TRAVEL TIPS FOR NORWAY

Friendly, down-to-earth people, unique scenery, summer nights bright as day & delightful snowy winters make Norway a very special country. In summer, there are plenty of attractions & activities to keep you busy - the unspoilt open country of the Sámi people in the north & fjords, salmon fishing & festivals in the south.  Norway is a ruggedly beautiful country of mountains, fjords & glaciers. It offers incredible wilderness hiking, year-round skiing, & some of the world's most scenic ferry, bus & train rides. The 'Land of the Midnight Sun' has delightfully long summer days, pleasantly low-key cities, unspoiled fishing villages & rich historic sites that include Viking ships and medieval stave churches.

NATURAL PHENOMENA

Norway is noted for its natural phenomena, particularly the midnight sun & the northern lights. In the three northernmost counties of Norway, the sun is visible in the sky twenty-four hours a day from mid-May to the end of July. This enables you to do things you can’t do anywhere else in the world, such as play a round of golf at midnight! The midnight sun means that the sun is above the horizon around the clock. This phenomenon is to be seen by clear weather north of the arctic circle, & also at higher altitudes just south of it during the summer time. Even by bad weather it never gets dark in the midnight sun periods. Nights are light in the rest of the country as well, with sunsets as late as 22.30 & sunrise again at 03.00.  

The northern lights, on the other hand, are best seen between November & February, mainly in the northernmost counties but also further south. These shimmering sheets of light chasing across the night sky are caused by positive & negative electrically charged particles from the sun being drawn into the Earth’s atmosphere & colliding with neutral gas particles at an altitude of 100-300 km. Polar light - Aurora Borealis - flames across the heavens in varying intensity & form in the dark winter months. They can manifest as rays arcs or curtains of colour that range from greenish white to deep red. Seeing the Northern Lights blazing across the winter night is an extraordinary & mystical experience. Polar light is caused by charged particles from the sun that get caught in the Earth's magnetic field, causing air molecules and atoms to light up. The Northern Lights can be seen across southern Norway as well under certain winter conditions.   

CLIMATE

Norway is at its best & brightest from May to September. Late spring is a particularly pleasant time - fruit trees are in bloom, daylight hours are long, & most hostels & sights are open but uncrowded. Norway is one of very few countries in the world that actually has four seasons. This does not however, put any kind of restriction on outdoor activities, you can for instance go skiing, diving, fishing, climbing, glacier walking, rafting or reindeer sled. In Norway they have a saying that goes like this: "There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing!" Compared to most other places at a similar latitude Norway has a very mild climate thanks to the warming effects of the Gulf Stream flowing along its coast.

The summer temperature in Norway varies from +5° C to +35° C, so you should be prepared for everything. The average temperature in Oslo in July is +17.3° C, and an average June day in Oslo has almost 19 hours of daylight. In Tromsø the average temperature is +12.4° C.

A woollen sweater, a warm windproof coat and good shoes are necessary, but do not forget your swim wear either!

VISA: The visa is to be obtained prior to arrival in the country

TIME:

Norway is 3 hours 30 minutes behind India. Daylight Saving Time (DST) is in effect during the winter as in the rest of the European Union.

CURRENCY

Norwegian Kroner

ELECTRICITY

The electrical Current is 220 Volts, AC 50-60 Hz

GETTING THERE:

Norway is situated in the far north of Europe, but it is not difficult to get to. As part of mainland Europe, Norway can be reached by car, bus and train, and there are a number of ferry connections from Denmark, Germany and the UK. And wherever you want to go, you can always fly.

Travelling to Norway is easier than ever these days. There are airports located all over the country, offering frequent flights and connections to all of Europe. An extensive rail network links Norway to the other Scandinavian countries and the rest of Europe. High-speed trains connect the Scandinavian capitals of Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo.

Scheduled ferry services also operate between Norway, the rest of Scandinavia and Europe. Most of the boats are car ferries. All are modern, comfortable cruise liners with restaurants and cabins for overnight journeys.

GETTING AROUND:

Norway's main domestic airlines - SAS, Braathens SAFE and Widerøe Norsk Air - fly to nearly 50 airports scattered across the country. Distances are great in Norway, which means air travel should be considered even by budget travellers. Norway also has an extensive bus network, with routes connecting every main city as well as more remote areas. The national rail system is good, though somewhat limited, with main lines running from Oslo to Stavanger, Bergen, Åndalsnes and Bodø.

Major car-rental companies have offices at airports and city centres but rates are expensive. A far-reaching system of ferries and express boats link Norway's offshore islands, coastal towns and fjord districts. Local transport in the cities and towns is generally efficient and served mainly by public buses. Oslo also has an underground rail system, trams and ferries.

EVENTS

The country's biggest holiday is Constitution Day (17 May), when many Norwegians take to the streets attired in traditional folk costumes. Another popular holiday is Midsummer's Eve (usually held on 23 June), which is celebrated with bonfires on the beach. The Sami people (Lapps) also hold colourful celebrations at Easter in Karasjok and Kautokeino. Festivities include reindeer races, joik (traditional chanting) and concerts.

INFORMATION REGARDING MAJOR CITIES IN NORWAY

OSLO:

Oslo is the capital of Norway & is the natural hub of Norway’s national & international travel. With its central location & convenient accessibility, Oslo is easy to visit whether you arrive by car, ferry, train, bus or by plane. The main airport Oslo Airport Gardermoen is located 45 km north of Oslo, but the city is also easy to reach from Sandefjord Airport Torp, located 110 km south-west. All trains arrive Oslo Central Station (often referred to as Oslo S), while buses arrive at Oslo Bus Terminal. Both stations are located right in the heart of the city!

When in Oslo, there are several options when it comes to transportation throughout the city. The easiest & most inexpensive way to experience Oslo is the Oslo Pass. It provides free travel on all public transport, free admission to museums & sights, free parking in all Oslo municipal car parks, discounts on car hire, ice skate hire, Tusenfryd Amusement Park etc.

Oslo offers some 50 museums & many art galleries. Amongst the internationally known attractions are: the Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Viking Ship Museum, the Munch Museum, Akershus Fortress & Holmenkollen. Oslo also offers a great variety of theatre, opera, folk dance, concerts & music throughout the year. The city is host to a number of annual festivals of: theatre, chamber music, jazz, rock, contemporary music & much more. You may go for a stroll, or go sightseeing by bus or by boat. If you are more adventurous, you might opt for a ride on a mountain bike, play golf or go skiing - cross country or downhill. If you wish to go for a swim, there are outdoor swimming pools, as well as beaches accessible by ferries from the city centre. The choice is yours!

First-time visitors to Oslo are surprised by the wide range of restaurants & entertainment the capital has to offer. Oslo has a wide variety of restaurants, bistros & bars. Most are located within such a limited area that they are within walking distance of each other. In addition, each quarter of the city has an unusual atmosphere all worth visiting.

With regards to shopping, you will find everything in Oslo! Shopping Malls, department stores, small boutiques, shopping streets with hundreds of small shops & retailers, charming antique shops, flea markets, suppliers of exclusive international brand names & local handicraft shops. Oslo's nightlife is anything but boring. There are countless bars, cafés and nightclubs to choose from and the atmosphere is friendly and inviting.