Norway Holidays

Stretching 1,750 kilometres from north to south, Norway is Europe’s longest country. Many would argue it’s also the most spectacular – and with good reason. From vast glaciers and permanently snow-capped mountains in the interior to the awe-inspiring network of steep-sided fjords that carve their way out to sea, it’s a place that reveals seemingly endless layers of natural splendour at every turn. 

Including its myriad fjords and islands, Norway’s jaw-droppingly beautiful coastline is second only to Canada as the world’s most extensive, spanning over 100,000 kilometres. No surprise, then, that all of Norway’s major towns and cities are found on the coast, their identities shaped over the centuries by their proximity to the sea.

Cosmopolitan cities brimming with character

While much of Norway’s allure is bound up in its mesmerising landscapes, its cities are just as rewarding to visit. The capital, Oslo, boasts an intriguing mix of traditional and modern architecture alongside fabulous museums, a thriving culinary scene and oodles of green space, while Bergen is a standout choice for its access to mountains and fjords, and its UNESCO World Heritage-listed harbour. 

It’s easy to be charmed, too, by the Art Nouveau elegance of Ålesund, the winding, cobbled lanes of Stavanger, and the easy-going, small-town vibe of Trondheim, with its colourful, timber-clad waterfront buildings. In the far north, Tromsø doubles up as a captivating city break destination and a launch-pad for epic adventures deep inside the Arctic Circle – as well as onward connections to Svalbard, where polar bears roam wild.

Sharp seasonal contrasts

There’s no bad time to visit Norway – it all depends on what kind of experience you’re after. In winter, although heavy snow covers the majority of the country, temperatures in many coastal areas often aren’t as harsh as you might expect at such latitudes, due to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream. So, as long as you pack smartly, the cold is no reason not to come; in fact, the winter months are arguably the best time to visit Norway, particularly if you’re keen to go skiing, ice skating, husky sledding or snowmobiling. 

As for the Northern Lights, mid-September through to early April is the prime window of opportunity, as this is when there’s enough darkness at night to be able to see them when the skies are clear. During periods of high solar activity, it’s possible to see the Northern Lights even in the south, but your chances are drastically higher when visiting areas within the Arctic Circle, such as Tromsø, which is right beneath the auroral oval. 

Bear in mind that the far north of Norway experiences almost two months of Polar Night when the sun doesn't rise above the horizon from late November to mid-January. In the height of summer, meanwhile, the opposite phenomenon occurs as the sun doesn’t set at all and it remains light 24/7.