quick response! I feel better already. ^

While I know most people go in the summer, do the ferry/boats around the fjords start to close down by September? Will things start closing down around Bergen and other surrounding cities? I do not mind the colder temps too much but will mind missing out on the opportunity to see the sights I am "supposed" to see. Could probably push this off to next summer if need be and go somewhere else in September. Thanks!
NIAN (http://www.norwaynutshell.com/default.asp) can certainly be done all year. Some of the other special tours for tourists for the area around Bergen only run to the end of September, or until September 20. But as I mention above: the services for local use certainly is there. The pure tourist facilities might be closed, including some hotels, but those in small villages serving local business needs are open. It might be better to rent a car than in summer, especially as traffic is lighter. Both Sognefjorden and Hardangerfjorden are nice places to see in September. The one thing that often is closed after Aug 20 is the local tourist information in smaller places!

As for Bergen itself, it's very lively in September. It's a university city, and September is a great time to be there. I'd guess that everything should be open, the Bergen Philharmonic opens its season early in the month, and the weather should still be nice. So September is alright. No reason in my opinion to postpone a trip!

Why is it that in the land of Nokia, 3G, Nortel, etc. [Scandinavia] Internet access is so hard to find and so expensive when it can be found?

As to the person who opined that Norway was, IIRC, “Boreway” I would have to say that I would not let that person watch my dog for the weekend as I could not trust their judgment.

Norway is an amazing place [and I have a lot of travel behind me to compare to] and I find that Oslo is a really wonderful city. Were Oslo not the world’s most expensive city [$10 for 16oz of Aquafina! :o] I would seriously consider buying another vacation flat here.

I do wish that the people would smile a bit more - everyone looks like they are in a constant state of piss-offed-ness.

Glad you enjoyed it here! One of the reasons bottled water is so expensive here, is that we traditionally prefer to drink the water from tap. Unless the plumbing in your hotel/home is very ancient (dare I say British? ;) ), tap water is of high quality and certainly as good-tasting as any bottled version. Bottled water sales has increased enormously here during the last few years, but I don't think I'm alone in buying a "sport bottle" of Imsdal or Olden (the two largest domestic brands) just for the bottle, refilling it from my tap at home when it's empty.

As for internet access, I guess that most people have internet both at home and at work/school, thus internett cafes are mostly used by people on the road. Business travellers who travel a lot domestically use mobile phone internet hook ups. Most upmarket hotels offer WiFi solutions in-room (Radisson SAS for free) counting on the customers using their own laptops. If you don't bring a laptop, you have to resort to expensive and difficult to find public computers.

As for the Aquafina price, I actually was surprised that you managed to find a place selling that brand. I've never seen it here. The only place I would imagine you could find it would be at 7-11. A more common price for domestic bottled water would be around USD 3 for 1,5 litres in a supermarket, or the same price for 0,5 litres at Narvesen or a similar type convenience store.

Glad you enjoyed it here! One of the reasons bottled water is so expensive here, is that we traditionally prefer to drink the water from tap. Unless the plumbing in your hotel/home is very ancient (dare I say British? ;) ), tap water is of high quality and certainly as good-tasting as any bottled version. Bottled water sales has increased enormously here during the last few years, but I don't think I'm alone in buying a "sport bottle" of Imsdal or Olden (the two largest domestic brands) just for the bottle, refilling it from my tap at home when it's empty.

As for internet access, I guess that most people have internet both at home and at work/school, thus internett cafes are mostly used by people on the road. Business travellers who travel a lot domestically use mobile phone internet hook ups. Most upmarket hotels offer WiFi solutions in-room (Radisson SAS for free) counting on the customers using their own laptops. If you don't bring a laptop, you have to resort to expensive and difficult to find public computers.

Still "here"; another 8 days to go.

I guess I should say that I have found access when I searched and my Sony VAIO’s wireless connects easily enough but I do not like the $20/2-hour charges that seem to be standard. Even the Grand Hotel wanted almost $30/day for access.

As for the water I seem to have gravitated towards Imsdal [Rent Norsk Kildevann].

I also found the $150US cab ride from Gardermoen to be, uhh...interesting.

And yes, I do now know about the express train with one stop in Lillestrom for $25 each way.

Just spent the day with friends along [as I was told] Oslo's Rodeo Drive. Very nice, very laid back, nice shops.

Also went to the Coliseum [thanks]. The Viking ship museum was pretty cool as was the Kon-Tiki museum. Still have Munch to do on the return trip.

Flying to Bergen tonight for two days then driving to Fjaerland and then Alesund.

Looking forward to it all.

Cheers.

Glad you enjoyed it here! One of the reasons bottled water is so expensive here, is that we traditionally prefer to drink the water from tap. Unless the plumbing in your hotel/home is very ancient (dare I say British? ;) ), tap water is of high quality and certainly as good-tasting as any bottled version. Bottled water sales has increased enormously here during the last few years, but I don't think I'm alone in buying a "sport bottle" of Imsdal or Olden (the two largest domestic brands) just for the bottle, refilling it from my tap at home when it's empty.

As for internet access, I guess that most people have internet both at home and at work/school, thus internett cafes are mostly used by people on the road. Business travellers who travel a lot domestically use mobile phone internet hook ups. Most upmarket hotels offer WiFi solutions in-room (Radisson SAS for free) counting on the customers using their own laptops. If you don't bring a laptop, you have to resort to expensive and difficult to find public computers.

As per the water bottle thing, seems very common across Scandinavia.

I also found the $150US cab ride from Gardermoen to be, uhh...interesting.

Unfortunately, after liberalization there are a number of taxi companies operating, and they are allowed to set their own price (most have a set charge OSL-downtown). As soon as they've started you're basically captive audience to the taxi you're in. Actually: this is just as much of a problem for Norwegians. We are used to taxis using a meter, and charges being about the same whichever company is used. And there is a tradition of always taking the first cab in the line (the drivers expect you to). So a number of Norwegians also get nasty surprises, and the OSL scams (the same problem at ARN, BTW) are regularly mentioned it the press.

The cheapest taxi fares to OSL can be had by shopping around at the ground transportation desk at arrivals level. If you are at least two, going to a destination away from the Airport Train Stations, or three to any destination, a taxi is usually cheaper if using the right company. The lowest taxi fare during daytime should be around USD 80.

The airport express train usually runs every ten minutes from OSL; half the services directly to Oslo S, the other half stopping at Lillestrøm before Oslo S, and a number of other stations befor terminating at Asker, a western suburb. At weekends and in summer, the direct train doesn't run, leaving three "all-station"-services an hour.

The WiFi charges at Grand is (except for Radisson SAS) fairly typical for what you'll have to expect, I'm afraid)

Why is it that in the land of Nokia, 3G, Nortel, etc. [Scandinavia] Internet access is so hard to find and so expensive when it can be found?

As to the person who opined that Norway was, IIRC, “Boreway” I would have to say that I would not let that person watch my dog for the weekend as I could not trust their judgment.

Norway is an amazing place [and I have a lot of travel behind me to compare to] and I find that Oslo is a really wonderful city. Were Oslo not the world’s most expensive city [$10 for 16oz of Aquafina! :o] I would seriously consider buying another vacation flat here.

I do wish that the people would smile a bit more - everyone looks like they are in a constant state of piss-offed-ness.

If you stay at a Scandic, Internet access is complimentary--at least for Hilton Diamonds.

I have always found Norway to be a boring country. You're dog would be safe in my hands. ;)

Why is it that in the land of Nokia, 3G, Nortel, etc. [Scandinavia] Internet access is so hard to find and so expensive when it can be found?

As to the person who opined that Norway was, IIRC, “Boreway” I would have to say that I would not let that person watch my dog for the weekend as I could not trust their judgment.

Norway is an amazing place [and I have a lot of travel behind me to compare to] and I find that Oslo is a really wonderful city. Were Oslo not the world’s most expensive city [$10 for 16oz of Aquafina! :o] I would seriously consider buying another vacation flat here.

I do wish that the people would smile a bit more - everyone looks like they are in a constant state of piss-offed-ness.

I was in Norway about 15 years ago and didn't have any trouble with internet access. Of course - at the time - I was dealing with dial-up. Only problem was I forget to use the European cord first time I plugged in my laptop (didn't have much experience with those things then) - and almost burnt up my hotel room.

If you just accept the fact that Norway is expensive - very expensive - you'll enjoy it more. And people will smile a lot if you buy them one of those very expensive beers at your hotel bar!

For what it's worth - I thought that the people in Norway were very friendly even without free beers. My husband (who has no sense of direction) used to run a lot. He left our hotel in Oslo one day for a run. Came back about 2 hours later. He got lost (no surprise) and a total stranger walked him back to the hotel - almost a mile! Didn't notice if he was smiling - but my husband and I were. Robyn

If you stay at a Scandic, Internet access is complimentary--at least for Hilton Diamonds.

I have always found Norway to be a boring country. You're dog would be safe in my hands. ;)

Internet access at Scandics is complimentary for all guests (but you need to pick up the login codes from the front desk, which is freely given). And boy do I love that. :)

I see a lot of smiles in Norway. But maybe that's because more than one of the SAS employees at OSL was flirting. :eek: :D

I was prepared for Norway to be very expensive, and frankly money isn't a problem. But, to paraphrase Vincent in Pulp Fiction, "It's the little things..."; $10 bottled water, $30 late night snack at a fast food joint, $150 cab rides.

But these are just value-for-money observations; still loving every minute here.

Maybe its just me but after three flights so far it seems that SAS have a lot of really, umm, "experienced" flight attendants? :D

As for my dog, well, she is pretty self sufficient but I am so burnt-out from L.A. and Paris nightlife that I really appreciated how laid back Norway is.

Internet access at Scandics is complimentary for all guests (but you need to pick up the login codes from the front desk, which is freely given). And boy do I love that. :)

I see a lot of smiles in Norway. But maybe that's because more than one of the SAS employees at OSL was flirting. :eek: :D

Yep, the people are very nice in Norway: very friendly. I also like the fact that in the summer, it's bright well into the night.

I was prepared for Norway to be very expensive, and frankly money isn't a problem. But, to paraphrase Vincent in Pulp Fiction, "It's the little things..."; $10 bottled water, $30 late night snack at a fast food joint, $150 cab rides.

But these are just value-for-money observations; still loving every minute here.

Maybe its just me but after three flights so far it seems that SAS have a lot of really, umm, "experienced" flight attendants? :D

As for my dog, well, she is pretty self sufficient but I am so burnt-out from L.A. and Paris nightlife that I really appreciated how laid back Norway is.
180 NOK (~USD 30) is a very expensive snack, even for a late night in central Oslo (seen from my point of view, being paid in NOK)! Especially as fast food joints operating at that time aren't necessarily known for their quality, healthiness nor tastiness...

Your observation about SK flight attendants is correct. Personally I don't really mind, as the "motherlyness" and professionality embodied by the career flight attendants is more important for me than the "eye candy"-factor. F/As tend to stay in their job for their entire career, rather like on some US carriers (my experiences on UA spring to mind). But some customers complain. There was a lot of fuss in the press a couple of years ago when the octogenarian shipowner and general tycoon Fred Olsen complained about the age of SK flight attendants, and compared infavourably with the "Singapore girls" of SQ.

I think that the observation that Norwegians are less obviously smiling to strangers in the street is correct: it's rather like the British: minding our own business. Strangers in the street are strangers, until you have to deal with them; then the typical Norwegian will be friendly and smiling.

180 NOK (~USD 30) is a very expensive snack, even for a late night in central Oslo (seen from my point of view, being paid in NOK)! Especially as fast food joints operating at that time aren't necessarily known for their quality, healthiness nor tastiness...

Your observation about SK flight attendants is correct. Personally I don't really mind, as the "motherlyness" and professionality embodied by the career flight attendants is more important for me than the "eye candy"-factor. F/As tend to stay in their job for their entire career, rather like on some US carriers (my experiences on UA spring to mind). But some customers complain. There was a lot of fuss in the press a couple of years ago when the octogenarian shipowner and general tycoon Fred Olsen complained about the age of SK flight attendants, and compared infavourably with the "Singapore girls" of SQ.

I think that the observation that Norwegians are less obviously smiling to strangers in the street is correct: it's rather like the British: minding our own business. Strangers in the street are strangers, until you have to deal with them; then the typical Norwegian will be friendly and smiling.

The 180K was for Burger King here in Bergen last night. I was a bit embarrassed to be an American in Norway [or anywhere outside of the U.S.] eating at an American fast food joint. As you say it was complete crap in every sense.

It was [literally?] the only thing open near the hotel when I got in from Flesland last night.

As for the SK FA's I would say they have all been very professional and I had a great chat with the one sitting in the jump seat next to me on the 30 minute flight from OSL to BGO. I just happened to notice that on my three SK flights so far there hasn't been an FA under 45 or so; not a bad thing, just an observation.

Who would have thought however that you could actually fit 183 seats on a 737-800; but that is another matter. :o

My comment about smiling was just a cultural observation; I never meant to suggest any type of unfriendliness. In fact the waitress at lunch today sat down with us and chatted for quite a bit and answered quite a few questions as well.

I am sure it helped that we share similar political views both generally and in a broader sense. She said she was glad to meet an American who was not from Texas and did not spontaneously offer to tell her how the U.S. was the greatest nation on the face of the Earth.;). The fact that she was about 20, smoking hot, and smart [which made her even hotter in my eyes] made lunch just that much more pleasant.

She did tend to over-generalize things a bit but then what 20-year old doesn't. Did I mention that she was smoking hot?

It was from her that I learned that "beef", spelled 'kyilling' [?], is pronounced with an 's-c-h'. Who woulda thunk it. :D

It was from her that I learned that "beef", spelled 'kyilling' [?], is pronounced with an 's-c-h'. Who woulda thunk it. :D

Are you sure that wasn't chicken she was saying? That's usually pronounced sort of like "chickling" and spelled "kyckling". :D

My Norwegian is not so good (terrible actually), but I believe

kylling=chicken in Norwegian

kyckling = chicken in Swedish

I could confirm with my parents, but I suspect ksu will be able to confirm.

It was from her that I learned that "beef", spelled 'kyilling' [?], is pronounced with an 's-c-h'. Who woulda thunk it. :D

In Norwegian "chicken" is indeed written "kylling" (kyckling is Swedish), and it's certainly NOT pronounced with an sch-sound (German spelling, in Norwegian the sound would be written sj). Kylling is properly pronounced with an kj-sound; similar to the first sound of the English word charm. This, however, is one of the great generation gaps of the Norwegian langauge. There are a number of words starting with this particular sound, and they are properly pronounced kj-. Amongst under-25s, especially in the larger cities like Bergen it is pronounced as your charming waitress did. For my generation (I'm 38) this is an abomination (as well as a proof of getting middle aged!), but probably is a sign of the langauge evolving, or getting vulgarized!

As for snack places in Bergen late at night: tough luck! I've ended at BK og McD myself in similar situations. AFAIR there is a snack bar at the northeastern corner of Torgalmenningen, and a 7-11 in the same genral area, but that's about it!

My Norwegian is not so good (terrible actually), but I believe

kylling=chicken in Norwegian

kyckling = chicken in Swedish

I could confirm with my parents, but I suspect ksu will be able to confirm.

It's all Scandinavian to me. :D (Seriously, that's the answer I'm given for which "language" will be used in certain meetings. :o )

To all: It was indeed chicken.

The dish had both chicken and beef thus my confusion, though she definitely did pronounce it with an s-c-h.

By the way, as I am nearly there, 38 is in no way "middle-aged" thank you; maybe 45... ;)

Well, it's off to the fjords tomorrow; the Hardangerfjord [sp?] first then the Songogfjord [sp?] the next day.

Well: middle age is ALWAYS older than yourself! :D

Hardangerfjorden and Sognefjorden are the correct spellings respectively.

A few notes and observations; observations – not criticism…;)

Fjaerland was very nice. Seeing and hiking the Jostedalsbreen glacier was incredible.

Drove to Alesund through Orsta. The Ivar Assen museum is a masterpiece. The center director was incredibly nice and helpful and gave me complete run of the place [including "back-stage" areas] to photograph and explore.

Alesund was also great. Views from atop the Fjellstua were incredible.

Drove south from Alesund today and did an unofficial Geiranger tour myself. Caught the ferry at Hellesylt and took it to Geiranger. Initially thought that the $50/per person was a bit steep but it was worth twice that.

Flying from Alesund back to Oslo tomorrow and going to see the Hedmark Museum in Hamar, then another day and then off to Stockholm.

- Is it just me or do Norwegians stare at people a lot. Perhaps it is not "staring" as such but it seems that way sometimes. Maybe it was my F*** GWB t-shirt [just kidding].

- Why won't hotels in Norway, even expensive ones, give you fresh towels each day unless you specifically ask for them?

- The Scandics seem pretty decent. The one here in Alesund seems quite nice and – wait for it- FREE INTERNET!

- As a people Norwegians seem to – on the whole drive a lot of really nice cars. OK, so living in Brentwood this is no big deal to me but it really seems as though the average Norwegian puts a lot of money into his/her car – particularly with petrol here at about $10/gallon!

- Completely loving my experience here. Will definitely be back. Just too much to see in two weeks.

- Why won't hotels in Norway, even expensive ones, give you fresh towels each day unless you specifically ask for them?


Officially to save water; i.e. to appear environment friendly, in reality to save money! :D

But you don't have to ask; just put them on the floor or in the bath tub!

As for the cars: well: you are in Sunnmøre now. THAT explains a lot when it comes to the cars; an ostentatous bunch down there! :D

Scandic hotels provide free wi-fi. That's amongst the reasons I use them. That and they're a good deal for me.

Maybe its just me but after three flights so far it seems that SAS have a lot of really, umm, "experienced" flight attendants? :D

Yeah I also noticed this myself, although I think the same can be said for BA too (or maybe it's just the flights I've been taking).

- Completely loving my experience here. Will definitely be back. Just too much to see in two weeks.

When you go back, you should head north. The Lofoten Islands are absolutely spectacular. If you're feeling extra adventurous, head up to Svalbard...my Norwegian cousins are a huge fan of summer trips up there.

After reading the posts in this thread, I would like to visit Bergen and Balestrand during a 3 day weekend in mid September. I will be in Arendal, south of Oslo on the west shore of the Oslo fjord. How long would it take to drive to Bergen from Arendal, and are there any recommendations on roads to use? I am thinking of driving from Arendal to Bergan on Friday afternoon & evening, then to Balestrand Saturday, and then to Oslo on Monday.

Thanks

I must confess that the southern coast of Norway, between Skien/Porsgrunn and Stavanger is the part of Norway I know least well. That's the reason I haven't answered your earlier thread about Arendal/Byglandsfjord.

It's a long drive from Arendal to Bergen/Balestrand. I would count on a full day's driving to Bergen. The best road to take is probably Hovden-Haukeli-Røldal-Odda. From Bergen to Balestrand, I'd follow E39, the main coastal highway. I'd try to see Vik i Sogn; a very picturesque well preserved village; all wooden. Even the jail there is supposed to be the nicest in Norway! Going to Oslo on Monday the best road would probably be by way of Aurland to Oslo. It's supposed to be the main road (if not the shortest and quickest) Bergen-Oslo. It partly runs past Sognefjorden.

Your weekend is doable, but is a lot of driving! If the weather is nice it is worth doing, as tourist traffic has decreased by then.

Ah...Here's one I forgot to ask before: Are Norwegians physiologically incapable of tolerating real sodas?

I ask because, contrary to expectations, in Norway [in both restaurants and shops] Pepsi Max is in reality Diet Pepsi, Sprite is really Diet Sprite, and even regular Coke has, by my taste buds, about half the amount of sugar as does Coke everywhere else. I could seldom find "real" Pepsi for sale and never did find "real" Sprite.

No doubt this is a much healthier alternative to the amount of sugar water that we consume here in the States but it is somewhat disconcerting to spend $6 or $7 for 12oz of soda, take a big swig of Pepsi Max or Sprite expecting a certain level of refreshment, only to be rudely confronted with diet soda.

So: Waz up with that?

On a side note, I have nearly 50 GBs of images just from Norway to still cull through, bringing back a lot of great recent memories.

I prefer my local brands of soda. Oskar Sylthes Ananasbrus og Pærebrus: pineapple and pear respectively. They don't taste like any real fruit you have ever tasted, and have a detergent-looking colour. But they are VERY local! And sugary!

I am planning a quick 4.5 days in Norway Mar 22-26 and have a few questions.

I arrive in OSL at 10:30PM on Mar 21 and will spend the entire next day in Oslo and 3-4 hrs in the morning on Mar 23;

-Viking Ship Museum
-Vigeland Park (sculptures?)
-Waterfront
-Munch

I'll then fly to Bergen at about 13:30;

-23, walk around town
-24, Day trip by ferry to Balestrand and back to Bergen to sleep
-25, full day around Bergen, tour historic town, hopefully get to Holsnøy (my roots in the 19th century are from here)
-1 morning more in Bergen and fly out of BGO at about 12:30 on 26

I have a few questions that our "expert" KSU might be able to answer.

I have found some timetables for the express boat Bergen to Balestrand, but cannot decipher what the service will be like in either direction for March 24, can someone clarify a timetable for that time of year?

Am I committing a huge Norway blunder by not going to Flam? I would rather spend more time on a boat in the fjord and have read only positive comments about Balestrand. I was thinking of taking the ferry from Balestrand to Flam and then rail to Bergen, but from the timetables I've seen, the Balestrand-Flam ferry is not operating in March. Any advice?

Any general tips or comments are also welcomed. If I am way off base for my itinerary, let me know. What's set in stone is:

Arrive OSL at 22:30 on Mar 21
Depart BGO at 12:15 on Mar 26

Thanks again for any insight.

As part of my now-Scandinavian whirlwind tour, I think I'm going to spend an afternoon in Oslo. This probably means lunch at an authentic/local Norwegian place, and 1-2 major sites. Looks like one should be the Viking Ship Museum. Any suggestions?

Or perhaps I should buy a ticket to Bergen and see the fjords overnight?

I have a few questions that our "expert" KSU might be able to answer.

I have found some timetables for the express boat Bergen to Balestrand, but cannot decipher what the service will be like in either direction for March 24, can someone clarify a timetable for that time of year?

Am I committing a huge Norway blunder by not going to Flam? I would rather spend more time on a boat in the fjord and have read only positive comments about Balestrand. I was thinking of taking the ferry from Balestrand to Flam and then rail to Bergen, but from the timetables I've seen, the Balestrand-Flam ferry is not operating in March. Any advice?



I've been off FT for a couple of weeks, having been abroad and having had a hard disc crash. I'll look into your questions. As for Flåm: the main point of going there is to go by the Flåm railway, if you drop that, there is really no point of going there: both Balestrand and Vik are more interesting as places to visit. I think you are right that the Balestrand-Flåm ferry is a summer only operation, but I'll have to check the timetables and come back to you.