Has anyone visited Norway?

[Captain Catnip]

H and I are hoping to go to London and Amsterdam in the next year and a half or so, but now he's suddenly obsessed with Norway to the point he is trying to learn Norwegian. It is definitely a beautiful country from what we've seen online/tv etc, so I was just wondering if anyone has been there? This would be quite a few years down the road, and if we manage to get a house both trips will be pushed back.

What did you think of it? What did it cost you approximately (not counting flights.)  Did you enjoy it? Any suggestions of things to do there?  I have a feeling we'd just want to take in the scenery, but who knows!

[mcsangel2]

I haven't, but you should cross post this on the travel board!

[Deleted]

It's an amazing place. So friendly and clean. We went to Oslo. Stayed at the Oslo Plaza which was gorgeous. There's lots to do there. What are your interests? Also I took a train to Flan which is down in a fjord. The train down was very interesting and fun to ride. Then took a boat out to Bergen, which was my favorite place. If you get a chance go to Edvard Greig's home. Our family is musically inclined so we especially enjoyed the stories about him. There's also some row houses that were occupied by Romans. That was a time in the region history I wasn't familiar with. Norway in general is an expensive place to visit but so worth it!!

[AutumnRose25]

It's on our shortlist- especially since Norwegian Air announced they will soon be flying out of Bradley.

[icedcoffee]

I went for work a few years ago. I don't have a ton of recommendations since I was there for work and not pleasure, but it is REALLY expensive. I'm glad I was there for work for that reason. I remember going out and having a burger and 1 beer at a pub and it was the equivalent of like $60 per person. It's beautiful, but be prepared to drop a pretty penny.

[UnderProtest]

I was in Stavanger and Bergen this past summer and both were GORGEOUS! We stopped in those cities as part of a cruise so they were just day trips. Things (like food) were expensive but I can't comment about hotels. Flights in Europe are cheaper than in the US, so you could possibly fly in and out of London from the US and take trips from there to Norway or wherever. I also really liked Iceland so add that to your list.

[lishie]

Our cousin lived in Oslo for three years. We flew into Copenhagen, then took a cheap European flight from there to Oslo, and spent a week there with her and her BF.

That was 10 years ago, so I can't remember the cost of flights, but food out was really expensive. We went to a high end Japanese restaurant and spent about $250 a person for dinner, but most of our other meals out, even nothing fancy, were fairly pricy for dinner, just because the Crown was so strong against the dollar.

It was a beautiful country. We did the Oslo sculpture park, went into the mountains, spent time wandering.

We just booked a Norway/Iceland cruise for next year to go back with the kids and see some of the fjords and the towns on them. It won't be the same as staying in the country, but a nice way to see some more of the fjords and countryside.

[Captain Catnip]

Mar 23, 2017 8:27:12 GMT -5 lishie said:

Our cousin lived in Oslo for three years. We flew into Copenhagen, then took a cheap European flight from there to Oslo, and spent a week there with her and her BF.

That was 10 years ago, so I can't remember the cost of flights, but food out was really expensive. We went to a high end Japanese restaurant and spent about $250 a person for dinner, but most of our other meals out, even nothing fancy, were fairly pricy for dinner, just because the Crown was so strong against the dollar.

It was a beautiful country. We did the Oslo sculpture park, went into the mountains, spent time wandering.

We just booked a Norway/Iceland cruise for next year to go back with the kids and see some of the fjords and the towns on them. It won't be the same as staying in the country, but a nice way to see some more of the fjords and countryside.

Link to the cruise?

[lishie]

We booked a Disney one that leaves from Copenhagen, does the fjords, Iceland, Scotland and then ends in Dover, but there are a few different lines that do Norway/Iceland cruises.

disneycruise.disney.go.com/cruises-destinations/list/#europe

[cruiser]

We have sailed to Norway on a cruise a couple of times. Norway is one of our most favorite trips because it is so beautiful, we love all the nature and the people are very friendly. If you are interested in a cruise, I would highly recommend one that goes all the way up to the North Cape. Towns are so different up north compared to the bigger cities down in the south. There are a lot of cruises that will hit Bergen, Stavanger, Geiranger, but usually only about once a year will a cruise line go all the way up north. Here is an example:
secure.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/11NightArcticCircleCruise-SR11U041?currencyCode=USD&sCruiseType=CO&sDateMin=2017-05-01&sDateMax=2017-07-31&sailDate=06%2F03%2F2017

[heywhat]

I have been to Oslo, Bergen, and Stavenger. Everywhere was beautiful and clean. The people were all very friendly. My favorite things were visiting Bergen (Bryggen, specifically) and hiking Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen) near Stavenger. In Oslo there are several ship museums (one is viking, the other is about arctic exploration).

Norway (along with Sweden, Denmark, Iceland) is very expensive. When I was there 12 years ago a beer was $10 and a single bed in a hostel room with 24 people was $30/night.

Is there something specific your husband finds interesting?

[Captain Catnip]

heywhat just how gorgeous it is, honestly, and he's always wanted to learn an uncommon language (pretty much a non-romantic.) I would love to see the Viking museum and really anything. I'm not picky.

[heywhat]

I'm not sure how to rate beauty, I guess?

The old architecture is more quaint than fancy (unlike some other areas of Europe). Scenery is very north-woodsy. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

I traveled with a girlfriend and we were traveling to:
1) Visit friends
2) Have an adventure
So scenery is not what drove us there, but I did enjoy it.

[devonpow]

Norway is amazing! I've been to Oslo a few times and DH and I did a big Norway trip a few years ago. We started Bergen and made our way to Oslo kind of following the "Norway in a Nutshell" tour but using our own series of boats, trains, etc. Then we took the overnight ferry to Copenhagen from Oslo and finished the trip there. It was absolutely one of my favorite trips. Zero recollection of cost, sadly.

[Aloe Vera]

I went to Oslo.
It is beautiful and you can basically walk all around Oslo without using any car (there is a subway but I never used it).
It is very expensive though. Food and hotels are.

I would love to go back and see the Fjords.

[mcsangel2]

These food prices are making me hyperventilate!