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🇳🇴Things to Do in Norway
From the fjords of Western Norway to the Lofoten Islands - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Norway's fjords are the reason most people come - dramatic, steep-sided inlets best seen from a ferry or a hike above one, and no two of the major ones are quite the same. Bergen serves as the usual fjord gateway, while the far north offers the Northern Lights in winter and the midnight sun in summer as a second, very different trip. Here are 8 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Geirangerfjord
A UNESCO-listed fjord with waterfalls (including the Seven Sisters) cascading directly into the water, viewable from a ferry crossing or the Trollstigen mountain road above it.
📍 Geiranger, Western Norway
🚉 There is no railway to the fjord: take the train to Andalsnes, then bus 213 over the Trollstigen to Geiranger in summer, or arrive on the Hurtigruten coastal ferry.
Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)
A flat-topped cliff 604 meters above Lysefjord, reached by a moderate 4-hour round-trip hike from Stavanger - one of Norway's most iconic viewpoints, with no railing at the edge.
📍 Near Stavanger
🚉 Ferries and buses run from Stavanger to Preikestolen fjellstue, the trailhead, in about an hour - the 8km round-trip walk from there takes four hours.
Bergen
Norway's fjord gateway city, with the colorful wooden Bryggen wharf (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and the Fløibanen funicular for a quick city viewpoint.
📍 Bergen
🚉 Nearest station: Bergen, the end of the Bergen Line from Oslo, one of Europe's great rail journeys at seven hours; Bryggen and the Floibanen funicular are a 10-minute walk from the platform.
Lofoten Islands
An archipelago above the Arctic Circle with dramatic peaks rising straight from the sea and traditional red fishing cabins (rorbuer), many now converted into guest accommodation.
📍 Lofoten Islands
🚉 Fly to Leknes or Svolvaer, or take the train to Bodo and the four-hour ferry to Moskenes; buses link the fishing villages along the E10, but a car makes far more of the islands.
Northern Lights, Tromsø
Tromsø is one of the most accessible bases for aurora viewing, roughly September through March. No tour can guarantee a sighting - clear skies and solar activity both have to align on the night.
📍 Tromsø
🚉 Tromso has an airport 10 minutes from the centre and no railway - the aurora is chased by minibus tours that drive inland or into Finland to find clear sky.
Midnight Sun
Above the Arctic Circle, the sun doesn't fully set for weeks around the summer solstice - Lofoten and the North Cape (Nordkapp) are two of the most popular places to experience it.
📍 Lofoten & Nordkapp
🚉 The sun stays up all night above the Arctic Circle from late May to late July: Tromso, Nordkapp and Lofoten are the usual bases, reached by air, coastal ferry or the Nordland Line to Bodo.
Flåm Railway
One of the steepest standard-gauge railways in the world, descending through mountains and waterfalls between Myrdal and the fjord village of Flåm - often paired with a fjord cruise on the same day.
📍 Flåm, Western Norway
🚉 The Flam Railway climbs from the fjord at Flam to Myrdal on the Bergen Line, 20km in an hour - it is a scheduled train, so it can be booked as part of a Norway in a Nutshell itinerary.
Oslo
Norway's capital, with the Viking Ship Museum and the Vigeland sculpture park within Frogner Park among its best free-or-cheap attractions.
📍 Oslo
🚉 Nearest station: Oslo S, the central station, with the Flytoget airport express, the T-bane metro and trams from the doors; the Opera House and Munch Museum are a five-minute walk.
Mark Norway, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Norway?
A week covers Oslo and the fjord region (Bergen, Geirangerfjord, the Flåm Railway) well. Lofoten or the far north for the Northern Lights is worth treating as a separate trip or extension given the distances.
What's the best time to visit Norway?
June-August has the mildest weather and the midnight sun in the north. September-March is best for the Northern Lights, needing dark, clear nights; fjord cruises run reduced schedules in winter.
Is Norway good for a first-time visit?
Yes, though it's one of the more expensive European countries to visit - the trains and ferries connecting the main fjord towns are efficient and don't require a car for the standard routes.
Do I need a visa to visit Norway?
Norway is part of the Schengen Area, so citizens of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; other nationalities need a Schengen visa arranged in advance. Check the official visa information for your nationality: udi.no.
What are some things to do in Norway on a tight budget?
Hiking to Preikestolen and most fjord viewpoints costs nothing beyond getting to the trailhead, Oslo's Vigeland sculpture park and many city parks are free, and Norway's right-to-roam laws allow free wild camping in most uncultivated areas.
Can I rent a car in Norway, and what licence do I need?
Yes, though the trains, buses and ferries are excellent and a car is mostly worth it for Lofoten and the fjord back roads. EU and EEA licences are valid as issued; licences from other countries can be used for up to three months, with an International Driving Permit if yours is not in the Latin alphabet. Minimum age is usually 19 to 25 depending on the car. Norway is expensive to drive: tolls are automatic and billed to the rental afterwards, ferries add up on the fjord routes, and winter tyres are mandatory in the cold months. The Public Roads Administration publishes the rules at vegvesen.no; cars come from Hertz, Avis and Europcar.