Travel guide – norway

norway
Go back to travel guide home

Overview

Norway is a wildly beautiful country of snow-capped mountains and deep glacier-carved fjords. The astounding scenery of the southwestern fjordland is the main drawcard for tourists, but there are many incentives to visit this sparsely inhabited country. It offers remote wildernesses and outdoor activities, fairylike forests, historic towns and charming fishing villages, down to earth friendly people, and the lure of the Arctic Circle with its famous Midnight Sun and surreal Northern Lights. It also boasts some of the most scenic bus trips, boat cruises and train rides in the world.

‘The Land of the Midnight Sun’, with its long summer days, is not only for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, but offers a rich cultural heritage from the Vikings, the traditional nomadic Sami people of the remote northern regions, and world-renowned artists such as Edvard Munch. Principle cities of interest are Oslo, the prettily sited capital; the historic trading port of Bergen, situated on the fjords and gateway to the Fjordlands; and hilly Tromsø within the Arctic Circle, the centre of the Northern Lights activity. They are pleasant, low-key cities that offer a good range of museums, historical sights and unique architecture.

Norway’s greatest impact on history was during the Viking Age, when the sleek Viking ships crossed the Atlantic, and Europe was subjected to numerous raids. Traditionally Norwegians were explorers, and their influences are evident from the Viking settlements established in Scotland, to the more recent personalities like polar explorer Roald Amundsen, and the legendary Pacific crossing of Thor Heyerdahl on his wooden raft, the Kon-Tiki.

Today Norwegians hold onto many of their cultural traditions, most notably the art of storytelling that takes place around the fireside to while away the long winter hours. Trolls figure prominently in their folklore, some friendly and helpful, while others are naughty characters that conveniently serve as a source of blame for all of life’s troubles.

Regions and cities within Norway...

Oslo
Fjordland
Bergen
Troms

Climate

Despite its northerly location, the climate in Norway is temperate, thanks to the warming effects of the Gulf Stream flowing along its coast. The interior highlands have an Arctic type of climate in winter with snow, strong winds and severe frosts, but during fine summer spells the daytime temperatures can rise above 86°F (30°C) with long hours of sunshine. By contrast, the coastal areas have comparatively mild winter conditions. Gales, rain and cloud are likely along the west coast, particularly in winter, and the rainfall is frequent and heavy. The lowland area around Oslo is the driest and warmest part of the country in summer.

Health

Travellers should seek local advice before eating certain types of fish from the lakes and fjords and mussels from along the coast. The standard of healthcare is high. A reciprocal agreement exists between UK and Norway under which British nationals are covered for emergency treatment whilst visiting Norway as long as they hold a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Travellers should ensure that they have adequate travel and medical insurance.

The basics

Time

Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between the last Sunday in March and the Saturday before the last Sunday in October).

Electricity

Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. Round two-pin plugs are in use.

Language

Norwegian is the official language, but English is widely understood.

Tipping

A 10 to 15% service charge is added to most hotel and restaurant bills and a further tip is only necessary if exceptional service has been received; waiters often receive an extra 5 to 10% tip. Taxi fares can be rounded up to the nearest five or 10 krone.

Safety

Norway is a safe country in which to travel, however travellers should still take sensible precautions to avoid petty-theft.

Customs

Smoking is prohibited in all public places and on public transport, unless otherwise indicated.

Communications

The international access code for Norway is +47. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). City codes are not required. Most of the country is covered by two operators providing GSM 900 mobile phone networks. Internet cafes are widely available.

Duty Free

Norwegian residents over 18 years, and who have been abroad for less than 24 hours, do not have to pay duty on 40 cigarettes or 20 cigars or 100g tobacco; and gifts to the value of NOK 500. Residents over 18 years who have been abroad for 24 hours or more and residents of other European countries, do not have to pay duty on 200 cigarettes or 250g of other tobacco products and 200 leaves of cigarette paper. For passengers over 20 years duty-free items include 1 litre spirits and 1 litre wine, or 2 litres wine and 2 litres beer; perfume and eau de Cologne in small quantities and gifts to the value of NOK 1,200. For residents of non-European countries over 18 years, 400 cigarettes or 500g of other tobacco products or 200 leaves of cigarette paper are duty-free, while for those of 20 years and older items include 1 litre spirits and 1 litre wine or 2 litres wine and 2 litres beer; 50g perfume and 500ml eau-de-Cologne; and gifts and items for personal use to the value of NOK 3,500. Prohibited items include alcoholic beverages with more than 60% alcohol content, arms and ammunition, narcotics and plants or parts thereof.

top of page