I’m glad we did it, but the round trip wasn’t necessary (we both fell asleep on the way back to Flåm). We were very happy we chose to invest in the GPS as it worked almost perfectly and got us from place to place with ease even when our phones couldn’t find a signal. (No need to switch rooms, as it’s highly recommended to hike Pulpit Rock as a day trip from Stavanger!). Norwegian Folk Museum (one of the largest open-air museums in Europe), Viking Ship Museum (those boats are huuuuge), Norwegian Maritime Museum (learn more about the massive ship building industry), Once you arrive in Stavanger, take the bus to the city center and check into your hotel. No visa is required for U.S. citizens traveling to Norway as long as a valid tourist passport is in possession (and valid for at least six months beyond the period of stay). We bought a bunch of non perishable snacks with us from home (honey wheat pretzels, peanuts, granola bars, dried mango, and turkey jerky are our road trip faves) and went to low cost supermarkets (Rema 1000 and Kiwi) to buy bread, peanut butter, Nutella, and bananas (setting us back about $13) for sandwich lunches throughout our Norway road trip. Soak in the magical atmosphere of this alpine haven, and kayak or take a boat safari across the fjord. Lots more info below, but first, a pre-travel guide to Norway to learn a bit about the country and what to expect when you’re there. If you have extra time and are able to check airfare into nearby cities (Copenhagen, for example), you may be able to find even cheaper flights on low-cost airlines. Ask the hotel and they’ll give you easy directions. It definitely didn’t hurt that we were blessed with almost perfect weather on our Norway road trip, as the country is known to be super finicky when it comes to precipitation year round (more on that below). We chose to fly economy and paid around $750 per person round trip to/from Oslo from the West Coast USA during one of Norway’s busiest times of year- mid-summer (July). You’ll find yourself wanting to stop often to take photos – we recommend Utsikten for a perfect snapshot of the scenery. Get ready for your last day of driving in Norway! WiFi hotspots are a cost effective option to ensure you can use GPS apps like Google Maps, check your emails, and catch up with friends and family while away. After gawking at all the views on the fjord cruise, drive the 10 minutes to yet another famous viewpoint, Ørnesvingen, the highest of the hairpin bends in Ørnevegen (also known as The Eagle Road). All opinions, bad jokes, Frozen references, and repetitive uses of descriptors like “jaw-dropping” are 100% my own and absolutely not their fault. I like using Skyscanner and Google Flights to check for prices, and almost alllways find the cheapest flights on one of those sites. in order to save a few pennies, but you can pay on the bus if need be. Note that you don’t need to stay here to admire the scenery below; just walk right through the lobby to the back viewing platform. A road trip through the fjords is a bucket list item for many. On the way to Gudvangen/Flam, be on the lookout for Tvindefossen, another waterfall located right on the side of highway. And there's plenty of options in between. Should we take an organized multi-day fjord tour and which one do we pick? was a perfect place to rest our heads after the long day of driving – and I’d highly recommend it! 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. , Where to Stay: Clarion Hotel Stavanger (No need to switch rooms, as it’s highly recommended to hike Pulpit Rock as a day trip from Stavanger!). The 18 panoramic drives are some of the most beautiful road stretches in Norway and will take you along the coast and across mountains in the northern, western, and central parts of Norway. From here you’ll enjoy more magnificent panoramas of the town and fjord, although be aware that weather plays a key role in how visible your views will actually be (like at Flydalsjuvet). Relax, sit back, enjoy the atmosphere, you’re done! Best Norway road trip for: classic attractions. And PS – Bergen is said to be one of the rainiest cities in all of Norway, so bring along your umbrella and/or rain jacket if the skies look a bit dark. I don't just say this to get you excited, I really mean it. For more information, see our guide to driving in Norway. I’m honestly not sure exaaaactly what glacier this was, but enjoy! Only one person needs to go back technically to pick up the car, so keep this in mind when buying tickets. 6. Temperatures will be mild and hotel rates will be a bit less. Always allow yourself plenty of time for driving, since you’ll want to make sightseeing stops quite frequently (it’s all soooo gorgeous)! Norway shares a long eastern border with Sweden, and has over 25,000 km of coastline. Be sure to go on the “skywalk” which has a steel and see-through floor which rails made of glass. Then cruise in the car along Vik mountain before getting back to the city. We spent a great time in fjords and mountains and will definitely come there again! Up next, Aurlandsfjellet National Tourist Route, which runs from Aurlandsvangen (near Stegastein) to Lærdalsøyri, covering a distance of 47km and taking roughly an hour and a half to drive without stops. Flydalsjuvet is located higher above the town of Geiranger, providing phenomenal views of the Geirangerfjord, town below, and all the surrounding mountains. Day 3 – Drive to Reine today, where you can take the national tourist road that runs through the islands. Ferries are comfortable with cafes, bathrooms, and cushioned seats. But you could still have some time to stroll down to the harbourside and grab breakfast or lunch at one of the delightful cafes in town, and grab some souvenirs. Sure, they were beautiful and all that, but it seemed like many of the stops had views of the same thing. To be honest, it was kinda nice that there wasn’t a whooole whole lot to do here in Bergen. Find more information and plan options here. We saw sooooo many waterfalls already we didn’t feel the need to stop, but still worth looking out for on your drive to the Flåm area. You’ll be passing through the beautiful Norwegian countryside, over lots of bridges and through more tunnels you ever imagined. If I remember correctly, it took us about 2 hours to get to the starting point, and then another 5 hours of hiking (plus time spent getting back to Stavanger once we were all finished). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED especially when you don’t speak the native language of the country you’re visiting. Note that only routine vaccinations are required to visit the country, and you probably had those all when you were younger (check with your doctor). Our “romantic room” was simple yet charming, with a clean, and spacious feeling with a four-poster king bed and chandelier. The country is located in North Western Europe, in the region deemed Scandinavia (along with Denmark and Sweden), or more broadly, the Nordic countries (which also include Finland and Iceland). We chose to eat our homemade sandwiches here. Our first ever Norway itinerary was perfect. Despite the inconvenient parking situation (which was easily figured out after doing some research – more on that below), we thoroughly enjoyed our time at this hotel and recommend it. 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. A few questions that crossed my mind 1000x each during the initial planning stages: Should we fly/train/bus/drive from place to place? Psst: I commonly use. Norway Road Trip and Travel tips, including the best destinations to visit, things to do, visiting the fjords and glaciers in Norway- plus how to travel Norway on a budget! Where to Stay in Alesund: Radisson Blu Hotel Ålesund. This specific ferry gets quite crowded and you don’t want to have to wait until space is available, which could potentially be hours in tourist season (therefore wasting your precious Norway time). This is fantastic for getting in lots of activities/driving in one day! Where to Stay: Since we booked last minute, we opted to rent an AirBnB for the night. Read More: Conquering Norway’s Pulpit Rock Hike: Everything You Need to Know. Book in advance with Flybussen (. ) After the ferry and a short drive, you’ll arrive at Trollstigen (The Trolls Road), part of one of the most famous National Tourist Routes in all of Norway (Geiranger – Trollstigen)! Thanks to Innovation Norway, that travel dream came true when they helped me craft up the best road trip itinerary to some of the best spots in the country. I recommend finding accommodation in Flam or one of the surrounding small villages (Aurland, Undredal, or Dyrdal). The country is so safe that police don’t even carry guns! ATMs provide the best exchange rate. It’s wise to bring among an eye mask on your trip should your hotel not have blackout shades (all of ours did thankfully). As all the other ferries on this Norway itinerary, don’t worry about booking in advance because you can just show up on the port and fall in line with the other cars. Plus, the sound of the water is just oh so relaxing (keep your windows open). The last daylight will be around midnight and the first will be around 2am, meaning there’s only complete darkness for around 2 hours! Best Norway road trip for: those who want to see it all. The city center has a very unique Art Nouveau style, which you’ll soon notice once you get your bearings – so keep your camera handy! 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. Highly recommended! We spent 20-30 minutes at the lake exploring and taking photos of the ridiculously clear water and just taking a few moments to revel in Norway’s beauty.. To say we got a nasty glare from a bus driver on his way down is an understatement. The hotel was in a great location, right on the water, which made looking out the window of our room super fun! If you’re planning your 10 days in Norway during June, July, or August, expect the sun to set around 10pm or later, and rise shortly after 4am. Things can get tricky around here, haha. Once you arrive in Stavanger, take the bus to the city center and check into your hotel. Day 15 – Using Stavanger as a base, you can easily explore this majestic region of Norway, including Lysefjord and its surrounding terrain. The city is absolutely beautiful, and the fact that it’s surrounded by mountains and fjords makes it even more appealing to visitors! We ultimately decided to craft our own itinerary (ok, let’s face it, I did 98% of the planning), renting a car for most of the way, and getting in all my highlights. NOTE: If you’re taking my hotel suggestion and staying at Clarion Hotel Stavanger, you’ll need to book the shuttle to the Radisson Blu (a 2 minute walk away from the Clarion). Epically beautiful, and right on the side of the road so difficult to miss. Two and a half hours up, an hour+ or so at the top, and roughly an hour and a half down. It can sound a bit complicated, but I promise you getting to the start of the hike is rather quite simple and reliable. You’ll first drive north to Åndalsnes, then cut west for Alesund! Note that the drive back to Flam is about 20 minutes. Norway Road Trip Itinerary: An Epic Self Drive Adventure John 10/12/2016 02/02/2020 You could spend a lifetime exploring Norway. In addition, the hotel staff was extra accommodating and the breakfast spread was more than decent! If you’re tight on time you can also drive directly to Bergen in about 4 hours, but what’s the fun in that?! Note that you can start the Nærøyfjord Fjord Cruise in either Gudvangen or Flam, it just depends on the availability when you book. Also, there are numerous companies that operate the ferries so if you’d like to take a look at the schedules, just type in the starting and ending spots in Google and you’ll find it no problem! Just use common sense, stay alert, and you’ll be fine. 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. Note that some cell phone plans allow for international use, but many of these are costly. Today, our 10-day Norway road trip itinerary, took us up into the Folgefonna National Park, and into the remote world of ice caps and glaciers. There were enough activities to fill a leisurely day with extra random wanderings and relaxing at a cafe. Explore this remarkable port city in northern Norway, and duck into its Trøndelag Folk Museum, the old wharf Bakklandet, and the Nidaros Cathedral. Among his top travel experiences are sailing along Geirangerfjord with classically trained singers providing the soundtrack, seeing the northern lights twice in one Reykjavík weekend, and enjoying 9:00am honey mojitos at a tobacco farm in Viñales, Cuba. Feeling a bit extra? Norway was a dream destination of mine. While many of Norway's highlights can be seen from a train window or by bus, renting a car opens up a whole new set of opportunities. Whoa! 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. Book in advance with Flybussen (website) in order to save a few pennies, but you can pay on the bus if need be. Since you’ll be parking your car in Gudvangen (or Flam, depending on availability), you’ll need to take the shuttle back to Gudvangen (Flam to Gudvangen) to pick up the car. You could easily be forgiven for not knowing which of the many different routes to choose from. You have these options (with tons of variants in between): Fastest Route – EuroTunnel to France. The train ride felt a tad overrated considering all the breathtaking scenery we had seen thus far on our Norway road trip, but I admit it was nice to just sit back, relax, and take in the views (and I’m sure the husband appreciated someone else doing the driving). 10 day Norway itinerary: hike the best trails (Trolltunga, Pulpit Rock, Kjeragbolten) and road trip to Bergen, Geirangerfjord, and Stavanger. And since you’re by the sea, why not try pickled herring? Although the rooms were somewhat tiny (common in Bergen), the bed was super comfy, location was extremely convenient, small balcony (depending on room type I’m presuming), and the hot breakfast with some typical Norwegian specialties among your typical breakfast options more than made up for the tightness. However, if you’re looking for the cheapest possible time to visit Norway, these are the months to do it, as flight prices and hotel rates will be significantly less (because not many want to visit then). Day 7 – It's time to set your sat nav for the airport. This classic route is for any traveller who wants to tick off all the main attractions during their road trip across Norway. Although the house was located in a beautiful spot overlooking Aurlandsfjord, we had to make our own beds and sleep in separate twin beds (not huge deals but not what we were expecting). And besides the lovely Tom, the hike draws over 300,000 visitors each year – and for good reason! As with other most places in the world, you’ll need to pay a one-way car rental fee if you in fact choose to copy this Norway road trip itinerary from start to finish. 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. Prices are payable by vehicle and if you’re coming by car or motorbike you’ll have to pay 130 NOK via credit card (pretty sure the. This itinerary starts in Oslo (which is where most international travelers arrive in the country), heads west to Stavanger, then makes its way up north to Alesund via Bergen, Flam, and Geiranger. Eventually, we settled for a 2 week Norway road trip starting from Oslo and ending back in Oslo. The breakfast was included and had all the breakfast staples and then some. You’ll also be able to see the iconic natural landmark known as Pulpit Rock. 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