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5 Top Norway Road Trips: A Local Expert’s View

Embarking on a road trip around Norway is a great way to see what this breathtaking Scandinavian country has to offer. And making the most of your time away is all about getting your itinerary just right.

After all, you’ll want to catch sight of those incredible fjords and sweeping Arctic landscapes. But you’ll also need time to wind your way through UNESCO-listed Norwegian towns and cities such as Oslo and Bergen.

So what is the best way to do a driving tour of Norway ? Glad you asked! 

Expert-approved Norway road trip routes 

There are plenty of routes to choose from. That’s why we asked one of our Norway specialists, Sindre Matthíasson, if he could give us a breakdown of his favourite Norway driving routes. Whether you’re an intrepid road tripper, or are just starting out, let’s dive in. 

Sindre has recommended journeys ranging from 5-day express tours where you'll see some of Norway’s best attractions, to comprehensive 16-day itineraries that’ll take you across large parts of the country. Plus, there are lots of other options in between.

Top driving itineraries in Norway:

• 5-day tour around Lofoten Islands
• 7-day Norway round trip from Bergen
• 10-day tour from Oslo with fjords and waterfalls
• 10-day tour from Bergen with fjords and glaciers
• 16-day grand tour of Norway

1.  Express Lofoten – 5-day road trip in Northern Norway

A 5-day driving tour of Norway may seem ambitious, but it is wholly achievable, especially if you set your sights on the gorgeous and scenic Lofoten Islands . This itinerary is ideal for birdwatchers, hikers, and travellers wishing to see the untouched northern terrain of Norway.

Experience the rugged wilderness of the Lofoten Islands, and explore the Arctic fjords, marvel at the majestic mountains, spy seabird colonies, and step off into beautiful villages like Henningsvær.

What’s the drive like?

The driving for this itinerary is light, roughly 158-252 kilometres (98-157 miles). And, you can drive it in two major stretches, each of which takes around 2 hours. For more information, see our guide to  driving in Norway .

What itinerary is best for a 5-day Norway road trip?

Day 1 – Start in Svolvær, the hub of the Lofoten Islands, where you can spend the day investigating the delightful shops and cafes in the main town, and if you’re feeling adventurous, hike Svolværgeita, the mountain that overlooks the town.

Day 2 – On your second day in Svolvær, bring your camera and head to Trollfjord, known for its watersports, fishing villages, and incredible birdlife. Make time especially for Henningsvær, affectionately known as the “Venice of Lofoten” because of its pretty maritime looks.

Day 3 – Drive to Reine today, where you can take the national tourist road that runs through the islands. Prepare for some excellent stopovers at places like the Lofotr Viking Museum for a little Norse history, and to Gimsøya and Haukland beach for seaside views and fun.  

Day 4 – In Reine, make the most of the fjords, by enjoying watersports in Reinefjorden, and panoramic views with a hike to Reinebringen. You can also duck into the local Norwegian Fishing Village Museum to learn about the culture and heritage of these islands.

Day 5 – Hop in your car and head back to Svolvær, where you can extend your trip, or fly to Oslo and investigate the charms of Norway’s capital. 

Best Norway road trip for: A short break with incredible scenery.

• Have it organised for you: experience the Lofoten road trip tour
• Explore: Lofoten Islands tours & vacation packages
• Related: My Lofoten: charming villages & dramatic landscapes

2. The Norway Express Route – 7-day driving tour of Norway

If you’ve got a whole week to plan a Norway self-driving tour , then your best bet is to travel along the central part of the country’s coast, starting and ending in Bergen. This itinerary brings you face-to-face with some of the nation’s most glorious fjords, and gives you a chance to wind your way around some of Europe’s most exciting roadways.

The route is circular and perfect for coastal, lakeside and inland exploration, without making you feel like you’re racing from attraction to attraction. Plus, the extra days give you enough time to step away from the wheel and head out to sea on a spectacular overnight cruise.

This is a mid-level road trip, with drive times varying between 2-hour and 4-hour stints. Total driving for this trip is around 554 kilometres (344 miles).

What itinerary is best for a 7-day Norway road trip?

Day 1 – Kick off your trip in Bergen , the second-largest city in Norway, and home to the incredible UNESCO-listed Bryggen . This historic part of the city is an old wharf, filled with museums, markets, cafes, and shops. You could also pop up the funicular railway, the Fløibanen, to see Bergen from above.

Day 2 – On your second day, head to Voss and seek out the famed Tvindefossen waterfall nearby (see image). Driving on will take you past several gorgeous coastal towns, and panoramic views of Aurlandsfjord .

Stop off in Flåm , where you can ride the jaw-dropping Flåmsbana railway to Myrdal . Then take a short ferry ride to Sogndal which sits on Norway’s longest and deepest fjord, Sognefjord .

Day 3 – Today, make for Loen . This is a short drive, so you'll have more time to enjoy at each stop – see mainland Europe’s largest icecap, the Jostedal glacier , and pop into the Norwegian Glacier Museum. Once in Loen, take the skylift, so you can see both the town and the spectacular Nordfjord.

Day 4 – Next up, is Geiranger. To get there you'll board a ferry and sail through the UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord . Here you will see celebrated waterfalls like the Bridal Veil and the Seven Sisters .

Day 5 – In the morning, drive up the winding slopes of  The Eagle Road , and hop on a short ferry to Linge before winding your way around the Trollstigen  – The Troll Ladder. In the afternoon, board a Havila or Hurtigruten cruise and head south towards Bergen.

Top tip : in the summer months, you could enjoy coastal views from the ship deck under the midnight sun before returning to your private cabin.

Day 6 – Today, you’ll reach the endpoint of the cruise and road trip in Bergen . Rounding off your trip here means you can either spend time hiking the seven (that’s right, seven!) mountains that surround the city, or see attractions like Håkon’s Hall in Bergenhus fortress.

Day 7 – It’s time to set your sat nav for the airport. If you still have some time, you can stroll down to the harbourside and grab breakfast or lunch at one of the delightful cafes in town, and grab some souvenirs. 

Best Norway road trip for: A whistlestop tour of the north

• Sound good? Ask us about Scenic Norway - Express
• Related: In brief: what to do in Bergen
• Related: Best Time to Go and Visit Norway

3. The Classic Norway Route – 10 day driving tour of Norway

This classic route is for any traveller who wants to tick off all the main attractions during their holiday across Norway . This scenic drive includes the cities of Oslo and Bergen, plus national tourist routes that go past stunning fjords such as Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord.

And let’s not forget world-famous waterfalls such as the Seven Sisters and the Bridal Veil.

For a bucket list driving tour of Norway, this is your ticket. Beyond the charms of the attractions, 10 days here allows for a few days away from the wheel, so you can bask in the atmosphere of the country’s rugged landscape.

This is a circular route starting in Oslo, with a total driving distance of 1,344 kilometres (836 miles). Spread across the 10 days, you’ll find that you shouldn’t have to drive more than about 4 hours at a time.

What itinerary is best for a 10-day classic Norway road trip?

Day 1 – Oslo is your starting point, and you should head into the city centre before you rent a car, to enjoy this sophisticated capital. See the Royal Palace, the Norwegian Maritime Museum, and the incredible Akershus Fortress.

Day 2 – On your first driving day, go north to lovely Lillehammer , set inland, and the site of the 1994 Winter Olympics. Visit the Olympic Museum and arena, but don’t forget to pop your head into the Maihaugen open-air museum, which is made up of 200 buildings, some of which date back to the 1400s!

Day 3 – On your third day, you’ll swap cultural attractions for natural ones, as you sweep into the Gudbrandsdalen valley, which is flanked by several national parks. On your way to Geiranger, stop off at the Dalsnibba skywalk where you can gaze at magnificent views of Geirangerfjord and the Blåbreen glacier.

Day 4 – Indulge in a spot of kayaking or watersports along the Geirangerfjord in the morning, then take a ferry to Loen. Once you’re on the water you’ll be able to marvel at the Seven Sisters and the Bridal Veil, vaunted waterfalls of the region. 

Day 5 – From Loen, you can drive south to the Jostedal glacier, the largest in mainland Europe. You can learn all about it in the Norwegian Glacier Museum in Fjærland. Learn how the fjords of the region are carved, before getting to Sogndal, situated in Sognefjord, the deepest and longest fjord in the country.

Day 6 – Today, take another ferry, this time from Sognefjord to the gorgeous Aurlandsfjord. Once you’re back on dry land, pull over in Flåm to ride the legendary rails. Lastly, don’t forget to make time for Voss  –  the adventure capital of Norway  –  on your way to Bergen.

Day 7 – Stay in Bergen, where you can wander the ancient streets of the UNESCO-listed Bryggen, tour the delightful museums, or enjoy the views from the top of Mount Fløyen by taking the Fløibanen Funicular.

Day 8 – On the eighth day be swept away by the scenic charms of Hardangerfjord and the impressive natural sites of the Hardangervidda National park. Whilst heading to your end-point Geilo, make time for Vøringfossen, the highest waterfall in Norway.

Day 9 – Before you make that drive to Oslo, mark your map for Gol. Here, you’ll find the renowned Gol Stave Church, a Viking village, and if you keep your eyes sharp, you may even see trolls in the Trollkirka Caves.

Day 10 – It’s never a bad idea to spend another night in Oslo. Go to the Vigeland Sculpture Park, and the Norse Folkemuseum, before relaxing with a well-deserved drink.

Best Norway road trip for: Classic attractions.

• Have it organised for you: book the Norway Road Trip - Classic
• Related: Top romantic getaways to have in Norway

4. The Complete Norway Route - 10-day driving tour of Norway

If you’re interested in seeing the epic waterways, glaciers and fjords of Norway, this is the tour for you. It's 10 days-long, and starts and ends in Bergen From here you'll wind your way through Geirangerfjord, the gorgeous Balestrand region and pretty Loen. 

This is an ideal summer itinerary, as you'll have access to the fjords. This means plenty of time to try your hand at kayaking, swimming and cruising across those glorious fjords. Nature lovers will adore this road trip!

This is an exciting route that takes you on Trollstigen on the way to Ålesund, as well as on the Eagle Road. In total, the distance you’ll cover is 1,234 kilometres (777 miles), with each driving stretch achievable in 3 to 4 hour stints.

What itinerary is best for a 10-day complete Norway road trip?

Day 1 – Begin in  Bergen , the colourful coastal city, which is home to the UNESCO-protected Bryggen, an old wharf made up of beautiful heritage buildings. Explore the city by ducking into shops and dining in the hip restaurants in town.

Day 2 – There is plenty more to see in the “capital of the fjords”. Take the Fløibanen Funicular up to Mount Fløyen to see Bergen from above. Then, you can either hike within the mountains that surround the city – there are seven! – or investigate the museums, such as the Edvard Grieg museum and the KODE art museum.

Day 3 – Kick off your fjord tour by driving towards Voss, where you can witness the might of the Tvindefossen waterfall. Then head towards Sogndal, where you will pass by Flåm and its famous railway – hop on board for stunning valley views.

Day 4 – Sogndal could be the poster child for Norway, especially as it is located on the Sognefjord, the longest and deepest fjord in the nation. Swim or kayak in the fjord, or bike along the coast. Then go to Urnes to see one of the oldest stave churches in Norway , or visit the dazzling Nigarsbreen glacier.

Day 5 – A trip to the fjords of Norway wouldn’t be complete without going to magical Geiranger, filled with snow-capped mountains, lush forests, and towering waterfalls. But first, you’ll drive north along the celebrated National Tourist Route “Sognefjellsvegen”, the highest mountain pass in northern Europe which passes through the glorious Jotunheimen national park.

Day 6 – Today is made for road trip enthusiasts – wind your way up Ørnevegen, known as “The Eagle Road” to Eidsdal. Then, after a short ferry ride to Linge, you’ll be able to tackle the twisting Trollstigen, or Troll Ladder – one of the best-known roads in Norway. End in Ålesund , celebrated for its fantastic Art Nouveau architecture.

Day 7 – Hop on a ferry to Loen, where you’ll sail past beautiful fjords like Vartdalsfjorden, Østrafjorden and Voldsfjorden. Once you get to this lovely town, stretch your legs on a hike up Mount Skåla, which promises gorgeous views from the top.

Day 8 – Scenic roads and hairpin turns are on today’s agenda. The drive to arty Balestrand will take you past the lakes of Jölstravanet and Hakedalsvatnet, right up to the mesmerising Gaularfjellet route. You’ll find yourself wanting to stop often to take photos – we recommend Utsikten for a perfect snapshot of the scenery.

Day 9 – Take your time exploring the picturesque village of Balestrand, and then pick the leisurely route back to Bergen. For instance, take the ferry from Balestrand to Vangsnes and visit Vik, where you can duck into the oldest stone building in the region, Hove Church. Then cruise in the car along Vik mountain before getting back to the city.

Day 10 – On your last day, pop into the Bergenhus Fortress Museum, a fascinating window into the city’s past, and wander down to the Old Bergen Open-Air Museum, which can show you what life was like in days gone by. And lastly, stock up on Norwegian treats like multekrem and krumkake before you depart!

Best Norway road trip for: Fjords and incredible roadways.

• Have it organised for you: Norway fjord route by car - complete
• Related: Bergen, Norway: Gateway to the Fjords 

5. The Norwegian Grand Tour – 16-day driving tour of Norway

The saying might be “you can’t see it all”, but on this trip you will come pretty close. This 16-day itinerary focuses on showcasing the best of Norway, but also takes you to some lesser-known national attractions.This is a trip that also allows you to hop on trains or boats so you can see those incredible mountain passes via the railways, or marvel at the fjords from the water.

Visit stunning Oslo and beautiful Bergen, explore sweeping alpine landscapes, tour pretty fishing villages, and swim in pristine fjords all on this fabulous self-driven tour of Norway.

Whilst this is itinerary may be the longest in days, it’s not the longest when it comes to driving. This is because we’ve factored in trips on public transportation, scenic train journeys, as well as cruises. The driving distance in total comes to about 905 kilometres (562 miles), and is sectioned off in manageable 2-4 hour chunks.

What itinerary is best for a 16-day comprehensive Norway road trip?

Day 1 – Your adventure starts in  Oslo , the capital of Norway, and a great place to kick off a cultural tour. Stroll to the Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Oslo City Hall, and the Kon-Tiki Museum on your first day.

Day 2 – On your second, go to the stunning Akershus Fortress , and the Royal Palace, and then spend time in the Aker Brygge area, where you’ll find a seaside boardwalk, upmarket and cute boutiques, patio bars, and plenty of excellent restaurants.

Day 3 – From Oslo, take a train that weaves its tracks through the mountains of Norway, all the way to  Bergen . This city is home to the charming UNESCO-listed Bryggen, an old wharf filled with colourful clapboard heritage buildings. A must-see.

Day 4 – Today you should pick up your rental car in Norway, because you’ll be driving towards Voss to chase its Tvindefossen waterfall, and then onto the remarkable Aurlandsfjord and the lovely town of Flåm. If you fancy it, we recommend going on a return train ride from Flåm to Myrdal for sweeping views of the landscape – bring your camera! Then drive on from Flåm to Sogndal.

Day 5 – Sogndal is set on the Sognefjord , so exploring fjords is on the itinerary today. Drive the Fjærlands road to the Jostedal Glacier, and after that chilly stop, slide by Nordfjord, where cascading waterfalls, rising mountains, and sapphire lakes will greet you. End in Loen for the night.

Day 6 – Explore a little of lovely Loen, then take the ferry through the UNESCO-protected Geirangerfjord. This is where you’ll see the Seven Sisters and Bridal Veil waterfalls , perhaps Norway’s most famous falls. At the end of the ferry ride, you’ll get to stay in the town of Geiranger, the stuff fairytales are made of. Think pristine fjords and sugar-topped mountains studded with emerald trees.

Day 7 – You couldn’t get all the way to Geiranger and not spend another night there. Soak in the magical atmosphere of this alpine haven, and kayak or take a boat safari across the fjord. You can also take your rental car up to the Dalsnibba skywalk for unparalleled views.

Day 8 – Why have a car if you can’t make the most of it? Climb the winding ways of Eagle Road , then cruise across, car and all, on a ferry to Linge. Once there, you can try your hand at the extremely fun, and gorgeous Trollstigen road, known for its 11 hairpin bends, before stopping for the night at Ålesund.

Day 9 – Keep to the coast today, as you’ll be heading to the harbourside Kristiansund down the Atlantic road. First, drive and ferry your way to beautiful Bud, a historic trading village, and then onto to the Atlantic Ocean Road, which is cradled by mountains that look out to the sea, a route which road trip dreams are made of.

Day 10 – Norway may be an adventure, but this country breeds adventurers too, and nowhere is this more true than in Trondheim , the capital of the Vikings. Explore this remarkable port city in northern Norway, and duck into its Trøndelag Folk Museum, the old wharf Bakklandet, and the Nidaros Cathedral.

Day 11 – Of course, why come to the Viking capital if you aren’t going to get to taste a little sea life?  Leave your rental car behind and go on an overnight cruise, where you can sail along the Trondheim fjord out to Hitra Island.

Day 12 – You’ll dock in Bergen, giving you a chance to see everything you might have missed first time around, such as the Old Bergen Open-Air Museum, and the Hanseatic Museum in Bryggen.

Day 13 – With so much to see, it’s worth another night in this city. We recommend going to the Bergenhus Fortress, where you can see King Håkon’s Hall, and the Rosenkrantz Tower.  And since you’re by the sea, why not try pickled herring? This ancient Viking favourite is still a local staple.

Day 14 – From Bergen you will board a coach that will take you down the rugged western coast of Norway, and on a couple of spectacular ferry rides, all the way down to Stavanger , a lively city known for its historical district Gamle.

Day 15 – Using Stavanger as a base, you can easily explore this majestic region of Norway, including Lysefjord and its surrounding terrain. You’ll also be able to see the iconic natural landmark known as Pulpit Rock .

Day 16 – On your last morning in Stavanger, spend time along the harbour, and investigate the restaurants and cute museums in the Gamle area. Relax, sit back, enjoy the atmosphere, you’re done!

Best Norway road trip for: Those who want to see it all.

• Have it organised for you: look into the Scenic Norway - grand tour
• Related: Hiking the Pulpit Rock in Norway

To set up your own Norway road trip with a little expert help from a Scandinavian travel specialist, contact us with your travel wish list.

Greg Perkins is from Edinburgh, Scotland, but he adopted Iceland as his second country when Scotland (typically) managed not to qualify for football's Euro 2016 tournament. His passions include travel, English literature, and board games. Among his top travel experiences are sailing along Geirangerfjord with classically trained singers providing the soundtrack, seeing Sólheimajökull glacier up close in South Iceland, and witnessing the unspoiled beauty of New Zealand's Doubtful Sound fjord.

Find Greg on LinkedIn .

Getting there

We'd love to give you the same amazing travel experiences as you read about in our blog! To visit the destinations and attractions mentioned in this post - and to discover a few new highlights along the way - check out these recommended Nordic Visitor tours.

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These 5 road trips let you take in Norway’s epic scenery

Mar 19, 2024 • 9 min read

Scenic drives let you experience Norway’s epic landscapes – like Trollstigen pass – up close © Franz Aberham / Getty Images

In Norway , mountains spring straight from the sea and mossy greens sit starkly against grey, craggy, snow-capped peaks. The  best way to take it all in ? Behind the wheel of a car. 

A drive around the scenery of country is, quite simply, an otherworldly experience. From island-hopping, bridge-crossing coastal drives to hair-raising mountain passes, take your time to explore Norway at its very best with these top road-trip routes.

1. The Lofoten Road 

Best road trip for heading off the beaten track Svolvær airport to Å; 133km (83 miles)

For those looking for something adventurous, remote and, well, arctic, try the road that connects the islands of  Lofoten , a wild archipelago that clings to the coast and sits inside the Arctic Circle. Far from the beaten track of tourist sites within striking distance of Oslo , Bergen and Trondheim , the Lofoten lies in the far north of the country, which makes it the ideal place to see birdlife and the northern lights in the wintertime. This trip takes you along the E10 all the way to its end in the tiny fishing village of Å, on the far west of the archipelago.

With just one road to follow as it snakes its way across the islands, there’s very little chance of getting lost. But don’t rush: the whole drive can be done in under three hours, or you could take a few days to soak in all there is to see. As the road hugs the coast, you’ll be treated to stunning views of mountains rising steeply from the sea, turquoise waters and – depending on the time of year – plenty of snow in winter or lush greenery and blonde beaches in summer. Despite lying within the Arctic Circle, the climate is surprisingly mild thanks to the Gulf Stream. 

Along the way lie a few essential sights. First on the route from Svolvær airport is the viewpoint at Torvdalshlsen, with its modern benches providing shelter as you look over Vestvågøy. From there, keen twitchers should head over to the west side of the area to the lakes of Gårdsvatnet, Skjærpvatnet and Storeidvatnet to see the best winged wildlife the region has to offer. 

Staying within Vestvågøy, it’s on to Eggum and its amphitheater-shaped rest area that offers views down the rugged coastline on one side and towering, jagged mountains on the other. An hour further west toward the end of the road is Rambergstranda, which features an idyllic beach in Jusnesvika bay. The site is an unusual blend of peaks, sand and azure seas, with a walkway made of railway sleepers enticing you down to the water’s edge. 

From Rambergstranda, it’s a 40-minute drive to the village of Å, where the road quite literally ends. This tiny village was dependent on fishing until the 1990s, when tourism started to take over. As one of the most westerly points in the country, the village is a beautifully isolated outpost, whose red wooden fishing huts hark back to a time when tourists would seldom venture this far.

Planning tip:  Fly directly to Svolvær airport on the island closest to the mainland, which serves as the gateway for the Lofoten road. Luckily, you’ll find a rental-car company at the airport, which saves a lengthy drive through Norway to get to the starting point.

2. The Atlantic Road

Best road trip for bridges Molde to the Gjemnessundbrua suspension bridge; 111km (69 miles)

A frequent feature of Norway’s road network, bridges and tunnels keep many of the country's 50,000 islands connected. For those looking to sample some of Norway’s most beautiful bridges, look no further than the Atlantic Road. Beginning not far from the city of Molde, the route has connected the island of Averøy with the mainland since 1989.

Best known as one of the filming locations for a driving scene in the 2021 Bond film No Time to Die , the route has a total of eight bridges that stretch over 8274m (27,146ft) along the route, giving way to some spectacular views across the Atlantic.

Start by driving north from Molde on the E39 before taking the exit for Rte 64 – and get ready for coastal scenery, culture and history. From here, there’s no need to take any turns as the route guides you up to the coastline. The breeze from the Atlantic and the bridges signify the start of the drive. 

Once you’ve crossed the Storseisundbrua – the road’s longest and best-known bridge – hopping from one inlet and island to the next can be quite the experience on a blustery day. With the ocean foam peppering the road as you drive along, the initial stretch is magically moody when a northwest storm rolls in. On a still summer’s day , it’s equally impressive – not to mention easier to stop and snap some spectacular photos.  

After the main stretch of bridges, Rte 64 weaves its way across the island of Averøy before dropping down into the Atlantic Ocean Tunnel and resurfacing to join Rte 70. Once across the beautiful but sparsely populated island of Frei, the road drops down into another impossibly long tunnel that reconnects with the island of Bergsøya briefly before heading across the mighty Gjemnessundbrua suspension bridge. First opened in 1992, the bridge reconnects to the mainland, where the route continues on Rte 39 back to the city of Molde.

3. Sognefjellet

Best road trip for an inland adventure Lom to Gaupne; 108km (67 miles)

Moving away from the coastline, the Sognefjellet is a road that cuts through the heart of the Bøverdalen valley. Expect constantly changing scenery as this route climbs up to a high point of 1432m (4705ft), making it northern Europe’s highest mountain pass. Given this, part of the route – from Rustasætre/Vegaskjelet to Turtagrø – is usually open from spring until autumn, closing for the winter months. Those traveling shortly after it reopens in the spring will be treated to 3m (10ft) banks of snow lining the road on both sides, illustrating the full force of a Norwegian winter.

Once an important transport artery linking the coast and inland areas, the Sognefjellet was used to carry salt and fish eastward, while butter, pitch and leather were transported west. Now a popular tourist trail, the route has many viewing platforms and spectacular natural features that tempt you off the beaten track.

Start in Lom, a small village that has built up a reputation as a culinary capital (make sure you sample the local delicacies before heading off). Halfway along the route, a rugged stone sculpture at Mefjellet by Knut Wold is a firm favorite with photographers, as it frames the jagged mountain landscape surrounding it. 

Closer to Gaupne, the route continues along the shores of Sognefjord from Skjolden toward its end. The largest and deepest fjord in the country, Sognefjord is called “King of the Fjords,” and cuts a 205km (127-mile) course through the heart of Norway. Once around the glimmering green and blue waters of Sognefjord, the route ends up in the small village of Gaupne, where a traditional wooden church overlooks the water.

Planning tip:  Gaupne is the perfect place to stop off before doubling back to drive the route in reverse, or continue southwest along the shores of Sognefjord.

4. Scenic Route Jæren

Best road trip to discover Norway’s spectacular south coast  Ogna to Bore; 41km (25 miles) 

While the Jæren road between Ogna and Bore itself is not particularly inspiring, it offers the best way to take in the most beautiful parts of Norway’s southern coastline.

Starting out in the small village of Ogna, pick up Rte 44 as it heads northwest, hugging the coastline all the way. Less than 10km (6 miles) from Ogna lies the Kvassheim lighthouse, well worth a visit. On a coastline littered with shipwrecks, lighthouses are a frequent sight; Kvassheim is one of the best examples. First built in 1912, the lighthouse was still in operation until 1990, when a smaller, automated beacon replaced it. Today, the wooden building houses a museum and visitor center.

From Kvassheim, the route continues northwest on Rte 44 before breaking off to pick up Rte 507, which runs parallel to the white sands of Orrestranda, one of the best beaches in Norway . Here you can walk for miles along the sand, while taking in the rich flora and fauna that surround the beach and populate the sand dunes. Finishing up, it’s a short drive to the village of Bore, where the route comes to an end.

Planning tip:  Take your time on this journey: there are plenty of stunning hidden spots and detours to take in along the way.

5. Trollstigen pass 

Best road trip for thrill seekers and photographers Åndalsnes to the Trollstigen visitor center; 40km (25 miles)

The Trollstigen pass (the Troll Path) is one of the world’s most celebrated roads – with good reason. (You might recognize the drive from the final season of Succession .) Made up of 11 bracing hairpin bends that carry the road up more than 850m (2790ft) up the mountainside, the route links Åndalsnes with the Valldal valley and Geiranger. Replacing a challenging hiking trail, the pass scales a sheer face dominated by the Stigfossen waterfall – a vigorous body of water that cascades off the mountain and plunges more than 350m (1000ft) in a thundering torrent.

Starting in the small town of Åndalsnes, take Rte 64 south out of the town for a short distance before making a left turn to join route E136. Head along here until the turn for Rte 63 comes up on the right, then head off south. After roughly 20 minutes of driving, the imposing sheer face of the Trollstigen will come into view, which is where the route starts to twist its way skywards. There’s a small rest area at the bottom, which makes for an ideal, low-down shot of the pass before the climb begins. 

Once on the pass, your eyes might want to wander to the views down the valley out of the side window – but resist the temptation to look away from the tarmac, as it snakes its way up the mountainside with the rugged edge of the cliff face on one side and a hefty drop down on the other side. (Luckily, there’s a sturdy concrete barrier that lines the road for most of the way.)

As if the views weren’t enough, there's another surprise at the Trollstigen’s summit. With its modern steel-and-concrete aesthetic, the Trollstigen visitor center and cafe is an ideal stopping point to catch your breath and take it all in. 

Best of all is a zig-zagging pathway that starts from the summit and leads to viewing platforms perched high above the pass. The structure is an impressive architectural feat – and also the key to securing the final piece in the photographic puzzle for those documenting the drive. From up here, the views on a clear day are simply sublime.

Planning tip:  Harsh weather and snow make the route impassable to traffic between October and May. The road reopens after the annual spring rockfall, which legend has it results from trolls fighting on the nearby Trollveggen mountain. For those looking for that epic shot of a steep-sided Norwegian fjord, Trollstigen is the one. 

This article was first published November 2021 and updated March 2024

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10-Day Complete Itinerary for a Spectacular Road Trip in Southern Norway

Last updated April 2024

In the midst of a busy work schedule, we found ourselves with 10 days available to do what we love: explore more of our beautiful home country, Norway. As 10 days is too short to see the whole country, we decided to focus on the southern part. After hours of planning and an intense treasure hunt on the internet, we had our treasure map (read: itinerary) ready. On the trip, we wanted to see spectacular nature and wildlife, eat good food, stay in comfortable hotels, and try out new activities. These were high expectations, but the trip certainly did not disappoint.

Our budget was mid-range by Norwegian standards. For many foreign visitors, Norway will an expensive country to visit. Expect to pay approximately 110-180 USD per night for a hotel room. Camping can be a great cost-saving alternative. Eating out is pricey, so another piece of budget advice is to get your lunch and/or dinner from a grocery store.

Activities and excursions vary greatly in price. The activities we did on this trip were either free or moderately priced. For car rental, you should budget for somewhere between 65-130 USD per day. Consider renting a moderately sized car to limit fuel consumption, as fuel prices are also high.

Below is our complete itinerary broken down by day. We started and ended the road trip in our hometown of Oslo. Some days had a slow pace, while others were more activity-packed.

It is possible to make the itinerary shorter or longer. For a shorter road trip, we recommend that you drive back to Oslo after visiting Dalen. For a longer journey, we suggest that you follow our route and simply spend more time at each destination. Having the freedom to travel slowly and improvise is one of the great advantages of a road trip. We promise you that Norway has a lot to offer.

Our 10-day road trip itinerary is suitable for almost everyone, including families with children. A couple of the hikes require a moderate degree of physical fitness, but they are feasible for most people.

Happy travels — we hope you enjoy Norway as much as we do!

Drive from Oslo to Kristiansand – Have lunch at Portør Pensjonat – Stay at Comfort Hotel Kristiansand

Drive from Kristiansand to Lindesnes – Visit Lindesnes Fyr – Have lunch at Jentan på Båly – Go stand up paddling or kayaking at Spangereidkanalen – Visit Lindesnes Fyr one more time at sunset – Stay at Lindesnes Havhotell

Drive from Lindesnes to Sola – Visit Kvåsfossen – Sørnorsk Laksesenter – Have lunch at Folvik Kafe – Explore Sogndalsstrand – Stop at Kvassheim Fyr. Visit Orrestranda – Enjoy the sunset at Solastranden – Stay at Clarion Hotel Air

Explore Stavanger city center – Have a cup of coffee and a cupcake at Hanekam Cafe – Stay at Clarion Hotel Air

Alternative day plan: Visit Flor & Fjære

Drive from Sola to Kvinesdal – Go rail biking at Flekkefjordbanen – Have lunch or dinner at Tollboden Bakeri – Stay at The Bølgen og Moi Hotel Utsikten

Alternative activity: Visit the potholes at Brufjellet

Drive from Kvinesdal to Hauggrend – Hike Kaldåsknipa – Feed the elks at Elgtun – Have dinner at Sølvgarden Hotell og Feriesenter – Go on a beaversafari at Bufjordstigen – Stay at Telemark Camping & Inn

Drive from Hauggrend to Haukelifjell – Hike to the Rui farm – Have Afternoon Tea at Dalen Hotel – Visit Ravnejuv – Stop at Mjonøy – Have dinner at Haukeliseter Fjellstue – Stay at Haukelifjell Gjestehus

Drive from Haukelifjell to Bergen – Have lunch at Steinstø Frukt- og Kakebu – Stop at Steindalsfossen -Check-in at Hurtigruten in Bergen – Have dinner at Hurtigruten – Stay at Hurtigruten for the night

Cruise Geirangerfjorden – Have lunch at Hurtigruten – Drive from Ålesund to Valldal – Have dinner at Valldal Fjordhotell – Stay at Valldal Fjordhotell

Drive from Valldal to Oslo – Stop at Gudbrandsjuvet – Stop at Trollstigplatået – Stop at Avdemsbue – Arrive in Oslo

Link to driving directions on Google Maps

The first stop on our trip was at the charming and rustic Portør Pensjonat, where we had lunch on our way to Kristiansand.

The salad with beets and goat cheese was fresh and very tasty. The waitress told us that the vegetables were locally grown just a few kilometers away from the restaurant. Thumbs up!

We spent the rest of the day visiting our relatives that live near Kristiansand. If we had had more time, we would have wandered around in Kristiansand’s cozy streets and visited one of the many scenic areas that are close to the city. Odderøya and Baneheia are particularly beautiful ones.

We stayed at the Comfort Hotel Kristiansand for the night. The hotel was good in all respects and conveniently located in the center of Kristiansand. The parking facilities were also good, with a garage right next to the hotel.

Link to Portør Pensjonat

Link to Comfort Hotel Kristiansand

On day two we headed further south towards Lindesnes Fyr (Lindesnes Lighthouse). The lighthouse is located on the southernmost point of mainland Norway and is a spectacular sight. We highly recommend visiting the area both during the day and at sunset. The advantage of visiting Lindesnes Fyr during the opening hours is that you can visit the museum and also go inside the lighthouse. It is, however, at dusk that a visit here becomes truly unforgettable. We therefore visited Lindesnes Fyr twice on the same day and were very happy that we did.

Our lunch spot for the day was Jentan på Båly (The Girls at Båly), located on the dock in Båly harbor. We took the food to go and ate it on the benches outside.

Jentan på Båly is a stone’s throw away from Lindesnes Havhotell, which was our hotel for the night. The hotel had plenty of sports equipment available such as bicycles, fishing rods and kayaks. We decided to test our balance and rented stand-up paddle boards. We initially had some problems finding a place to try them out. Luckily, after some exploration, we came across a perfect little sandy beach (see the Google Maps driving directions link for the exact location of the beach – the address is Bålymoen 21). From here on, everything went smoothly, and we enjoyed paddling on Spangereidkanalen (Spagereid Canal).

After visiting Lindesnes Fyr for the second time, it was time to go to bed. Lindesnes Havhotell was another fine place to spend the night. The hotel had great staff and nice rooms, although the wellness area with whirlpools and saunas could use an upgrade. A nice perk is that hotel guests receive free tickets to Lindesnes Fyr.

Tip: We bought the best cherries we had all summer at Spangereid Bensin & Handel (Spangereid Gas Station)!

Link to Lindesnes Fyr

Link to Jentan på Båly

Link to Lindesnes Havhotell

Link to Spangereid Bensin & Handel

Link to driving directions on Google Maps  

Day three started great with a visit to Kvåsfossen – Sørnorsk Laksesenter (Kvåsfossen – Southern Norway Salmon Centre).

After the amazing experience at Kvåsfossen, Sogndalsstrand was our next destination. Here we had a late lunch at Folvik Kafe in Sogndalstrand Kulturhotell. The cafe served delicious food in a historic setting, and we highly recommend eating here.

With our bellies full, we were eager to see more of Sogndalsstrand, an old harbor village dating back to the 17th century. The village reached its peak in the late 19th century based on the then-thriving shipping and fishing industries. During the 20th century, Sogndalstrand lost its role as a trading town, and gradually declined in population size. In 1994 the last shop closed its doors in the small town. However, since early this century, the area has been rejuvenated and many of the old buildings have undergone restoration.

Today, Sogndalstrand is a popular tourist attraction with an increasing number of visitors. The town now boasts hotels, restaurants, galleries and museums. We had a pleasant time strolling around among charming wooden houses and gorgeous gardens.

We had quite a long itinerary this day and no time to waste. We therefore got back in the car and headed for the 41-kilometer-long National Tourist Route between Ogna and Bore. The National Tourist Route turned out to be amazingly picturesque, and we would have loved to have a lot more time to enjoy the scenic drive. The surroundings were beautiful, with the sea and rolling farmlands right next to the road. The old cultural landscape also has plenty of beaches, with both pebbles and sand. Along the route, we also stopped briefly at Kvassheim Fyr (Kvassheim Lighthouse). The cafe and museum were closed for the day, but it was still nice to have a look at the lighthouse from the outside.

A half-hour drive further took us to Friluftshuset Orre (The Recreation Centre at Orre), where we parked our car. From there we walked for approximately five minutes to Orrestranda (Orre beach). Many hold this beach to be the most beautiful beach on the whole of Jærens coastline. Orre beach is five kilometers long and is the longest sandy beach in Norway. We could have easily spent hours just lounging there.

The visit to Orre beach made us crave more sand between our toes, and after checking in at Clarion Hotel Air , we went off to watch the sunset on Solastranden (Sola beach). Sola beach is located right next to Sola Airport, and the beach is very popular with both locals and tourists. We had a beautiful, although somewhat chilly, evening on Solastranden.

*If you have time, we really recommend staying one night in Sogndalsstrand Kulturhotell, as we would have loved to have more time to spend at each place we visited this day. If you don’t have one more night to spare, make sure to be at Kvåsfossen – Sørnorsk Laksesenter at opening time to make the most of the day!

Link to Kvåsfossen – Sørnorsk Laksesenter

Link to Folvik Kafe at Sogndalsstrand Kulturhotell

Link to Kvassheim Fyr

Link to Friluftshuset Orre

Link to Norwegian Scenic Routes

Link to Visit Norway – Sola beach

Link to Clarion Hotel Air

On day four of our road trip, we woke up to rain and gray weather over Sola and Stavanger city. We therefore discarded our original plan to visit the island of Flor & Fjære. This was a pity because the pictures we had seen of it were incredibly beautiful. Flor & Fjære markets itself as a cross between a park and a restaurant, a unique concept that we look forward to seeing one day in the future.

Instead, we spent the day wandering around Stavanger city center. One of our favorite streets here was Øvre Holmegate, which despite the bad weather brightened our day with its lively colors. We were especially charmed by the Hanekam retro cafe and their delicious carrot cupcakes. The cafe even had a full-sized drum kit(!) in the restroom.

Another part of Stavanger that we also liked was the old town, with its narrow cobbled streets and white wooden houses. We took the well-kept gardens as a sign of residents taking pride in making their surroundings as pretty as possible.

With a packed schedule the day before, it was lovely to spend the evening at the very comfortable Clarion Hotel Air. The hotel was the perfect place to recharge our mental batteries before continuing our journey.

Link to Hanekam Cafe

Link to Flor & Fjære

The next day, it was still raining, so once again we had to make some changes to our plans.

Our initial plan was to visit the potholes at Brufjellet. This was unfortunately not possible as the climb in the last part of the trek is dangerous during rainy weather. Instead, we went with plan B and headed to Flekkefjord, and more specifically Flekkefjordbanen (the Flekkefjord railway). There, we rented rail bikes and biked along the old railway line.

The distance between Flekkefjord and Sira (the end point) is 17 km. If you go all the way to Sira and back, it will take about three hours. We turned around halfway as we were quite cold due to the rainy and brisk weather. The many tunnels along the route were extra chilly, so we recommend putting on warm clothes before you head out. Additionally, you may want to bring your own headlamp as the lanterns we borrowed were not strong enough to brighten the track properly inside the tunnels.

After the rail biking, we searched for a place to warm up and have a cup of coffee. Luckily, we found Tollboden Bakeri at the port in Flekkefjord, and treated ourselves to some enjoyable pastries. The stone-baked pizza also looked very tempting, but as we had other dinner plans we had to pass on that.

We had booked a room at The Bølgen og Moi Hotel Utsikten (now called Utsikten Hotel Kvinesdal) for the night. The hotel has a good location in Kvinesdal and magnificent views. The rooms were perfectly fine, although the food we had in the restaurant was unfortunately rather disappointing. We therefore recommend that you have the pizza at Tollboden Bakeri instead.

Link to Flekkefjordbanen – Rail bike rental

Link to Tollboden Bakeri

Link to Utsikten Hotel Kvinesdal

Link to Visit Norway – The potholes at Brufjellet

Kaldåsknipa is the highest point in Lyngdal at 504 meters above sea level. We still had some energy to burn off, despite the rail biking we did the day before, and therefore decided to go hiking. From the parking lot at Kaldåsknipa, the hike to the top is about two kilometers, and the difference in altitude is about 200 meters. The trail is a gravel road that is easy to follow. This was helpful as the weather was gray and foggy, and visibility was poor at times. Because of the weather, we did not get the best views at the top, but when the fog lifted, we got a glimpse of the impressive panorama.

The next activity was something we had been looking forward to for a long time, and we were therefore very excited when we arrived at Elgtun in Bygland after two hours of driving. Elgtun really managed to exceed all our expectations! ( Update from April 2024: Elgtun has closed, but you can visit the elks at Viltgården in Iveland. See Viltgården’s webpage for further information. )

The visit at Elgtun had worked up our appetite, and we were really hungry when we sat down at the table at Sølvgarden Hotell Feriesenter. Sølvgarden is conveniently located along the road, but far from an average truck stop. We were pleasantly surprised by the stylish interior and the tempting menu with its focus on Norwegian food. The lamb with onion sauce and root vegetables tasted delicious, and we could not have been more pleased with our meal.

After arriving at Dalen in the evening, we headed out on a new adventure – a beaver safari. Dalen has a rich beaver population, and we were excited to see if we would meet the cute builders. The chance of seeing the beavers is best at dusk, and we therefore set out when the sky began to darken.

Bufjordstigen is a marked hiking trail in Dalen, with good chances of spotting beavers. After following this trail for less than five minutes, we got lucky. One beaver crossed the trail in front of us, while another was bathing and swimming. We observed the swimmer for quite a while before he dived down and disappeared. This was the perfect way to end an already wonderful day!

For the night we headed to Telemark Camping Inn in Hauggrend. It would have been more convenient to stay in Dalen, but unfortunately, there were no rooms available there when we booked our vacation. Telemark Camping Inn was, nonetheless, a cozy place with very kind owners.

Link to UT.no – Kaldåsknipa

Link to Viltgården

Link to Sølvgården Hotell & Feriesenter

Link to Visit Telemark – Bufjordstigen

Link to Telemark Camping & Inn

We started day seven of our road trip with  a memorable visit to the historic Rui farm.

The steep climb to get to the farm made us thirsty, and it was perfect to have Afternoon Tea at Dalen Hotel after the hike. Dalen Hotel is well-known in Norway with a history dating back to 1894. It was very interesting to wander around inside and soak up the special ambience.

Dalen Hotel was originally built as a luxury hotel to accommodate prominent guests. Back in the days, many of the guests went on an excursion to Ravnejuv, a gorge with a steep drop of 350 meters. As it is only 20 minutes by car from Dalen, we included it in our plan for the day. It was a five-minute walk to get to the gorge from the parking lot. What is special about the gorge is that is has an airflow going upwards. Of course, we had to test the natural forces and threw a piece of paper off the edge. Despite many attempts to throw the paper downwards, we never got rid of it: the paper came floating back up every single time!

As we headed further on our way to Haukelifjell Gjestehus (Haukelifjell Guesthouse), we came across a particularly idyllic place along the road. This turned out to be the Mjonøy campsite with food service, accommodation, and an absolutely fantastic bakery. We enjoyed the delicious pastries on the benches by the river. Don’t miss out on the bakery at Mjonøy!

For dinner, we drove to Haukeliseter Fjellstue (Haukeliseter Mountain Lodge), located a 15-minute drive from Haukelifjell Gjestehus. The food at the mountain lodge was really tasty and the surroundings were incredibly scenic.

Haukelifjell Gjestehus, our home for the night, very pleasantly surprised us. Our room had a comfortable bed, TV, Wi-Fi, and a private bathroom. The included breakfast was also very appetizing and a great start to the next day. We would love to go back to Haukelifjell Gjestehus and see more of the fantastic surroundings at Haukelifjell!

Update from April 2024: Haukelifjell Gjestehus is no longer open. The link to driving directions on day 7 therefore finishes at Haukeliseter Fjellstue. Driving directions for day 8 (below) consequently starts at Haukeliseter Fjellstue.

Link to Dalen Hotel

Link to Visit Norway – Ravnejuv

Link to Mjonøy

Link to Haukeliseter Fjellstue

On day eight we set course for Bergen with a couple of stops planned along the way, the first one being Steinstø Fruktgård (Steinstø Fruit Farm and Cafe). To get there, we took a ferry from Utne to Kvanndal and drove for about another half an hour. Steinstø Frukt- og Kakebu is beautifully situated overlooking the Hardanger Fjord. We sat down by the windows facing the fjord and apple garden and enjoyed the great views along with our lunch. The locally made apple juice was a perfect accompaniment to the tasty meal, and we enjoyed it so much that we bought several bottles to take with us. The cafe also sold fruit grown on the farm, as well as traditional Norwegian food.

On our journey to Bergen, the next stop was at Steindalsfossen (Steindalsfossen Waterfall), which has a fall of 50 meters. What makes Steindalsfossen special is the walkway behind the waterfall. We made a brief stop here, and it was cool to see the waterfall up close from this angle.

The highlight of the day was sailing with Hurtigruten from Bergen. Hurtigruten is a Norwegian company established in 1893 to improve communications along the long Norwegian coast. Today Hurtigruten offers a variety of cruises in Norway, as well as other places around the world. It should be noted that the ships are quite different from normal cruise ships, as they are smaller and still being used to ship mail and other cargo.

We traveled with Hurtigruten from Bergen to Ålesund, and the majestic Geirangerfjord was the main attraction on our cruise. Check-in on the ship was a breeze, and both we and the car got on board safely. The ship we traveled on was named MS Polarlys, and we had a wonderful outward facing cabin. We left Bergen in glorious sunshine and enjoyed the picturesque views of Bergen as we left the city.

Our dinner at Hurtigruten was a buffet based on local produce. The food was very tasty, and included traditional Norwegian dishes — adventurous diners can sample the famous “Smalahove,” a dish made from a sheep’s head.

Onboard the ship were various cafes and restaurants, a bar, a fitness room and outdoor jacuzzis. We loved the jacuzzi and had a wonderful evening out on the deck.

Link to Utne-Kvanndal ferry schedule

Link to Steinstø Frukt- og Kakebu ( Steinstø Frukt- og Kakebu is closed for the 2024 season )

Link to Visit Norway – Steindalsfossen

Link to Hurtigruten

Geirangerfjorden is arguably one of the most beautiful fjords on the planet. We enjoyed the breathtaking scenery from the deck on Hurtigruten, and had a superb day sailing. If you have the time, we strongly recommend doing a longer cruise.

After twenty-something hours on Hurtigruten, we were sad to say goodbye to MS Polarlys in Ålesund. We had a great cruise and are already planning a longer journey with Hurtigruten in the future.

We spent the rest of the evening and night in Valldal, at gorgeous Valldal Fjordhotell .

Link to Valldal Fjordhotell

Day ten was sadly the last day of our road trip. With the car full of locally grown strawberries from Valldal, we drove to Gudbrandsjuvet gorge. The facilities at Gudbrandsjuvet are well suited for everyone to observe the roaring masses of water in the ravine of the Valldøla river. Among the facilities are parking spaces, walkways and viewpoints, restrooms, and a restaurant. The latter was unfortunately not open when we visited in 2017, but it will be opening again in 2018. Gudbrandsjuvet gorge is a dramatic spectacle not to be missed.

The road from Valldal to Isterdalen in Romsdalen is also impressive. The highest point on the mountain road is 852 meters above sea level, and the road boasts views of tall, snow-capped mountains and rivers with turquoise water. Furthermore, you get to drive down the famous Trollstigen (The Trolls Road) with its eleven hairpin turns. Before starting the descent, you should stop at the lookout on the top of Trollstigen. You will most definitely want to take some pictures here.

Our last stop on the way back home to Oslo was at the cozy Avdemsbue at Lesja. The small shop at Avdemsbue sells cheese from its own cheese factory, as well as other traditional foods. We were so tempted by the goods that we left with a bag full of delicious treats.

After ten days on the move, our adventure was over. Despite the fact that we have traveled around Norway extensively, our homeland never ceases to amaze us. We are very proud of what Norway has to offer and are looking forward to exploring even more!

*The drive from Valldal to Oslo is quite long. If you have time, consider staying one night in Lillehammer to avoid a long day of driving back to Oslo.

Link to National Tourist Route – Gudbrandsjuvet

Link to Avdemsbue

Best time to go on a road trip in Southern Norway:

In the wintertime, Norway often gets snowy weather and icy roads. Our advice is therefore that you plan for a road trip during spring, summer or autumn. Traveling between May and October will usually be a good choice. June, July and August will normally have the warmest weather, but they are also peak tourist season. If you decide to visit during these months, it is recommended that you book your accommodation well in advance.

Weather in Norway can be quite unpredictable. This means that you should be prepared for both warm and cold days no matter when you go. The climate in Norway also differs between regions and between the eastern and western parts of the country.

*Trollstigen Road is closed during wintertime. The road opens in May or June and closes in October or November, depending on the weather. If Trollstigen is not open during your visit, there are alternative ways to get from Valldal to Oslo.

*Some activities may not be available outside peak tourist season. Follow the respective links above for more information on opening times.

Link to Holiday Weather – Weather averages for Oslo

Link to Holiday Weather – Weather averages for Stavanger

What to pack for a road trip in Norway:

As previously mentioned, the weather in Norway can be unpredictable. When packing for a visit, you should gear up for all types of weather conditions. The weather can change quickly, and dressing in layers is always a good idea. For chilly days, bring thin wool base layer and a rain- and windproof outer layer. On warmer summer days, shorts and t-shirts will be sufficient.

No matter when you visit, you will most likely need a rainproof jacket and an umbrella. You may also want to pack thin gloves and a light hat. Sensible footwear means either trainers for light walks, or proper hiking boots for longer walks. Trainers are sufficient if you follow our itinerary. Do bring swimwear and a towel if you visit during the summer.

• A GPS Navigator or a navigation app on your phone (download offline maps as phone coverage may vary!)
• A small or medium-sized daypack with rain cover
• A drysack for phone and other electronics
• We also like to bring a small cooler and beach chairs when going on a road trip

Driving in Norway:

Driving is done on the right-hand side of the road. Road conditions are normally quite good, although some roads are narrow and winding. There are many gas stations and resting areas along the road. People are generally helpful should you run into any kind of problems or need help finding directions.

Link to Visit Norway – More information about driving in Norway

There are a number of reputable car renting companies in Norway. You should always make sure to get appropriate insurance. Many rental cars have a manual transmission, but cars with automatic transmission can also be found. These are often more expensive, but they can be well worth the money if you are not used to the clutch pedal.

Useful webpages for planning a road trip in Norway:

Link to Visit Norway

Link to Hanen

Link to Nordsjøvegen

Link to Google Maps

Do you have any questions or comments?

Feel free to email us at [email protected] !

*We went on our 10-day road trip in July and August 2017. None of the hotels, restaurants or activities knew that we would be writing about them, and we did not receive any special discounts.

Epic Norway Itinerary: 2 Weeks Road Trip Along the Best Fjords

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: January 9, 2024

Are you thinking of traveling to Norway, but are not sure where to start and how to plan your trip? In this article, we share our 2-week Norway itinerary that brings you to the most beautiful places along Norway’s fjords and the Atlantic coast.

Our Norway trip itinerary is based on lots of research and personal experience with a self-drive road trip visiting the most beautiful towns and fjords in the south-west of the country.

In this article, we feature our detailed Norway road trip itinerary, practical advice, driving times, a map, and many tips to help you plan your own dream trip to Norway and make the best of it. Take a look!

Planning Norway Road Trip – Where to Start

Norway is a big country with charming little towns, stunning landscapes, and many highlights, so it might be difficult to choose where to go. And when you look at the map with countless fjords, islands, and roads ending in the water, you will probably find it overwhelming to even start planning a road trip in Norway…

I felt the same way too! We have done countless road trips all over the world , but somehow planning our Norway trip itinerary seemed like an impossible task at first. We even considered booking a cruise in Norway instead…

It’s important to understand that Norway is huge and it’s impossible to properly see the whole country or even just the main highlights in a week or two. So you have to decide which area you want to visit the most and focus on that.

When planning our summer trip for two weeks in Norway we decided to focus on the most beautiful areas in the Southwest of the country. We wanted to see the famous fjords, do at least some hiking, drive the most scenic routes, and visit the most picturesque towns of Norway.

As I am writing this post on the last day of our trip, I can tell you that we are really happy with this Norway itinerary. There are only a few minor things that we would change if we were to plan this same trip again. Find out!

Update: A few years later, we also visited Northern Norway in summer and spent two weeks traveling around Lofoten Islands , Vesteralen, Senja, and Tromso . You can find all the details of that trip in our Northern Norway Itinerary .

Two weeks in Norway – our road trip itinerary and map – OVERVIEW

• Day 1: Arrival in Stavanger (sleep in Stavanger for 3 nights)
• Day 2: Stavanger: Lysefjord and Pulpit Rock
• Day 3: Stavanger: Florli 4444
• Day 4: Stavanger to Bergen (sleep in Bergen for 2 nights)
• Day 5: Bergen and possibility to extend to Trolltunga
• Day 6: Bergen to Flam area (sleep in Flam area for 2 nights)
• Day 7: Gudvangen – Flam area – Nærøyfjord
• Day 8: Gudvangen to Sogndal (sleep in Sogndal for 1 night)
• Day 9: Sogndal to Geiranger (sleep in Geiranger for 2 nights)
• Day 10: Geirangerfjord – Briksdalsbreen glacier
• Day 11: Geiranger to Alesund (sleep in Alesund for 1 night)
• Day 12: Alesund to Kristiansund (sleep in Kristiansund for 1 night)
• Day 13: Kristiansund to Trondheim (sleep in Trondheim for 2 nights)

Day 14: Trondheim

• Day 15: Departure or extend your trip to Lofoten, Tromso, or Svalbard in the North

Please note that this is a summer road trip itinerary. Some of the roads mentioned here are only accessible from May to October, some even as short as from mid June to mid September.

I also did my best to put all of this info on a map too, so check it out. It’s definitely easier to prepare your Norway itinerary when you can see where all these places are.

How to use this map:  Use your computer mouse (or fingers) to zoom in or out. Click on the icons to get more information about each place. Click the arrow on the top left corner for the index. Click the star next to the map’s title to add it to your Google Maps account. To view the saved map on your smartphone or PC, open Google Maps, click the menu and go to ‘Your Places’/’Maps’. If you want to print the map or see it in a bigger window, click on ‘View larger map’ in the top right corner.

Ultimate Norway Itinerary – How to See The Best of Norway in Two Weeks

Day 1: arrival in norway – stavanger.

We started our Norway trip in Stavanger , in the Southwest of Norway. Stavanger is a charming little town and it’s a great base for exploring the region and doing some hiking. But the town itself has quite a lot to offer as well. It’s the only place from our 2 weeks in Norway where we wished we had planned to stay longer.

We arrived in Stavanger around noon and decided to take it easy on our first day. We visited the town center and two of the best museums in town: the Norwegian Canning Museum and the Norwegian Petroleum Museum .

Usually, we don’t visit museums when traveling with kids, unless it’s something really special. However, these two museums are extremely well done and are great for adults and kids alike.

Actually, we loved Norwegian museums so much that we visited quite a few more later during this trip. They are great for kids too!

Practical information. You don’t necessarily need a car to explore Stavanger. Car rental, parking, toll, and car ferries are quite expensive in Norway, so it’s better not to rent a car unless you really need it. Since Stavanger, Bergen, and the most beautiful areas around Stavanger don’t require a car, we only rented one after we left Bergen.

TIP: Stavanger airport is located a bit outside the city center. The best option to get to town is by bus – book on the Flybussen website in advance. And – if traveling with kids – look for a family ticket. The bus is fast and convenient, it stops at several places in Stavanger, and costs a fraction of what a taxi would cost.

Accommodation in Stavanger. We stayed in Stavanger for 3 nights and booked a family room at a recently built hotel Scandic Stavanger City . It was by far the most family-friendly and the best price/quality hotel of our whole Norway trip. It was also the cheapest. Go figure…

LEARN MORE: Where to Stay in Stavanger – Best Hotels & Accommodation

Day 2: Stavanger: Lysefjord Cruise and Hike to the Pulpit Rock

When researching our trip to Stavanger, I read that you need two days to see the main natural highlights of the area. One day for the Lysefjord cruise , and one for the hike to Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen) .

However, this is not necessarily the case! You can see both – the Lysefjord and the Pulpit Rock – in one (full) day.

Practical information. You can read more about this day trip from Stavanger here: how to visit Lysefjord cruise and do the Preikestolen hike in one day .

LEARN MORE: Hiking to Pulpit Rock

Day 3: Stavanger: Lysefjord and Florli 4444 Hike

There are several iconic hikes you can do in the Stavanger region. In addition to Pulpit Rock, we wanted to do one more hike. We were hesitating between Kjerag or Florli 4444 , and chose the latter.

Florli 4444 is the most memorable and special hike we ever made! Climbing 4444 stairs was tough, but the views were stunning and it’s an experience we will never forget.

TIP: If you have one more day in Stavanger region and you think you can handle three challenging hikes three days in a row, then you may want to hike to Kjerag as well. Note that these are all challenging hikes, but I am sure you can find other alternatives too.

Practical information. If you are planning to hike to Kjerag or Florli 4444, you will either need to rent a car or book a guided tour. We went to Florli 4444 with Geir from Lysefjorden Adventure and had a wonderful time with nothing to plan or worry about. Here you can read all about our day climbing the world’s longest wooden staircase Florli 4444 .

READ ALSO: Best Things to See and Do in Stavanger

Day 4: Stavanger to Bergen by Bus and Exploring Bergen

There are several ways to get from Stavanger to Bergen . You can drive, fly, take a ferry, or a bus. The easiest and cheapest way to travel from Stavanger to Bergen is by taking a coastal bus. It’s also a very scenic ride!

Driving time. The bus trip takes 4,5-5 hours. There are two ferry crossings along the way, so you can get out of the bus to stretch your legs, grab a bite, use the bathroom, etc.

TIP: Book your bus tickets online in advance – it’s cheaper than buying them directly from a driver. If traveling with kids, click on ‘show more ticket types’ and choose a family ticket.

Exploring Bergen. We were extremely lucky with the weather on our first day in Bergen, so we decided to visit the Floyen mountain and do some more hiking. In the evening we came back down to town and explored Bryggen . It’s a magical place when there are no other tourists around!

Accommodation in Bergen. We stayed two nights at Scandic Torget This hotel has the best location in town, next to the harbor. When planning your Norway itinerary, remember to book your hotels well in advance, also in Bergen. Despite it being a big town with plenty of hotels, Bergen was one of the most challenging places to find a family room when we were planning this trip 9 months in advance.

Day 5: Bergen and Suggestions for Trolltunga

Bergen is known as the city where it always rains. On our second day in Bergen, it poured the whole day. Luckily, there is plenty to see and do in this city even when it rains.

We chose to visit three museums – the Norwegian Fisheries Museum, the Hanseatic Museum, and Schotstuene . We bought a combo ticket that included all three museums and the shuttle bus between them.

ALTERNATIVE TIP: If you like hiking and don’t mind a 23km (10-12 hours) strenuous hike, then you may want to consider the epic Trolltunga hike . It’s about 2.5 – 3hrs drive from Bergen. Trolltunga requires a full day and it’s best to stay 2 nights in the area close to it. Here you can find accommodation near the Trolltunga hike trailhead .

We didn’t do this hike because our kids are too young for it. But if you hike, then definitely try to add Trolltunga to your Norway trip itinerary. It’s one of the most spectacular hikes in Norway.

Day 6: Bergen to Gudvangen/Flam

The rest of this Norway trip itinerary requires a car. Check here for the best deals for car rental and book early for the lowest price. We picked up our rental car in Bergen and drove in the direction of Gudvangen/Flam where we would spend two nights.

On the way from Bergen to Gudvangen , we stopped by two waterfalls: Skjervsfossen and Tvindefossen . Skjervsfossen requires a small detour and there were hardly any tourists at all. While Tvindefossen was just next to the road, and there were several tour busses with hundreds of cruise ship passengers.

Upon arrival in Gudvangen , we visited the Viking Valley . This Viking village is not to be missed! Count at least 2 hours for a visit. Here you can read more about this authentic Viking Village in Norway .

Afterwards, we headed to Flam where we had a 5.25 PM reservation for Flamsbana – one of the most scenic train journeys in the world.

Driving time from Bergen to Flam is approximately 2,5 hours. Count 3-4 hours if you are planning to visit the two waterfalls.

Accommodation in Gudvangen/Flam is very scarce and expensive, so make sure to book it as soon as you start planning your trip. Click here for availability and prices for accommodation in Flam or Gudvangen .

Day 7: Gudvangen – Flam area – The Nærøyfjord

We started our day with the cruise on Naeroyfjord from Gudvangen to Flam . After arrival in Flam, my husband took a shuttle bus back to Gudvangen to pick up our car. He then returned to Flam to pick us up (20min driving time each way).

After that, we had lunch and explored Flam a bit more, walked to a waterfall, and visited the small village of Undredal .

Practical information: If you are planning to do the scenic train ride and the fjord cruise, make sure to book your tickets in advance (check prices and availability on the Visit Flam website ). Flam is a very popular destination!

LEARN MORE: Best things to see and do in Flam in one day

Day 8: Gudvangen to Sogndal

We started our day with the drive up the Stegastein viewpoint . We then continued on the old scenic road (Fv.243) to Laerdal . This road is only open from mid June to Mid September. An alternative is to take the Laerdal tunnel, the longest car tunnel in the world.

Our next stop was Borgund stave church . It’s a small detour to get there, but worth the trip. After that, we continued to Sogndal (ferry crossing from Fodnes to Mannheller).

After checking in at our hotel we headed to nearby Norwegian Glacier Museum and visited two glacier tongues nearby. We also made a short stop in Mundal – the book village in Fjaerland . The picturesque village looks like a beautiful place to hang around for a while if the weather is nice, but it was raining when we visited, so we headed back to Sogndal for an early dinner.

Driving distance/time . The actual driving distance is not that big, but scenic roads, ferry crossings, and lots of photo stops quickly add up. The total driving distance for this itinerary is 215km.

Accommodation . Sogndal town and area has several really nice hotels. We stayed one night at the beautiful Hofslund Fjord Hotel in Sogndal town itself.

Day 9: Sogndal to Geiranger

The long drive from Sogndal to Geiranger passes some of the most beautiful roads in Norway. Our first stop was at Drivandefossen waterfall. After a short walk, we then continued on the scenic road Fv.55 to Lom and afterward Fv.63 to Geiranger.

Must-do is the scenic road (toll road) to Dalsnibba viewpoint over Geiranger fjord and the area.

Driving time. There are several roads leading from Sogndal to Geiranger. Count a minimum of 4-5 hours for the route described above (235km). Add a few hours for the stops along the way.

Note that Geiranger is only accessible by car in the summer months. From mid October to May you can only reach Geiranger by boat or train.

Accommodation. Finding accommodation in Geiranger was another challenge when creating our Norway trip itinerary. To keep the long story short, in the end, we were lucky to secure two nights at Hotel Geiranger with the best location in the village and fantastic views over the fjord.

Day 10: Geirangerfjord – Briksdalsbreen – Geiranger

We started our day with the scenic fjord cruise on Geiranger fjord. The car ferry crossing from Geiranger to Hellesylt is a great way to see the fjord and to explore more of the area afterwards.

After a short stop at Hellesylt waterfall , we headed to the scenic little towns of Stryn , Loen , and Olden . The main highlight in this area is the Briksdalsbreen glacier . The drive there was really scenic and also the hike was well worth it. It’s a popular area visited by tour busses as well, so you won’t be alone.

The nearby Kjendalsbreen glacier is much less known, but according to all the reviews and guidebooks, is also worth a visit. We ran out of time and the weather wasn’t great either, so we skipped it. But if you can, make sure to visit this glacier tongue as well.

Driving distance. Total driving distance excluding the ferry is about 200km. Count the whole day.

TIP: Book your tickets for the Geiranger car ferry in advance to make sure that you can start your day early and don’t have to wait for the next ferry on busy days.

Day 11: Geiranger – Ornevegen – Trollstigen – Alesund

The drive described here is not the fastest way to get from Geiranger to Alesund . However, it’s the most scenic one.

After leaving Geiranger we drove up the steep and winding Ørnevegen – The Eagle Road , to Eidsdal, where we took another scenic ferry ride to Linge.

Then we drove up Trollstigen – The Troll Ladder , one of the most beautiful scenic roads in the world . It’s also one of the most popular places to see in Norway.

We reached the town of Alesund in the late afternoon. That gave us plenty of time to walk around the small town center, climb the 418 steps to Mount Aksla viewpoint , and have a nice dinner.

Driving distance. 192km, count at least 4-5 hours. Add another hour for the scenic walk on top of Trollstigen.

Accommodation. We spent one night in Alesund and stayed at First Hotel Atlantica right in the town center. You can find more Alesund accommodation options here .

Day 12: Alesund – Atlantic Ocean Road – Kristiansund

The main highlight today is the Atlantic Ocean Road . However, the part that most tourists visit is just over 8km long, and you don’t need the whole day for it.

We took the longer version of this road, took many detours and took the time to walk around and travel slower. It was one of our favorite days in Norway! With beautiful landscapes and hardly any other people around.

Leave Alesund and drive to Vestnes from where you take the ferry to Molde. In Molde, make sure to turn left on road 664 in the direction of Bud.

Kristiansund itself is a beautiful, but a very quiet town with very little to do for tourists in the evening. If you arrive early, you can take the ferry connecting the five islands, visit the Klipfish museum, or walk in the park or to the coast.

Driving distance/time. 185km – minimum 4 hours without stops.

Accommodation. We spent one night in Kristiansund. Check prices and availability for Kristiansund accommodation here.

Day 13: Kristiansund to Trondheim

There are several roads to get from Kristiansund to Trondheim . We chose the scenic route Fv. 680 along the coast and the views were well worth the detour.

Since we had plenty of time, we made a stop at the Sverresborg folk museum just outside the city center of Trondheim .

After that, we returned our rental car and we still had plenty of time to walk around the old town of Trondheim.

TIP: If you want to make your trip a day shorter, you could continue straight to Trondheim, explore the city center, and leave Norway the next morning.

Driving distance/time. Scenic road 207km 4-5 hours. Quickest: 200km 3,5 hrs.

Accommodation. We stayed in Trondheim for two nights. Here you can check availability for Trondheim accommodation .

We spent the last day of our trip exploring Trondheim , the third-largest town of Norway. Unfortunately for us, the weather was really bad, so we couldn’t do many things we had planned to.

We had a nice relaxing day, walked around the town a bit. It was very lively as there were several events in town that weekend, so it was really nice to experience the city as locals do. And it was a good way to end our trip.

TIP: If you want to save some time when planning your Norway trip, you could skip this day altogether. Trondheim town can be visited in just a few hours, so you could easily do it in the evening of the day when you arrive here.

Day 15: Departure from Norway or Continue to Lofoten/Tromso in the North

Trondheim Airport is located quite far from the city. We took a bus to the airport – the bus station is centrally located, busses run every 10-15 minutes, and it drops you off right at the terminal after a ride of about 40 minutes.

TIP: There is no reason to keep your rental car until the airport in Trondheim. Parking is difficult to find and expensive in Trondheim. On top of that; there are toll roads on the way to the airport, not to mention the rental price for an extra day or two.

ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTION: If you have another few days to spend in Norway, you can fly to the north and explore more of this amazing country. One of the most popular regions many people visit is Lofoten archipelago . Another great place to be is Tromso .

If you are feeling even more adventurous, fly all the way up to Svalbard – a Norwegian archipelago just 1000 km from the North Pole. No matter which destination you choose, they are all worth a visit!

LEARN MORE: 2-Week Northern Norway Travel Itinerary

So this was our self-drive road trip itinerary for two weeks in Norway . If you have any questions about this Norway itinerary or want to share your experience with road-tripping in Norway, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.

TIP: Planning a trip to Norway and wondering about the budget? Make sure to read this: How expensive is Norway .

Thinking of visiting Norway in winter? Check this out for some serious winter travel wanderlust: Best things to do in Tromso in winter & Best things to do in Svalbard in winter .

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Elizabeth L

Wednesday 17th of January 2024

Hi, thank you for sharing your trip. Did you use old school maps, your phone or rent a gps for navigating the roads? How frequent are rest stops with washrooms? How expensive are the road tolls? From what I’ve gathered tolls seem to only apply near the larger cities, like Bergen. We are planning on going in June but are concerned that we will get rain or fog most days. Did you find driving treacherous? We are planning a loop beginning and ending in Bergen. The first few days follow your route but we loop back through Olden and Balestrand after Geiranger. Any tips on food? We plan to book accommodations that offer free breakfast, but am wondering about the cost of dinners? What would a regular home style meal cost for an adult?

Wow, that's a lot of questions :). You are overthinking it. First, the weather - you can't predict. It can always be rainy or foggy in Norway, no matter the season, so don't let that stop you from going or you'll never visit. The roads are ok and a bit of a mix of everything. Just don't expect wide highways. Most roads are one lane in each direction and yes, some mountain passes can be a bit fun to negotiate, but it's not any different in other mountainous places. Maps - you can use paper maps or a GPS - the latter is much easier, definitely in the cities. We usually simply use Google Maps and I also always download an offline copy of the region we'll be visiting in advance, just in case there's no mobile coverage. Just beware that any GPS will sometimes send you on the fastest route and not the most scenic one, so it pays to do some research in advance and adjust it if needed. I would definitely not rent one - Google Maps or Waze will do just fine and are much easier to use. The washrooms - it depends, but it's normally not an issue. But it's also not like you'll have tons of big petrol stations with restaurants and washrooms along the way. Toll roads can be quite pricey, but again, depends on where exactly you go. In most areas there are no toll roads at all. Compared to the total price of the trip, it's a minor expense. Food is also not something you have to worry about. But if you are visiting nature destinations/hiking, it's always good to pack a picnic for lunch. It saves you time and worries. As for the costs, take a look at this article for more info. Hope this helps. Have a great trip!

Victoria Blyke

Tuesday 1st of August 2023

Jurga, Thank you for your reply. One more question. I read on another blog that the train ride from Oslo to Bergen via Voss was more spectacular than the one in Flam. Wanted to hear your opinion on it.

Hi Victoria, as far as I know, there is just one train line between Oslo and Bergen and it goes through Myrdal and Voss among others. What many people do is disembark in Myrdal and then do the Myrdal - Flam railway which is considered the most scenic railway trip. I think that the majority of travelers that do it this way also take a boat on Naeroyfjord to Gudvangen, followed by a bus to Voss, and then again a train from there to Bergen. This is the so-called original 'Norway in a Nutshell' tour. So it skips the railway journey between Myrdal and Voss and adds a railway to Flam, a boat trip on the fjord, and a bus to Voss. If you are not interested in this interruption, then it's indeed much simpler to just take a train from Oslo to Bergen and not disembark along the way. Unfortunately, since I haven't done this second option, I cannot tell you how the scenery compares between the two and whether the Myrdal-Flam piece is worth it so much more than Myrdal-Voss. Once again, for decades everyone has been saying that Flam - Myrdal railway is one of the most scenic in the world, so I guess that says it all. But everyone probably will have their own opinion and some people may not find the extra cost worth it. You may also want to check our guide to Flam for more information on what to see and do in that area. It might help you decide whether it looks like it's worth it for you. Hope this helps.

Wednesday 26th of July 2023

Jurga, Great Blog! We are following your iten for Norway. We are at the hotel you suggested in Stavenger, and booked everything through the links in your blog. Quick question, what is the bus stop from the Frogner House for the scenic bus ride to Bergen? There are a lot of stops listed, hoping to get a stop near the hotel. See another person had cc issues, we haven't gotten that far. Leaving Stavenger Aug 9th. Thanks, Shawn & Kathy

Friday 28th of July 2023

Hi Shawn, I'm not sure what your question is. If you need a bus from your hotel to Stavanger bus station, why not just ask at the reception. It's probably much easier and quicker than leaving a comment here. :) From what I see, if you are staying at Frogner House Apartments, it's literally just 10-12 minutes walk to the station or 3 minutes by bus. You'd need to cross the road, take a bus from Statens Hus bus stop and disembark two stops further near the main bus station. See Google Maps for the route - you can choose the public transport icon or on foot. Hope this helps.

Wednesday 5th of April 2023

Hi there, my cousins and I are planning a trip with almost the exact same stops and your post has been an amazing resource for us! Just curious, did you have any trouble booking the bus tickets from Stavanger to Bergen? We are American and having issues getting the transaction to go through with our credit cards. If you have any helpful tips I would be forever grateful! Thank you in advance!

Thursday 6th of April 2023

Hi Ellen, no I can't remember having any trouble buying tickets online; it was very straightforward. If you have trouble with your credit cards, you should check with your bank. Maybe they have to change some settings so that you can use them abroad. Good luck!

Wednesday 15th of March 2023

It's been so helpful your itinerary thank you. I just wanted to ask a quick question following on from your last reply re car hirer. Did you drop your car off at Trondheim airport? the only option seems to be the airport on the car rental site you suggested but you mentioned that the airport is 40 minutes from the city. Many thanks, Clare

Hi Clare, no, we dropped off the car in Trondheim city the day we arrived and then took the bus to the airport at the end of the trip. There are special shuttle buses between the city and the airport (see their website - or just ask at the hotel when you get there). When we traveled, that was the only option. I don't think there was a possibility to drop off the car at the airport. Hope this helps.

The Road Trip Guy

Find The Best Road Trips Around The world!

Road Trip Norway Itinerary – Your No.1 Norwegian Road Trip Guide [2023 Edition]

Table of Contents

The world today seems much less happy than it did many years ago. With each passing generation, there is more responsibility and demands on time leading people to be generally less happy than they used to be.

There is however one place that boasts the happiest people on the planet. With this Road Trip Norway Itinerary – Your No.1 Norwegian Road Trip Guide [2023 Edition]  you are ready to go and experience a wonderfull one of the best driving holidays in Norway!

Norway is consistently ranked as the number one country with the happiest people and if you need a bit of happiness put back into your routine, a holiday with a campervan through Norway might be just the ticket. And guess what, it is ranked number 9 in the top 10 most environmental friendly countries of the world. Perfect if you decide to do this road trip with an electric vehicle.

There is a lot to see and do, but here is your complete road trip guide for this jovial country.

Camper and Car Rental & Routes in Norway – Where to go?

If you look online you will see dozens of companies promoting campervan, motorhome or caravan rentals. I will describe for you the best rental companies, traffic rules, toll roads and other useful tips and tricks!

Hiring a car in Norway is pretty easy. All the international car rental companies are present at the international airports. Therefore, you can easily visit the Oslo airport website and select a suitable car.

Click on the city you wish to start your road trip from and get the best car rental deals and prices: 

Oslo ,  Bergen ,  Trondheim  or  Stavanger

Please keep in mind that the gas prices are very high in Norway. Make sure you choose a car that is very efficient and drives a lot of miles to the gallon. Trust me, it will make your holiday a lot more pleasant!

Rental Prices in Norway

Rental prices per day are on average 900 NOK (Low season) to 1300 NOK (High Season) for campers and 1500 NOK (Low season) to 2000 NOK (High Season) for motorhomes.

This does not include insurance or other extra options.

Car Insurance for Norway

You are always covered with a basic insurance, but if you plan to go into the mountains an additional insurance for your tires and emergency response are recommended. Paying for a new tyre won’t break the bank, but an evacuation with a helicopter will.

Therefore, double-check your travel insurance as these events happen a lot in Norway due to the unpredictable weather conditions.

GPS Navigation – A Real Adventure!

A must-have! Bring an updating GPS Navigator from home or else rent one from your rental company. Norway is famous for having regions where no internet connection is available. A good GPS navigator can save your life!

Routes in Norway – What Are The Best Roads?

Driving in Norway is a wonderful experience, but what route offer the best road trip in Norway? Time to find out!

Atlantic Road in Norway

The “ Atlantic Ocean Road Norway ” (route 64) might be one of the most popular roads in Scandinavia. This road takes you over the Atlantic ocean with a huge bridge connecting the island of Averøy with the mainland.

The road is toll free and is 8,2 Km. long. The road offers several viewing points where you can take amazing pictures for your Instagram account and has even been featured in several National Geographic magazines and Hollywood movies.

I’m sure you are interested to know how to take the best photos whilst driving this fantastic road? Check out this blog post on driving and photographing the Atlantic Road in Norway! It offers great value for beginner- and experienced photographers who want to score that perfect picture.

Oslo to Bergen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ne_QC8DJqQ&t=148s

Taking the E16 from Oslo to Bergen is one of the most beautiful routes I have ever seen. It is a 525 Km. drive and it will take you about 12 hours. Along the way you will see some of the most amazing landmarks of Norway, including the Tyrifjorden, Aurlandsfjorden & Stave Churches. For maps and more information, please click the link below.

(Related: Driving from Oslo to Bergen – A Complete Guide )

After spending a few lovely days in Bergen ,  you can travel north towards the Atlantic ocean road. On you way there I recommend you make a stop at Runde Island to see Puffins in the wild!

Toll roads, parking, traffic rules & gas prices in Norway

Driving in Norway – Traffic rules

Driving in Norway is an interesting experience. First of all, the roads are not the best quality and second you can only go 80 km/h in most of the country.

Of course, you are not interested in speeding through such a beautiful sight anyway, but it does take a significant longer time to travel from A to B with this speed restriction. Trying to read the road signs in Norway is also a very intersting experience!

Toll Road Norway

Norway is a country that is full of toll roads. Toll prices range from 18 NOK to 26 NOK, which is around $2 to $4.

The beauty of the toll road system however is that, although all who pass through must pay, you can register your motorhome before embarking on the road trip to save some time.

(Related: Register here – Toll Road Norway)

By registering, you connect your credit card with the toll and pay the money as you drive through a special registered only lane.

For those who do not pay the toll and choose to attempt to get through without registration, the many cameras will tag your license plate and ticket you accordingly through the mail along with a picture of your offense. Therefore, it is best to always pay the tolls.

Rental cars with a Norwegian license plate are already covered, therefore you do not have to register your RV. You will receive your bill when you return the vehicle.

Car Parking in Norway

When taking a road trip through Norway, you will want to abide by all rules. Strict speed limits of around 50mph is enforced by police on every road. Violating the limits can and will result in high fines, but where you will most want to watch your vehicle is where it is parked.

Most attractions have plenty of parking, but there will be occasions where you will have to park in parking decks in the larger cities. The costs for parking in the decks range from 12NOK ($1.50) per hour all the way to 200NOK ($25).

Norwegian Gas Prices

The cost of fuel is forever rising and in Norway, you can expect to pay over $6 per gallon of gasoline. That might sting a bit when filling up a very large vehicle, but with the help of technology, you can better manage your fuel budget. Click here for an excellent tool to help you along the way.

(Related: Driving in Norway )

Finding the right accommodations

Paid & Wild Camping in Norway

The true road tripper understands that there is nothing more satisfying than a night out under the stars. Camping is available throughout Norway and guests can expect to pay between 242NOK ($35) and 436NOK ($60) at most campsites.

Norway is also one of the most liberal countries when it comes to wild camping. They allow for camping throughout the year on uncultivated land. The only limit is that the land cannot be cultivated and used in any other way.

The user is also only limited to 2 nights at any campsite, but the time restrictions are taken away when you venture into the mountains of the country.

When choosing to camp, always take into account to elevation as well as the temperatures as it does get quite cold in Norway and higher elevations can make it difficult to breathe for even a healthy person.

(Related: Finding Cheap Accommodations )

Hotel & Hostels in Norway

The beauty of Norway however is that the accommodation choices come available for any budget. Those that choose to travel on the cheap can trust in the many hostels and dorm style accommodations.

On average a bed will cost you 340NOK ($41) per night. Cabins and B&Bs will run between 535NOK ($65) and 775NOK ($95). For those with a midrange budget a hotel room will range in price from 775NOK ($80) – 1,500NOK ($170) on weekends and during the high season of travel which is the end of June through middle of August.

Other hotels in the country that cater to the wealthier traveler sect, will cost over €150. Airbnb is another good resource for the road tripper as there are a number of different styles of accommodations for Norway on the site ranging from 340NOK to well over 2,000NOK.

Click Here To Find The Best Hotel & Hostel Deals in Norway!

Where to Eat

A road trip is not complete without food along the way. One of your largest expenses while traveling through Norway will be food. It is a remarkably expensive city and therefore it might be to your benefit to seek out the free wild camping sites along the way.

The average hostel and hotel in Norway will offer you a breakfast, but the rest of the meals for the day will be on you. The breakfast costs that you can expect per person on your road trip is between $5 and $9, lunch will run you between $6 and $13 and dinner is on average $13 – $25.

That is certainly the lower end prices, as Norway is home to some amazing fine dining options that are famous throughout the world. Some of the best fish and game is found within the country and many local eateries have these traditional items on the menu.

Money Saving Tips

In a country that is as famously expensive as Norway, you might wonder how is it possible to save money. The truth is that most people taking a trip to the country can afford the finer things in life, but there are a range of ways to allow your budget to stretch a bit further.

One way that many people blow their budget is by over tipping. Where it is a good idea to tip people for performing their job optimally in the case of servers and housekeepers, Norwegians tend to put the tip into the original price. It is not always necessary to tip everyone and even the tipping rate is much lower than other countries.

For very good service, a 5% tip is fine and if you receive excellent service, 10% is perfect, so do not feel as though you have to break the bank in order to show your appreciation as the case is with some countries.

Finding Cheap Meals

The best way to save money while out on the road is to opt for snacks that will fill you up for long periods of time. Gas stations are perfect for these types of snacks, but if you want to maximize your budget, try purchasing them in a supermarket. Coop Mega is one of those supermarkets.

The choices tend to be more available and the products are not priced quite so high. Other alternatives are to stick with ordering food from local restaurants to share with the rest of your crew.

Avoid Drinking

I know.. I know, but please hear me out! There are many countries throughout the world that offer exceptional alcoholic options, but keep in mind that the expense of Norway also seeps into drinking within the country.

The average drink will cost around $8 each, so if you do not have the budget to hang with the high taste of native Norwegians, stay out of drinking establishments altogether.

Tourism Card – Oslo Pass

Your road trip will take you to many places throughout Norway and you will be tempted by a myriad of attractions, but it is always best to look into the possibility of tourism cards. These are available in Norway, but tend to only be useful in the high traffic tourist areas.

It never hurts to ask because these cards can save you a lot of money on entrance fees and get you discounts at a number of different places within the country.

Overview of cards: Oslo – Bergen – Fjord Pass

Things to do in Norway

The sovereign nation of Norway is home to some beautiful scenery as well as some amazing museums. All may not be on your road trip list, but there are a few that you should definitely make time to see.

Lofoten Islands

The Lofoten Islands are the most well-known tourist destination in Northern Norway. This beautiful group of mystical islands has stunning nature, beautiful hikes and a lot of traditional Norwegian restaurants that serve amazing local dishes. From here you can drive straight to the North Cape, relax in Tromsø and enjoy same whale watching in Tromsø along the way. Another great activity is dog sledding. At Dog Sledding in Tromsø you can be in charge of a pack of huskies as you explore the beautiful region of Northern Norway.

Visiting during the winter? You might want to book a great tour watching the Northern Lights in Tromsø . It is an adventure you will never forget! You can even stay at a real igloo hotel during night!

(Related: Ultimate XL Lofoten Travel Guide )

Geiranger Fjord

You cannot make a trip to Norway without visiting one of the fjords the country is famous for. The most beautiful and famous of them all is Geiranger Fjord .

https://youtu.be/OkFrIyWwcyQ

The location has been featured in films such as the Lord of the Rings and attracts people from all countries for its sheer beauty. Viewing the area is free, but will require some hiking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMTcFVdPCyc&t=2s

It is always crowded most of the time, so it is recommended that you arrive early in the morning for the best opportunity to see all you want to see.

Kon-Tiki Museum

If you want to learn some Norwegian history, the Kon-Tiki Museum is the place to do it.

This museum contains relics of the past including artifacts from Norwegian travelers visiting Easter Island and the Galapagos. The most legendary explorers are all on exhibit and the cost for a ticket is only $11.33 per person, so it is a budget friendly option as well.

Tours are the perfect way to get to know a country and Oslo offers plenty of them. The typical tour will take on average 2 to 3 hours. You pay on average only $6 per person. It is a great way to meet other tourists and learn important points about the country you are visiting.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVMHWcnlw2c/?taken-by=theroadtripguy

Final Words

Norway is a growing country and full of excellent road trips for any type of budget. Just always remember to be respectful to other motorists and obey all traffic laws. If you enjoyed this  Road Trip Norway Itinerary – 2022 Edition please leave a comment below and sign up to our newsletter.

Happy Driving!

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14 thoughts on “ Road Trip Norway Itinerary – Your No.1 Norwegian Road Trip Guide [2023 Edition] ”

The cost of driving in Norway is certainly steep! But what an amazing way to see a country. I can’t think of any better way to experience a country beyond it’s cities (which don’t give you a true perspective of the life for every day people in a country) than to drive through-stopping in small towns, exploring nature and figuring things out along the way

I always knew Norway is expensive but the figures you mention through the post puts it in perspective. Why is fuel so costly there? Are the cities and small towns equally expensive or are small town better off? BTW, lovely virtual tour of road tripping in Norway.

This post would’ve come really in handy if I had come across it 2 years ago, before our trip to Norway. We did a road trip as well and we wanted to rent a camper van but the prices were really high so we ended up renting a small car instead. Picking up a snack from the gas station is definitely a good idea for saving money on meals, considering how expensive Norway is for sit down meals. We visited Geiranger and it was gorgeous!

You have me craving an amazing Norwegian road trip now. We don’t usually drink much when we travel because it truly does eat up your budget. Great tip about tipping. I think people from the US definitely tend to overtip because we’re used to our crazy tipping culture.

Wow, I didn’t know that Norway is ranked as the number one country with the happiest people. Maybe I should pack my bags and move to Norway forever! 🙂 Kidding. But, moving there or not, I need to visit it first and your lovely post gave me many reasons to do it. Great post!

I dont mind spending more if it was Norway! Such a beautiful country!!! I heard they have the happiest people too! Cant wait to visit this country!

This is a really comprehensive guide. Well done! It certainly covers all the salient points. I would love to go to Norway, but I am always in that part f the world in December, so a road trip doesn’t appeal to me too much 🙂 The price of the OSLO tours sounds very reasonable compared to many other city tours in Europe. City tours are always a useful way of getting the see the highlights.

Norwegian road trip is awesome! Beautiful country and lots of amazing views. Lofoten Islands’ stunning nature, beautiful hiking spot, and a lot of traditional Norwegian restaurants that serves amazing local dishes. That’s very very interesting! I hope someday I could go there and experience all those wonderful places and tasty local dishes in Norway.

Gosh , its expensive. We do have a little plan of going on a road trip to Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Don’t know when but your post is sort of helpful. Since we will probably driving a small car , we may be able to reduce some costs there. Let’s see! In the meanwhile Ctrl D. 🙂 🙂

Although the price of Norway is on the very expensive side, it sounds like a great place to visit. I especially like the idea of touring around in a caravan. Your tips for saving money are great. I will definitely pass on drinks at $8 a drink.

A road trip sounds like an amazing way to take in Norway! I’m a huge fan of LOTR and the Hobbit, so I would love to check out Geiranger Fjord. Even though the drinks are expensive, the area looks well worth the cost!

Though going to Norway is pricey, I guess I should really try it someday thanks for the money saving tips! Thanks for sharing this post! I would really love to try the food and go to Lofoten Island and enjoy every breathtaking view there.

Thank you for sharing such great content with us, It will surely be of great help to me as even I am planning a road trip to Norway, and the tips that you have shared will surely create an impact on my planning as well, would also love to share this with my friends and family as well for their reference.

Thank you! 🙂

Comments are closed.

Norway Road Trip – Three Unmissable Routes

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Norway Road Trips Planner

Norway is a wonderful country for a road trip. Starkly beautiful, with glistening deep blue fjords, rugged mountains, and waterfalls at every turn, this is a country to meander through as you gasp at each new landscape.

With dramatic landscapes, fantastic outdoor activities, Viking history, and pretty water-side towns, Norway has something for everyone.

We’ve spent months road tripping Norway and our top Norway road trip routes, itineraries and tips will help you hit the highlights as you go, making sure to visit all the iconic sights on these three diverse trips, taking in the best that Norway has to offer.

Getting There

Fly into Oslo, Berg en, Tromsø , Kristiansand or Stavanger airports to start your Norwegian road trip. All of these locations are great start points for the road trip itineraries we have curated. We recommend booking through Skyscanner for live deals and the best prices.

Why not take your own car, motorbike, or camper to Norway from Europe by ferry? Use Ferryhopper to compare and book the best crossings to Norway from Germany , Denmark, and the Netherlands.

RELATED POST: Driving to Norway from UK – Routes & Tips

Are you planning to rent a car in Norway? As one of the largest car hire aggregator companies in the world, we recommend Rentalcars.com because they have massive purchasing power which enables them to secure the best rental car prices, which benefits you when you’re planning your Wild Atlantic Way drive.

For a real adventure, hire a motorhome or campervan in Norway. We recommend Motorhome Republic , an aggregate booking site who pull together all the best deals from a number of rental agencies, to offer you a wide choice of options alongside an excellent English speaking expert motorhome Concierge Team.

Use the Park4Night app to find overnight spots and campsites, and wild camp on the edge of a fjord or with incredible sea views. Find out all you need to know in our guide to campervanning in Norway .

Best Time for Road Trips in Norway

October – april.

Can you take a road trip in Norway during winter? Absolutely you can but it will be cold even in southern Norway, and there’s likely to be snow …possibly quite a lot of snow (although the Scandinavians are really good at managing it, so most Norwegian roads do stay open).

November, December, and January are dark months in northern Norway and the days are very short but if you’re traveling to Norway for winter sports, or to see the Northern Lights, then this is the perfect time – just make sure you and your vehicle are well prepared.

May – September

The weather starts to warm up, with July and August being the warmest months. A summer road trip is the best time for hiking, fjord swimming, and paddling, and you’ll be comfortable during the day in shorts and a t-shirt.

It can still be chilly in the evenings for Arctic circle road trippers, where the weather is also more unpredictable. Between (roughly) 14th May and 29th July, you’ll experience the midnight sun phenomenon in the far north of Norway.

Is this your first time visiting Norway? Get all the information you need in our Norway Travel Guide , including what to pack, the best time of year to go, getting there, and practical tips to help you have the best trip!

Drive the West Coast from Bottom to Top

• Get the Travel Guides
• Lonely Planet Norway
• The Rough Guide to Norway
• DK Eyewitness Norway
• Norway Road Trip Itinerary

Bergen – Loen – Geiranger – Trollstigen – Kristiansund – Trondheim – Jektvik – Bodo – Tromso

• Distance 2120km
• Duration 2-3 weeks
• Drive Time 30 hours

This Norway itinerary is for those that love the journey more than the destination – it’s  all  about the road.

Taking in iconic sights as you drive, this Norway west coast road trip will take you through some of the longest road tunnels in the world, over fjords, along the Atlantic Ocean Road, and up the snaking Trollstigen Mountain Road.

Start in Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city which is surrounded by seven fjords and seven hills. There is a lot to do and see here, including visiting the lively Vagen harbor in Bergen’s old quarter, Bryggen, which is one of Norway’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

From Bergen, take the E39 motorway north to Loen where you’ll find the amazing Loen Skylift which takes you to the top of Mount Hoven for spectacular views of the blue-white Jostedal glacier.

If you prefer to get to the top under your own steam, take the via Ferrata up and the zip-line down.

If sea-level activity is more your thing then head for the very Instagrammable, but glacial, Lake Lovatnet for swimming and kayaking in the summer months.

Make sure you have travel insurance you can trust when visiting Norway . We recommend True Traveller for their 5-star TrustPilot reviews, variety of cover options, best activities cover as standard, great prices, and excellent service.

At Hellesylt, take the ferry through the stunning Geirangerfjord to the town of Geiranger itself. Expect the town and ferry to be busy, this area is one of the top road trip destinations in Norway.

As you leave Geiranger for Eidsdal and wind your way up the steepest section of route 63, along its eleven switchbacks hanging 600m above the fjord below, you’ll understand why it’s called “the Eagle Road”.

At the highest bend is the most breathtaking view over the UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord, and the location of the (must watch before you go) movie, The Wave.

From here, pick up the RV63, the Trollstigen Mountain Road. Incredibly beautiful, this road was opened in 1936 and includes eleven hairpin bends and a 9% incline. Without a doubt, it’s one of the best roads in Norway.

Stop at the Ornesvingen viewing point for incredible vistas, and again at the top to admire the Stigfossen waterfall.

Once you reach Andalsnes, head west and then north on the E39 to Vevang, and the start of the Atlantic Ocean Road or Atlanterhavsvegen, which runs across eight bridges and follows the islands between them like a silver ribbon.

If you want to visit picture-perfect Alesund on the way, take a slight detour and head south on the E39 instead of north – if you have a few extra days, you won’t regret it!

Next up is Trondheim, Norway’s original capital city. Trondheim has become a real foodie destination and is known as the “home of Nordic flavors”. Spend a day wandering the cobbled streets in the Bakklandet area or rent a bike, the locals’ favorite way to get around.

Onwards to Jektvik, you can either take the E6 Arctic Highway all the way or around 80km north of Trondheim, just after Steinkjer, pick up the FV17 and take in the glorious landscape and coastal views from the magnificent Kystriksveien Coastal Route, one of Norway’s most scenic road trips and one of the official Norwegian scenic routes .

Taking this Atlantic road route will add quite a few kilometers, two days, and six fjord ferries to your journey, but the detour will be so worth it! You’ll cross into the Arctic Circle at 66 degrees, on the boat between Kilborghavn and Jektvik.

At Bodo, you can get a ferry out to the Lofoten Islands if you are making this a longer trip. Ideal for hikers and nature lovers, Lofoten has become Norway’s go-to place for adventure. You’ll also enjoy perfect lighting for moody shots of big skies and dramatic landscapes, and watching the Northern Lights from Lofoten is a real bucket list experience.

Otherwise, keep on driving to Tromso, one of Scandinavia’s most beautiful cities known for its love of a party! Tromso is another great place to catch the aurora borealis as it ripples across the northern sky. You can also go whale watching from Tromso , try your hand at reindeer and dog sledding, and explore the local mountains and fjords, which make a dramatic backdrop to the city.

From Tromso, you could take a ferry to Svalbard to see polar bears, catch the Hurtigruten ferry back to Bergen, take a longer northern Norway road trip, or catch a flight to pretty much anywhere in the world.

Or, if you have time, head north to Nordkapp where the sun doesn’t drop below the horizon from mid-May to the end of July. Hauntingly beautiful but surprisingly busy, you may prefer the true northernmost point of continental Europe at Knivskjelodden, an 18km hike away and inaccessible to vehicles.

• Driving the exciting and impressive Trollstigen Road from Geiranger to Andalasnes.
• Crossing the Arctic Circle into the land of the Northern Lights.
• Following the Kystriksveien Coastal Route to experience the real coastal Norway of fishing villages and subsistence agriculture.
• Standing at the northernmost point of Europe to watch the midnight sun.
• Having to slow down for reindeer crossing the road!

Where to Stay

Bergen >>   Det Hanseatiske Hotel  for its harbourside location, dining options, and cozy decor.

Loen >> Visnes Hotel Stryn for its waterside location, traditional Norwegian food, and fabulous reviews.

Alesund >> Hotel 1904 for its perfect position in the center of town and iconic Scandi decor.

Trondheim >> Britannia Hotel because by this point you deserve a spa!

Narvik >>   Narvik Mountain Lodge  for its truly spectacular location, traditional log cabin decor, and amazing coastal views.

Tromso >>   Scandic Ishavshotel  for its harbour location, fabulous breakfasts, and excellent customer service.

Camping in Norway

If you’re traveling Norway in a campervan, on a touring bike with a backpack, or you’re on a budget, there is a great network of campsites where you can stay in a campervan or car, or bike with a tent.

No tent? Most Norwegian campsites have huts and rooms for rent and often provide a communal kitchen area for people road tripping and backpacking around the country.

If you prefer to be in the wilds, the  allemannsrett  (all men’s rights) law means you can practice free or wild camping in Norway where the land is not owned or cultivated or where there is no signage forbidding it.  

Follow the usual free and  wild camping  good practice and don’t overstay your welcome. If you’re in a motorhome or campervan use  Park4Night  to find the best free overnight parking and wild camping spots.

However you wild camp, always follow the “leave no trace” principle, take your rubbish and waste with you and dispose of it in the proper place. 

Find Adventure in the Western Fjords

Stavanger – preikestolen – kjeragbolten – trolltunga – flam – bergen.

• Distance 687km
• Duration 7-10 days
• Drive Time 14 hours

This seven to ten day Norway itinerary is for adventure lovers and those who want to hike, swim and paddle in the Norwegian great outdoors.

If you’ve ever looked at those amazing images of people perched on tongues of rock, practicing yoga on sheer cliffs, or star-jumping off precipitously balanced boulders whilst gazing out over sparkling blue fjords, then this Norwegian fjord road trip is perfect for you.

Start in the pretty and typically Norwegian city of Stavanger. Stroll Gamle Stavanger, the oldest part of the city, and enjoy the galleries and local craft boutiques before admiring the colorful wharf houses at the harbor.

There’s also a handful of great museums, lots of cool street art, and fantastic fresh seafood on offer.

RELATED POST – Adventurous Road Trip – 26 of The World’s Most Exciting Routes

Once you’ve spent a day in Stavanger, you’ll be heading off to hike Pulpit Rock or Preikestolen. This is an easy 7.6km hike and can be done in half a day with an early start, or you can take a guided hike if you’re new to hiking and Norway.

Begin the hike at the trailhead in Preikestolenhytta, where you can park easily. There are zero facilities on the Pulpit Rock hike, so make sure to go prepared and take additional clothing as the weather in the fjords can be unpredictable.

With an elevation gain of 334 meters, you don’t need any special skills to get to the top of one of Norway’s most incredible bits of rock – and there are a few in the country!

The views of Lysefjorden are breathtaking, but in July and August it will be busy at the top and you may have to wait your turn to get out to the tip of the rock for that must-have photo.

From Preikestolen, you’ll take the Lysebotn-Forsand car ferry along the Lysefjorden to your next stop, the Kjeragbolten hike. Kjeragbolten is a giant boulder wedged in a crevasse at 1084m on Mount Kjerag, the highest peak in the Lysefjorden. You can also base jump and climb here.

The starting point is at the parking lot at Oygardstol – just getting there involves a pretty spectacular top Norway road with hairpin bends aplenty. 

The hike to Kjeragbolten is around 11km long with 800m of altitude gain, and the round trip takes about seven to ten hours depending on your fitness and experience. You need to be in good physical shape and have some hiking experience before attempting this route.

In some places, you have to pull yourself up and slide down with the help of wires, which can be demanding and daunting if you haven’t experienced it before. Make sure you’re well prepared and allow a full day with an early start.

Don’t forget your road trip essentials! Our free road trip checklists help you remember everything, including road trip snacks , podcasts , and road trip songs for the journey!

Everywhere you drive in Norway, you are surrounded by mountains, fjords, and waterfalls. The scenery in Norway is simply spectacular, with new thrills around each bend in the road.

Route 13 from Stavanger to Odda is known as the Ryfylke National Scenic Route, one of eighteen official national tourist routes in Norway designated for their stunning scenery and tourist-friendly infrastructure.

Pick up the RV13 just before Ardal as you head north (make sure to add Ardal to your sat nav or you’ll be routed east from Kjeragbolten).

On this road, you will drive through incredible tunnels and cross fjords on a car ferry. Allow several hours longer than Google Maps suggests – this is a full days drive and you should start early.

Your next stop is Odda, for the infamous Trolltunga in the glorious Folgefonna National Park. The most challenging of these three famous Norway hikes, the route is 20km across mostly flat terrain, but the path can be tricky underfoot and the weather changeable. 

Hiking Trolltunga  is not for the faint-hearted or unprepared but is an absolute must-do on your road trip of Norway. Read our post to find out everything you need to know, from where to stay, how to get there, and the hike itself.

RELATED POST – Trolltunga Hike – Plan it Like a Pro

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Flåm Norway: Visitor Guide & Tips

Skirt north along the border of the Hardangervidda National Park and take a few days downtime in picturesque  Flam , a small village right at the top of the beautiful Aurlandsfjord.

Surrounded by towering mountains, waterfalls, fjords, and rushing rivers, this is a playground for hikers, water sports enthusiasts, and mountain bikers.

From Flam, you can drive to Bergen or take the spectacular Flamsbana railway there, considered one of the most scenic train rides in the world.

Or, if you have a little longer to spend in Norway, follow the magnificent Sognefjord east to the stunning Jotunheimen National Park.

A four hour drive from Flam will take you into the “Giant’s Home”, a fitting name for this vast and soaring place where there are over 250 mountains of almost 2000m high and some of Norway’s very best scenery.

RELATED POST – How to Visit Flåm in the Summer

• Taking the incredibly scenic Flam Railway to Myrdal and cycling back on the Rallar Road.
• Standing on the edge of the Troll’s Tongue with the world at your feet.
• Discovering the imposing western Norway fjord of  Lysefjorden on a fjord cruise.
• Paddling the Aurlandsfjord for unrivaled views of the surrounding landscape.
• Watching the sun come up from the edge of Pulpit Rock.

Stavanger >>  Sola Strand Hotel  for the breathtaking beachfront location and a modern spa.

Preikestolen & Kjeragbolten >> Preikestolen BaseCamp because it’s perfect for the nights before and after your hike.

Odda >>  Vikinghaug Apartments  for their amazing fjord views and the post-Trolltunga bath!

Flam >>  Flåmsbrygga Hotel   for its superb central position, cozy traditional decor, and microbrewery.

Want to plan your own road tri p? Get our step-by-step road trip planning guide to help you organize the perfect trip or check out our favourite Europe road trips for ideas and inspiration!

Slow Down in Southern Norway

Romsviga – lindesnes – lista – egersund – bore – stavanger.

• Distance 500km
• Duration one week
• Drive Time 9 hours

If fjords and drama aren’t your thing, head for the gentler landscape of southern Norway, known as Sorlandet in Norwegian. This seven day Norway road trip itinerary is also perfect if you’re arriving in Oslo and hiring a rental car for your road trip.

The beaches along the southwest coast are simply stunning, with clear waters lapping against fine sandy shores. You’ll also find fantastic lighthouses, World War Two history, and a slower pace of life as the agricultural business of the area supersedes tourist traffic.

If you get the ferry from Denmark to Kristiansand, you might be tempted to stop in the town for a day, although for most it’s a gateway to the rest of the coast.

Turn left and head west for Romsviga, a traditional coastal settlement that dates back to the 17th century. Now a protected area which is owned by the local community, it’s an interesting place to visit and there are marked trails between here and Helleviga, either along the shore or through the forest.

Lindesnes, the southernmost tip of the country’s long coastline, is home to the oldest lighthouse in Norway ( where you can actually stay !). The small hamlet is quintessentially Norwegian and there is good coastal walking from here.

RELATED POST – One Day Oslo Itinerary – Map, Guide & Tips

Looking for the best SIM card deals in Europe for your trip? Check out our guide to the best data SIMs in Europe and get the best deal for your trip to Norway.

Just under a few hours inland is one of the largest waterfalls in southern Norway, Kvasfossen, with a drop of 36m. When the Lynga river is low, numerous potholes appear which make fabulous hot tubs on a sunny day, so be sure to take your swimmers and a towel!

From here, head northwest for forty minutes to Rafossen waterfall. Take a picnic and sit on the flat granite slabs close to the drop and marvel at the thundering power of this feat of nature.

Lista is next up, with its 34m high lighthouse, Nordberg Fort, and a trio of sandy beaches backed by dunes.

Havikstrand beach is the best known and is popular with kite surfers. Kviljosanden beach is perfect for families, with a gradual shelf and shallow water and Haeustranda beach is on a small peninsula south of Farsund and makes a perfect stop for a day.

Don’t miss the fully restored Nordberg Fort and museum, a German bunker that was once part of Hitler’s Atlantic Wall and represents a dark period of Norwegian history.

Follow the 444 coast road to Egersund, which is within the fascinating Magma Geopark . To the east is the weird and wonderful rock formation of Trollpikken (troll’s penis), created by glacial influences thousands of years ago.

To the east is the Eigeroy lighthouse and the glorious beach of Skadbergsanden.

As you continue along the coast road to Bore, make sure to stop at Ogna for more fabulous beaches and the beautiful Kvassheim lighthouse.

Once you arrive in Bore, you’ll soon realize that the village is sandwiched between the river Figgjoelva, the lake Orrevatnet, and the seashore, and is surrounded by water!

Your final stop on this Norway road trip route is Stavanger, where you can continue on to another road trip, catch a flight home or get a ferry to northern Norway to continue your Scandinavian adventure.

• Spending a day soaking up the sun on one of the many magnificent beaches.
• Getting away from it all and experiencing off-the-beaten-path Norway.
• Climbing onto Trollpikken for that must-have image!
• Enjoying lunch in the midst of one of Norway’s most spectacular waterfalls.
• Getting lucky and enjoying a natural hot tub!

Lindesnes >>  Lindesnes Havhotel for its waterfront location, modern decor, and hot tub!

Lista >>  Rederiet Hotel  for their amazing views and welcoming staff.

Egersund >>  Grand Hotel Egersund  for its simple Scandi decor and a great restaurant.

Norway Road Trip Essentials

Here are the websites and services we personally use and recommend for traveling in Norway.

• Search for affordable flights to Norway with Skyscanner
• Search for availability and book hotels and accommodation in Norway with Booking.com
• Find and book the best campsites in Norway with Eurocampings
• Book the cheapest and most reliable hire cars in Norway with Rentalcars.com
• Find and book ferry crossings with Ferryhopper
• Find and hire your perfect motorhome or campervan with Motorhome Republic and Arctic Campers
• Get highly rated, reliable, and trustworthy travel insurance with True Traveller
• Check if you need a visa and arrange your documents with Visagov

Are you looking for more road trip inspiration? Check out these top posts…

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Nova on the Road

The Best Norway Itinerary for an Unbelievable 14-day Road Trip (with Many Hidden Gems)

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Must-see places to visit in + itinerary for 14 days in Norway.

Buckle up for an epic 14-day adventure through the wild and wonderful landscapes of Norway. This practical Norway itinerary for 14 days isn’t just like any other; it’s about real experiences in one of the most stunning countries on the planet!

From the iconic Geirangerfjord, to the spectacular city of Bergen, to the charming town of Flam, we’ve got it all covered.

And as if the beauty’s not enough, Norway has the best food! From delicious hot dogs, to the best waffles in the world, and pancakes… Man, those pancakes… they earned a special place in my heart.

So you’re planning to visit Norway, but have no idea where to start? Then you’ve come to the right place! Do make sure to read this post through to the end, for all the essential information you need!

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Table of Contents

About Norway

The Kingdom of Norway is a Nordic country in Europe. It’s actually the northernmost country. The spoken language in Norway is Norwegian, and most people speak English very well… Seriously… It’s almost creepy how good their English is…

There’s actually quite interesting history behind the Norwegian language. Read about it here .

The used currency in Norway is the Norwegian Krone, NOK.

    $1 USD = 10,58 NOK (approx.)

    €1 Euro = 10,44 NOK (approx.)

Fun facts about Norway:

• Norway has a population of just over 5 million and nearly half of the Norwegian lives in the far south, around Oslo.
• Norway counts about 50000 tiny islands , carved by deep glacial fjords.
• Norway has repeatedly been ranked as the best country to live in.
• The longest tunnel in the world is located in Norway.
• Norway introduced salmon sushi to the Japanese in the eighties.
• Norway knighted a king penguin in 2008. His name’s Nils Olav.

Planning your 14-day Norway itinerary: Things to keep in mind

When planning a road trip through Norway, I made a big mistake. I stuffed it. I put too many activities in the planning and didn’t consider driving times and other things.  

So some things to keep in mind are:

• Driving times and distances are longer than you expect
• The weather’s not always good
• Take time for grocery shopping and cooking
• There are gonna be some bumps in your trip. Make sure you’re prepared to deal with them

Read through to the end of this post for more essential information about traveling through Norway!

Are 14 days too long for you? Then check out this epic 7-day itinerary for Norway !

Here’s a map with the places from this itinerary and some lovely wild camping places we found. I hope it can help you!

Norway itinerary for 14 days

Now it’s finally time for the 14-day Norway road trip itinerary!

This 14-day itinerary begins in Oslo and ends in Bergen . Both cities have an airport and I’m sure there are renting companies where you can pick up a car or motorhome in one city and return it in the other. If this is not possible, it’s not that hard to drive back to Oslo to return the vehicle and get a flight home.

Day 1: Arrival – Oslo  

This itinerary starts in the wonderful capital of Norway, Oslo! When in Norway you just can’t miss this diverse city.

Bonus tip: Maybe an Oslo pass is something for you. Read about the top things to do in Oslo with an Oslo pass !

Oslo has a lot of typical Norwegian places to visit, like:

• Bygdøy Peninsula, where you’ll find 5 Norwegian museums
• The Norwegian Folk Museum
• Akershus Fortress
• The Freia Store: home of Norwegian chocolates
• The Oslo fjord

And other than that, Oslo’s an amazing city to walk through.

My friends and I arrived in Oslo around lunchtime. In my opinion, we’ve seen enough of this city in one day, to move on the next day. But of course, you need to decide how long you want to stay in Oslo. I do recommend sleeping in the city, to be well-rested for the next day.

Psst: Check out this beginner’s guide to Oslo !

Where to stay in Oslo?

Best budget hotel in Oslo: Citybox Oslo

Why stay here: Close to Oslo central station, comfortable rooms, cheap prices and free wifi.

Best luxury hotel in Oslo: Hotel Bristol

Why stay here: Exceptional breakfast, private parking, 2 cozy restaurants, free wifi and luxurious rooms.

Day 2: Oslo – Flam

From Oslo, you will take a long drive to the beautiful town of Flam! It’s about a 5-hour drive through many diverse landscapes. In the last hour, you’ll even be driving the world’s longest tunnel ! At the end of this Laerdalstunnel, you’ll be blown away by the beauty of the Naeroyfjorden!

You’ll get the best view of this fjord from the town of Flam. In this town, there are many activities to do. There are many souvenir shops and options to go out on the water.

Although Flam could be crowded, it kinda gave me a cozy feeling. It almost felt like I was at a German Christmas market (even though it was in August).

So when you’re in Flam, make sure to drink some hot chocolate and eat a delicious Norwegian hot dog.

One day is enough to take a good look at Flam. At the end of the afternoon, you can already drive a bit to the next location, or just stay in Flam.

Where to stay in Flam?

Best accommodation for families: Two-bedroom apartment in beautiful Flåm Valley

Why stay here : Entire apartment with private parking, free wifi and beautifully furnished rooms. Perfect for a family of 4.

Best budget accommodation: Winjum Apartments Aurland Stegastein

Why stay here : Entire apartment with free wifi, private parking and stunning views of the Aurlandsfjord.

Best luxury hotel: Fretheim Hotel

Why stay here: Amazing breakfast, free parking, a restaurant and bar, free wifi and comfortable rooms.

Day 3: Time to relax

Seeing that the driving distances are exhausting, let’s squeeze in a day to relax. Of course, you don’t have to do nothing, you could always stay in Flam and book a tour or find another activity nearby. You could already drive to the next destination, which gives you more time for sightseeing there.

There are loads of options, but if you’re tired, just relax. You’ll see more of Norway in the next few days.

Check out this super cool drone shot that represents Norway’s mysterious landscape quite well.

Day 4: Geirangerfjord

On day 4, it’s time to drive to Geiranger. This world UNESCO site heritage may be one of the most beautiful fjords I’ve seen in Norway. It’s kinda like Flam, but even better. Plus, there’s a chocolate shop.

See, I’m a bit of a sucker for chocolates, especially ones with fruit filling. And the chocolates of Geiranger Sjokolade were the most amazing choccies I’ve ever had!

In Geiranger, you can book a boat tour , rent a kayak, or take a hike up the fjord.

There are many places near Geiranger where you can park your vehicle to go wild camping. Most places we wild camped at, you can find on the map at the beginning of this itinerary.

Where to stay in Geiranger?

The best accommodation in Geiranger is Hotel Union Geiranger Bad & Spa . With super comfortable rooms, a rooftop garden, and pools in and outside, this hotel is a great option! You’ll be able to completely relax in the spa & wellness centre, the 3 pools and 3 restaurants.

I highly recommend staying at the Hotel Union Geiranger !

Related posts:

• A Full Guide to Wild Camping in Norway + Wild Camping Tips
• Norway 10-Day Itinerary: Everything You Have to See in Norway!
• Norway Road Trip Cost: A Full Guide to Traveling Norway on a Budget
• Traveling Norway by Campervan: Everything You Need to Know!

Day 5: Trollstigen – Mardalsfossen – Sunndalsora

On day 5, it’s time to finally drive the famous troll’s ladder, aka Trollstigen! This road is such a wonderful road to drive, with a gorgeous waterfall. It’s only 2 hours from Geiranger . Make sure to make some photos of this wonderful road.

After driving the Trollstigen, it’s time for a little hike to the most epic waterfall in Norway. And this place isn’t touristy at all, which is so great!

From the Trollstigen, it’s about 2 hours to the waterfall .

This fall is called Mardalsfossen. With a free fall of 297 meters and a total of 655 meters , this is Northern Europe’s highest waterfall .

This hike is only around 45 minutes (single way). However, these 45 minutes are only to a certain point that’s easy to reach. After that, you can take a slippery rocky road to get closer to the waterfall.

I took this road and got so close to the waterfall, it felt unreal. You just need to be careful. But seriously, if you can, try to get as close to the waterfall as possible. It’s a place where you’ll feel so alive, plus you’ll get a proper shower.

From Mardalsfossen it’s only an hour and a half to get to the sleeping spot at Sunndalsora. On the map, you’ll find the exact spot.

Day 6: Time to relax

You must be tired after these full days. Good news, today you’ll be doing nothing at all! The spot where you’ve stayed is also a wonderful place for relaxing, taking a swim, and maybe having a little BBQ.

Day 7: Trollkyrkja – Atlantic Ocean Road

Now that you’re well rested and all, it’s time to get up early for a gorgeous, but a bit challenging hike! Trollkyrkja (troll’s church), is another epic place we visited in Norway. It’s called the troll’s church because, at the end of the hike, there’s a cave with a stunning waterfall inside !

This hike will take you around 4 hours to complete (up and back). Don’t forget to bring a flashlight or headlight, you’re gonna need it for the cave.

After hiking Trollkyrkja, it’s time to drive another cool road.

Have you ever heard of the Atlantic Ocean Road?

If not, it’s a road located on the coast of Norway. This road is 8,27 kilometers long and has 8 bridges . This road is quite cool to drive and from the rest stops it looks amazing!

Some people will say this road is only worth visiting if you have a drone to make awesome shots, but in my opinion, the Atlantic Ocean Road is something you just need to see (and drive) at least once in your life.

Day 8: Alesund

After these few days in nature, you’re probably up for visiting a charming old town. Alesund is the place to be. This coastal town is one of the coziest towns we visited in Norway. With its colorful houses, old streets, and surrounding hills, this place is a must-see town.

Alesund is only a 2-and-a-half-hour drive from the Atlantic ocean road . So I’d say, find a sleeping spot somewhere between the ocean road and Alesund.

Also, don’t be scared of taking ferries. For me it felt kinda weird, going on a ferry, but it wasn’t weird at all. Just hop on there, eat some typical ferry food (they sell delish hotdogs and sveler: Norwegian pancakes), have a bathroom break, and get on the road again!

When arriving in Alesund, it’s easy finding a parking spot, even for large vans. Then it’s time to just wander through this town, take in its beauty, visit some shops, and have a bite. Make sure to take some photos.

One day is enough to visit Alesund.

Where to stay in Alesund?

Best Budget accommodation in Alesund: City View Studio Apartment

Why stay here: Entire apartment with private parking, free wifi, a patio, and beautiful sea and city views.

Best luxury accommodation: Hotel 1904

Why stay here : Delicious breakfast, free wifi, comfortable rooms, and an amazing restaurant.

Day 9 & 10 : Olden – Loen

On days 9 and 10 you’ll visit what probably the most beautiful place is in all of Norway. The towns of Olden and Loen are kinda like glacial towns (if that’s a thing). At the foot of Jostedalsbreen national park are these towns. Surrounded by blue and ice-cold lakes, these towns have a certain charm.

Jostedalsbreen national park is Europe’s biggest glacier. There are tours you can book, to hike these glaciers. But don’t do it on your own, you need special equipment.

But seeing that Olden and Loen are at the foot of this glacier, makes the lakes outstandingly beautiful. Glacier water is so blue, it feels like you’ve stepped inside a fairytale! With green grass and mysterious mountains, it may just be the most breathtaking place I’ve ever visited.

If you choose not to hike the glacier (I didn’t because it’s expensive), there are lots of other activities in this area. You can hike among some mighty rivers, visit waterfalls, kayak the mirror-like lakes, or even take a swim (at around 4°C/32°F).

Where to stay in Olden/Loen?

Best budget accommodation: Nesset Fjordcamping

Why stay here: Beautiful balcony overlooking the fjord, free wifi, family rooms, free parking and great location.

Best luxury accommodation: Hotel Alexandra Loen

Why stay here: Comfortable rooms, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, wellness centre, 4 restaurants and great breakfast.

Best unique stay: Olden Glamping

Why stay here: Luxurious dome-like tent, fjord and mountain views, private beach area, free wifi and free parking.

There are endless ways to enjoy yourself in Olden and Loen, and you won’t be disappointed by the views you’ll get. Just take it slow and stay here for a day or two.

Day 11: Bondhusvatnet

On your way to the last destination, you’ll be visiting some more magic places. I recommend getting up early because you’re up for a long drive of 6 hours . I’d say hit the road around 9 am so you have some time for hiking the Bondhusvatnet trail.

This is the last long driving time, so make sure you enjoy it.

Bondhusvatnet is one of the hidden gems near Bergen. This hike is only about 2 hours in total and you’ll see some cool rivers and another glacial lake.

How’s this one different from the ones you’ve already seen, you may ask? Well, I can’t answer that. It’s just different and even more beautiful. Both the trail and the lake will take your breath away.

After this hike, you should probably just find a sleeping place nearby.

Day 12 : Fjellhaugvatn – Steindalsfossen – Bergen

If you aren’t tired of blue glacial lakes yet, you can visit another one: Fjellhaugvatn. This lake is said to be another hidden gem, and it’s close to the one you visited yesterday. I personally skipped this one, but if you can visit it, you probably should.

Then it’s time to drive an hour and a half in the direction of Bergen. On the road to Bergen, there’s a cool waterfall you should see. Steindalsfossen is a waterfall located near the road. No hike is required.

You can stand behind the waterfall and get a cool view from a bit higher point. This waterfall is also great for some Instagrammable photos, as you can get really close.

After spending a little time at this waterfall it’s time to go to your last destination in this itinerary; Bergen!

Make sure to book accommodation in this city, for the last 2 nights before leaving. And look into some parking opportunities, but it was quite hard, to find a parking spot for a 2,5-meter high van. There are no parking garages for this height and there’s a difficult system for parking at the side of the street. Make sure to do your research.

Where to stay in bergen?

Best budget hotel: Citybox Bergen City

Why stay here: Comfortable rooms, free wifi, cheap prices and great location.

Best overall hotel: Det Hanseatiske Hotel

Why stay here: Rustic-style rooms, very good breakfast, 2 restaurants, free wifi, affordable prices and located in the 16th century UNESCO World Heritage Bryggen District.

Day 13 & 14 : Bergen

This second-largest city in Norway is one of those places where you simply don’t want to have only a couple of hours. That’s why you need at least day 13 and maybe day 14 (depending on the time of your flight), to see all there is to see in Bergen , like:

• Floibanen and Floyen
• Bergen’s fish market
• Fantoft stave church
• Ulriken viewpoint

And simply the rest of the city is just fun to see. There are also shopping opportunities.

All in all, Bergen is a city you just can’t skip. It may even be more important to visit than Oslo (I’m sorry to those who disagree). There’s just too much to do and see, for everyone.

Travel through Norway

There are a few ways of traveling through Norway. You could travel Norway by train, cruise, car, or motorhome. Traveling through Norway by train or cruise, are some great options to choose from. However, they limit your options of things to see and do, as they only go so far.

Norway is one of the most popular countries for motorhome travel . As wild camping is allowed, you can easily park somewhere and just go to sleep. So when you’re visiting Norway, be prepared for all the campers you’ll come across.

And as the Norwegian roads sometimes go (literally) up the mountains, you can visit so many more places than when you’re taking a train. So traveling by car or motorhome is my favorite way of traveling through Norway .

And because of that, this 14-day itinerary is for traveling with a car or campervan.

Driving through Norway

One thing you really need to keep in mind is that driving in Norway is a whole new world. At least for me, it was, but that’s because I’m from flat country; the Netherlands.

Driving through Norway will not be hard, but you need to know some of the basics:

When driving the mountainous roads of Norway it’s important to make way for other people. There are a lot of opportunities to make some room for oncoming traffic, and you need to make use of them. They will do the same for you.

And not only oncoming traffic will need this, but if you’re a bit of a slow driver, you may also need to make way for people to pass you.

Put your lights on

In Norway, it is the law to drive with your lights on. So don’t forget to put them on every time you’re going out on the road!

But only when driving a van or motorhome. Some curves may be unclear, so if you’re driving on a narrow road, and a bend is coming, honk. Then people will know something big’s coming and it may give you peace of mind.

The roads aren’t as scary as they seem

You’ve probably heard of the Trollstigen, which means trolls ladder. This is a Norwegian road that’s famous for all its twists and turns. Although this is the most famous one, it’s not the only one… There are many roads like this, you probably won’t be able to avoid these.

But no worries! These roads are less scary than they seem.

Everyone who’s driving these roads is alert. If you are alert and calm as well, there’s nothing to worry about. Just drive slowly and before you know it, you’ve done an incredible job of driving a mountain road!

Norwegians drive really well

Yup. Norwegians may be the best drivers of Europe. I don’t know what else to say. Almost every Norwegian is just a good driver, I thought that may be nice to know.

Is Norway expensive?

There’s no easy way to say this…

Norway’s expensive.

Can’t go around that. But as we’re budget travelers, we have found a way for you to enjoy Norway on a low budget. Traveling Norway on a budget is possible.

And as in every other country, it really depends on how you spend your money and what you spend it on. Some things or products are really cheap and others are expensive. You just need to figure out what the local products are and live off of those. Because they will be cheapest.

Our post about budget travel in Norway also listed which products are the cheapest. So check out this post about Norway road trip cost !

Wild camping on your 14-day Norway itinerary

At least one thing you could save a ton on is accommodation. In Norway, it is allowed to go wild camping , under certain rules . But this means that you don’t have to pay for your accommodation, which makes your trip soooo much cheaper.

You can go wild camping in your car, or motorhome, or just take some tents with you. Please do consider this option, it’ll save you tons.

Final thoughts on the Norway itinerary for 14 days

And now we’ve come to the end of this 14-day itinerary through Norway. I hope you’re now informed enough on what to keep in mind, places to visit and what the country’s like.

Let me know why you want to visit Norway in the comments below!

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Norway itinerary for a 14-day road trip (with lots of hidden gems).

Norway itinerary 14 days

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Norway by Camper

Your resource for exploring norway in a camper van, the e6 – norway’s ultimate road trip experience, 04/04/2023 camper dude.

The E6, stretching over 3,000 kilometers from the southernmost tip of Norway to its northernmost reaches, is truly a testament to the country’s magnificent beauty. Winding through the heart of Norway’s diverse landscapes, this scenic route offers an unparalleled road trip experience. The sheer variety of natural wonders, cultural heritage, and unique experiences that the E6 has to offer is what makes it so amazing. As you traverse this remarkable highway, you’ll be captivated by the ever-changing vistas that unfold before your eyes.

Diverse Landscapes

From the fertile agricultural lands in the south to the rugged coastlines and breathtaking fjords of the west, and from the serene forests of the central regions to the Arctic tundra in the north, the E6 takes you through a kaleidoscope of Norway’s most stunning landscapes. With each twist and turn, you’ll be greeted by a new and awe-inspiring view, making every moment of your journey a memorable one.

Cultural Riches

As you travel along the E6, you’ll have ample opportunities to delve into Norway’s rich cultural history. Visit ancient stave churches, marvel at the Hanseatic wharf of Bergen, and explore the Sami culture in the northern regions. Immerse yourself in the arts, history, and architecture of cities like Oslo, Trondheim, and Tromsø, each offering a unique perspective on Norway’s heritage.

Outdoor Adventures

The E6 is a gateway to an array of outdoor activities that cater to every type of adventurer. Whether you’re a hiking enthusiast, a wildlife lover, or an adrenaline junkie, you’ll find something to suit your interests. Trek through national parks like Jotunheimen, Rondane, and Dovrefjell, or go on a wildlife safari in search of musk oxen, reindeer, and moose. For thrill-seekers, embark on a river rafting adventure, try your hand at glacier hiking, or soar above the fjords on a zipline.

The Midnight Sun and Northern Lights

As you journey northwards along the E6, you’ll enter the realm of the Midnight Sun, where the sun never sets during the summer months. This natural phenomenon allows for extended days of exploration and a unique, almost otherworldly atmosphere. In contrast, during the winter months, the E6 offers prime opportunities to witness the mesmerizing Northern Lights, as the ethereal aurora borealis dances across the Arctic sky.

Culinary Delights

Norwegian cuisine is a delicious blend of traditional dishes and modern innovation. Traveling along the E6, you’ll have the chance to savor a variety of regional specialties. Sample fresh seafood in coastal towns, indulge in hearty mountain fare, and discover local artisanal products, from cheese to cured meats. The culinary journey is an essential part of the E6 experience, offering an authentic taste of Norway’s diverse flavors.

Warm Hospitality

One of the most endearing aspects of traveling the E6 is the warm hospitality of the Norwegian people. From charming countryside inns to family-run businesses and friendly locals, you’ll be welcomed with open arms as you journey through this captivating land. This sense of camaraderie and connection adds an extra layer of joy to your E6 adventure.

The E6, stretching from the south to the north of Norway, is an extraordinary road trip that offers an unparalleled experience. Its diverse landscapes, rich cultural heritage, outdoor adventures, natural phenomena, culinary delights, and warm hospitality combine to create a journey that is nothing short of amazing. As you traverse this epic route, you’ll be constantly enchanted by the surprises and discoveries that await around every corner. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or a first-time visitor, the E6 is a testament to Norway’s natural and cultural wonders, promising an unforgettable adventure that will leave you with memories to cherish for a lifetime. So, buckle up, hit the road, and let the magic of the E6 sweep you away on the ultimate Norwegian odyssey.

Why the E6 is a Dream Route for Camper Van Enthusiasts

The E6 is the quintessential camper van-friendly route in Norway, offering an unparalleled travel experience for camper enthusiasts. Its thoughtful infrastructure, abundance of scenic rest areas, and easy accessibility to diverse attractions make it an ideal choice for a camper van adventure.

• Well-Maintained Infrastructure: The E6 is well-maintained and regularly updated, ensuring a smooth and comfortable drive throughout your journey. The road is designed to accommodate larger vehicles such as camper vans, allowing you to navigate with ease and confidence.
• Scenic Rest Areas: As you travel along the E6, you’ll find numerous picturesque rest areas where you can stop and take a break. These spots not only offer essential facilities such as restrooms and picnic tables but also provide stunning panoramic views of the surrounding landscapes, making them perfect for a leisurely lunch or an overnight stay.
• Accessible Attractions: The E6 connects you to a plethora of Norway’s most iconic attractions, from national parks and fjords to charming villages and vibrant cities. With easy access to these diverse sights, you can tailor your camper van journey to suit your interests, ensuring an unforgettable experience.

In conclusion, the E6’s camper van-friendly features make it a dream route for vanlife travelers. Its well-maintained infrastructure, scenic rest areas, and accessible attractions combine to create a stress-free and enjoyable journey, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the wonders of Norway.

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Norwegian Scenic Routes

Norwegian Scenic Routes are 18 selected roads that run through landscapes with unique natural qualities, along coasts and fjords, mountains and waterfalls. The routes are intended as alternatives to the main roads, and the drive itself should be an enjoyable experience.

A drive in the fluctuating light of the ocean and sky – towards the expanse of ocean and unique rock landscape.

The drive along the west coast of Senja offers a journey through changing landscapes.

Andøya

On the drive through landscape unprotected from the Norwegian Sea, the fishing village of Bleik depicts the encounter between man and nature.

A drive that offers close encounter with Norwegian nature in the easily accessible borderland between high mountains and ancient cultural landscapes.

A journey through distinctive cultural landscapes and idyllic coastal towns along the North Sea.

The 18 Norwegian Scenic Routes

Norwegian Scenic Routes are roads that run through unique Norwegian nature. Along the roads you will find artworks, viewpoints and rest areas with innovative architecture in beautiful landscapes.

View all Scenic Routes

New attractions along Norwegian Scenic Routes in 2024

Norwegian Scenic Routes - The Atlantic road

AVERØY, Averøy

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Adapted for disabled

Family friendly

Guest parking

A unique stretch of road which takes you right out to the ocean's edge, and is known to be the world's most beautiful drive.

It connects Averøy with the mainland via a series of small islands and islets spanned by a total of eight bridges over 8274 meters. The road was opened in 1989 and is toll free. The Atlantic Road has National Tourist Route status and the entire stretch between Bud and Kristiansund is one continuous experience packed with coastal scenery, culture and history.

The contrasts between a trip on a sun-soaked and tranquil summer day and a foam-sprayed journey in a storm from the northwest are amazing. Take your time and open all of your senses. The Atlantic Road experience will give you memories for life. Park your car at designated stopping places, climb a hillock and enjoy the salty air and the magnificent view. Take a stroll around the elevated walking path at Eldhusøya. Whether the ocean is flat calm or a storm is brewing; there are great nature experiences in store. Make your way to Håholmen (daily boat trips during the summer). Along the Atlantic road, Strømsholmen sea sports center also organizes fishing trips, snorkelling with seals or rib safaris. There are several of the accommodation options on Averøy or Hustadvika that also offer fishing trips with a skipper. 

Last updated: 01/31/2024

Source: VisitNordvest

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The One Norwegian Road Trip You HAVE To Take

September 19, 2016 by Silvia 37 Comments

Usually when I sit down to write a blog post I, well, do just that. I sit down and start writing whatever I’m thinking about my chosen topic of the day.

Did any of you guys watch Felicity ? Remember when she would record those tapes to send to her friend, where she would tell her what was going on in her life, sometimes going off on weird and awkward tangents? Well, that’s sort of what blogging is like for me, except I’m not using cassette tapes because hello, it’s not 1998 anymore (in fact according to my recent reader survey some of you guys weren’t even born in 1998).

But today… not so much.

Maybe it’s because I made the mistake of choosing photos for this post first, and I was so overwhelmed by the beauty of this place that I know I just don’t have words to match it.

The place is Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, a 27 km loop of road that Dan and I drove through after spending the night camping on Sognefjellet . Because the road is just a loop off of the main road, it really seems to only be for tourists, which meant that we had it all to ourselves.

In fact, Gamle Strynefjellsvegen was actually built specially as a tourist road just as tourism was beginning to grow in Norway at the end of the 19th century. It was completed in 1884 and driving on the deserted road with its old guard stones and hand-built crash barriers for horse-drawn carriages did feel a bit like being brought back in time.

Like, I know I’m a bit prone to exaggeration on this blog – there are no fewer than six Heart My Backpack posts about Norway with the word “prettiest” in the title – but this truly must be the most beautiful road in Norway. I’m sure I’ll say the same about another drive in the future, but that will have to be a lie, as it simply cannot get more beautiful than this.

Dan put on Adventures in Your Own Backyard as we turned off of road 15 and onto road 258, and what followed was one of the most beautiful hours of my life.

What started out as oohs and aahs at all the pretty landscape built and built until we sat in stunned silence trying to take in how breathtaking the views were.

My camera couldn’t quite capture how bright the lakes and rivers here were. I don’t know what made them so turquoise – something about minerals? – but they were so beautiful.

And then we started a descent into THE prettiest valley.

Sorry, I usually try not to post all my photos from a trip, but this time I just can’t help myself.

So if you’re ever planning a road trip through Norway, try your hardest to include a detour through Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, okay? Promise?

And you know what I would LOVE to do here? Go on this glacier helicopter tour over Stryn . It’s a splurge, but seriously a once in a lifetime sort of trip – and I mean, when will you be back in Norway?  Do it . And then tell me about it, because I really want to do it as well.

Gamle Strynefjellsvegen is closed in the winter – usually from October to June.

There’s a sign at the start of the road warning that it is difficult to drive with a caravan, though if you don’t mind a bit of a tight squeeze it should still be doable.

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September 19, 2016 at 3:06 pm

Wow, get me on a flight to Norway right now please. It looks absolutely stunning. I’ve just got back from Canada and we did the Icefields Parkway, and I felt the same about that; you can’t stop saying “look at that!” or “wow”, but then this silence descends as you try to take it all in.

Silvia says

September 21, 2016 at 1:09 pm

Exactly! I really want to explore more of Canada now – I think it’s in many ways similar to Norway.

Lovisa says

September 19, 2016 at 8:21 pm

I’m all about road trips and just happen to live in Norway so I couldn’t be happier about finding your site:) Just spent my weekend in the mountains in Trysil, which is absolutely stunning and you should definitely go if you haven’t been yet. Thanks for all the inspiration!

September 21, 2016 at 1:10 pm

I’ve never been to Trysil! There are so many places I want to visit in Norway – I hope it doesn’t take me another year to make another trip, haha. Thanks for the tip!

September 19, 2016 at 9:01 pm

My friends and I are literally planning a Norway road trip right now, so this is so awesome! We want to do Trollstigen, so this looks sort of close? Definitely adding it – thanks for your perfect timing!

September 21, 2016 at 1:11 pm

Yes, it’s very near Trollstigen – in fact we drove down Trollstigen in the same day we visited Gamle Styrnefjellsvegen. You’re going to have so much fun!

Alissa says

September 19, 2016 at 11:47 pm

Really gorgeous photos, thanks for sharing your experience! Love the shots with the mist over the mountains. You’re making me want to go travel Norway!

It really is a special place!

Charlotte says

September 20, 2016 at 12:49 am

Awww man when I see this I wish I had a car! And a driver’s license, maybe that would help too… Those pics are magical <3

September 21, 2016 at 1:12 pm

Haha then you need to find a friend with a driver’s license! Or take the bus 🙂

September 22, 2016 at 12:57 pm

Yeah my bf wants to tak driving lessons – and while he hasn’t his license yet, we can still go hiking 😀

Our Wanders says

September 21, 2016 at 12:40 pm

Wow this is breathtaking! The fall colors just get more and more beautiful there…

Meghan says

September 30, 2016 at 3:04 am

Promise. I am totally in love with alpine environments and this seriously looks like the most beautiful place EVER. Thank you for posting all your photos!!!

Helena says

September 30, 2016 at 10:44 pm

Oh, didn’t know about this road. Definitely pinning this post so I will remember it!

Denise says

October 25, 2017 at 7:44 pm

I have to agree…….just returned from Norway road trip. We covered 5 of the National tourist routes, and this was my favourite!

October 29, 2017 at 6:46 pm

Right? It’s just so beautiful up there!

Harley says

February 12, 2018 at 1:58 am

This is a fantastic tip. Thanks so much. Currently planning a trip (roadtrip), beginning in Alesund but unsure if we should head towards Trondheim or down to Bergen. Hoping you could point us in the right direction. Looking for hiking, fjords, decent/nice hotels, and obviously spectacular drives. Thanks in advance!

May 8, 2018 at 7:26 pm

I’m doing a road trip over 7 days from Alesund through to Bergen in a few weeks. I’m doing the Atlantic Road, Trollstigen, Geirangerfjord and a few others that I’ve found online. This little Route will be added as looks beautiful. Can’t wait.

NOTATY says

May 12, 2018 at 1:22 pm

Don’t know if you’ll see this Harley, but if you do I’d recommend going towards Bergen and stopping at Baroniet in Rosendal – it’s really lovely in summer!

May 14, 2018 at 11:30 am

Your blog and Norway trips are amazing. I will be visiting Norway this September and alesund is on my list. After reading this blog post I want to do the gamle, I looked the google maps and it doesn’t show any driving routes to gamle from alesund. could you plz guide me on this ? T hanks, Punar

May 15, 2018 at 6:56 pm

If it doesn’t show up on Google it means that the road is closed now. Change your depart by time to September and it should be open (I think).

May 20, 2018 at 12:39 am

Hello, how to do this road from Alensud by public transport? Is there any bus? I will be staying at Alensud. Thank you! Gilda

May 20, 2018 at 5:15 pm

No, I don’t think you can take this road by public transport.

Sherry Emery says

May 29, 2018 at 8:19 pm

Hello, we are in the process of planning a trip to Norway but there’s so much to see that it seems overwhelming. I really am enjoying your posts, thank you. We are planning now for Sept of 2019 (last two weeks) and then headed to Sweden to see the northern lights. If we take a road trip in the Alesund region do you think we should be worried about road conditions due to snow? Thank you!!

May 30, 2018 at 5:50 pm

I think you should be fine in September – most of the mountain roads around here won’t close until November.

Karen Hemstock says

June 20, 2018 at 9:35 pm

We have been driving on that road today ! And we have just said that it’s our favourite ever !!! And we have been to Austria and Switzerland but I think that beats them both .

Mikaela says

July 6, 2018 at 2:16 pm

Hello Silvia, I’ve just dropped on your blog and is amazing. We’ve driving on that road in two weeks! We’re staying in Hjelle, very close to rv258, then driving to Geirangerfjord (and perhaps taking a sightseeing cruise… not sure if we should book it in advance though.. suggestions?). We’re ending our day in Valldal. I have a few questions for you: 1) How long does it take to make the loop trip? (just in case we have to book the cruise in advance) 2)the next day we are heading to Ålesund. I wanted to get there driving along the Storfjorden because we are going to take the other route via Åndalsnes when we’re leaving the town and heading south. I thought we could get to Trollstigen from Valldal, taking some picture from the top and then go back to Valldal and then Ålesund… does it make any sense or is it better to go all the way down the hairpins?

Therry says

July 8, 2018 at 9:23 pm

We went to Norway in june 2018. It is the most beautyfull road i have ever seen!! Fantastic!!!

November 8, 2018 at 3:45 pm

Hi Silvia. When Gamle Strynefjellsvegen is closed, do you know if it is it possible to go running or cycling in it?

January 10, 2019 at 2:29 am

Thank you for this post. The pics are just stunning. What time of the year did you do this drive? It looks like fall colors. Thank you.

January 10, 2019 at 3:03 pm

This was at the start of September!

June 10, 2019 at 7:16 pm

I am planning a 6-7 day road trip from Bergen to Alesund and looking for some guidance. We are going to spend 2 nights in Odda to hike Trolltunga and then I need some help planning the rest of the road trip to Alesund. I would like to stay somewhat off the beaten path and avoid the extremely touristy spots since we will be going at the end of July. My current plan is

Bergen to Odda (2 nights in Odda)

Odda to Loen (1 night in Loen)

Loen to Stranda (Drive via Gamle STRYNEFJELLSVEGEN, spend 2 nights in Stranda)

Strand to Alesund

We then want to fly from Alesund to Tromso or Lofoten for 3 days Any suggestions on Tromso vs. Lofoten?

Any suggestions or help with the road trip portion would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

June 11, 2019 at 4:28 pm

That sounds like a great plan! And I would recommend Lofoten over Tromso, though both are lovely. But you should book your accommodation as soon as possible because July is the busiest month of the year for tourism. Have fun!

Diane Mankowski says

June 13, 2019 at 3:31 am

Hi Silvia, Hello from Chicago! I’ve got us booked for 4 nights in Alesund in early July and I’m thinking of renting a car for at least part of our stay. What else would you recommend? I’d love a couple that you think are worth fighting the crowds for as well as some less popular spots. Your blog has been instrumental in my planning!

February 24, 2023 at 7:53 am

Your blog is amazing! We are planning Norway in May. Would this be doable then? I see your post says the road is closed until june. Just trying my luck wouldnt want to miss this, I know you cant predict the weather most of us cnt but would be such a shame to miss this 🙁

June 4, 2023 at 5:28 pm

Hi Silvia,   Thank you so much for your blog with so many beautiful photos and helpful information!  I am traveling to Norway with my husband next month and now planning our itinerary.   There are sooo many scenic routes in Norway that I would like to do!  The top on our mind are 1) Gamle Strynefjellsveg; 2) Trollstigen; 3) Aurlandsfjellet Snow Road up to Stegastein Viewpoint; 4)Eagle Road to Ørnesvingen Viewpoint and 5) Atlantic Road.  However, I am worried that these routes would be tough for tourists.  The rental car we’ve booked is an automatic compact car…. am wondering if it would be okay to do the 5 routes i mentioned as some of them seem to be unpaved and i am unsure how rough the condition would be….  Hope to have your advice. Thanks a million!

June 8, 2023 at 5:20 pm

I think all of them should be totally fine, but if you’re worried I would maybe skip Gamle Strynefjellsvegen. The others are ok though!

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39 Photos from an epic Norway Road Trip!

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An epic 4,500km road trip through Norway saw us fall in love with its spectacular scenery and incredible natural beauty. From waking up to stunning Fjordland views to the 24 hour sunlight in the Arctic Circle, Norway quickly stole our hearts. One million pictures have been narrowed down to 39 of our best Norway photos. Enjoy!

If you are planning a trip to Norway, check out the Norway itinerary which allowed us to capture the photos!

1 | Lysefjord

2 | Pulpit Rock

Renting a Car in Norway

Renting a car in Norway is the best way to explore the country. Driving conditions are really good with extremely good quality roads throughout the entire country. Having your own car gives you the flexibility to travel at your own pace through the Fjord lands and see places that are simply not possible on group tours or public transport.

We’re huge fans of road trips and have driven rental cars in over 40 countries so we have a lot of experience renting cars in foreign countries. Book your car now with RentalCars.com , where you will find the best rental car prices

Click here for the best rental car prices

3 | Fjord Views

4 | Steinsdalsfossen

Our Photography Gea r

My main camera is a  Nikon D7200 with the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 and the Sigma 70-200 f2.8  lenses. Elaine uses the compact  Fuji XT-10 for all her shots.

  Check out our gear page to see whats in our bag.

We also use  Adobe Lightroom  for editing all our photos and highly recommend it The combination of Lightroom and Photoshop for a small monthly fee is a fantastic deal – Check prices now!

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5 | Snow roads

6 | Lake Loen

7 | Kjeragbolten

Check out our adventures on Kjerag here

8 | don’t look down.

The view from standing on Kjerag

9 | Geirangerfjord: UNESCO No 1

10 | Nigardsbreen Glacier

11 | The Atlantic Road

It’s easy to see why this road was named one of the best in the world!

12 | The Atlantic Road: take 2

13 | Reflections

14 | Trollstigen, the “Trolls ladder”

15 | The Arctic Circle

Trust us, it was worth the 15 hour drive north! Check out our experience here

How We Edit our Photos

16 | hike views.

17 | Ferry Views

18 | Låtefossen

19 | The Midnight Sun

20 | Gudbrandsjuvet

21 | Bryggen, Bergen: UNESCO No 2

22 | The Nærøyfjord

23 | Cabin Views

24 | Turquoise Lakes

25 | Laerdal Tunnel

The longest road tunnel in the world is also one of the most beautiful on the inside!

26 | Borgund Stave Church

27 | Bridge Views

28 | deserted houses.

29 | Urnes Stave Church: UNESCO No 3

30 | Snow Vibes

31 | Vega Island: UNESCO No 4

Check out our visit – why you have to visit the Vega Islands if you’re in Norway

32 | the vega  archipelago.

33 | Trolls!

34 | More trolls!

35 | Røros Mining Town, UNESCO NO 5

36 | Ice Lakes

37 | Vigeland Park, Oslo

Check out our trip to Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo – the craziest park in the world

38 | northern norway.

39 | Sunsets

There you have it: one country, 10 days, 4,500km, 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and more incredible memories than we could ever count summarised in 39 of our best Norway photos captured during our amazing road trip through the country. Say cheese!

If we missed anywhere awesome let us know in the comments! 

Photography Gear My main camera is a Nikon D7200 with the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 and the Sigma 70-200 f2.8, with a Manfrotto BeFree Tripod. We use and highly recommend  Adobe Lightroom   for editing and cataloging photos. it makes photo editing a breeze. For less than €13/$15 a month you get access to Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, which is a fantastic deal. If you’re looking to improve your photography and take it to the next level we highly recommend this package Check out our photography gear page to see what else is in our bag.

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49 thoughts on “39 Photos from an epic Norway Road Trip!”

Stunning photos!

Thanks Donna!

Wow, these are wonderful. Was driving in Norway a stress-free experience, and did you pre-book accommodation, camp, or simply find places to stay en-route?

Thanks Daniel!

We found the driving fine and the roads good. We didn’t pre book our accommodation but we were there outside of peak season – one thing we did find was the offices on the campsites closed quite early so we ended up pitching our tent and settling up the next morning instead. One night we really wanted a cabin as it was raining hard but we had to camp in the end as the office was closed!

These are great photos! The snow road image reminds me of driving up Trail Ridge Road in Colorado. It’s closed in the winter due to the snow but in the spring when it’s reopened you may find yourself driving through something similar.

The roads are so pretty with the snow walls Elaine! Would love to see it in Colorado!

Thank you Slartibartfast.

Hi, these photos are fantastic. I’m thinking of doing this next year possibly September time. I was debating on hiring a motorhome to do this. Would I have any issues camping anywhere, do you know. Thanks Andy

Gorgeous pictures! Always thought Norway would be beautiful and a great place to travel to. What was your favorite place there? (Yes, sorry I know that’s a difficult question!)

Thanks Elisabeth!

Everything was so pretty it’s hard to choose! I really loved the the hikes to Pulpit Rock and Kjerag, Røros and the fjords! Standing in the Arctic Circle was an awesome experience as well! It was all fab but I definitely preferred being outside of the cities!

I live in Italy and I was in Norway in 1991; I was in Oslo, Bergen and Cap Nord. I still remember the enormous stature of the inhabitants of Bergen. Nice post and beautiful pictures.

What is a guy doing with kids in Vigeland Park?

Vigeland Park is filled with wonderful sculpture depicting all phases of life from babies to old folks. This father is playing with his babies! They are all over him! All the sculptures are nude, to reduce us to our common denominator of humanity.

What an amazing park Nanette, we were so surprised to find it in Oslo! Thanks for the explanation on the sculptures, they are so unique and interesting!

We’re really amazed by these photos! Norway has so much to offer, and you can find such incredible nature and cities with a wonderful location. We’re talking about driving through Norway as well, and your photos have really inspired us where to go!

Glad we inspired you Mads & Camilla! It’s a fab country for a road trip!

I like it. It’s definitely beautiful country :-). Thanks for sharing these really awesome photos.

Thanks Kerwin, I hope we’ve inspired you to visit some time!

Lovely photos, though I hate to break it to you – You missed out on the prettiest spots, such as the Lofoten islands and vesterålen, the aurora in winter, the midnight sun (unless that was the “after”), the Lyngen alps, and the waiting for Rudolph & Co and Sean the Sheep to get out of the way.

Thanks ScribblewithLiner! We can’t wait to go back to see what we missed. The Lofoten Islands is top of the list, unfortunately we lost days due to snow road closures and it was too far to drive in the two weeks we had. Can’t wait to see the Aurora!

Really great pictures! I don’t think I would be so brave to step on that stone – Kjeragbolten. 🙂

Only one of us was brave enough Julius! And it wasn’t me!! Glad you liked the pics!

Amazing pictures. How long were you there in Norway??

Thanks Abhinav, happy you liked the pics! We were in Norway for a little over a week – we did a serious amount of driving to get all the sights in!

Amazing photos, straight onto my pinterest board! How cool are the snow roads? Bet it was interesting driving through those.

Cheers Aaron! The snow roads were awesome! It was much easier to drive on them at night as the headlights were visible if a car was coming – during the day was much more difficult!

…. I SO love Norway… any picture of any view in Norway gives me goosebumps and makes me a bit homesick! great pics of many places I’ve already visited… 14 times of Norway is not enought… I will go there again!

Oh wow, those pictures are stunning! My husband and I did a road trip through Norway and Sweden for our honeymoon and the picture of the cabins you took, look very familiar. Was that by any chance close to Jostedalsbreen, the largest glacier in Norway? We got stuck there by chance and it was one of our favorite moments when we hiked up the fjord to the glacier.

Thanks for sharing and bringing back some beautiful memories 🙂

Thanks Maria! It was a lot of fun taking all though photos! The lake/glacier is indeed in Jostedalsbreen National Park, its called Nigardsbreen Glacier. It was one of our favourite days in Norway. The weather was terrible when we arrived (sheeting rain), but alf way through the hike the sun came out for about an hour and it was one of the most beautiful views we’d ever seen! Glad you liked the pics!

Wow! Coming from someone who lives in this country you have really managed to capture the soul of Norway. Your photos are stunning! I almost felt a bit proud of being Norwegian after reading this blog 😛

Thanks so much Renate, it is so amazing to read your comment! Norway was absolutely incredible from start to finish, we’re hoping to come back soon and check out some of the spots we missed 🙂

These are stunning! I’m planning our trip for next year but can’t decide on when – I’m thinking August/September, but I’ve read that the weather in northern Norway can get bit dodgey. How did you find it? I’m working on being in the country 3-4 weeks so am hoping to cover a fair bit of the country. Thanks for the inspiration!

Thanks Cindy, glad the pics are giving inspiration. We travelled at the start of June and I think I would prefer later in the summer with a better chance of good weather. It was still manageable but we needed our cold gear for most of the trip. We also came across one road which was still closed from winter and we had to do a bit of a detour as a result. The weather up North was fine for us, definitely cold but no rain or snow.

Enjoy your trip! Elaine

Norway is really a magic place and we discovered it last month during our interrail and road trip through the country. Congratulations for the beautiful pictures!

You missed out on Jæren. The low sky meeting the sea. The beaches. Setesdal with its old wooden houses and vally. Where is stav kirkene? The viking churches? The old Stavanger. Much more to see????

Definitely so much more to see Monica!

Hi these photos are amazing! I am planning to do a 10-day trip in Norway this coming May as well. Is there a possibility that you can share with me your itinerary?

Hi Chuck, sure we can put something together. We’re travelling at moment but will be back early April and will shoot you an email then!

Wow,these photos are absolutely stunning! Norway has been on my mind a lot lately for a future trip and this post definitely convinced me. I hadn’t thought of road tripping around Norway, but I love the idea! Have you written any other posts about your trip? I would love to get an idea of your itinerary and other tips for driving around Norway 🙂

Thanks Kate! We’re working on a Norway itienary post at the moment, it’s been a popular request from our readers! We have a posts on the Kjerag and Pulpit Rock hikes that we did – they were amazing and would definitely recommend 🙂 Check out the rest of the posts here: https://www.thewholeworldisaplayground.com/category/destinations/norway/

Hello. What time of year did you do this trip? Thanks

Hi Sarah, it was the beginning of June.

I love Norway and these photos convey everything about Norway that stirs my soul. Places i have been to and places unknown. Have you been to the loo tens yet I would love to see that as your camera portrays and svalbard but there I would need sound the sound of the birds -eerie sounds. June

Thanks so much June. We haven’t been to Lofoten or Svalbard yet but both are high on our list of places we’d love to visit. Such a beautiful country.

You have a superb overview on Norway.. I have been looking the internet for a few days, I found everything on your page. Thanks for putting this together. One quick check what hikes would you or would you not recommend to do with a 2 year old? We are planning a 18 days trip during Easter 2019 (mid April to first week of May).

Thanks for the comments!

I would maybe skip the tougher hikes like Kjerag and Trolltunga – our little guy has only turned one so I don’t have any experience of a two year old! Some of the snow roads and hikes had just opened when we travelled at the end of May so, depending on the weather you might need to double check the routes.

Wow, your pictures are amazing and I’ve enjoyed reading your blog for the past two hours. We just booked our flight to Norway for early May to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. After reading your posts we are going to have a few road closures, sigh. I couldn’t find your itinerary, did I miss it? I can’t believe how overwhelming it is trying to plan a road trip when your not sure what roads will be closed. Thank you for sharing your amazing adventures 🙂

Norway is an awesome choice! We have a Norway itinerary here . You can also check out road closures here . Norway was definitely a lot of work to plan for us too but is easily one of the most beautiful places we’ve visited!

Have a great trip Elaine

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Norvegia On The Road: itinerario di due settimane

Lucia Ziliotto

• 12 Settembre 2022

Una destinazione in Wish list da tanto tempo: un itinerario alle latitudini che amiamo. A Nord (in parte sopra il Circolo Polare Artico). Dove l’estate dura un giorno intero (lungo quasi 8 settimane), le temperature non superano quasi mai i 20 gradi, l’aria è pulita e frizzante e una felpa e un cappello di lana sono un must anche ad agosto. Il viaggio estivo. Quello tanto agognato, pianificato con lungo anticipo (così tanto che quasi non te lo ricordi, quando sei lì lì per partire). Sognato e immaginato. E che nella realtà è stato molto più complesso ma è riuscito anche ad andare oltre ogni aspettativa. La nostra Norvegia On The Road: un itinerario di due settimane tra Fiordi Occidentali, meridionali e Isole Lofoten, passando per Bergen e Oslo. Attraversando strade atlantiche tra le più belle al mondo e paesaggi incontaminati, prendendo mille traghetti e tunnel sott’acqua futuristici. E riempiendoci gli occhi di Bellezza, accompagnati dal costante vento del Nord.

Norvegia On The Road: emozioni di viaggio.

Ossigeno. Quello che abbiamo respirato in questo itinerario di due settimane in Norvegia. La libertà, quella che solo un viaggio On the Road riesce a regalarci. Il sogno della natura potente, grande, incontaminata. L’oceano e le montagne. L’imponenza dei fiordi. Il bosco, fitto. I ghiacciai perenni. Ponti sospesi, che ad attraversali ti senti in un altro mondo, al confine della Terra.

E un’atmosfera Hygge che avvolge luoghi, alloggi, locande storiche, piccoli caffè e ristoranti. Candele sempre accese a riscaldare l’atmosfera e regalare intimità. Abbracci caldi, dopo aver respirato e vissuto lo spazio esterno. Camini accesi e profumo di abete, nebbia che si leva il mattino tra foreste, fiordi, porti, oceano. Il tramonto, dopo settimane di luce e crepuscolo notturno che scalda il cielo e lo dipinge di zucchero filato. Noi a girare, le ultime notti alle Lofoten a testa in su, sperando di vedere la nostra prima Aurora Boreale (niente, toccherà tornarci, l’abbiamo sfuggita sia all’andata che al ritorno di un giorno).

I ritmi Slow. Che appartengono a questo Paese. Dove il connubio uomo e ambiente è così forte che anche il battito del cuore è meno accelerato e il tuo ritmo è scandito dalla natura. Una variabile che non puoi controllare ma ti deresponsabilizza e non puoi che adattarti a lei, accettarla, accoglierla e darle fiducia.

Norvegia On The Road: prima di partire. Cose da sapere.

La Norvegia viene definita uno dei Paesi più Green al mondo e questo viaggio, sponsorizzato dal Bright Journey di Vda Group, ci permetterà proprio di andare a scoprire quanto effettivamente ci sia di vero in questa affermazione. Partiamo leggendo diversi libri e magazine che ci danno informazioni ‘leggere’ e altri iniziano a farci ragionare su quanto, molto spesso, la sostenibilità venga utilizzata per salvarsi la faccia.

Tutti gli approfondimenti però riguardo a questo tema, li troverete (presto) qui, “Norvegia (e norvegesi): quello che non ti hanno mai detto e si nasconde sotto la superficie”.

Nel frattempo vi bastino queste info demografiche e di costume che però ci raccontano diverse cose che ci aiuteranno a comprendere le diverse sfaccettature di questa Destinazione e dei suoi abitanti.

🔹5 Milioni e mezzo di abitanti (4 milioni e mezzo gli americani-norvegesi), il 6% dei quali lavora nel settore petrolifero. 

🔸Il fondo sovrano più grande al mondo e il primo posto da decenni nell’indice della prosperità (che parametra ricchezza, crescita, istruzione, sanità, servizi e qualità della vita)

🔹Tra i primi 5 Paesi al mondo nelle classifiche di felicità, parità di genere, auto elettriche, lettori.

🔸Ultimo Per la vulnerabilità sugli effetti climatici (gli altri 2 sul podio sono Nuova Zelanda e Finlandia)

💡 Qui hanno inventato: la graffetta, l’affetta formaggio e l’aerosol (e tutte noi mamme ringraziamo 😬).

🥇E’ il Paese che ha vinto più medaglie olimpiche ai giochi invernali (368 con 132 ori superando gli Stati Uniti).

🍕 Il piatto nazionale e’ la Pizza Surgelata Grandiosa (ogni anno vengono consumate 47 milioni di pizze!).

🐟 2^ esportatore mondiale di pesce e frutti di mare (dopo la Cina) 

🧈 Nel 2011 durante la crisi del burro un panetto da 250gr e’ arrivato a costare 39 €

👶 E’ il Paese Europeo dove costano di meno i pannolini per bebe’: con rischio out of stock in quanto dai Paesi limitrofi arrivano con i furgoni per comprarli all’ingrosso. 

Norvegia On the Road: il nostro itinerario di due settimane, giorno per giorno

Informazioni generali Itinerario Norvegia On the Road

Quando : ultime due settimane di agosto

Giorni totali : 15 gg

Alloggi:  7

Km totali percorsi:  5.750 circa (da considerare che distanze anche apparentemente minime in termini chilometrici comportano spesso diverse ore di viaggio in quanto vanno attraversati i fiordi con i traghetti o attraversati passi e strade di montagna che circumnavigano il fiordo).

Mezzi: volo andata con KLM Venezia – Alesund con scalo ad Amsterdam. Noleggio auto Kia plug in ad Alesund con Sixt (compagnia che personalmente non consiglio per l’esperienza negativa che abbiamo avuto e che spiegherò successivamente) con drop off all’aeroporto di Oslo. Volo interno Norwegian da Oslo a Narvik (a/r). Secondo noleggio con Sixt per la seconda settimana alle Lofoten. Volo di rientro Swiss Oslo – Venezia via Zurigo. Nel mezzo: un numero imprecisato di traghetti. Volutamente non abbiamo inserito tratte con l’Hurtigruten, il postale, optando per viaggiare con l’auto.

Chi:  mamma, papà e treenne

Clima: nell’estate definita come la più piovosa di sempre in Norvegia, siamo stati decisamente fortunati. Con due giorni di pioggia la prima settimana e due nella seconda alle Lofoten. Considerate in ogni caso temperature tra i 6 e i 24 gradi (più freddo ovviamente alle Lofoten e sui Fiordi Occidentali che al Sud e ad Oslo dove le temperature erano più temperate – quasi calde con il sole – ). Mediamente la temperatura che ci ha accompagnato sono stati i 14 gradi (meravigliosi!!!!): berretto di lana (alle Lofoten necessario per il vento!!) e abbigliamento tecnico a strati con una giacca antivento e antipioggia e scarpe da trekking impermeabili (la nostra scelta è sempre Garmont in questi casi) per tutti noi (con aggiunta di stivaletto da pioggia per Nico).

Info per entrare in Norvegia : pur non aderendo all’UE, dal 2001 la Norvegia fa parte dei Paesi dell’area Schengen (non le isole Svalbard).  I documenti di viaggio e di riconoscimento accettati sono il passaporto oppure la carta d’identità valida per l’espatrio, che devono essere validi per tutto il periodo di permanenza nel Paese. Tutte le info aggiornate le trovate qui!

Norvegia On the Road: costi del viaggio

Voce a cui dedico un paragrafo visto che è la domanda più gettonata. La Norvegia è molto costosa e per la nostra esperienza anche più cara di altri Paesi Nordici soprattutto per quanto riguarda alcune voci di spesa (in primis cibo: sia al ristorante che comprato al supermercato. Per darvi qualche indicazione: il posto alle Lofoten dove abbiamo speso di meno, una sorta di fast food dove abbiamo preso una birra piccola, una zuppa, una focaccia e un sashimi di salmone abbiamo speso 65 €. Mediamente una cena al ristorante due adulti e un bimbo siamo sui 120 euro bevendo birra locale e non vino).

C’è da dire che in generale le mete turistiche a prescindere dalla loro latitudine hanno un costo alto della vita e il rincaro dei prezzi c’è stato un pò ovunque. (Parlando con amici che quest’estate sono stati a Santorini, abbiamo verificato che non c’era molta differenza tra quello che hanno speso loro e quello che abbiamo speso noi).

Si risparmia ovviamente nella scelta di alloggi con cucina e spesa al supermercato. Anche qui però considerate un 30% in più di media sui prezzi italiani.*

*comparazione rispetto a supermercato del trevigiano – no discount -. Se penso invece a quando facciamo la spesa in Alto Adige la differenza si azzera.

Costo Alloggi

Invece per quanto riguarda gli alloggi (per quanto sicuramente non ‘economici’) ho notato che su Hotel o cabin definibili Luxury l’importo è mediamente più basso di altri Paesi Europei (come Islanda e per esempio ad alloggi analoghi sulle Dolomiti). Si appiattisce invece questa differenza su alloggi di fascia più bassa che in realtà hanno costi decisamente alti (anche rispetto a quello che propongono – in particolare quando prenotate delle Cabin assicuratevi sempre che abbiano lenzuola e asciugamani, che in realtà vengono considerati un’optional di lusso). Considerate comunque un costo medio di 400 € a notte ad alloggio (alcuni sono costati di più altri di meno)

Abbiamo prenotato i voli a gennaio 2022 con un notevole risparmio, considerando poi il folle aumento dei prezzi. In 3 persone per i voli da Venezia alla Norvegia abbiamo speso 1200 € circa solo con bagaglio a mano (scelta che facciamo sempre e che questa volta ancora di più si è rivelata fortuita visti i problemi di quest’estate con voli e bagagli).

Siamo riusciti a risparmiare con la plug in e un giorno di auto elettrica sulla benzina che in ogni caso ha un prezzo analogo a quello italiano. Dovete però considerare che pagando con carte di credito straniere viene sempre fermato un importo di 200 € di default sulla carta ogni volta che si fa un pieno (che vengono poi stornati nel momento della contabilizzazione effettiva della spesa). Il drop off nella prima tratta di viaggio ci è costata 400 € a cui va aggiunto costo del noleggio da Alesund ad Oslo di 800 € (senza assicurazione completa che costava ben 900€). Il noleggio alle Lofoten ci è costato complessivamente per una settimana 750 € (sempre senza assicurazione completa). Una voce di spesa importante quella del noleggio che noi abbiamo effettuato con Sixt, online, fermando l’auto a febbraio (anche qui per riuscire a risparmiare).

L’esperienza con Sixt non è stata per noi positiva. Prima volta in cui non noleggiamo con assicurazione completa e al termine del primo noleggio, con riconsegna senza operatore all’aeroporto, ci è stata bloccata la carta di credito senza spiegazioni e senza riuscire a contattare telefonicamente nessuno. Dopo diversi solleciti ci è stato detto che c’era un danno all’auto (che a noi non risultava). Abbiamo chiesto l’invio di foto a ci hanno spiegato che il danno era sotto l’auto e non fotografabile. Ancora oggi dopo 3 settimane dal fatto, stiamo cercando di avere spiegazioni (ci è stato addebitato un danno di 1000 € – strano vero che fosse praticamente lo stesso costo dell’assicurazione completa?).

Se noleggiate un mezzo, alla targa inoltre verranno addebitati i pedaggi di tunnel, strade e traghetti (situazione diversa se arrivate con un mezzo con targa non norvegese in quanto avrete in alcuni casi l’opzione per pagare direttamente sui traghetti con la carta di credito o online). Non sono ancora in grado di dirvi esattamente di che costi parliamo, per il problema con Sixt. Al momento del noleggio vi fermano 300 € in più sulla carta per coprire questi importi extra.

Norvegia On the Road: itinerario di due settimane tappa per tappa

Partiamo all’alba (sveglia alle 4 di mattina) da casa per raggiungere l’aeroporto di Venezia dove ci aspetta un volo alle 6 del mattino per Alesund con scalo di un’ora e mezza ad Amsterdam (con KLM). Volo puntuale e nessun problema con bagagli e controlli che filano lisci. Arriviamo ad Alesund, alle 14 circa. Noleggiamo l’auto e prima di raggiungere l’Hotel ci fermiamo in città.

Alesund, Atlantic Ocean Road e Fiordi Occidentali

Le prime tre notti di questa Norvegia On The Road li passiamo vicino ad Alesund, allo Storfjord Hotel . Premessa d’obbligo. Questo non è un classico itinerario e la mia pianificazione è partita tenendo in considerazione alcuni alloggi (lo sapete ormai, no, che sono un’Hotel lover?) che avevo in Wish List da anni, le cui disponibilità, verificate con un anno di anticipo erano già limitate per agosto 2022. Quindi sono partita con il prenotare questi alloggi nelle date disponibili e da lì ho organizzato il nostro itinerario di viaggio.

1.Dopo aver visitato Alesund, piccola cittadina che affaccia sul Gerangerfjord (che però non ci ha particolarmente entusiasmato), ci aspetta il nostro Hotel che rappresenta già di per sè un’esperienza unica. Locanda storica nel bosco, con le tipiche abitazioni norvegesi in legno con tetti in paglia e una vista spettacolare sul fiordo. L’atmosfera è super Hygge: pavimenti in legno che scricchiolano, profumo di pino e di cannella, candele accese ovunque, caminetti che riscaldano l’ambiente, una bellissima biblioteca con divani e poltrone in cui accoccolarsi, contemplando la natura fuori, con un buon libro di viaggio e una tazza di cioccolata calda in mano. Passiamo il pomeriggio così. A rilassarci, pianificare le prossime giornate, fare il pieno di bellezza. Cena al ristorante dell’Hotel (già inclusa nella nostra prenotazione), un bagno caldo nella hotpool e un sonno ristoratore nella nostra camera ‘volpe’, con vista sul bosco.

2.Ci svegliamo con il sole e il cielo azzurro (in quella che è stata definita l’estate più piovosa di sempre in tutta la Norvegia). Prendiamo la Porsche Taycan elettrica offerta dall’Hotel (costo giornaliero del noleggio: 500 € ma a noi viene regalata l’esperienza) per percorrere l’Atlantic Ocean Road. La percorriamo con un circuito ad anello di circa 250 km, arrindo fino all’Atlanterhavsveien, allungando poi il percorso al Langfjord (450km totali). Una giornata intera tra ponti sospesi che attraversano l’Oceano e i fiordi, traghetti, costa che corre fuori dal finestrino, ghiacciai e montagne e mille soste fotografiche per ammirare la bellezza di questa natura così potente.

3.La giornata è dedicata ad un altra Scenic Route il Trollstigen + Geirangerfjord (400 km).

4. Dopo colazione, lasciamo lo Storfjord e ci attendono circa 7,5 h di auto e 420 km di strada per arrivare a Bergen, dove ci fermeremo per due notti al Bergen Boers Hotel . Le soste lungo la strada sono parecchie per l’abbondanza anche qui di punti panoramici (tra cui il Geirangerfjord e lo Josteldalsbreen Nationalpark). Bergen ci accoglie con la pioggia. Esploriamo prima di cena il porto e la città vecchia e ceniamo al Fresco, il ristorante nella vecchia Borsa, all’interno del nostro Hotel.

5.Giornata dedicata ad esplorare in lungo e in largo Bergen a piedi a cui abbiamo aggiunto la salita in funicolare al Monte Floyen e la salita in cabinovia al Monte Ulriken e cena al mercato del pesce.

• Norvegia meridionale

6.Da Bergen ci dirigiamo verso Stavanger (211 km, 5 h di auto, 2 traghetti e un numero imprecisato di tunnel sott’acqua). Dopo aver visitato questa deliziosa cittadina, proseguiamo per altri 40 km verso il posto dove dormiremo 1 notte: The Bolder Skylodge (letteralmente sospesi sul Lysefjord).

7.8.Giornata di lunghi spostamenti dal Lysefjord all’alloggio nel bosco che ci ospiterà per le successive due notti, Visit Laagen , nella zona del Telemark. Attraversiamo la strada costiera tra Flekkefjord ed Egersund, proseguendo per Kristiansand, con laghi, boschi e strade lunghe lunghe di montagna (411 km, 6h e mezza di auto, 2 traghetti). Qui, a Laagen decidiamo di riposarci, complice il posto meraviglioso e la nostra cabin sul torrente (dove si pescano salmoni).

9.Un tempo slow, tutto per noi, nel bosco, in mezzo ad un Parco Avventura. Uno scenario che ci ha fatto respirare a pieni polmoni, prima di ripartire alla volta dell’aeroporto di Oslo, dove, il nono giorno, dopo aver riconsegnato l’auto, partiamo alle 13 alla volta di Narvik, per raggiungere le Lofoten. Anche qui, noleggiamo l’auto che ci accompagnerà per i prossimi giorni e attraversando uno scenario spettacolare nel Nordland, dopo 243 km e altre 4 h di viaggio con un numero imprecisato di soste WOW, arriviamo a Ballstad, all’ Hattvika Lodge che ci ospiterà per la prima notte.

10.11.12.13.14.15. Le successive 5 notti ci spostiamo al Nusfjord Arctic Resort , dove abbiamo deciso di fare tappa fissa per dare più continuità a Nico. Mai scelta è stata più azzeccata. Una cabin tutta per noi (l’unica di tutto il resort con vasca da bagno!!!), davanti al porto, in cui svegliarci ogni mattina con il suono dei gabbiano e lo sciabordare delle onde sulle palafitte del Rorbu. Un’atmosfera magica e sospesa che ci ha permesso di staccare e di sentirci veramente ‘in vacanza’, nel viaggio, esplorando ogni giorno le Lofoten. Trovate tutto l’approfondimento sulle Lofoten qui (soon…).

15.16 La partenza dal Nusfjord è all’alba (alle 5:30) per riuscire a raggiungere in 4 h l’aeroporto di Narvik e imbarcarci nel nostro volo verso Oslo. All’aeroporto Gardermoen di Oslo, prendiamo il Flytoget Airport Express Train (40 € a testa per adulti a/r). Il modo più comodo e veloce (e anche il più economico) per raggiungere il centro città. L’Hotel che ci ospiterà per l’ultima notte è centralissimo, proprio davanti alla stazione dei treni, l’Amerikalinjen , la vecchia sede della compagnia di navigazione Norvegese, ristrutturato nel 2019 mantenendo il concetto di un transatlantico, tecnologico, sostenibile e moderno al centro della città (a pochi passi dall’Opera House). Dedichiamo il pomeriggio e la mattina successiva ad esplorare Oslo, che, complice il bel tempo o forse la malinconia che già proviamo per la fine del nostro viaggio, ci stupisce positivamente, oltre ogni aspettativa.

Per approfondire le singole tappe dell’itinerario clicca qui sotto (presto online):

• Alesund, Fiordi Occidentali e Scenic Routes

Ti interessano le strutture in cui abbiamo alloggiato? (trovi gli articoli di approfondimento qui sotto – presto online -)

• Storfjord Hotel, Alesund
• Bergen Boers Hotel
• The Bolder Skylodge
• Visit Laagen
• Hattvika Lodge
• Nusfjord Arctic Resort
• Amerikalinjen

Ti piacerebbe rivivere le tappe del nostro viaggio? Stai pianificando un itinerario in Norvegia? Contattami e prenota la tua Colazione con il Coach per creare insieme il tuo itinerario di viaggio!

Sei interessato ad altri viaggi on the road qui trovi alcuni itinerari da cui prendere spunto, francia on the road: itinerario di due settimane.

Irlanda On the Road: itinerario di 4 giorni

La mia Provenza: 4 giorni in libertà tra villaggi perduti nel Luberon, campi di lavanda e fenicotteri rosa

Il mio Sud Africa: emozioni di un viaggio Fly & Drive da Cape Town al Kruger Park attraverso le Winelands, la Garden Route e il Mpumalanga

Le Cotswolds (ovvero: la brughiera inglese che ti aspetti, costellata da piccoli villaggi fatati, castelli e torri medievali, cottage dorati e un’atmosfera da fiaba)

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Coaching: un viaggio incredibile dentro di te

Adler Mountain Lodge: esclusivo relax alpino sull’Alpe di Siusi

Donna, mamma, moglie, professionista HR, Coach, Travel Blogger. Combinare le mie due anime significa trovare insieme la tua destinazione.

Adler Lodge Ritten: chalet di lusso nel bosco

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Itinerario in Norvegia on the road dalle Lofoten a Capo Nord

L’ itinerario in Norvegia on the road ce lo siamo sudato. Il biglietto aereo per questo viaggio verso Capo Nord , iconica meta per gli amanti del Nord come la sottoscritta, è stato acquistato a febbraio 2020. Quando comparivano le prime notizie ma l’idea che ad agosto non si potesse viaggiare sembrava follia. Un voucher da usare (non propriamente economico) e l’ansia di non poterci riuscire hanno fatto il resto.

Abbiamo cucito questo viaggio in Norvegia con i bambini in maniera minuziosa ma lasciando anche molto al caso. Perché, esattamente come per le Isole Faroe , sai che sarà il meteo a comandare. E che i piani devi saperli anche un po’ stravolgere, Google Maps alla mano e voglia di scoprire sempre in tasca. Insieme alla di credito, perché la Norvegia è cara. Non è, purtroppo, uno di quei falsi miti da sfatare. Ma vale ogni singolo centesimo. I paesaggi, l’atmosfera, l’aria che si respira, la luce.

Sarà che sono malata di Nord ma per me questo è quanto più si avvicina alla mia idea di paradiso. Ecco quindi il mio itinerario di viaggio in Norvegia on the road con bambini e ragazzi.

Ingredienti fondamentali per la mia modalità di viaggio , li ripeto perché ognuno viaggia come gli pare: due settimane piene a disposizione, un’auto da noleggiare in un aeroporto e da lasciare in un altro, rorbuer a più non posso, cucina a disposizione per preparare i pasti in autonomia. Si parte!

Gli argomenti del post

• 1.1 Il meteo in Norvegia
• 1.2 Norvegia on the road in macchina: i chilometri li sentite tutti!
• 1.3 Quanto costa andare in Norvegia?
• 2.1 Come abbiamo suddiviso l’itinerario in Norvegia
• 3 Riassunto del nostro viaggio in Norvegia on the road
• 4 Primo e secondo giorno: Bodø
• 5 Dove abbiamo dormito a Bodø
• 6 Itinerario in Norvegia: terzo-ottavo giorno alle Lofoten
• 7 Dove abbiamo dormito alle Lofoten
• 8 Toccata e fuga alle Vesteralen per il safari delle balene
• 9 Dove abbiamo dormito alle Vesteralen
• 10 Itinerario in Norvegia: decimo e undicesimo giorno a Senja
• 11 Dove abbiamo dormito a Senja
• 12.1 La strada per Capo Nord: i paesaggi incredibili della Norvegia Settentrionale
• 13 Dove abbiamo dormito ad Alta
• 14 Itinerario Norvegia on the road: Tromsø e Sommaroy
• 15 Dove abbiamo dormito a Tromsø
• 16 Dove mangiare in Norvegia (con bambini)
• 17 Siti che mi sono stati utili per costruire l’itinerario in Norvegia

Itinerario in Norvegia in estate: premessa d’obbligo

Sapete che mi piace fare le premesse iniziali. In tanti, davvero tantissimi, mi avete chiesto l’itinerario in Norvegia con i bambini (ormai quasi tutti adolescenti), tappa dopo tappa. Lo scrivevo sui social, racconto il Nord Europa dal 2013, ma l’interesse per questo viaggio è stato di gran lunga superiore.

Ecco perché mi preme ancora di più fare una premessa iniziale. Che tocca, fondamentalmente, tre punti chiave: meteo, chilometri, budget.

Il meteo in Norvegia

Il meteo comanda. Scordatevi la balla “there’s no bad weather just bad clothing”. Possiamo farla valere per le Cotswolds. Ma non per queste latitudini, soprattutto se vogliamo spingerci verso il Nord più estremo. Siamo super equipaggiati, con abbigliamento tecnico antipioggia che ci accompagna fedelmente nei viaggi estivi a Nord. Ma se vi capitano due giorni di allerta vento gialla (non oso pensare l’arancione o la rossa) dovete solo piegare la testa (letteralmente) e trovare un piano B.

Vento pazzesco sulla spiaggia di Ramberg, una delle più belle delle Lofoten

Questo vi obbliga a macinare chilometri in più se non volete perdervi alcune attrazioni con il sole. Per ammirare le spiagge di Haukland e Uttakleiv in versione semi-caraibica ci siamo dovuti tornare tre volte. Ciò che aiuta se vi trovate a visitare la Norvegia in estate è che le giornate sono infinite. Con la luce che ad agosto vi accompagna fino alle 23.30.

Foto scattata alle 22.30 di sera. Luce pazzesca

Paradossalmente ho trovato più d’ostacolo il meteo in Norvegia ad agosto che in inverno . Questo perché in inverno sai che nevica e fa freddo. Di lì non si scappa. E quindi calibri tutto senza grandi aspettative di chilometri. Per esempio raggiungere Capo Nord in inverno è decisamente più complicato, devi seguire obbligatoriamente il convoglio che parte due volte al giorno da Honnigsvåg, non sei libero di andare e venire a piacimento.

E il rischio che la strada venga bloccata per condizioni meteo avverse è alta. Direi che non inserirei Capo Nord come meta imprescindibile di un viaggio in Norvegia in inverno (anche perché ci arriverei da Inari, nella Lapponia finlandese), ma come ciliegina sulla torta che se non c’è va bene uguale.

Arrivando in Norvegia in estate, invece, Capo Nord era per me la meta prefissata. Alcuni giorni prima del nostro arrivo, c’è stata un’allerta meteo per il vento con tanto di van e camper ribaltati. La strada in alcuni casi viene chiusa.

Con questo non voglio spaventarvi ma solo spingervi a consultare sempre le previsioni , il sito che ho trovato più affidabile è yr.no.

Norvegia on the road in macchina: i chilometri li sentite tutti!

Il secondo fattore di cui tenere conto per un viaggio in Norvegia on the road sono i chilometri. Ovvero le distanze. Che possono sembrarvi minime sulla carta, ma Google Maps non mente. Se vi dice che per fare 400 km ci vogliono 7 ore non vi sta raccontando una balla. Ce ne metterete 7, magari anche qualcosina in più se incontrate le pecore che vi bloccano la strada. I limiti di velocità quando si viaggia in Norvegia in macchina sono snervanti, lo confesso. Ci sono tratti in cui sei obbligato ad andare a 40 all’ora senza comprenderne il motivo e ti viene voglia di schiacciare l’acceleratore.

Sulle strade percorse in questo itinerario on the road in Norvegia, il massimo della velocità consentita è stato di 90 chilometri orari su piccoli tratti, sulla strada per raggiungere Capo Nord in estate . Le multe dicono siano salatissime e non stento a crederlo. Eravamo reduci da una multa di 118 euro per superamento di 4 km (quattrochilometriquattro) dei limiti di velocità in Svizzera. Ci è bastato.

Quanto costa andare in Norvegia?

Il budget è la voce più importante. O almeno per noi è stato così. Perché se al meteo poni rimedio rivedendo l’itinerario o rifugiandoti in un museo, se per i chilometri ti metti il cuore in pace e ti prepari a trascorrere ore in macchina, per il budget grandi strategie non ci sono.

Questa la nostra modalità a pranzo. Panini all’aria aperta

So che quanto abbiamo speso in Norvegia è l’argomento che suscita maggior interesse e quindi a questo tema ho dedicato un articolo a parte, come avevo fatto per la Lapponia in inverno .

Come organizzare un itinerario in Norvegia: la scelta delle tappe

Entriamo dunque nel vivo del nostro itinerario in Norvegia del Nord in estate della durata di due settimane Perché dire Norvegia è un po’ (tanto) vago. Se avete 15-16 giorni a disposizione come nel nostro caso, dovete concentrarvi su una parte del paese. Non abbiamo visitato la zona sud-ovest, quella dei fiordi per intenderci. Non abbiamo fatto il viaggio ferroviario che è nel cassetto da tempo (quello da Oslo a Bergen, con deviazione sulla Flåmsbana ), non siamo stati a Bergen che desidero tanto vedere (e a Oslo vorrei tornare in estate).

Per organizzare un itinerario in Norvegia dovete per forza scegliere la zona su cui concentrarvi. A meno che non abbiate un mese a disposizione. Io volevo andare alle Lofoten e raggiungere Capo Nord . Intorno a questo ho costruito l’ itinerario di due settimane in Norvegia chiedendo consigli a chi c’era già stato ( The reds on the road e Un viaggio infinite emozioni in primis) e consultando tantissimi siti, soprattutto stranieri. Per qualunque cosa, se non trovate nulla in italiano, fate una ricerca in inglese e avrete magicamente la vostra risposta.

Come abbiamo suddiviso l’itinerario in Norvegia

Alle Lofoten vanno dedicati almeno 5-6 giorni. Lo dicono tutti e sono d’accordo. Guardando i chilometri pensavo di poter concentrare tutto in 3-4 giorni ma mi sono fidata dei tanti consigli letti e ricevuti. Siamo rimasti 6 notti alle Lofoten e non siamo riusciti a fare tutto quello che mi ero prefissata (il meteo ha influito un pochino, va detto. Cinque notti potrebbero bastare).

A me l’assaggio di Vesterålen è piaciuto moltissimo. Forse perché vedevo il sole pieno per la prima volta. Alle Vesterålen mi sarebbe piaciuto dedicare uno o due giorni in più. Sono contenta di aver incluso l’ isola di Senja , da molti snobbata, si tratta invece di una meraviglia poco turistica. La strada panoramica lungo tutta la costa settentrionale è spettacolare (e l’abbiamo percorsa con tempo incerto tra nuvole e pioggia, non oso pensare con il sole).

Anche la strada tra Senja e Alta a mio avviso è pazzesca. 6 ore di macchina che sono diventate 9 per tutte le soste che abbiamo fatto. Per non parlare della strada da Alta a Capo Nord , un sogno. Siamo poi ripartiti con l’aereo da Tromso, riservando gli ultimi due giorni a questa zona. Avevamo già visitato Tromsø in inverno per ammirare l’aurora boreale, dopo un rapido ritorno a Polaria (museo super interessante con i bambini), ci siamo diretti nella zona di Sommaroy, non avevo letto praticamente quasi nulla in merito se non questo articolo in inglese che mi aveva fatto optare per questa destinazione . Andateci assolutamente, per noi è stata una delle giornate più belle del viaggio.

Riassunto del nostro viaggio in Norvegia on the road

Se non volete leggere tutto quello che precede e tutto ciò che segue (però mi farebbe piacere che lo faceste, ovviamente), ecco un riassunto super schematico del nostro viaggio di due settimane in Norvegia on the road , per un totale di 15 notti.

– 2 notti a Bodø (nei piani iniziali doveva essere una notte sola, poi ci hanno anticipato il volo di un giorno, creandoci non pochi problemi. Ma è acqua passata.) – 6 notti alle Lofoten (spostandoci in due diversi alloggi) – 1 notte alle Vesterålen (per l’escursione alle balene) – 2 notti a Senja – 2 notti in zona Alta – 2 notti in zona Tromsø

Volo: arrivo a Bodø e ritorno da Tromsø. Abbiamo scelto un volo di linea con la compagnia di bandiera SAS, acquistato nel 2020. La scelta della compagnia di linea si è rivelata perfetta per la quantità di bagagli che abbiamo imbarcato. Bagagli pieni di cibo, per i vestiti il bagaglio a mano sarebbe stato sufficiente.

Auto a noleggio: ritiro all’aeroporto di Bodø e riconsegna a quello di Tromsø. Abbiamo prenotato l’auto con il portale Auto Europe su cui abbiamo trovato prezzi vantaggiosi. Il portale vanta più di 60 anni di esperienza e, facendo la ricerca, avete subito un’idea chiara delle diverse tariffe in base all’auto che vi serve. Noi ovviamente in cinque avevamo bisogno di un’auto che fosse abbastanza spaziosa. Prenotando l’auto da un’aeroporto e riconsegnandola in un altro, pagherete un sovrapprezzo che si aggira tra i 350 e i 500 euro ma, con 15 giorni a disposizione, questo vi consentirà di limitare gli spostamenti e di non fare le cose di corsa.

Considerati i chilometri che trascorrerete in macchina, non risparmiate sull’auto, rischiereste di pentirvene. Valutate bene e scegliete il mezzo che, per due settimane, sarà un po’ come una seconda casa.

Totale chilometri percorsi in due settimane: 3000 circa, più due tratte in traghetto, da Bodø alle Lofoten e dalle Vesteralen a Senja.

Primo e secondo giorno: Bodø

Da programma avremmo dovuto stare solo una notte a Bodø, arrivando nel pomeriggio e ripartendo il giorno dopo con il traghetto per le Lofoten . In realtà il nostro volo è stato cancellato e ci hanno anticipato l’aereo di un giorno. Il cambiamento è avvenuto troppo tardi per poter anticipare il noleggio auto senza penali.

Abbiamo quindi trascorso la giornata gironzolando a piedi per Bodø tra la sua street art e il pontile. Spaziale la biblioteca pubblica , c’è anche una sala per ragazzi con video di ogni genere e una stanza piena zeppa di lego dove i bambini possono giocare. La giornata a Bodø ci ha permesso di riposarci dopo il volo con scalo lungherrimo del giorno prima e di entrare nel mood nordico.

Nel tardo pomeriggio abbiamo recuperato l’auto e siamo andati a visitare una delle due spiagge che mi ero segnata: Mjelle Beach . L’ escursione a piedi dura circa 20 minuti , il sentiero è un po’ sconnesso ma si fa tranquillamente con i bambini. Noi ci siamo andati la sera, rientrando in città poco prima di mezzanotte, complice il buio inesistente. Abbiamo fatto tappa in due bellissimi porticcioli, molto scenografici. Non so dirvi l’esatta posizione ma li vedete dalla strada.

Altre cose da vedere in zona Bodo (che per tempo, budget o altri motivi abbiamo scartato): 

• Escursione per vedere il Saltstraumen (punto in cui la corrente del mare diventa vorticosamente circolare. Si può vedere anche da terra anche se dicono che dal mare è tutt’altra cosa.)
• Landego lighthouse , faro bellissimo e scenografico da raggiungere in barca. Se desiderate dormire in un faro, qui potete farlo. Per l’estate 2022 era chiuso, riaprirà per la prossima stagione.
• Ghiacciaio Svartisen . Sono molte le agenzie che organizzano escursioni di un giorno dalla città per ammirare il secondo ghiacciaio della Norvegia. L’escursione è sconsigliata ai bambini ed è considerata di difficoltà medio-alta.

Dove abbiamo dormito a Bodø

Abbiamo dormito presso il Thon Nordlys Hotel , colazione inclusa, tra l’altro abbondante e davvero ottima. Ci siamo rimpinzati anche per il pranzo. Abbiamo scelto un hotel, l’unico del nostro soggiorno, perché inizialmente dovevamo stare solo una notte. Quando il soggiorno si è prolungato, eravamo ormai troppo sotto data per trovare altro a prezzi umani. L’hotel non ha cucina (abbiamo rimediato con il Burger King), quindi non lo consiglierei per un soggiorno prolungato. Mentre è perfetto per una notte, prima di traghettare per le Lofoten. L’aeroporto è a un paio di chilometri di distanza.

Itinerario in Norvegia: terzo-ottavo giorno alle Lofoten

Abbiamo traghettato per le Lofoten il 9 agosto (traghetto con imbarco dell’auto prenotato dall’Italia con un certo anticipo, è una linea molto richiesta) e siamo rimasti in questo meraviglioso angolo di Norvegia fino al 15 agosto.

Dedicherò alle Lofoten un articolo a parte con tutti i dettagli. Intanto ecco un riassunto di tutto quello che abbiamo visto (o avremmo voluto vedere). I trekking easy che mi ero segnata non li abbiamo fatti per colpa del meteo. I sentieri erano impraticabili e fangosi. Sono inoltre generalmente poco segnalati e  in condizioni meteo non propriamente favorevoli non li consiglierei.

I villaggi più scenografici delle Lofoten:  A I Lofoten, Reine, Sakrisøy, Hamnøy, Haennigsvaer.

Le spiagge più belle delle Lofoten:  Haukland, Uttakleiv, Vik, Ramberg, Rorvika, Gymsøy (tutte raggiungibili in auto con brevi camminate, le prime tre sono praticamente attaccate). Più altre spiagge che vi attirano e che vedete dalla strada. Le spiagge da raggiungere con trekking (e che quindi abbiamo dovuto saltare per il meteo) sono: Bunes (con traghetto da Reine che nemmeno partiva) e Kvalvika.

Musei da visitare: Museo dei vichinghi (davvero bello con spazio esterno e possibilità di salpare su una nave vichinga, purtroppo il maltempo ce l’ha impedito), Museo dello stoccafisso (se il tempo è brutto e non avete altro da fare, ve lo consiglio anche se non mi ha entusiasmato. Interessante per capire la lavorazione di questo pesce che è alla base dell’economia delle Lofoten. Ma mettete in conto migliaia di stoccafissi e teste di stoccafisso che possono anche impressionare i bambini).

Città: Svolvaer e Leknes. A Leknes ci sono dei centri commerciali dove ci siamo dovuti rifugiare quando il vento era insostenibile. Qui trovate anche tanti supermercati per fare la spesa. Svolvaer mi è piaciuta molto, la passeggiata sul porto merita.

Escursioni: sono tante le escursioni che potete fare, anche in barca. Noi abbiamo scelto di vivere l’emozione di entrare in un fiordo con la mini-crociera del fiordo di Trollfjord .

L’emozione di entrare nel fiordo è unica. Avremmo voluto fare anche l’ escursione all’isola di Skrova , ma non c’erano partenze nel giorno in cui avremmo potuto farla.

Dove abbiamo dormito alle Lofoten

Le Lofoten sono meravigliose, da girare in lungo e in largo. I chilometri non sono tantissimi, ma avevamo comunque voluto suddividere gli alloggi anche per provarne di diversi. E poi per accorciare di un’ora abbondante il trasferimento dalle Lofoten alle Vesteralen e goderci qualche scorcio in più di queste ultime.

I requisiti per gli alloggi erano tre. Volevamo dormire nei rorbuer (il rorbu è la tipica casetta rossa su palafitta, un tempo dimora di pescatori, oggi ce ne sono tantissimi anche di nuova costruzione concepite per scopi puramente turistici).

Volevamo che fossero alloggi con vista , perché fa davvero la differenza soprattutto in certi tipi di viaggio (anche con la pioggia e il vento, osservare Reine dalla nostra casetta in perfetto stile nordico è stato magico.) Infine, essendo in 14, non volevamo sparpagliarci ma restare tutti insieme, per praticità e convivialità.

Qui vi scriverò gli alloggi che abbiamo scelto, nell’articolo dedicato alle Lofoten quelli che erano in ballottaggio e quelli che, sul posto, mi hanno fatto dire “qui ci vorrei tanto dormire”.

4 notti presso Andøy Vest Rorbuer Reine , vicinissimo al supermercato, con vista pazzesca su tutta la baia. Sono rorbuer nuovissimi, alcuni ancora in costruzione. Atmosfera nordica garantita.

2 notti presso Lofoten Base Camp a Leknes. Anche questi rorbuer sono bellissimi, con ampia terrazza su cui abbiamo anche mangiato. Barbecue a disposizione e una sauna davvero speciale, con accesso diretto al mare. Da provare!

Toccata e fuga alle Vesteralen per il safari delle balene

Dalle Lofoten ci siamo spostati ad Andenes il 15 agosto. Il nostro ferragosto è stato all’insegna di un trasferimento in auto di 4 ore circa e di un’esperienza bellissima, indimenticabile direi.

Ci siamo fermati in diversi punti lungo la strada a scattare fotografie, tanti dicono che le Vesteralen sono una delusione dopo le Lofoten. Diciamo che le Lofoten sono particolari, con queste cime altissime che si tuffano nel mare e i villaggi dei pescatori da cartolina.

Pecore sulla spiaggia di Bleik

Alle Vesteralen il paesaggio cambia ma non per questo è meno scenografico. Per noi è stato davvero solo un assaggio, bisogna tornare per esplorarle meglio.

Abbiamo trascorso un po’ di tempo sulla spiaggia di Bleik, davvero bellissima . E poi siamo arrivati ad Andenes per il safari delle balene a cui dedicherò un articolo a parte.

Dove abbiamo dormito alle Vesteralen

La ricerca dell’alloggio alle Vesteralen è stata la più difficile. In zona Andenes le possibilità di pernottamento per 14 erano pochissime. Siamo stati in una guesthouse che era una vecchia scuola. Non fatevi ingannare dall’aspetto fatiscente all’esterno. L’interno è molto accogliente e anche le camere sono carine (anche se un paio puzzavano un po’ di fumo). I bagni sono in comune (ma purtroppo solo tre docce funzionavano), la cucina – sempre in comune – è davvero enorme e ben accessoriata. La notte che abbiamo trascorso qui, tutta la guesthouse era a nostra disposizione e questo è stato davvero un vantaggio. Indirizzo: Solheim Guesthouse a Dverberg a una ventina di minuti da Andenes. Questo è stato in assoluto l’alloggio più economico e spartano del nostro viaggio e stiamo parlando comunque di poco meno di 180 euro a notte a famiglia. Per darvi un’idea dei costi folli.

Itinerario in Norvegia: decimo e undicesimo giorno a Senja

La mattina del decimo giorno ci siamo messi in fila per salire sul traghetto per Senja (tratta Andenes-Gryllefjord). Il traghetto non si può prenotare, ci si mette in fila e si attende di essere imbarcati. E per quanto riguarda il pagamento, se avete un’auto a noleggio come nel nostro caso, vi verrà addebitato automaticamente. Dovete comunque registrarvi al sito per inserire la vostra targa.

Una volta piazzati in fila con largo anticipo, abbiamo gironzolato per Andenes, raggiungendo il faro e la chiesa. Sul faro si può salire, ci sono 148 gradini che portano in cima. Il meteo non era il massimo e c’era pure un pochino di nebbia quindi abbiamo evitato. Ma se la giornata merita, di sicuro la vista è spettacolare. Vengono organizzate anche visite guidate.

Siamo sbarcati a Senja dopo un paio d’ore di navigazione. Senja è una splendida destinazione spesso snobbata e invece merita una deviazione. Qui il tempo non ci ha sorriso, ma siamo comunque riusciti a fare il giro completo della strada panoramica, che vi consiglio vivamente. A questo sito trovate tutte le tappe. Bellissima la passeggiata lungo la costa a Tungeneset.

Anche la passerella panoramica Bergsbotn vale la sosta. Sosta d’obbligo alla spiaggia Ersfjordstranda . Al momento c’è un piccolo tratto chiuso della strada panoramica, dovete quindi spezzarla in due.

Dove abbiamo dormito a Senja

Avevo cercato alloggio presso Hamn i Senja e me ne ero innamorata. Ma non ero riuscita a trovare una sistemazione per tutti. Ci siamo però fermati presso la struttura per un picnic vista fiordo ed è da urlo e vorrei tanto tornarci in inverno.

Abbiamo invece dormito due notti presso Aurora Borealis Observatory. Essendo in 14 ci hanno sistemato in diversi alloggi. Tutti curati e belli, unica pecca: l’appartamento da quattro in realtà è da tre, il divano letto è davvero minuscolo. La colazione compresa è ottima. Per una notte mi hanno offerto la possibilità di dormire nell’Aurora Hut. Sicuramente in periodo di aurora è molto più suggestivo, ma comunque si gode una bellissima vista. L’Aurora Hut è solo per due, se quindi viaggiate in Norvegia con bambini non potete sceglierla. A meno che non siate come noi con altre famiglie e per una notte non molliate i vostri figli agli amici.

Itinerario in Norvegia, giorno 12 e 13: da Alta a Capo Nord

I giorni di viaggio 12, 13 e 14 sono stati quelli in cui abbiamo trascorso in auto un numero considerevole di ore. Aumentate in maniera esponenziale dalle soste, d’obbligo a mio avviso.

La mattina del 12simo giorno siamo partiti presto da Senja, direzione Alta . Senza traghettare sul Lyngenfjord, l’abbiamo circumnavigato. Il risparmio in termini di tempo è irrilevante e, avendo una figlia che soffre molto in barca, dopo due traghetti e il safari ad Andenes non volevamo sottoporla ad altre torture. Direi, col senno di poi, per fortuna. Perché la strada è spettacolare. Prendetevi tutto il tempo per fermarvi.

Prima di arrivare a Skibotn troverete un punto panoramico sul Lyngenfjord con tanto di altalena e casette colorate sul mare. Davvero bellissimo, soprattutto se viaggiate in Norvegia con bambini. Anche Skibotn merita una sosta, ma davvero ci saremo fermati almeno  15 volte a fotografare scorci meravigliosi e a rilassarci sulle spiagge.

Arrivati ad Alta, che è una vera e propria città, non perdetevi The Rock Art of Alta, il museo delle incisioni rupestri patrimonio UNESCO . La parte all’interno è molto interessante e all’esterno potete percorrere delle passerelle in legno che vi condurranno ad ammirare tutte le incisioni rupestri. Con vista fiordo.

Davvero bellissimo. Il museo chiude alle 19 in estate , questo significa che dovrete uscire dal corpo centrale del museo entro quell’ora ma potete però percorrere le passerelle anche oltre l’orario di chiusura. Facendo buio tardi, vale la pena approfittarne.

La strada per Capo Nord: i paesaggi incredibili della Norvegia Settentrionale

La mattina dell’undicesimo giorno ci siamo svegliati presto per non perdere nemmeno un secondo della giornata che ci avrebbe portato a Capo Nord. Il coronamento di un sogno. Questa è stata forse la giornata in cui più volte le lacrime sono affiorate agli occhi. Complice un meteo super favorevole che ci ha concesso di ammirare con il sole il susseguirsi di paesaggi davvero incredibili. Forse anche la strada per Capo Nord meriterebbe un articolo a parte.

Renne ovunque sulla strada per raggiungere Capo Nord

L’ho già scritto sui social, tanti dicono che non valga la pena arrivare a Capo Nord solo per vedere una scultura. Ecco, per me vale ogni singolo chilometro di asfalto.

Se vi state chiedendo dove vedere le renne in Norvegia , qui credetemi ne potrete vedere a bizzeffe, tante ci hanno attraversato la strada impedendoci per un attimo di proseguire. La tundra, retaggio dei libri di geografia, ha preso improvvisamente forma. Una distesa srotolata e quasi in posa, tra l’azzurro intenso del mare e il verde della vegetazione.

Capo Nord è quello che ci si aspetta: un luogo turistico all’ennesima potenza. Ma incastonato dal paesaggio incredibile del Finnmark, la contea più a Nord della Norvegia . E quindi gli perdoni tutto. Sul sito trovate gli orari di apertura e i prezzi. Al momento il parcheggio è gratuito ma c’è la sbarra di ingresso e si paga l’accesso al sito negli orari di apertura (teoricamente al di fuori degli orari di apertura non si paga nulla, ma credo che a quel punto si debba pagare il parcheggio. Ricordate che l’accesso in inverno è limitato e si deve seguire un convoglio).

All’interno potete assistere a diverse proiezioni che vi faranno venire voglia di tornarci in inverno. Scattate tutte le foto del caso, camminate per tutto il promontorio e godetevi la sensazione di libertà incredibile che questo luogo sprigiona .

La scogliera a Capo Nord

Ritornando ad Alta abbiamo fatto sosta a Honnigsvåg (onestamente nulla di che) prima di ripercorrere quella strada che mi ha rubato il cuore. Calcolate da Alta a Capo Nord almeno 3 ore di macchina senza soste. Quindi tra andata, ritorno, fermata a Capo Nord e un milione di soste a fotografare renne, a indugiare su spiagge e ad ammirare il paesaggio è una giornata intensa di almeno 10-12 ore. 

Dove abbiamo dormito ad Alta

Ad Alta abbiamo scelto di non dormire in città, volevamo comunque restare in un contesto naturale. Abbiamo scelto un lodge di montagna (fa ridere come concetto, visto che la montagna è alta 200 metri a dir tanto ma ci sono i campi da sci. Sciare a queste latitudini è un’esperienza che definirei esotica, ve l’avevo raccontata qui ). Abbiamo soggiornato quindi al Bjørnfjell Mountain Lodge a una ventina di minuti dalla città. Ambiente tipicamente alpino, noi abbiamo dormito in due cottage da 6 con l’aggiunta di un letto in ciascuno. I cottage sono molto carini ma abbastanza piccoli e con un solo bagno e ambiente unico. Lo preciso se siete in più famiglie come nel nostro caso, dovete essere pronti a condividere gli spazi. E a stare un po’ stretti. Anche in questo caso la colazione era inclusa, come sempre ottima e abbondante. Parola d’ordine: rimpinzarsi anche per il pranzo.

Itinerario Norvegia on the road: Tromsø e Sommaroy

Gli ultimi due giorni in Norvegia li abbiamo trascorsi in zona Tromsø. Il fascino invernale è tutta un’altra cosa ma vedere la città in versione estiva con la gente che passeggia è comunque piacevole. Siamo tornati a Polaria, un museo davvero istruttivo e divertente con i bambini, e abbiamo camminato per il centro storico.

Vi lascio un indirizzo carino per pranzare. Era il giorno del mio compleanno, volevo coccolarmi con qualcosa di diverso dal semplice panino ma senza spendere un rene. Backstube è una catena dove mangiare tutto a base di pasta sfoglia. Prezzi davvero economici, design molto carino. Insomma promosso.

Abbiamo poi dedicato l’ultimo pomeriggio del nostro viaggio on the road in Norvegia a Sommarøy. Una meraviglia. Ora, non so se era la felicità di aver compiuto un bellissimo viaggio, di aver finalmente realizzato un sogno. Ma Sommarøy è davvero splendida.

Una miriade di isolotti collegati da ponti scenografici, spiagge bianchissime e piccole insenature a cui non si può resistere. E infatti qualcuno non ha resistito, qui un bagno veloce era d’obbligo. Qui voglio tornarci assolutamente in inverno.

Dove abbiamo dormito a Tromsø

In linea con il desiderio di approfittare il più possibile della natura norvegese, non abbiamo dormito in città ma a una ventina di minuti in direzione Sommarøy, precisamente a Ersfjordbotn.

I dintorni del nostro alloggio a Ersfjordbotn

Anche questo alloggio – Esfjordbotn Brygge – è stato perfetto, con il pontile, vista sul fiordo, possibilità di passeggiare e costeggiare il mare. Svegliarsi qui la mattina del mio compleanno è stato un regalo.

Dove mangiare in Norvegia (con bambini)

Specifico dove mangiare in Norvegia con bambini, non tanto per raccontarvi menù bimbi che a noi nemmeno bastano più. Ma per precisare che senza figli potreste concedervi più pranzi e cene fuori. Se invece vi trovate a viaggiare in Norvegia con bambini e non avete una carta di credito illimitata, dovrete per forza ridimensionarvi.

Vi segnalo quindi gli unici due indirizzi dove abbiamo mangiato fuori. Mi ero segnata altri ristoranti speciali ma il nostro budget non lo consentiva. Ho quindi scelto quelli che mi avevano consigliato come imperdibili:

Anitas Seafood a Sakrisøya. Tra l’altro qui trovate la casetta gialla super iconica rappresentata in tantissime immagini delle Lofoten. Elena Valli mi ha regalato una bellissima illustrazione presa da una mia foto. Ve la mostrerò appena l’avrò appesa. Fish Burger Winnie the Pooh da urlo. ( sul mio profilo Instagram trovate un reel dedicato )

Bacalao a Svolvaer. Qui abbiamo pranzato dopo essere sbarcati dall’escursione nel fiordo. Locale molto carino, sul porto. Zuppa di pesce ottima.

In un paio di occasioni abbiamo optato per la pizza da asporto. Avendo già provato Peppe’s Pizza nel nostro ultimo viaggio in Norvegia, abbiamo cambiato. Pizza Bakken è un’altra catena, dai prezzi più accessibili. Calcolate che per 14 ci sono bastate 4 margherite grandi. Pizza Bakken ci ha salvati a Leknes quando il vento era insostenibile e non sapevamo dove mangiare i panini. E anche ad Alta quando siamo arrivati distrutti dopo la giornata meravigliosa ma infinita a Capo Nord e non avevamo davvero voglia di cucinare. Il Burger King ci ha economicamente salvati a Bodø. (se ve lo state chiedendo, McDonald’s praticamente non esiste nella Norvegia settentrionale. E se siete una famiglia numerosa spesso a zonzo nel Nord Europa, saprete come in un viaggio in Norvegia con bambini i fast food spesso siano l’unica alternativa con un costo accettabile).

Per il resto, abbiamo sempre preparato i pasti in autonomia, portandoci davvero quasi tutto da casa, dai pelati ai ceci in scatola, passando per risotti, pasta, sughi e zuppe.

Siti che mi sono stati utili per costruire l’itinerario in Norvegia

Oltre ai siti ufficiali come visitnorway,   visitsenja , nordnorge.com e agli infiniti account di fotografi e appassionati di paesi nordici che seguo regolarmente su Instagram, vi lascio qui i siti che ho consultato, oltre a quelli già citati, che mi sono stati davvero molto utili per costruire il viaggio in Norvegia.

Le renne in Norvegia, sulla spiaggia vicino a casa a Ersfjordbotn

68north.com  per itinerari e spiagge alle Isole Lofoten. Ho anche acquistato un ebook davvero molto bello e ben fatto. In inglese.

earthtrekkers.com qui ho trovato spunti interessanti per trekking in famiglia e soprattutto il consiglio per il viewpoint di Sommarøy.

Non mi resta che augurarvi buon viaggio. Per un itinerario in Norvegia on the road che non dimenticherete.

letiziadorinzi

Letizia, classe 75, tre figli di 13, 12 e 8 anni e una passione innata per il Nord e la natura sconfinata. Ho più foto nella neve che in costume e queste ultime, qui, non le vedrete mai :). Non chiamatemi blogger ma cantastorie.

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Tromsø in inverno con bambini (ma anche senza): lo spettacolo dell’aurora boreale

L’aurora boreale in Norvegia: il sogno che si avvera

Sei una stupenda cantastorie, complimenti. Io sono appena rientrata dalla terza volta in Islanda e mio marito stava già pensando alla quarta… ma io direi che potremmo darci al nord Norvegia. E’ solo un’idea, per ora, ma l’anno prossimo io compio degli anni importanti e potrei farmi un bel regalo. Grazie per i preziosi consigli!

Grazie mille Emilia, gentilissima. Ecco io sogno l’Islanda invece, da anni. Abbiamo optato per le Faroe per vederle ancora incontaminate prima dell’ondata di turismo e l’Islanda è stata rimandata. Ma devo andarci assolutamente. Un abbraccio

Ciao non trovo l’articolo dedicato alle Lofoten, potresti indicarmi il link?

Ciao Elena non l’ho ancora pubblicato. Ce l’ho in bozza ma devo aggiustare le foto. Prometto di farlo giuro. Un abbraccio

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The Happiness Function US

My Husband and I Did a 5-Day Road Trip Along the Most Iconic Highway in California: Here's Where To Stay, Eat, & Play

Posted: April 25, 2024 | Last updated: April 25, 2024

Our 5-day Highway 1 Road Trip itinerary covers Avila Beach, Cayucos, Cambria, San Simeon, and Baywood-Los Osos along the Central Coast of California in San Luis Obispo County.

A road trip along California’s famous Highway 1 is a bucket list trip if you love adventures with ocean views, wildlife, and fun outdoor activities.

My husband, Pablo, and I drove from San Luis Obispo (SLO) to San Simeon and are sharing what we did to help you plan your trip. From hiking and kayaking to foraging for seaweed, discover things to do, find the best places to eat (gluten-free friendly), and learn where to stay.

When Highway 1 Road Trip invited us for a hosted adventure, we jumped at the chance because we’d been dreaming of driving the iconic route for years.

How To Get There and Where To Start

If you’re not from California, like us, fly into the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP). It’s a small airport and easy to get in and out of.

You’ll want to rent a car if you’re flying in. Pick up your vehicle at the airport by the baggage claim area (it’s super easy).

Start your adventure right from the airport and head southwest towards the coast to kick the day off at Avila Beach.

If you’re not flying in, no problem. Still, start at Avila Beach.

Where To Stay

Highway 1 is known for its cute artisan communities recognized for their laid-back coastal vibe. You can find boutique hotels and motels or inns overlooking the ocean. It’s the perfect road trip for adventurous couples and friends.

The Pacific Motel – Cayucos

We stayed at The Pacific Motel in Cayucos for half our road trip.

The owners take pride in what they have built. The motel has a hip surfer ambiance that is ideal for people wanting a relaxing and casual adventure near Cayucos. The rooms are trendy and within walking distance of the beach. They also serve a nice coffee bar in the morning.

The motel has fire pits, ping pong, a cute shop that supports local businesses, beach towels, beach chairs, and a beer and wine cooler. Guests can use beach cruisers from The Pacific Motel to get around town if they don’t want to walk.

It’s one of the cutest places we have stayed at, and we loved walking to breakfast and the beach every morning.

The Baywood Inn – Baywood-Los Osos

When we walked into our room at the Baywood Inn , we immediately ran to the huge windows and balcony facing Morro Bay.

Staying here is like staying in an apartment. There is a living room with vaulted ceilings, a fireplace, a small kitchenette, a bathroom, and a bedroom. It’s within walking distance of a handful of restaurants and an excellent location to access hiking, kayaking, and the Morro Bay Marina.

Breakfast is complimentary with your stay. When you check-in, the inn will tell you which restaurant is hosting breakfast.

Best Time To Visit

The Central Coast of California has a Mediterranean climate, meaning you can visit year-round. However, depending on the type of adventures you want, like getting in or on the water, spring, summer, and fall will have warmer temperatures. June, July, and August are busy, so be sure to plan ahead if you travel during the summer.

We visited during April. It was warm enough to wear a light jacket. Every day was sunny except for two days when the famous coastal fog rolled in. It was neat to see the fog, so it didn’t mess up our plans. We still hiked and explored until it burned off later in the day.

The wildflowers bloomed during our spring trip, and we saw the Elephant Seals. I can’t recommend the beauty of traveling along Highway 1 in the spring enough.

Explore Avila Beach, drive to Cayucos, check into The Pacific Motel, then walk Moonstone Beach in Cambria

Kick the adventure off by driving straight to Mersea’s for food near Avila Beach. We both got fish tacos – they were so good.

The restaurant is at the end of a pier. You might also see seals hanging out on the platform (we did). The water is a beautiful blue, and it will take your breath away.

After eating at Mersea’s, drive to Avila Beach a little down the road. You can access the beach here, and there are a bunch of boutique shops and restaurants.

Hit the road, drive towards Cayucos, and check into The Pacific Motel . If there’s still time in the day, drive a little further north towards Cambria and walk the Moonstone Beach Boardwalk .  It’s pretty at sunset.

For dinner, Pablo and I had a wonderful garden patio dinner at Robin’s Restaurant in Cambria. When we visited, they served mouthwatering, handcrafted meals and even had gluten-free cheesecake. If you’re road-tripping with your dog, pets are allowed on their darling patio.

Day 2 – Morning

Tour Hearst Castle in San Simeon  

Rise and shine. Then, walk to breakfast at the Hidden Kitchen in Cayucos. They have gluten-free waffles and breakfast tacos that are out of this world. Sit out back on their patio and enjoy oceanfront views.

After breakfast, hop in your car and drive Highway 1 north towards San Simeon to tour Hearst Castle . With the help of architect Julia Morgan, media mogul William Randolph Hearst funded the elaborate estate—the “who’s who” of the entertainment industry would retreat here by invitation only.

Today, you can take a guided tour to see all the magnificent art William Randolph Hearst collected from around the world. We thought the most interesting parts of the tour were walking through the gardens, seeing the Neptune Pool and the Egyptian Fountain, and walking across gold-plated tile in the Roman Pool. Online reservations to take a tour can be made 60 days in advance.

After we visited the castle, we drove to the Cavalier Coastal Kitchen . I ordered a BLTA on gluten-free bread, and Pablo got a fried chicken wrap that hit the spot. If you’d like to take in the views, a path is near the parking lot that overlooks the ocean. You might have the beach to yourself — we did.

Day 2 – Afternoon

Visit the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery near San Simeon and go seaweed foraging in Cayucos

Drive to the Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal Rookery to work off your food coma. Located right off Highway 1, park your car and walk the trails along the coast to see the seals basking in the sun.

Walk to the north of the parking lot if you want to take photos — it has better vantage points. Watching the Elephant Seals was one of my favorite parts of our trip. Plus, it’s free to see them.

Did you know you can eat other seaweed besides the nori found around your sushi roll? During a seaweed foraging tour with Kelpful , you’ll learn all about the seaweed you can gather and eat. You can only do this special eco-activity when the tide is low. Visit Kelpful’s online scheduler to make a reservation.

We met our guide outside of Cayucos and walked down to the tide pools. We tasted raw seaweed from the ocean and saw crabs and an octopus while exploring. The experience was heartfelt, informative, and inspired us.

For dinner, check out the Lunada Garden Bistro . We walked there from our motel in Cayucos. They served up some of the best steaks we’ve ever had – and that’s not an exaggeration.

Day 3 – Morning

Hike Fiscalini Ranch Preserve outside of Cambria

From The Pacific Motel, walk to breakfast at Bijou Bakery in Cayucos . They have delicious gluten-free pastries (I got a lemon scone) and regular pastries (Pablo got a croissant). After enjoying a lovely breakfast on their patio, head back to the motel and pack up. Check out and drive toward Cambria to hike the Fiscalini Ranch Preserve .

We loved the trail along the bluff. There are neat spots to sit along the trail that remind us of Games of Thrones . Keep your eyes peeled for Harbor Seals – we saw one hanging out on the rocks. It’s free to hike here.

After, head into Cambria for lunch at Linn’s Restaurant . Try their famous Olallieberry pie – they have a gluten-free and regular pie crust. We were in pie Heaven.

Day 3 – Afternoon

Check into the Baywood Inn and walk El Moro Elfin Forest in the Baywood-Los Osos area

In the afternoon, drive south towards San Luis Obispo and check into the Baywood Inn . If you still have energy, drive and explore the El Moro Elfin Forest . It’s about a 5–10-minute drive from the inn, and you can get good views of the estuary. It’s free to hike here.

For dinner, Noi & Doi’s 2 nd Street Café , across from the Baywood Inn, serves some fantastic Thai food. The beef fried rice and green curry with tofu did not disappoint. We got ours to go and enjoyed a sunset dinner from our inn overlooking Morro Bay.

Day 4 – Morning

Kayak in Morro Bay  

If hungry, drive 10 minutes into Los Osos and grab breakfast at Celia’s Garden Café . Pablo ordered corned beef hash, and I ordered an omelet. It reminded me of a good old fashion diner breakfast — they give you huge portions of food.

After breakfast, drive to A Kayak Shack at the Morro Bay State Park Marina. The manager at A Kayak Shack said the best time to paddle is early morning before the winds pick up, so keep that in mind. We did a self-guided trip and cruised around the bay. It was terrific, and we even saw otters.

Make sure you stay at least eight kayaks length away from the otters so you don’t stress them. If they get stressed, they could have trouble finding food or taking care of their young.

After kayaking, have lunch at the Bayside Café across from A Kayak Shack. Guess what we had? If you guessed fished tacos – you’re our people.

Day 4 – Afternoon

Hike at Monta ña de Oro State Park outside of Baywood-Los Osos

Montaña de Oro State Park is one of the largest state parks in California. We used AllTrails to find a hike that suited our adventure level for the afternoon. We walked along the Bluff Trail and loved it.

Along with a beach to sun at and enjoy the water, the Bluff Trail wanders along the ridge, and you get fantastic views of the ocean and rocky coastline. We even saw more otters (or seals) frolicking in the waves.

After hiking, if you’re up for some tasty Mexican cuisine, walk to La Palapa across from the Baywood Inn. I ordered chicken enchiladas, and Pablo enjoyed the carne asada. It hit the spot.

Check out of your inn, go to breakfast, and drive to the SBP Airport

On your last day, check out of your inn and head to breakfast in Los Osos. We grabbed pastries and lattes at Ascendo . It is right across from Celia’s Garden Café.

They did offer gluten-free muffins while we were there. I grabbed a gluten-free blueberry muffin and a chai latte, and Pablo ordered a croissant and latte.

After, find a place to gas up your rental and return to the SBP Airport.

We couldn’t believe how fast the trip went and were sad to leave. We honestly sat in the airport looking at real estate because we loved visiting so much and were dreaming about living in this area full-time.

More Towns To Explore Along Highway 1 Nearby

If you have more time in the area, you might also enjoy visiting Ragged Point, further north of San Simeon.

The Edna Valley wine region, Arroyo Grande Valley, Oceano, and Nipomo are south of San Luis Obispo.

Have a wonderful time. The area truly is remarkable.

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Breaking news, the majority of us travelers plan to do a road trip this summer: survey.

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Travel experts at The Vacationer released their 2024 summer travel survey results this week, giving an overview of what travelers can expect this summer season beginning on Memorial Day weekend.

The anonymous survey asked more than 1,000 American adults if and how they plan to travel this summer. Mathematics professor Eric Jones of Rowan College, South Jersey, analyzed the results.

According to the survey, nearly 82% of Americans plan to travel this summer, which could be more than 212 million adults throughout the season.

This number is down from summer 2023, with 3% fewer people intending to travel at least once this summer.

While nearly 52%, or 132 million Americans, said they would fly this summer, air travelers are down compared to last summer, when 54% intended to fly at least once.

According to The Points Guy, airline passengers could be in for another busy summer travel season in the U.S. and internationally. Experts also don’t expect fairs to drop significantly compared to last summer.

The average domestic airfare for June will cost about $303, with round-trip routes trending lower for July and August, according to The Points Guy.

According to The Vacationer survey, the most popular method of travel is by road. Seventy-five percent of Americans intend to take at least one road trip this summer, most driving somewhere within 100 miles of their home. 

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Less than 21% will stick to a destination within 250 miles from home, and 5.8% will drive more than 1,000 miles from home. 

How much road trip travelers pay at the gas pump this summer remains to be seen. 

According to AAA, the increasing gas prices may be about to stall – at least for a little while. The national average for a gallon of gas is $3.67, about two months ahead of Memorial Day weekend, when the summer travel season begins. 

“The situation overseas with war in both the Middle East and Ukraine has the oil market on edge,” AAA Andrew Gross spokesperson said. “But this is also the time of year we may see a bit of a lull in gasoline demand between the end of spring breaks and ahead of Memorial Day. So the national average for gas may waffle a bit with small increases, some flat days, and even some price dips.”

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Tammy Slaton Shares Girls' Trip with 'Spiritual Sister,' Sips Drinks and Channels Alvin and the Chipmunks

The '1000-Lb. Sisters' star is documenting her travels online as she continues hit the road with psychic Haley Michelle

Tammy Slaton/TikTok

Tammy Slaton ’s girls trip with her “spiritual sister,” psychic medium Haley Michelle , continued Thursday, with the duo sharing photos and videos of their antics on the road.

Slaton, Michelle, and a third friend, Paola Román , embarked on the trip yesterday, posting a shot of them in a supermarket as they picked up groceries for a self-described “girls trip.”

They didn’t share their location, but the trio did share some footage of their antics: They took time to mix up some drinks, with Michelle reposting Román’s video clip of the threesome sipping red beverages out of plastic hotel cups.

“Cheers to girls trips,” wrote Román on the video. Although her Instagram profile is private, she does appear in a clip Michelle posted, where the threesome re-enated a scene from the 2007 live-action film Alvin and the Chipmunks , where the chipmunks break into Jason Lee ’s house in search of food.

“It’s a food ghost town in here,” Román, lipcyncing audio from chipmunk Theodore, says. 

Slaton, as brainiac chipmunk Simon, pops out from behind a tree and calls out to Alvin, played by Michelle, who bursts into frame to announce that “the cheese balls are in the hiz-ouse.”

“I never do videos like this, it was so much fun ❤️,” Michelle captioned her video. 

They also shared a TikTok video of themselves posing to Psy's 2012 hit "Gangnam Style," with Michelle alluding to Slaton as a reincarnated friend.

"Finally reunited in this lifetime, I’ve missed you 🥹💜," Michelle wrote.

The posts have prompted fans of the 1000-Lb Sisters star, 37, to continue to question the nature of their relationship and whether Michelle was using Slaton for "clout."

It's perhaps what prompted Michelle to share a photo of herself embracing Slaton — a pic the reality star also shared.

“Spiritual Sisters, our powerful connection we don’t have to explain anything to anyone. You are my Best Friend 💙,” she captioned the photo . 

Earlier, the duo shared a poolside photo, with Slaton wearing a blue mermaid print suit — and a big smile — alongside Michelle.

“Proud of you,” wrote Michelle in her caption of the photo, likely referring to Slaton’s 440-lbs. weight loss from bariatric surgery , 

Since her weight loss, Slaton has been staying active, recently heading to Disney World for the first time, taking her first-ever trip to the beach, and now, a road trip.

“I’m just giving myself a pat on the back for achieving something. Getting the weight off and living….I can finally say I’m living life,” Slaton has said.

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University of California Athletics

BASE 4/22/2024 2:45 PM | By: Cal Athletics

Bears Open Road Trip Against Pacific

Cal Begins Season-Long 7-Game Road Trip In Stockton

• Tuesday, April 23, 6 p.m. | Stream: ESPN+ | Live Stats: CalBears.com  
• Cal's eight-game win streak is its longest since winning eight in a row between March 29-April 13, 2019.
• Cal's sweep of Oregon State is its first against a top-5 team since Cal swept the Beavers in 2016.
• Cal has three Pac-12 series sweeps in 2024 against UCLA, Washington State and Oregon State, its most since sweeping Washington State, Arizona State and USC in 2017.
• Gwynn is Cal's first Pac-12 Player of the Week since teammate Caleb Lomavita won the award in the final week of the 2023 regular season.
• Newmann is Cal's first Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week recipient since Joseph King won it in March 2022.
• The 59 home runs are third most in the Pac-12 and 53 rd nationally. Cal's 1.55 home runs per contest are also the third most in the conference and 47 th nationally.
• The Bears are on pace to finish the year with 80 home runs, which would be fourth most in program history. The program record of 86 was set in 1999.
• Rodney Green Jr. hit his 11th home run in the season on Friday night, giving him 31 for his career. He is tied with David Cooper (2007-08) for 10th all-time in program history.
• Cal is the only team in the conference with two active players in its top 10 for home runs. Caleb Lomavita is currently eighth all-time with 35 home runs and trails Dylan Beavers (2020-22) by two for seventh all-time. 
• Milestone Watch: In Saturday's win over the Beavers, Caleb Lomavita earned an RBI – his 44th of the season and 133rd of his career. Lomavita is just seven RBI shy of tying Mike Tonis (1998-00) for 10th all-time in program history.
• Cal's pitching staff boasts an ERA of 5.02, which is fifth in the Pac-12 and 65th best nationally. The Bears held Oregon State to just 6.3 runs per game over the weekend. The Beavers entered the series averaging a Pac-12-leading 9.5 runs per contest. 
• Cal's RPI soared following the 4-0 week, which was keyed by the Oregon State sweep. The Bears entered the weekend series ranked 79th in D1Baseball.com's RPI, and their sweep of the Beavers moved them up to 48th.
• The Bears play their seventh and final game against a West Coast Conference foe when they take on the Tigers on Tuesday. Cal is 5-1 against WCC teams, with the lone loss coming at home against Saint Mary's on April 9. Peyton Schulze is batting  .400 (10-for-25) with 17 RBI, four doubles and a home run in six games against WCC schools. Andres Galan is 3-1 with a 2.08 ERA in five appearances, including four starts, against the WCC. In 21.2 innings pitched, he has struck out 26 batters and held opponents to a .205 batting average.  
• Tuesday will be the 95th meeting between Cal and Pacific.
• The Bears own a 68-26 advantage in the series.
• Under  Mike Neu , Cal is 4-3 against Pacific, his former team. Neu led the Pacific program for two seasons (2016-17).
• Last time out, Cal defeated Pacific 17-1 in seven innings on April 2, 2024. Cal clubbed six extra-base hits (four doubles, two home runs) in the contest. Peyton Schulze went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a home run and drove in six runs. 
• Cal will stay in the Bay Area but make the trip down to the Peninsula to take on rival Stanford at the Sunken Diamond. The three-game series begins Friday at 6 p.m. The series will be televised on the Pac-12 Bay Area.

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Francisco Lindor breaks through as Mets close road trip on high note

SAN FRANCISCO — Sitting at his corner locker in the visiting clubhouse Wednesday morning, Francisco Lindor was as optimistic as ever.

The night before, changeup after changeup from San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb made Lindor look silly. So, nearly a month into the season with his batting average on the interstate and his left-handed average below .150, how close did Lindor feel to finding his swing from that side?

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“I’m there. I’m there,” the New York Mets shortstop said confidently. “It’s just a matter of getting the hits.”

The hits showed up on Wednesday.

Lindor collected his first four-hit game since last August, including a pair of two-run homers in the Mets’ 8-2 win over the Giants. New York avoided the sweep and closed its West Coast trip with a 3-3 record.

“That man’s a dawg,” said Tyrone Taylor , who homered and drove in three. “He rakes.”

Lindor’s two-run homer off Sean Hjelle in the third gave New York its first lead since Saturday. His two-run homer off Mitch White in the ninth was crushed, a no-doubter off the bat.

Francisco Lindor's second two-run homer of the day! A four-hit game! pic.twitter.com/EiNeoRxx3m — SNY (@SNYtv) April 24, 2024

He also collected an infield single in the first and a ground-ball single in the seventh. His OPS for the season jumped 114 points on the day; from the left side, it leaped from .459 to .608.

“It’s baseball,” Lindor said after the game. “Yesterday it didn’t seem like I was on any pitch. Today I was on most of the pitches.”

Lindor began breaking out of his season-long slump from the left side over the weekend in Los Angeles. He pointed to his first at-bat of that series — a strikeout against Yoshinobu Yamamoto — as when he felt ready to bust out.

“Even though I struck out and didn’t swing the bat, I felt like it was a productive at-bat for me,” Lindor said before the game Wednesday. “(It was) being in control, it’s my at-bat. When I’m there, that’s when I know things are going to start following.”

Lindor hammered a go-ahead two-run homer later that game, then had two more hits on Saturday. A 1-for-9 stretch the next three days, including four rough at-bats against Webb on Tuesday, didn’t temper Lindor’s optimism.

“We’ve got to stay the course,” hitting coach Jeremy Barnes said before the game. “The worst thing we can do is panic and start searching for answers and change a lot of stuff and not know how to get back to where we were. Work the problem in front of us, try to stay as unemotional as we can about it and keep going forward.”

Barnes noted that many of Lindor’s peripheral stats align with his career-long track record.

Francisco Lindor golfs one out. 🏌️ pic.twitter.com/5l3rGpeGDi — MLB (@MLB) April 24, 2024

“Honestly, things have been extremely similar to the past,” Barnes said. “In a lot of ways, he’s made more contact this year than he has in the past. His decisions have overall been better than they have been in the past. The results of batted ball stuff are a little bit lower, a few more ground balls.”

Lindor is chasing less than ever; his strikeout rate is his lowest while a Met. However, his average exit velocity and his expected slugging numbers are both down.

That’s what makes Wednesday’s swings so welcome for the Mets. When the Mets left for this West Coast trip, Lindor didn’t have an extra-base hit from the left side. Now he’s got four.

“We knew he could drive the ball with authority,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.

“The one thing you want to carry over,” Lindor said postgame, “is the feeling of being successful. When you start getting a couple hits, it feels good.”

Lindor wasn’t the only one hitting on Wednesday. Over the first two games of the series, Starling Marte and Pete Alonso combined for nine of New York’s 11 hits. On Wednesday, Taylor contributed a solo homer and a two-run double. Jeff McNeil had two hits. The Mets kept the line moving.

“We could be really deep,” Barnes said pregame. “It’s definitely promising to know we’ve done some really good things offensively and it hasn’t just been Lindor and (Brandon) Nimmo and Pete leading the charge. It’s nice to see it spread around. You just want to make sure all the big guys get going.”

The Mets expect to add another big guy Friday in J.D. Martinez .

“I feel like we’re not close to where we want to be and should be,” Lindor said of the offense. “It’s going to continue to grow and get better.”

(Photo of Francisco Lindor: Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)

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Tim Britton is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the New York Mets. He has covered Major League Baseball since 2009 and the Mets since 2018. Prior to joining The Athletic, he spent seven seasons on the Red Sox beat for the Providence Journal. He has also contributed to Baseball Prospectus, NBC Sports Boston, MLB.com and Yahoo Sports. Follow Tim on Twitter @ TimBritton