238 Best Sights in Norway

This area was the site of a disused shipbuilding yard until redevelopment saw the addition of residential town houses and a commercial sector. Postmodern steel and glass buildings dominate the skyline now. The area has more than 60 shops and 35 restaurants, including upmarket fashion boutiques, pubs, cinemas, a theater, a comedy club, a shopping mall, galleries, and art installations. There is an open boulevard for strolling. Service facilities include banks, drugstores, and a large (and expensive) parking garage.

Dating from 1299, this stone medieval castle and royal residence was developed into a fortress armed with cannons by 1592. After that time, it withstood a number of sieges and then fell into decay. It was finally restored in 1899. Summer tours take you through its magnificent halls, the castle church, the royal mausoleum, reception rooms, and banquet halls. Explore Akershus Fortress and its resplendent green gardens on your own with the Fortress Trail Map, which you can pick up at the visitor center or download from the website.  The castle (or at least selected sections) may be closed to the public on short notice due to functions. Dates are always listed on the website.

About 60,000 people walk the Besseggen Ridge every year, making this Norway’s most popular day hike. In Jotunheimen National Park, the mountain ridge is between Gjende and Bessvatnet, two clear alpine lakes, and the trail offers beautiful views of the landscape. The best time to visit is when the Gjendebåten boat is running from mid-June to mid-October. Park at Reinsvangen where the shuttle bus takes you to Gjendeosen and the Gjendebåten boat.

A trip to this merchant city is incomplete without visiting the historic Hanseatic harborside, Bryggen. A row of mostly reconstructed 14th-century wooden buildings that face the harbor makes this one of the most charming walkways in Europe, especially on a sunny day. Several fires, the latest in 1955, destroyed some of the original structures, but you'd never know it now. Today the old houses hold boutiques and restaurants, and wandering through the wooden alleys here will be a highlight of your trip. Bryggen has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

This ribbonlike church, more formally referred to as the Alta Kirke, embraces modern design while still being a majestic place of worship. There is a small museum at the site along with a café selling coffee and freshly made waffles.

Known for its dramatic contrasts, Dovrefjell-Sunndalsfjella National Park ranges from the almost alpine scenery in the northwest to the rounded mountains and drier climate in the east. Snøhetta, towering a stunning 2,286 meters (7,500 feet) from the plateau below, was for a long time thought to be the highest peak in Norway. (It's now the 24th, falling behind Jotunheimen in Rondane Nasjonalpark.) Both Kongsvold/Reinheim and Hjerkinn are good starting points for the daylong trek up this mountain. Dovrefjell is home to herds of wild reindeer, musk oxen, and Arctic foxes, among other fascinating creatures.

One of Norway's most popular attractions, Dyreparken Kristiansand is actually five separate parks, including a water park (bring bathing suits and towels), a forested park, an entertainment park, a theme park, and a zoo, which contains an enclosure for Scandinavian animals such as wolves, snow foxes, lynxes, and elks. The theme park, Kardemomme By (Cardamom Town), is named for a book by the Norwegian illustrator and writer Thorbjørn Egner. In the zoo, the "My Africa" exhibition allows you to move along a bridge observing native savanna animals such as giraffes and lions. The park is 11 km (6 miles) east of town.

Built in 1885, Troldhaugen was the home of Norway's most famous composer, Edvard Grieg. He composed many of his best-known works in a garden cottage by the lakeshore. In 1867, he married his cousin Nina, a Danish soprano, and they lived in the white clapboard house with green gingerbread trim for 22 years. A salon and gathering place for many Scandinavian artists then, it now houses mementos—a piano, paintings, prints—of the composer's life. The interior has been kept as it was during Grieg's time here. Concerts are held both at Troldhaugen and at the very modern Troldsalen next door.

Although he never gained the fame of his older brother Gustav, the creator of Vigeland Park, Emanuel is an artist of some notoriety. His alternately saucy, natural, and downright erotic frescoes make even the sexually liberated Norwegians blush. To get here, take the T-bane Line 1 from Nationaltheatret Station toward Frognerseteren and get off at Slemdal, one of Oslo’s hillside residential neighborhoods. Slightly off the beaten path near the neighborhood of Slemdal, this museum is a true wonder.

Plan ahead, as hours are limited.

In a strikingly modern building on the waterfront, and on the open market square by the harbor, the busy fish market is one of Bergen's most popular attractions. Turn-of-the-20th-century photographs of this pungent square show fishermen in Wellington boots and raincoats and women in long aprons. Now the fishmongers wear bright-orange rubber overalls as they look over the day's catch. You'll want to come at lunchtime, when you can enjoy the catch of the day while watching the boats in the harbor. Try a classic Bergen lunch of shrimp or salmon on a baguette with mayonnaise and cucumber. Fruits, vegetables, and flowers are also on offer, as are handicrafts. 

Although this trip covers only 20 km (12 miles), the one-way journey takes nearly an hour to travel through 20 tunnels and 2,850 feet up the steep mountain gorge. The masterpiece of Norwegian engineering took 20 years to complete, and today it's one of Norway's prime tourist attractions, drawing more than 1 million travelers each year. The train runs year-round, with 8- to 10 round-trips from mid-April through mid-October and four round-trips the rest of the year. Most tourists take the train round-trip, returning on the same train a few minutes after arriving in Myrdal.

A magnificent view of Bergen and its suburbs can be taken in from the top of Mt. Fløyen, the most accessible of the city's seven mountains. The eight-minute ride on the funicular takes you to the top, 320 meters (1,050 feet) above the sea. A car departs at least every half hour. On the top is a restaurant and café, a shop, and a playground. Stroll along the path that goes back to downtown or explore the mountains that lead to Ulriken, the highest of the mountains surrounding Bergen.

Home to Norway's third-largest glacier, Folgefonna National Park is popular for its kayaking and, of course, hiking on the glacier. From the top of the glacier there are beautiful valleys stretching all the way down to the fjord, and visiting Folgefonna is something you will remember. The National Park has several places of entry, with Odda and Rosendal (with the visitor center) being two popular ones, and several hikes and glacier arms you can explore, in addition to beautiful valleys with waterfalls of melting water from the glacier.

The Fram was used by the legendary Polar explorer Roald Amundsen when he became the first man to reach the South Pole in December 1911. Once known as the strongest vessel in the world, this enormous Norwegian polar ship has advanced farther north and south than any other surface vessel. Built in 1892, the Fram made three voyages to the Arctic (they were conducted by Fridtjof Nansen and Otto Sverdrup, in addition to Amundsen). Climb on board and peer inside the captain's quarters, which has explorers' sealskin jackets and other relics on display. Surrounding the ship are many artifacts from expeditions. It boldly calls itself "the best museum in Norway," and it must be agreed that this is the quintessentially Norwegian fun-for-all museum.

Built in the late 1600s to keep out Swedish invaders, this star-shape fortress sits at the city’s highest point. The exhibit in the former prison describes its involvements in international conflicts from the 17th century to World War II. An old pharmacy illustrates the history of pharmacology, including the use of bird claws in folk medicine. At the far end of the inner courtyard, the bakery could once bake enough bread to feed 5,000 men, while the brewery could easily keep their thirsts quenched with 3,000 liters of beer. If all this makes you feel hungry, stop by Fredriksten Kro, an old-fashioned pub with outdoor seating.

This lookout is the most common place to begin or end a cross-country ski outing or the traditional Sunday hike. It's also the spot where every Oslo host will take his or her guests for a panoramic view of the fjords and city skyline. The lookout area has two restaurants in a building from 1891: the local favorite Kafe Seterstua, a self-service place with sandwiches and waffles, and the sit-down, special-occasion Restaurant Finstua, which specializes in Norwegian smoked and salted foods. Frognerseteren is made of rough-hewn logs and evokes the Norwegian mountain life that exists just minutes from urbane Oslo.

This open-air museum transports you to the 19th century, when Bergen consisted mostly of wooden houses. Streets and narrow alleys are lined with more than 50 buildings, including a baker, dentist, photographer, and jeweler. Local artists often hold exhibitions here. The grounds and park are open free of charge year-round.

The charm of the city's past is on view in Old Stavanger, northern Europe's largest and best-preserved wooden house settlement. The 150 houses here were built in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Wind down the narrow cobblestone streets past small white houses and craft shops with many-paned windows and terra-cotta roof tiles.

Hammerfest was completely demolished by the Germans during World War II, and the Museum of Reconstruction documents how the city was painstakingly rebuilt. The museum is a place of pride for Norwegians, who flock here from all across the country. The two floors of exhibits let you compare the historic city from 1943 with the one you see today.

The island of Grip is a delight, especially the little red stave church that stands at the island's highest point and dates to 1470. The fishing community itself was mostly abandoned after World War II, but locals return in summer, along with many tourists. Ferries run from Kristiansund at least once a day between June and August. If the church is closed, locals can get the key.

Some consider it the MoMA of Oslofjord, this impressive contemporary museum houses Norway’s largest collection of international modern art. After skater Sonja Henie married shipping magnate Niels Onstad, they began to put together a collection of early-20th-century art, including important works by Munch, Picasso, Bonnard, and Matisse, and a permanent pumpkin infinity room from Japanese heavyweight Yayoi Kusama. The ultramodern, minimalist building, designed by Norwegian architects Jon Eikvar and Sven Erik Engebretsen, stands out impressively beside the scenic Oslofjord. There's also a sculpture park, a children's play area, and a well-regarded restaurant on-site.

One of the most beautiful hikes in the area and in Norway, Husedalen takes you past four spectacular waterfalls: Tveitafossen, Nykkjesøyfossen, Nyastølsfossen, and Søtefossen. The hike takes about five or six hours if you aim to see all of the waterfalls, but you can also opt to visit just the first one and be finished in 90 minutes. From Kinsarvik, follow the river up the valley and then follow signs marking the hike, or drive to the power station to park there. The full hike is best for those who consider themselves to be of a moderate hiking level, but the first waterfall is hikeable for most people.

Founded by two business leaders whose goal was to share the town's history as a center of hunting and commerce, the Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society depicts the skill and daring required to hunt polar bears, seals, lynx, puffins, and wolves. Admission to the exhibition is free, and you can become a member during your visit. Members get a document signed by the mayor and a sought-after silver-and-enamel polar bear pin.

Tromsø's signature structure was designed by Jan Inge Hovig to evoke the shape of a Sámi tent as well as the iciness of a glacier. Opened in 1965, it represents northern Norwegian nature, culture, and faith. Also called the Arctic Cathedral (although not a cathedral at all, but rather a parish church), the building is globally recognized for its interesting structure and how different it is from the Tromsø Cathedral, a wooden church in the center of the city.

The immense stained-glass window depicts the Second Coming. The cathedral itself seats around 600 people. The glass mosaic on the eastern side was created by Victor Sparre, a Norwegian painter, in 1972. In 2005, the church received an organ from Grönlunds Orgelbyggeri.

There are midnight sun concerts in summer, starting at 11:30 pm.

Since the 19th century, Jotunheimen National Park has been one of most popular areas in the country for hiking and mountain climbing. It earns its name (Jotunheimen is Norwegian for "Home of the Giants") by having the largest concentration of peaks higher than 2,000 meters (6,561 feet) in northern Europe. This includes the country's two highest mountains, Galdhøpiggen and Glittertind. Jotunheimen also features several lakes, the largest being Gjende. The national park has an extensive network of tracks and trails, and you will find hikes and treks suitable for everybody.