Leknes Norway Northern Lights

Norway Travel Guide

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Hamnøy Lofoten Islands Norway

Planning a Trip to Norway

I did a winter trip to Norway last year and could not have been more in love with this country. I spent most of my time in the stunning Lofoten Islands, hopping between the most picturesque villages, chasing some of the best susnets I’ve ever seen in my life & Northern Lights hunting. I also spent a day in chic Oslo.

I would absolutely lovet to go back and spend more time exploring Tromso, Bergen & more!

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Travel Guides by Area

Lofoten Islands
Oslo
Blue Hour in Leknes Lofoten Islands
Sunset in Leknes Lofoten

Norway Travel Itineraries

Lofoten Islands Itinerary

Safety for Solo Female Travel

5 out of 5

Norway (and every other Nordic country I’ve visited) are incredibly safe. I never felt remotely unsafe. This is a great place for a solo trip. One thing to note if you’re visiiting the more remote areas of Norway are more general safety tips – make sure you have gas, download offline maps, have water etc!

Flakstad Lofoten Sunset
Northern Lights over Sauna Lofoten Islands

Cost & Currency

In Norway they use the Norwegian Krone (not the Euro) I didn’t have any issues using my card everywhere and never actually took out Krone ot pay for anything.

Norway is generally considered fairly expensive, and I would agree compared to some European countries like Italy or Greece it is expensive, but less expensive in my experience than Switzerland or Iceland. I live in Boston and found it gernerally comparable.

Tipping & Restaurants

Tipping is generally not expected in Norway, servers & bartenders, etc. are paid a good wage without relying on tips. For good service you can round up or leave 5-10% but this is not expected, same goes for taxis, etc.

When to Visit Norway

Norway is lovely in any season, and you should plan your trip aroud what you’re looking to experience. Are you looking to chase Northern Lights and experience winter above the arctic circle or are you looking to hike the fjors and experience the midnight sun? Or somethign in between?

Winter

I cannot recommend visitng in the winter enough, Northern Norway sits above the artic circle and is a great place to see the Norther Lights! Some popular winter destinations include Lofoten Islands & Tromso. Popular ski resorts like Narvikfjellet, Trysil, & Hemsedal are busy in the winter.

Spring

Skiing goes well into the spring in Norway, particularly popular Northern destination like Lofoten and Narvik where spring skiing can last until the end of May. Even the resorts closer to Oslo usually stay open until the end of April.

Summer

Summer solstice in the Nordic countries is something special, midnight sun and 22 hour + long daylights hours is something everyone should experience at least once! Norway also has some stunning beaches (Lofoten almost looks tropical in photos) although don’t expect warm water, you’re sitll in the arctic!

Fall

Fall is a great time to visit for a few reasons, you’ll still have decent length days, but have the change to the see the Northern Lights, the shoulder season also provides lighter crowds, which usually mean lower prices. Plus, Norway has some stunning foliage.

Getting Around Norway

Norway is quite spread out, and each region is quite differnet. Depending on what you’re trying to see getting around Norway may require a variety of different transport options.

Oslo

Oslo has great public transport and there is no reason to rent a car in Oslo. From Oslo you can catch a train to cities like Bergen or some of the more popular ski resorts if you don’t want to rent a car.

To get to Northern Norway from Oslo, it’s usually easier to fly to Tromso, or one of the Lofoten airports.

Northern Norway

To explore Northern Norway I highly recommend renting a car, particularly Lofoten. You could get by in Tromso without a car if you’re not planning to go much farther and explore outside the city.

Ramberg Beach Norway

Norway – Top Blog Posts