Norway had always been on my bucket list for the Northern lights. When my friends relocated to the Nordic countries, they spoke a lot about the natural scenic beauty of Norway. Sure enough, I was going to be very pleasantly surprised as I did not start my sojourn thinking that Norway would become the highlight of my Nordic trip.

REACHING OSLO BY CRUISE:

While there are multiple flights that go to Oslo from other Schengen countries, I decided to enter Norway by cruise. Tired of taking compact flights and lugging around my luggage in airport shuttles, I took the DFDS cruise from Copenhagen to Oslo. It is an overnight cruise that departs from Copenhagen at 3 p.m. and reaches Oslo at 10:00 am the next day. I booked the Commodore class cabin to enjoy the cruise in style. It came with a sea facing window. The cruise was equipped with multiple restaurants, a gaming center for kids, a small hot pool, a big duty-free store and lots of space on the decks to enjoy the North Sea view. View my vlog for some more insights into the cruise experience.

As we approached Oslo, the coastline itself gave me a flavor of what was to come. The beautiful hues and the scenic islands on the way made it totally worth it to have a sea facing room.

The cab from the DFDS terminal to my hotel in the city center cost me about USD 10. I had booked the Karl Johan hotel, and it turned out to be one of the best I have stayed in as a solo traveler in Europe. Read my review here.

A DAY IN OSLO:

Given that city capitals are pretty similar and not the most interesting part of the country, I had planned to stay one night in Oslo and the remaining in other parts of Norway. Oslo did not disappoint and there was so much to see in the city.

The Vigeland Park: This sculpture park is part of the larger public park called Frogner’s park. The easiest way to reach it from the city center is the tram that dropped me right opposite the park entrance. The ticket must be booked through the Ruters app. Vigeland Park is named after its creator, the acclaimed Sculptor Gustav Vigeland. It is the world’s largest sculpture park by a single artist. It has 212 statues that capture all the aspects of a person’s life, both in a literal and in a metaphorical sense. The statues depict human beings of different ages, genders, and sizes, in different poses reflecting human relationships. Vigeland made them all naked, so that they remain timeless. I noticed that the statues depicted a lot of healthy interaction of fathers with their children though usually one would see an overemphasis on mothers with their children in sculptures elsewhere.

The sculptures are awe-inspiring specially the monolith with 121 intertwined human figures, seemingly clinging on and climbing over one another. Women and men of different ages feature, while younger children clamber at the very top. It took 14 years to carve out these sculptures from a single piece of granite. The monolith has been interpreted as “a kind of vision of resurrection, and our longing and striving for spirituality.” One can easily spend a few hours at the park.

Karl Johans Gate: This is Oslo’s main commercial street in the city center. My hotel was located on this street. It connects the Oslo central station on one end with the Royal Palace at the other end. The street includes many of Oslo’s tourist attractions such as the Royal Palace, Central Station and Stortinget (parliament), the National Theatre, the old University Buildings, the Palace Park, and the pond which serves as a skating rink in winter. It is buzzing with cafes, pubs, and shops all the way and is lively throughout the day. There are ancillary streets from here that go to other places of interest as well as the harbor from where one can take fjord cruises. As I walked around the Royal palace, I was well in time to see the changing of the guards as well.

National Museum: While I had already had my share of museums in other Nordic countries, I gave the National Museum a shot to see the original painting of “The Scream” by Edward Munch, which in the modern-day world is the only painting to have its own emoticon used by millions of mobile users globally. The museum had a fascinating collection of paintings and artifacts and could consume one for a couple of hours. The National Museum is a few minutes’ walk away from Karl Johans gate and next to the harbor from where the fjord cruises depart. This is again a very lively area as it is opposite the town hall and is replete with cafes, shops, live music and so on.

With one day to spend in the city, I would surely recommend staying at a hotel at Karl Johans gate to soak in most of what the city has to offer. The next part of my itinerary was the Norway in a Nutshell trip which was to begin from Oslo central station. The station was a 10 minutes’ walk from my hotel.

NORWAY IN A NUTSHELL TRIP:

Multiple searches on the internet and responses from travelers on travel groups indicated that if you don’t have many days to spend in Norway, the Norway In A Nutshell trip would be an ideal way to experience the countryside. So, I decided to give this pre-curated trip a go and take it from Oslo to Bergen with a one night stay in the scenic village of Flam at the head of Aurlangsfjord. I booked it online through www.Fjordstours.com. I realized the journey is the same even if you book it through different vendors.

The trip started with 2-hour train journey from Oslo to Myrdal. The view throughout the journey was scenic. Specific seats are already assigned on the ticket, so you don’t have a choice though the left side had better views.

The Norway in a Nutshell guide provides point to point instructions on where to take the next train from. When we got off Myrdal, I followed the instructions to get to the famous Flams Bana train from Myrdal to Flam. There are no specific seat assignments on the Flam railway so try to get yourself a seat at a window that opens. The views are on both sides so you can move around for pictures. The train stops at the beautiful Kjossfossen waterfall for a few minutes for the passengers to get a real feel of the wild falls and click pictures. One can feel the water drops on the face even inside the train. The train ride is for 20 kilometers. The only disappointment is the number of tunnels (nearly 20) throughout the way that breaks the scenic journey often.

The train stopped at Flam. For those who were continuing the journey to Voss and Gudvangen, the ferry would leave after a couple of hours. I had decided to stay the night at Flam. The village itself has a population of a few hundred but caters to 15000 tourists a day during peak season. There are very few accommodations available in Flam. I stayed at the Flam Camping and Hostel which I had booked through the Norway in a Nutshell trip. At the time of booking the trip, you can also book for your heavier luggage to be transported from your hotel in Oslo to your hotel in Bergen and can carry an overnight bag with you for ease of travel throughout the Norway in a Nutshell trip. Staying overnight at the scenic Flam was a good way to give rest to the body and mind. Being a small village everything, be it the small railway museum, the few souvenir shops and cafes were all concentrated in one place where the train stopped, and the ferry boarded. After 5 p.m. the village is dead so get your supplies as you retire for the night and have a book to read or a movie to watch at night. I had dinner at the Café and Restaurant which was not much to boast of and breakfast at the Flam bakery.

The next day I took the bus tour to the Stegastein viewpoint after breakfast. The platform at Stegastein viewpoint built 650 meters above the Aurlangfjord gives a panoramic view. It was one of the most beautiful views across the Nordic countries.

The next part of the journey was the ferry ride from Flam to Gudvangen across the Nærøyfjord. Once again, the mesmerizing views of the fjord made every minute of the journey worth it. From Gudvangen we had to board the bus to Voss. It began raining and the driver would not open the bus till it was time to depart so most of us got wet standing in the queue outside the bus. There was no place for us to take shelter. Rains are unpredictable and thankfully I was carrying a poncho.

Even the bus ride from Gudvangen to Voss is beautiful. After about an hour, we were dropped at the Voss railway station. Our train to Bergen was an hour later. If you do not want to spend the night in a quiet village then Voss would also be a good place to stay. It was much bigger and seemed more alive even at night. The last train ride from Voss to Bergen dropped me at Bergen around 9 p.m. My hotel was again in the city center and about 10 minutes of walk from the Bergen Central Station.

BERGEN:

I stayed at Hotel No. 13 in Bergen. It was right in the city center and within walking distance to everything I wanted to see there. The city center is lively though the location of my hotel was a pedestrian only street, so I had to walk with my luggage for quite a bit. I did not mind the trade off though. Here goes my list for Bergen:

Bryggen and the German Hanseatic League: The picturesque, colourful wooden houses in the Bryggen district are the symbol of the city. 400 years ago, German merchants bought the cod from Norwegian fishermen here and then exported it to all of Europe. This fish made Bergen the most important trading metropolis in Scandinavia at the time. Today there were a plethora of cafes, restaurants, bars, and shops among the houses. One can enter the houses and see them from inside as well.

Bergenhus fortress: Located at the entrance of Bergen harbor, the castle is one of the oldest and best-preserved stone fortifications in Norway. The fortress contains buildings dating as far back as the 1240s. Until 1299, Bergen was the capital of Norway and the main seat of Norway’s rulers. Bergenhus is currently under the command of the Royal Norwegian Navy. It was not a massive fortress and about 30 minutes was sufficient to spend there.

Torgallmenningen Square: This square is Bergen’s mid-point and was about 100 meters from my hotel. It is the city’s shopping district and the start of the university area at Nygårdshøyden. The Galleriet shopping centre is located on one corner with other shopping centres just behind it. There are many brand stores inside the shopping center. One of the highlights of the square is the Seamen’s Monument. Sjøfartsmonumentet which is a 23-foot-tall tribute to Norwegian sailors and Norway’s maritime history. There are many cafes, restaurants, and pubs in this area and it’s not surprising that Torgallmenningen square is the most popular meeting point of Bergen. While I am not a fan of going to Starbucks, the heritage building housing it at one end of the street was an attraction and I could not keep away from trying it out. It was one of the biggest Starbucks outlets I have been to.

Festplassen: This doesn’t show up in the must-see places in Bergen and I was lucky to find it while walking around my hotel. Festplassen is an open park by the lake, with beautiful views to the surrounding mountains. The charming park is also a transportation hub with all buses to the city center stopping here including the train to the airport. It is surrounded by shops, cafes, restaurants, and pubs and is a very lively area.

I had a fulfilling one and a half days in Bergen visiting all these places. Bergen had a vibe to it and came across as a charming and energetic city. The airport was about a 45-minute bus ride and Flybus was the best option to get from the City Center to the airport.

TROMSO:

The last leg of my Norway sojourn was in Tromso, in the northern most part of Norway. I took a flight from Bergen to Tromso. The airport in Tromso is not very far from the city so taking a cab is an easier option. It took me about 10 minutes to reach my hotel Clarion Collection Hotel With. The hotel was in the city center close to the pickup points for all tours.

Famished after my early morning travel, I had a quick bite at the Kaffebona in Stortorget. I had booked myself on a Northern Lights tour that night. This is what I had been waiting for long and the primary reason for my adding Tromso to my itinerary. However I learnt the hard way after signing up for different tours across Norway and Iceland  that the Northern Light chasing tours are one of the biggest tourist gimmicks I have seen. When I booked the tour a month back, the tour brief mentioned that if we don’t see the lights the money will be refunded, or we will get another chance. On the day of the tour the stance changed to money would be refunded or a second chance given only if the tour gets cancelled and that they operate tours only when there are very strong chances of seeing the Aurora. By the time we stepped into the bus the guide started setting expectations that we would not see the lights. At least the guide in Norway made some efforts and stopped the bus at two three places though he did not make any strong efforts to go far and wide to chase the lights as the tour description would say. Finally, when we did spot the lights, it was the biggest disappointment to realise that what my eyes saw was very different from what the camera saw. The eyes saw grey streaks though they show up as green in the photographs. Do not waste your money on these tours. They are a rip off. It is a natural phenomenon happening occasionally and that too can’t be seen with the naked eye. The whole northern lights enigma is created to fend for the multi-million-dollar tourism industry. My friends in Sweden had alerted me about this but for someone who had wished to see the lights all my life, I had to experience this gimmick firsthand to realize what a sham it was.

So, after a disappointing rendezvous with the Northern Lights, the next morning I took a tour to the Arctic Fjords through Fram Tours. I booked it on the spot while walking by their office as the one I booked online through Get Your Guide got cancelled at the last minute. Thankfully they had a seat and could accommodate me. This tour across the fjords in and around Tromso was again a highlight of the trip. We were glad to see the fall colors which last for just about 2 weeks. The tour took us through the incredible landscapes offered by the northern fjords of Kvaløya. The journey was peaceful and tranquil with just us and the scenic beauty around us. A warm ready to eat lunch was served at the beach in Sommaroy which acted as the icing to cake! The tour started at 10:00 a.m. and ended around 4 p.m.

I spent the evening walking around and soaking in the sights and sounds of Tromso.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE TRAVELLING IN NORWAY:

  • Norway is primarily a cashless country so there was no need to keep any local currency if I had a Visa or Master Card. Amex worked in hotels though I used my Visa card everywhere else.
  • English seemed to be the spoken language, so I did not have to remind people that I did not speak Norwegian.
  • It is critical to have data on your phone as most transportation booking is moving to apps, and you can only book tickets online.
  • Download the Ruters app for bus and tram tickets in Oslo.
  • If you have booked a tour online, please check for confirmation even if you don’t hear from them as many a times there is a communication lag between the local tour company and the aggregators like Get Your Guide or Viator and they may not inform all customers in advance for any cancellations.
  • Do not make the Northern Lights the primary reason for going to Norway. It might turn out to be a big disappointment.
  • The last week of September and the first week of October is a great time to travel to see the fall colors. The weather is not too cold and can be managed with a jacket.
  • During the Norway in a Nutshell trip, book your overnight stay in advance. Also book your luggage through them if you don’t want to lug it around.
  • For travelers from India, if you are craving for Indian food, try the following restaurants – Benares in Oslo, Namaste Bergen and Indie in Tromso.

There was so much more to Norway than I had imagined. The lower influx of tourists and population as compared to central European countries has helped it maintain its scenic charm. Getting to see the countryside through the Norway in a Nutshell trip was a great experience and I would highly recommend it. Leveraging different modes of travel, cruise, train, bus, flight helped me soak in a lot more of the country that I truly think should be on every traveler’s bucket list.