Visit Scandinavia

Stavanger

Stavanger is Norway’s third largest metropolitan area and it is located on the south west coast of Norway. Stavenger 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. Also, an interesting suggestion is to head for the hills. 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.

Website: www.destinasjon-stavanger.no/

Telemark Canal

At the Telemark Canal you can travel past the rural areas on the dynamic Queen Victoria boat, which will take you through the Telemark Canal from the coastal area. The Telemark Canal received the Europe Nostra award for its restoration techniques and preservation abilities. Enjoy a serene boat ride through the canal while interacting with the friendly locals.

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.

Norheimsund

Norheimsund is a settlement surrounded with majestic fjord nature in the middle of the Hardangerfjord, just an hour drive from the city of Bergen. The Steinsdalsfossen waterfall, located 2km from the village, is particularly popular as you can walk behind it and experience its beauty and strength from the inside of the waterfall.

Maritime Museum (Norsk Sjøfartsmuseum)

The Norwegian Maritime Museum is in a fantastic location, right on the edge of the Oslo Fjord. The museum features a great panorama film "The ocean – a way of life" that takes the audience on a cruise along the Norwegian coast. Visitors can watch this visual sea voyage all year around.

Address: Bygdøynesveien 37

Tel: +47 22 43 82 40

Website: www.norsk-sjofartsmuseum.no

Reine

Reine is a small village that is situated in the southern region of Lofoten. It is surrounded by jagged rock-faced mountains and as a resalt the village captivates photographers from around the world. There is also a fishery harbour, cafés and restaurants that are converted from fishing cottages that are worth visiting during your journey.

Lysoen Island & Ole Bull's Villa

Located on Lysøen Island, this villa was constructed in 1873 and belongs to Ole Bull, a Norwegian violinist. There is a romantic road, leading up to the house, with a number of lakes amid the island's pine tree forest, giving it a fairytale ambience…

Address: Lysekloster-Bergen

Tel: +47 56 30 90 77

Fax: +47 56 30 93 72

Open hours: May 18th to August 31st Monday to Saturday 12noon to 4pm Sundays 11am to 5pm September Sundays 12noon to 4pm

Closed days: September Monday to Saturday October to mid May Admission fee: 25kr, 40kr for groups

Website: www.lysoen.no

Sognefjord

The Sognefjord is the world's longest and deepest fjord stretching 204km eastwards from the west coast, with a depth of 1,308m. The fjord can be reached by trains and other public transport from Oslo and Bergen and it can be accessed all-year round. It is recommended to take the Fraam Railway through villages located at the inland part of Sognefjord.

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/

The National Museum of Art, Architecture & Design

The new museum is a merging of the previously autonomous institutions The National Gallery, The National Museum of Contemporary Art, The Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, The Norwegian Museum of Architecture, and The National Touring Exhibitions, Norway. Well worth a visit for visitors with an interest in art and design.

Address: Bankplassen

King Hakon's Chateau (Hakonshallen)

The King Hakon is a chateau built by King Hakon Hakonsson between 1247 and 1267. At that time, Bergen was Norway's capitall. This chateau was used as the house of the royal family.

Address: Bergenhus

Tel: +47 55 31 60 67

Open hours: May 15th to August Everyday 10:00 to 16:00 September to May 14th Everyday 12:00 to 15:00

Admission fee: 25kr

History Museum (Historisk Museum)

This museum displays anthropological collections from Norway’s prehistoric times, medieval times, modern times and other periods.

Address: Haakon Sheteligs Plass 10

Tel: +47 55 58 31 40

Open hours: June to August Tuesday to Friday 10am to 4pm Saturdays/Sundays 11am to 4pm September to May Tuesday to Friday 10am to 2pm Saturdays/Sundays 11am to 3pm

Website: www.museum.uib.no

Lofotr Borg Viking Museum

This is a unique museum located in Borg in the Lofoten Islands. Here you can gain firsthand experience of the Viking era. It is located 55km from Svolvær on route E10, and 14km from Leknes.

Tel: +47 76 08 49 00

Fax: +47 76 08 49 10

Website: www.lofotr.no

Kautokeino

Kautokeino is a Sami village that has a population of approximately 3000 people, one third of whom are reindeer breeders. Kautokeino means "open land that bristles with sedge from the forest" in Sami. Since this is a permanent home for the Sami people during the winter, it has educational facilities, such as a reindeer breeding school and a Sami craft school. in addition to other facilities that cannot be found in other regions of Norway, such as the Sami research institute. Many of the tours here also feature rather unique themes, including downstream rides on Sami boats, visits to Sami tents, and reindeer riding during the winter season.

National Gallery

The National Gallery is Norway's largest gallery that showcases a collection of national and international art works, including 1900 sculptures and 40, 000 block prints and line-drawings. This is a must-see gallery as it exhibits Munch's main pieces, such as "The Scream" and "Madonna".

Address: Universitegaten 13

Tel: +47 22 20 04 04

Website: www.nasjonalgalleriet.no