I want to visit Norway and plan the trip economically, but still have fun. I am 61 and a veteran, and will travel alone. I would like to see the Northern Lights, experience true Norwegian culture and cuisine, and visit their history. I am seeking any and all suggestions. I would like to speak with someone who has been there and done that.
Thank you.
I can’t help you too much as we were there in July. But if no one here can help, then you could speak to Brekke Travel in Grand Forks, North Dakota. They specialize in Scandanavia and helped us plan an amazing trip to Norway. Just google, they have a 1-800 number.
Thank you. I would like to hear about your trip, what you saw, any suggestions on things to see and do, and thing s that I should not waste my time with. Would you mind talking privately with email? Thank you. Bill
I did a trip report on our trip which you can read here
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/10-nights-norway-for-family-of-4
If you still have questions feel free to private message me
Hey Bill.
There is a Portland/SW Washington travel group that meets the third Saturday of each month (next one is December 15th) at Panera Bread - 7149 SW Nyberg Road in Tualatin 97062 at 10:00 a.m.
Several of us, including me, have visited Norway we can give you our suggestions and reflections at that time.
Hope you can make it.
Doug
Blue439
I did 3 journeys into North of Norway, two by car. Northern lights I experienced in September 2016 on Lofoten.
VisitNorway has a map of locations recommended for Northern lights. Best to reach by plane are Tromso and Narvik (EVE).
As travel time I recommend dates around new moon.
Finding history will be a challenge in parts of that area because in WWII Germans burned down all towns of state Finnmark (storched earth) when they left the area - Kirkenes is a sad example for that. Only the main church was left.
You will find some things around Sami culture. And also Alta's rock carvings are a journey into the past. On Lofoten you will find a Viking museum. The Hurtigruten museum in Stokmarknes tells a lot of establishing the supply line along coast of Norway.
Stave churches are more located south of Trondheim. Trondheim is not on the list for Norttern Lights (too much south) but has a fantastic Cathedral.
What you could think of: Fly to Trondheim, stay there 1-2 days. Embark a Hurtiguten ship (port-to-port, online booking in Norwegian only) and enjoy a nice cruise along the coast into the north (trains end in Bodo, so will not help). Your desitnation port can be Tromso or Honningsvag (close to North Cape). From there you could take a bus back to Tromso.
If you are open for car round trip affecting budget I have further ideas.
Hope that helps at the first steps.
Veteran.
I'm interpreting this to mean that you would be interested in war time events related to Norwegian heritage. The Resistance Musem in Oslo is a must see/experience: https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/norways-resistance-museum/2764/
...experience true Norwegian culture and cuisine, and visit their history.
Unfortunately October is not a good month for ski touring. A great way to eperience Norway, its culture and cuisine is a cross country ski tour with a mixed Norwegian and foreigner DNT (Norwegain Trekking Association) ski tour across the Hardangervidda (high mountain plateau). https://english.dnt.no/guided-tours/
The Hardangervidda is the setting for the WW2 Norwegian commando raid that destroyed the heavy water plant producing matrial for the German atomic bomb project. The commando raid is nicely documented by Tom Gallagher's book: Assault in Norway. https://books.google.com/books/about/Assault_in_Norway.html?id=NzI0vgAACAAJ&source=kp_book_description
And if you enjoy the Gallagher book and are interested in northern Norway, the Howarth book: "We Die Alone" is a good read. https://nerdist.com/book-review-we-die-alone-by-david-howarth/
[Replaced with correct link]
Add-on to Edgar's war site recommendations.
Heavy water was produced close to Vermork power plant by the same company - it was nearly the only place at its time which was able to produce the necessary amount of power needed for production.
Close to Tromso German battleship Tirpitz, sister ship of famous Bismarck, was sunk. A memorial plate is located on Håkøya (island).
In Herdla Museum (not far away from Bergen) they show a wreck of a war plane from WWII.
Along Norwegian coast you will find a lot of old but intact batteries and bunkers from former Atlantic Wall, e.g. one of the biggest coastal defence batteries around Kristiansand (S) - not Kristiansund.
The name of the operation I mentioned in earlier post was "Nordlicht", the tragic direct translation is "Northern Light".
Peace being a contrast to conflict, you may also be interested in:
Nobel Peace Prize awarded every December 10 in Oslo City Hall (Rådhuset):
https://theoslobook.no/2016/09/03/oslo-city-hall/
And the the near by Oslo Peace Center:
https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/nobel-peace-center/2862/
Nobel Peace Prize museum with an exciting combination of changing and
permanent exhibitions that promote popular interest in issues relating
to war, peace and conflict resolution.
"Visit Norway" and "economically" are usually not heard int the same sentence. But it's a great country worth a visit, however October is probably not the best month, although you can get some beautiful autumn landscapes. But for the northern lights, consider Abisko ( https://www.heartmybackpack.com/blog/best-northern-lights-europe-abisko/ ) although October might be a bit early.
"Visit Norway" and "economically" are usually not heard int the same
sentence.
The same is valid for Sweden :-)
The same is valid for Sweden :-)
True aswell! But Norway is even more expensive.
