Norway holiday ideas for winter and summer
Published 29 October 2024
Personal insights and recommendations for Expressions Holidays in Norway
For your next holiday this winter or even looking ahead to the summer of 2025, we strongly recommend booking one of Expressions Holidays’ various touring options across Norway. This is a country which evokes blue seas, snow-covered mountains and icy fjords for good reason. Bjornstjerne Bjornson, Norwegian poet and Nobel prize winner, puts it well in his poetry: ‘Norway, Norway, rising in blue from the sea’s gray and green’.
Our Travel Specialist, Charlotte, travelled from the capital city, Oslo to Myrdal, Balestrand and Alesund by train and ferries in October last year. The purpose of this 11-night visit was to expand her knowledge of these regions for future recommendations. Here are her holiday suggestions including means of transport, where to stay and what to do according to your own interests. Happy reading!
How to get there:
Both the Oslo Gardermoen and Bergen airports have flights to and from the UK. For winter bookings, there are even direct flights to Tromsø to see the northern lights! Once you’ve arrived, the easiest way to get about is by train although this may also be combined with ferry services to experience the various fjords in all their majesty.
How to explore the area:
The Hurtigruten line is one of the most famous ferry routes and covers the coast from Bergen to Kirkenes (over 2,500 kms) with various stops. There is also the Vy rail from Oslo which takes you along the Flam railway from Myrdal to Flam. After about half an hour after leaving Oslo, there were incredible views of the mountains, rivers and glaciers!
My hotel recommendations:
Norway has various luxury hotel options where one can stay in comfort with staggering views. These are my recommendations:
Hotel Bristol, Oslo
This is very regal 4-star hotel in the centre of Oslo and steeped in history since it was the first to be built of the Thon hotel chain, highly regarded across the whole of Norway. Known for luxury provision, guests can make full use of a library area, fine dining restaurant, a well-equipped gym and a spa which will be open in 2025.
Hotel Continental, Oslo
A 5-star and elegant establishment, it has an ornate lobby, five restaurants one of which is the nationally renowned Theatercaféen, impeccable concierge service and a fitness studio.
Kviknes Hotel, Balestrand
Taken over by the Kvikne family in 1827, this hotel is right on the edge of the Sognefjord in the picturesque village of Balestrand. I urge you to book the fjord view rooms in the Historic building (there are two main sections) since they look out over the water. The restaurant serves delicious local food and the concierge staff are very friendly. This could be paired with a stay in the Hotel Bristol mentioned earlier to experience the best of Norwegian hospitality!
Brosundet, Alesund
This was converted from a fish traders’ warehouse into a stylish hotel in the centre of Alesund. When I stayed here, I was fortunate to experience the regular local musical shows which take place here, ‘teadans’ or high tea and views from one of the loft suites overlooking the waterfront.
Malangen Resort, Tromsø
I cannot recommend this Arctic resort enough for you if your dream is to see the northern lights. For families, I suggest staying in the waterfront Rorbu Cabins given the extra space and views (they’re very house-like!).
Activities:
There is a lot to see and do wherever you choose to stay in this wonderful country, so I have picked out some for you:
1. Tours of Oslo to see the various museums and fascinating historical buildings including the Viking Ship Museum and the Akershus Castle (shown above to the right)
2. Seeing the northern lights – for example, the Malangen Resort has its own wildnerness camp where it organises campfire ‘watches’ to see the Aurora Borealis
3. For this, I also recommend our Grand Arctic Norway Tour which covers the cities of Trondheim, the Lofoten Islands, Kirkenes and Tromsø by train, boat and car. Travelling through northern-most Norway (part of which is in the Arctic Circle) you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to seeing these fantastical ribbons of blue, green and violet coursing across the sky!
4. The following are also available at the Malangan Resort and the Snowhotel Kirkenes: Husky sledding, reindeer feeding and snowshoe walking
5. For the summer, hiking trails in Jotunheim National Park and the Norangsfjord are at their best between mid-June and the end of August
Norway is a very diverse country with varying geography, food and climates. Throughout my trip however, I was struck by the warm welcome I received in every hotel and effort made to ensure I had the best experience possible. If this wasn’t on your bucket list before reading, I hope I’ve convinced you to get in touch about a holiday to Norway!
