Norway
Norway certainly isn't a cheap place to visit, and is probably the most costly place I have been in Europe. It did, however, feel well worth it - the scenery is magnificent and the cities and towns are pleasant, having managed to avoid throwing up skyscrapers and high-rises everywhere.
The country stretches a long, long way north to south, the north of it then reaching up and around over the top of Sweden to meet Finland. A large chunk of it lies in the arctic circle, and the rest isn't so far from it, meaning the days in summer are very long and the days in winter are very short (or, if you're within the arctic circle then you experience the midnight sun and the polar night during summer and winter). This means it can be really quite chilly, although the sea has much of a moderating effect. I've somehow only ever ended up in Norway in spring, and late spring proved a wonderful time to travel there.
Places I've Been
Top Picks
- Take the train from Oslo to Bergen (you can break this into a couple of bits and visit other places on the way). It's available as a sleeper service, but then you will miss all of the nice scenery. I did it in early May and there was still a real lot of snow around once the train got into the more mountainous areas. This is just a regular train service rather than a tourist attraction, but it's stunning anyway.
- On the subject of train journeys, one that is much more of a tourist attraction is the line from Myrdal (a stop on the Oslo to Bergen line) down to Flam. You then continue on boat down the fjord to Gudvangen, and the bus back up to Voss - back on the Oslo to Bergen line again. This is known as Norway In A Nutshell, and is extremely beautiful. It's also extremely touristy, and most people do it in a day trip from Bergen. If you've got time, don't. Get to Myrdal in the mid-afternoon and take a train down to Flam (after the majority of the day-trippers will have done it). Spend the night there, then get the first boat to Gudvangen in the morning (before the day-trippers get there). Then you will have much more peace to enjoy it.
- The views from the hill over Alesund stretch out for miles, and the town itself is simple, but very pleasant too.
Langauge
English is spoken both widely and very well, so the language barrier really is not a problem here. I found menus in restaurants were usually in both English and Norwegian, and if they're not in English then staff will usually speak English and be able to help you.
Warnings
Beer is extremely expensive in Norway. Don't go there for a drinking holiday, unless you're stupidly rich.
