Visit Scandinavia

Christmas the old fashioned way

Get into the Christmas spirit at Bærums Verk in Oslo. Take a short ride with horse and sleigh during the weekends or just enjoy the beautiful surroundings and small shops in old houses from the 17th Century. Experience an old-fashioned Christmas market with lots of handicrafts & designer-goods. Make Christmas tree decorations from sheep's wool or make your very own soap. Meet Norwegian fairytale characters, the Hulder and the Trolls!

Website: www.visitoslo.com

Sandefjord

Sandefjord is small town in the south of Norway, located 120km from Oslo and 20km from Larvik. It was an important trading zone during the Viking period that supported entire generations with whale hunting. Today Sandefjord is home to Europe's only whale hunting museum where you can learn about the whale hunting around the world. The museum displays a life size model of the world’s largest whale, the blue whale. During summer, Norwegians from all parts of the country come to Sandefjord to live the good life by the sea. The coastline offers a wide variety of sandy beaches and islets. The Sandefjord Torp Airport is one of Oslo's international airports, and there is a bus that goes to Sandefjord Airport from Oslo City which takes approximately 2 hours.

Stavanger

Stavanger is Norway’s third largest metropolitan area and it is located on the south west coast of Norway. Stavanger has a great number of colourful wooden architectural structures and it is said to have the largest number of wooden houses in Europe. Its economy is driven by the North Sea oil fields. The principal sightseeing spots of this town include the Norwegian Oil Field Museum, Canned Goods Museum, and the cathedral. Two of the best day hikes in Norway are located a couple of hours out of town on the beautiful Lysefjorden. Not too far from Stavanger, alpine centres are ready for skiers and snowboarders throughout the winter season. You can travel with a high-speed boat from Bergen to Stavanger or to Lysefjord by bus or boat from Stavanger.

Access: Stavanger is accessible form Bergen by public bus or high-speed boat. It will take 6 hours by bus and 4 hours by boat.

Website: www.destinasjon-stavanger.no/

Harstad

Harstad is located approximately 1 1/2 h from Oslo by plane. Harstad is a small beautiful town that has a harmonious combination of radiant seas, rows of colourful houses, mountains, forests, and rivers. Harstad was an important base during the Viking era, and in the late 19th century it served as a sardine fishery. The Sami people, the natives of Lapland, have handed down their culture and tradition to their descendants. Tourists from around the world visit this area as it is the gateway to the Lofoten Islands, which is a popular anchorage site of the coastal steamer.

Access: Harstad can be easily accessed by plane from Oslo, Tromsø and Bødo. You can also travel to Harstad by sea, which takes approximately 3h from Tromsø.

Tromsø

Tromso is the largest city of the Arctic Circle and is home to the northernmost university. The city is separated into two regions, Tromsøya and Tromsdalen and it is surrounded by a beautiful cityscape, dotted with traditional wooden houses and water. The northern lights can be viewed from here around end of May and then you can view the sun shining over mountains at midnight.

Access: Approximately 2 hours from Oslo by plane. There are around 7 flights available daily. Tromso can also be accessed by coastal express boat.

Tromsø Tourist Information

Adress: Storgt. 61/63

Tel: +47 77 61 00 00

Fax: +47 77 61 00 10

Email: info@destinasjontromso.no

Website: www.destinasjontromso.no

Narvik

Narvik is the world's northernmost ice-free sea port. It is connected with Kiruna in Sweden by railway It is a harbour town that developed through the shipment of ore, transported from Kiruna mine.

Kristiansand

Kristiansand is Norway's 5th major city. It is a beautiful city, offering rows of antique architectural structures that face the coastline. The most visited sightseeing spots are the town's symbol, Kristiansand Cathedral and the Christiansholm Fortress.

Access: By plane, it takes approximately 1hour from Oslo, and approximately 1 hour from Bergen. By train, it takes around 5hours from Oslo, and approximately 3 hours from Stavanger.

Trondheim

Trondheim is Norway's 3rd major city with a population of approximately 150,000. It is one of the oldest cities in Scandinavia, and boasts a history and tradition of over 1000 years. This city was revived by the Viking King, Olav Tryggvason, in 997 B.C. and was then called Nidaros. Currently, it is the central point for maritime trade. It is also famous for being an academic city, hosting Europe's largest scientific technology research centre and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), which is highly respected around the world. Trondheim is located in the central region of Norway, 500km from Oslo. Trondheim is an urban centre - with everything the big city can offer, yet with the cosy appeal of small-town friendliness.

Access: Approximately one hour by plane from Oslo to Trodheim and around 20 flights are in operation daily. A direct flight from Copenhagen is also available. It takes approximately 7hours by train from Oslo to Trondheim.

Bodø

Bodo is a commercial city with a population of approximately 44, 000 people. The city has a railway station, coastal steamer harbour, and an airport, making it a strategic spot for transportation in northern Norway. It is also the gateway to the Lofoten islands, located on its opposite shore, from mainland Norway.