Hi my 66 year old husband and I’m 58, will be taking our 18 year old son on a trip for his high school graduation. Will be flying from Orlando Fl to Oslo Norway . Will arrive July5 and fly out of Stockholm Sweden on July 15. We need help planning. We would like to use mostly train travel but open to suggestions. Would like to stay couple of nights in Oslo, also would like to go to Bergen, my son wants to see the Atlantic road since he thinks some of it will be in the new James Bond movie. So would like additional places to see and plan a few days at the end for Sweden. Please suggest possible itenary, don’t want to do a lot of walking my husband has a bad back. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Posted by
Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico
1924 posts
Hi and welcome to the forum.
You have ten nights and three cities. You really don't have much time to add additional destinations. If you do three nights in Oslo, three nights in Bergen, and four nights in Stockholm, you will be able to enjoy those three cities.
You could cut a night from one of those three cities and add it as a stop between Oslo and Bergen. I'm sure you'd enjoy lingering in the Sognefjord region, taking boat trips and such.
And I don't see any option besides flying from Bergen to Stockholm. Taking a train would take far too much time.
I'm sure when you've narrowed things down somewhat and come up with a tentative plan, you can get a lot more assistance on this forum with specific questions about lodging, transportation, food, and sightseeing.
Also, don't forget to use the search function (at the top of the page) to find information others have already posted.
Enjoy your trip!
Posted by
Cape Ann, Massachusetts
3334 posts
There is an overnight train between Oslo and Bergen. You could take the overnight train from Bergen to Oslo, or vice versa, and then the day train in the opposite direction, and then the train over to Stockholm. I love overnight trains, but I think the ride from Bergen across to Oslo and then on to Sweden would be lovely. It's a nice way to see a country, IMO. And nice day of relaxation mid-trip.
Posted by
Berlin
2996 posts
If you mean this year you are very late in planning. More a question which hotel and train capacities are left.
Do not under-estimate the jetlag and the "fresh-air hammer". You will be tired the first days.
9 full days are too less for all the planned destinations which are a few hundred kilometers out of the way. Normally people plan 3-4 full days in Stockholm and 2-3 full days in Oslo.
The Atlanterhavsvegen is artificially hyped as scenic route since years but as you can see from a YouTube video showing the filming it is not very spectacular seen from the ground. Just a curved bridge from which Norway has much more and nicer ones, e.g. at Stokmarknes. So, here the film crew is late in discovering a spot. I doubt that it is worth to spend that time to get there.
Alternatives imo:
A) If you want to stay car-free and w/o Atlantic road: spend some days in Oslo. Do NiN train to Flam and head on to Bergen and fly from there to Stockholm.
B) With Atlantic road skip Bergen. Spend some time in Oslo, train to Andalsnes. Take rental car. Check out Atlantic road and sleep in Alesund (long day, long drive). Next 1-2 day(s) explore Geirangerfjord and Trollstigen scenic route back to Andalsnes to drop-off car. Train back to Oslo or to Trondheim airport. SAS flight to Stockholm.
Posted by
Medford, OR, USA
5837 posts
This year? If yes, as Mark notes, July is a busy travel month. Assuming you can get train reservations:
July 5: Arrive OSL. Walk around Oslo adjusting to time change and overnight flight. Oslo Opera House, Frogner Park (get some sunlight to adjust to time zone)
July 6: Oslo. 24 hour Oslo Card. https://www.visitoslo.com/en/activities-and-attractions/oslo-pass/
Bygdoy museums and sights - Folk Museum, Viking Ship, Fram Museum, etc.
https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/norway/oslo
July 7-8: Norway in a Nutshell. Depart Oslo towards Bergen. Train to Myrdal, Flam train, boat, bus, train etc
https://www.norwaynutshell.com/
July 8-9: Bergen
https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/norway/bergen
July 9 evening or July 10 morning: Fly to Stockholm
Bergen
Posted by
8239 posts
We just came back from 2 nights in Stockholm then took the train to Copenhagen where the next day we picked up an 11 night cruise of Norway (6 ports) that goes past the Arctic Circle and North Cape.
It was one of our favorite cruises ever. It is the best way to see Norway. You don't have to pay expensive hotel and meal prices in Norway, the most expensive country in Europe.
If you are going to Oslo, you could take the train to Bergen, then to Flam. Not sure, about getting to Alesund, but if you can the Path of the Trolls is amazing.
Stavanger and Geiranger are in Southern Norway and have great fjords. Geiranger is probably the most awesome.