Lets get this Norway road trip under way! Youll absolutely love taking the Flibanen Funicular up Flyen Mountain for panoramic views of the whole town and the old harbor. This itinerary starts in Oslo (which is where most international travelers arrive in the country), heads west to Stavanger, then makes its way up north to Alesund via Bergen, Flam, and Geiranger. Although you will most likely have wifi at your accommodation, its a good idea to bring along a. , to keep you connected during your time in Norway. Try some reindeer meat: You cant visit Bergen and not indulge in (or at least try!) The train ride felt a tad overrated considering all the breathtaking scenery we had seen thus far on our Norway road trip, but I admit it was nice to just sit back, relax, and take in the views (and Im sure the husband appreciated someone else doing the driving).

, youll have WiFi wherever you go (even if your phone doesnt have service), unlimited internet (on up to five devices at a time!!! We opted to fly to Stavanger from Oslo, rent a car in Stavanger and drive it all the way to lesund, then fly back to Oslo from Alesund. Our bad! Another lookout point worthy of your time, this one 45 minutes from Dalsnibba (and completely on the way to where were going, promise!) Ive got loads of information for you in this personally handcrafted Norway itinerary which I just experienced for myself a few months ago! Norway experiences seriously different weather year round, and deciding which season to travel to Norway will greatly affect your experience there. Have a great trip! 2) Aurlandsfjellet National Tourist Route (Road 243). Finish the drive to Bergen, which will take about an hour and a half.

Its only about a 10 minute from the hotel and will save you boat loads of money. Its a fascinating mix of old and new, with some of the best-preserved (and beautiful) wooden buildings anywhere in Norway, dating back to the Middle Ages. FROM GUDVANGEN TO FLAM ONE WAY (or reverse). And Im no stranger to complex itineraries (Im looking at you Japan and Thailand).

Epically beautiful, and right on the side of the road so difficult to miss. to Mt. As noted previously, we rented our car (a compact VW Polo) from the Stavanger Airport and drove it all the way to lesund over the course of this Norway road trip. Mefjellet (rest area with cool stone structure/platform), Sognefjellshytta (attractive training centre for national ski teams from all over the world) cool wooden architecture. Hjelle Hotel is situated right on another beauty of a lake (Oppstrynsvatnet) with great views of the mountains, which we loved for a nightly walk after dinner! Including these costs so you can add them to your budget. Highly recommended! The hotel was in a great location, right on the water, which made looking out the window of our room super fun! The Fish Market: Not in the mood for fish? I like using. Stegastein is a popular sightseeing spot from Flam, being 650 metres above Aurlandsfjord and all! Should we fly/train/bus/drive from place to place?

Be sure to get out of your car and head to the top deck as many have spectacular views! Those Norwegians sure do love their sausages! Hiking boots (depending on hikes and time of year), Most international flights arrive in Oslo, which is precisely why this Norway itinerary starts in the capital! But whatever you do, DO NOT SKIP THIS NEXT ROAD. Prices are payable by vehicle and if youre coming by car or motorbike youll have to pay 130 NOK via credit card (pretty sure the. Finally, since I know you really loved Norway, I would like to suggest you take a road trip in summer time in Switzerland.

), and its fast and reliable. *Note that not all ferries accommodate cars, so if youre doing your own thing and veering off from the course of this pre-planned trip I organized, youll want to make sure the ferries you need will actually take your car as well. , Where to Stay: Clarion Hotel Stavanger (No need to switch rooms, as its highly recommended to hike Pulpit Rock as a day trip from Stavanger!). No driving today, yes! Temperatures will be mild and hotel rates will be a bit less.

. TRAVELING TO NORWAY SOON?

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Norway is one of the most remarkable countries Ive been to. Stavanger is quite compact and can be explored via foot, so theres no need to pick up a rental car just yet (dont parking is annoying and costly, and theres honestly no reason for your own wheels until a bit later in the trip). Check out geirangerfjord car ferry on google search and youll get loads of info! Street parking is pretty much non-existent over here. Funicular (or hike!)

Its finally time to pick up your rental car at Stavanger Airport (do this ASAP- we picked it up around 9am in order to start the long drive relatively early), and drive to Bergen! Id say look for something a bit less unique, like Fretheim Hotel or Flmsbrygga Hotelif you want to cuddle up. There are numerous companies that operate the ferries so if youd like to take a look at the schedules, just type in the starting and ending spots in Google and youll find it no problem! We saw sooooo many waterfalls already we didnt feel the need to stop, but still worth looking out for on your drive to the Flm area. Make sure to make your way into central Oslo early the next morning to get your exploring on! On the way to Gudvangen/Flam, be on the lookout for Tvindefossen, another waterfall located right on the side of highway.

Dear Jessica, thank you so much for this itinerary! Have a great time Norway is absolutely spectacular! I highly recommend booking in advance as the boat was very crowded and it was completely sold out (in high season).

and head into the mountains! We chose to fly economy and paid around $750 per person round trip to/from Oslo from the West Coast USA during one of Norways busiest times of year- mid-summer (July). Itll only take 10 minutes to reach the town of Geiranger from Flydalsjuvet, so go for a little wander and have a quick lunch. Note that this will be a long day of driving (7+ hours), but I managed to find plenty of beautiful spots along the way to cure any boredom that was bound to arise!

Ive detailed our exact Norway itinerary below (which took tons of planning), but no matter where you end up going in the country, youll have the best time if you love nature and cool, chic cities! We booked a superior room with large open windows with views of the water- I watched a huge cruise ship come into port around midnight one night (so cool and completely unexpected) and a pilot doing tricks in his private plane (also quite surprising but fun to watch). And plus, hot dogs are the best cheap Norwegian food (at about ~$8), which we greatly appreciated after getting tired of paying $30 a meal per person.

), Colombia, Italy, Croatia, and Thailand). Since Norway is part of the Schengen Agreement, U.S. citizens may visit for up to 90 days for either tourist or business purposes. Two days in Oslo is probably not enough, but youll be able to get in these city highlights with only 48 hours or so: Where to Stay in Oslo: Saga Poshtel Central Oslo. Two and a half hours up, an hour+ or so at the top, and roughly an hour and a half down. Your email address will not be published. I teach 9-5 professionals how to maximize their limited time off with carefully planned out itineraries, long weekend inspiration, and general travel planning tips. Youll find most international flights to Norway will fly to Oslo, which is perfect as its the first stop on our 10 day Norway itinerary! Full disclosure: We decided to take a rest at the hotel instead of heading to the lighthouse because 1) we were pooped and 2) we didnt feel like having to fight over a spot in the parking lot afterwards. Feigefossen waterfall: look for it across the water from 55 (close to Guapne), Turtagr hotel: red-painted modernistic building, quick photo stop. 6. We decided to take a 60 minute fjord cruise around noon, but note that 90 minute boat tours are available as well if you feel so inclined or thats all thats available.

FYI, the tour isnt really a tour at all- all the Norway in a Nutshell company does is book your tickets, which is all public transportation anyways. Note that you dont need to stay here to admire the scenery below; just walk right through the lobby to the back viewing platform. Dinners cost us roughly $50-$60 for 2 entrees (no drinks, no appetizers, no salads, no anything extra). This is all part of the fun! Not crowdy at all in the Lookouts, this was such a blessing! I desperately wished I had a personal WiFi hotspot with me then! One way fees are inevitable unless you want to drive all the way back to Stavanger or Oslo (not recommend if you only have 10 days in Norway like we did). Psst the whale and reindeer sausages were really good!

Do a complex variation of the aforementioned transportation options? Could we do this itinerary without a car in 10-12days? Next up, the Flam Railway, which has been named one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world! ), and its fast and reliable. This Norway itinerary will have you chasing trolls in Stavanger, trying reindeer meat in Bergen, hiking to glamorous fjord views, taking the most scenic train ride in the world, driving some spectacular Norwegian tourist routes, staring up at glacier, and oh so much more! At the time of this writing, 1 Norwegian Krone (NOK) = ~ $.12USD or 1 USD = ~8.4NOK. And less crowds. Be sure to order a Norwegian beer as well! 5) Gamle Strynefjellsvegen National Tourist Route (Road 258).

We felt home since the Norwegian language is veeery similar to the Swedish so it was easy to communicate. ), one day is enough to see all its colorful highlights. Prices are payable by vehicle and if youre coming by car or motorbike youll have to pay 130 NOK via credit card (pretty sure the AutoPass Device didnt work here). bells! Note that one person will need to head back to the airport to pick up the car rental, so its wise for one person to book a round trip ticket (its significantly cheaper than two one way tickets). If not, where can we park our car if there is no car ferry for geirangerfjord cruise? The fjord cruise was super windy at times, so be sure to take a jacket!

Plus, the sound of the water is just oh so relaxing (keep your windows open). The windows open at the first and last seat of every car which makes it much better for photos. Required fields are marked *. Despite the inconvenient parking situation (which was easily figured out after doing some research more on that below), we thoroughly enjoyed our time at this hotel and recommend it. Thanks a lot again! Most definitely the most touristy day of the trip, but the views were pretty spectacular, so oh well! Feeling a bit extra?

Robberies are extremely rare, but note that pickpockets in crowded places (like public transport in major cities) can and do occur at times. And Ive definitely seen my fair share at, Our 10 days in Norway and the fjords in general have got to be the most difficult trip Ive planned to date. Get ready for the ride, because this Norway road trip will have you begging to come back asap! Note that you dont need to stay here to admire the scenery below; just walk right through the lobby to the back viewing platform.

We also decided to spend a bit of time at the top admiring the views since we had no views on our way up because of the lousy early-morning weather.

Hi Mo, I think there are car ferries that operate on the fjord.

Whoa! Stop at Flotane (viewing spot and bathrooms), Stop at Vedahaugane (infinity bench with great views). Your itinerary gave us some wonderful days in Norway! Pricey, but well-worth it! Greatest feeling ever, especially for an overachiever like myself (I have FOMOOOO at its worst)! I was wondering if there is an alternative to driving all the way from here to get to Gamle Strynefjellsvegen. Alesund is a port town, meaning its right on the water, so expect some great views and lots of seafood! Recommended route and stops along the way: 1.

Norway is absolutely spectacular. . We waited a bit and had limited availability, but thankfully I was able to figure it all out with tour timings and such. Youll want to pull over every few minutes youll see. Secondly, if you want to stay here (instead of Hjelle Hotel), book Hotel Utsikten as soon as you know your dates. Theyre over here at Bryggen! The country is located in North Western Europe, in the region deemed Scandinavia (along with Denmark and Sweden), or more broadly, the Nordic countries (which also include Finland and Iceland). With its turquoise fjords, misty mountains, midnight sun, and stunning Scandinavian architecture, Norway is arguably one of the most beautiful countries on earth! Note that there are no facilities (read: bathrooms) on the duration of the hike, so although you should keep yourself hydrated, limit your water levels if you dont want to head off into the wilderness to pee.

Get ready for your last day of driving in Norway! This medieval wharf part of Bergen is actually a UNESCO Heritage Site!

Easy peasy. In order to get to the Dalsnibba viewing platform, youll need to pay a toll. Get ready because youll be using the ferries quite often on this Norway itinerary! I recommend finding accommodation in Flam or one of the surrounding small villages (Aurland, Undredal, or Dyrdal). The public transportation is all very reliable and therell be a bus waiting for you after the ferry arrives in Tau. Promise me youll take scenic road 243 instead of the tunnel! Just my honest opinion. 3) Take the Mannheller-Fodnes/Rv5 ferry (28 minutes), 4) Sognefjellet National Tourist Route (Road 55). Our time was a bit rushed so Id say its possibly better to do this before the cruise (depending on the time of your ticket) or after both activities. More information on getting to Pulpit Rock here. was a perfect place to rest our heads after the long day of driving and Id highly recommend it! Norway shares a long eastern border with Sweden, and has over 25,000 km of coastline. Hotel and restaurant staff were very friendly and eager to help out; other workers (at tolls, airport, etc) were a bit direct and emotionless, but did their job well. Our 10 days in Norway and the fjords in general have got to be the most difficult trip Ive planned to date. Psst: I commonly use this booking site when searching for low-cost car rental options, and like Skyscanner(which I use to find low-cost flights), I frequently find great deals on there! some reindeer meat its a specialty here (that and whale meat)! The city center has a very unique Art Nouveau style, which youll soon notice once you get your bearings so keep your camera handy!

We've compiled a list to help guide you through one of our favorite destinations! .

I can't wait to get back to Europe once it is safe again! Its only a few minutes drive from either Flam or Gudvangen, and we chose to do this between the fjord cruise and train ride.

PS- you actually DO need a round trip ticket in order to get back to Flm to pick up your car, just saying seeing the same monotonous scenery twice wasnt necessary. Since youll be parking your car in Gudvangen (or Flam, depending on availability), youll need to take the shuttle back to Gudvangen (Flam to Gudvangen) to pick up the car. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED especially when you dont speak the native language of the country youre visiting. Dont miss these top things to do in Stavanger: Where to Stay in Stavanger: Clarion Hotel Stavanger.

Oslo is absolutely gorgeous and youll find old colorful houses lining to streets with new, innovative buildings sprinkled throughout. Since there are tons (and tons) of bodies of water in the country, ferries are absolutely essential for getting around in Norway, and thankfully, the Norwegians have built a highly efficient ferry system. Thank you for your itinerary..it is such a blessing especially the routes and stops .

Whale sausage, anyone?! We honestly couldnt find too much food besides a bakery and some ice cream, but maybe we didnt look hard enough. We spent 20-30 minutes at the lake exploring and taking photos of the ridiculously clear water and just taking a few moments to revel in Norways beauty..

Bryggen has been burning down for centuries upon centuries (with a history of fires since the 14th century when it came into being), with its most recent fire in 1955. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Excellent overview of the route. Get ready because youll be using the ferries quite often on this Norway itinerary!

Im pretty sure the ferries leave every 30 minutes or so, but I think it depends on the season and how busy they are. Ferries are comfortable with cafes, bathrooms, and cushioned seats. Should we take an organized multi-day fjord tour and which one do we pick? Keep travelling and posting! Visiting during the colder months: Norway can get coooold yall, so if youre not looking to whip out your cold-weather gear (think boots, scarves, wool hats, down jackets, etc), dont book your Norway road trip before May or after September.

Be careful when taking pictures on the edge, as the platform rises about 2,000 feet (600 meters) above the fjord, with no guards or rails protecting you or your loved ones. Make sure to wander the streets behind Bryggen as well (through the small alleyways between the buildings on the harbor) to see what the area would have been like during the Middle Ages. In addition, the hotel staff was extra accommodating and the breakfast spread was more than decent! Once youre done gawking at the views (dont be shy I think I took over 50 photos here), drive down the 11 hairpin bends of Trollstigen. For one, its one of the most popular hotels in the Geiranger area, and for good reason.

And those fjord water views make any sunny day just that much better. But of course, it is maybe 4 times more expensive than Norway and the rest of Europe (something to be considered when planning). Yes, I promise the views are worth it and then some!

If I remember correctly, it took us about 2 hours to get to the starting point, and then another 5 hours of hiking (plus time spent getting back to Stavanger once we were all finished). To uncomplicate things, rnesvingen is the name of the viewpoint, while rnevegen is name of the actual road. I mean, Tom Cruise actually visited Preikestolen while filming his new movie, Mission Impossible in October 2017. We didnt have enough time to do so, but it looks insanely fun! When youve only got so much time (only 10 days or so to see alllll the beauty in Norway), youve got to make each and every day count. It was unfortunately completely booked once I finally got around to making hotel reservations, so we opted for Hotel Hjelle (which ended up being a pleasant, positive surprise).

Thankfully, theres inside seating if you wish to warm up for a bit (which we did throughout the ride). You know the drill get in line, wait your turn, pay, and get on! Hope for a clear day!

I found it easier to think in hundreds and kept these numbers in my head when figuring out the bill/shopping: 100NOK = ~$12USD. Planning a Norway road trip and looking for the best possible way to spend 10 days in Norway?! viewing platform in order to see the spectacular views. Consider heading to the Atlantic Road, another famous Scenic Route, which is about 2 and a half hours from Alesund. Ready for a full day of awesome, sweaty, hiking? Only one person needs to go back technically to pick up the car, so keep this in mind when buying tickets. No visa is required for U.S. citizens traveling to Norway as long as a valid tourist passport is in possession (and valid for at least six months beyond the period of stay). With. Langfossen: A pleasant surprise as we had not originally planned to stop here. Once you arrive in Stavanger, take the bus to the city center and check into your hotel. Since we didnt have time to actually see any glaciers up close, this was the best we were gonna get so wanted to take full advantage! From here youll enjoy more magnificent panoramas of the town and fjord, although be aware that weather plays a key role in how visible your views will actually be (like at Flydalsjuvet).

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It can sound a bit complicated, but I promise you getting to the start of the hike is rather quite simple and reliable. With this portable device, youll have WiFi wherever you go (even if your phone doesnt have service), unlimited internet (on up to five devices at a time!!!

The breakfast was included and had all the breakfast staples and then some. As noted earlier, we chose to fly from Oslo to Stavanger to save some driving time, drove all the way to Alesund, then flew back to Oslo. ***If you have ample extra time (completing the drive on your second day after doing Trolltunga perhaps), you can keep going on the trail after the lake in order to see the glacier.

;p. We decided to take a 60 minute fjord cruise around noon, but note that 90 minute boat tours are available as well if you feel so inclined or thats all thats available. Secondly, if you want to stay here (instead of, In order to get to the Dalsnibba viewing platform, youll need to pay a toll.

I think next time wed only stop at 2-3 and get on with the show. in order to save a few pennies, but you can pay on the bus if need be. Youll be passing through the beautiful Norwegian countryside, over lots of bridges and through more tunnels you ever imagined. Where to Park: We originally had a difficult time figuring out where to park our rental car, and after talking to a few hotel receptionists (at our hotel and others), we ultimately decided that the ByGaragen (the biggest indoor garage in Bergen) was the best choice. more info on each one throughout Norway itinerary below. Go if youre up for a small adventure (at the lighthouse and parking lot). All Rights Reserved. I like using Skyscanner and Google Flights to check for prices, and almost alllways find the cheapest flights on one of those sites. 4. Its definitely a bit nerve-racking to look down at your feet and beyond and see just how high you are with only a piece of glass between you and 1500 meters!