We visited Norway in June/July 2019 for 3 weeks total. We like to go deep vs. wide when traveling so we concentrated our visit in the lovely fjords.
Start and end in Oslo.
Mostly traveled by train and ferry with a rental car for 2 days in Balestrand.
5 days self-guided bike tour on the Hardangerfjord starting and ending in Bergen.
5 days in a vacation rental in Balestrand.
Rode the Rallarvegen bike trail from Finse to Flam.
3 days each in Flam and Bergen.
Know before you go:
- Getting around in the fjords requires ferry travel, even if you have a car. Check time tables and know when the first and last ferries leave so you don't get stuck.
- Liquor control in Norway is complicated. Grocery stores sell only low alcohol content beers and ciders and only during certain hours/days. Wine or anything stronger must be bought at government run Vinmonopolet stores which have limited hours and locations. If you will be staying in a smaller town, you may want to stock up if you aren't planning to eat/drink at restaurants every night.
- Popular trains (Flamsbana) and Ferries can book well in advance. You might want to arrange for those early in your planning and build the rest of the trip around that.
- Check to see if you'll be staying in a cruise ship port. Bergen is large enough that it doesn't much affect the town but in smaller towns, like Flam, the cruise ships absolutely dominate the scene. Literally blocking the view of the fjord and creating a fog of smog in the tight valley.
We loved our time in Norway and are happy to share our experiences with others if you have any questions.