Kristiansand
Off the E18, 10km east of Kristiansand, Dyrepark is probably the favourite holiday destination for Norwegian kids. The former zoo is several parks rolled…
Must-see attractions in Norway
Bergen & the Southwestern Fjords
Around 18km west of Haugesund, the tiny island of Utsira barely covers 6 sq km and is home to just 235 people, but its size belies its reputation in the…
The Northern Fjords
Fourteen kilometres out to sea from Kristiansund, the island of Grip has a long tradition of cod-fishing stretching back centuries, but was abandoned by…
The Northern Fjords
For the highest and perhaps most stunning of the many stunning views of the Geiranger valley and fjord, take the 5km toll road (130kr per car) that climbs…
Vesterålen
Trondenes Church was built by King Øystein around 1150. For ages it was the northernmost church in Christendom, and still lays claim to being Norway's…
Oslo
The Historical Museum is actually three museums under one roof. Most interesting is the ground-floor National Antiquities Collection (Oldsaksamlingen),…
The Far North
Sami culture is big business here, and this impressive theme park includes a wistful, hi-tech multimedia introduction to the Sami in the 'Magic Theatre',…
Oslo
For a more in-depth look at Gustav Vigeland's work, this museum is just opposite the southern entrance to Frognerparken. It was built by the city in the…
Western Finnmark
The Stabbursnes Nature Reserve extends over the wetlands and mudflats at the estuary of the Stabburselva. Birdwatchers come to observe the many species of…
Southern Norway
This cultural centre is 11km northeast of Fredrikstad. The most intriguing feature is the Ode til Lyset (Ode to the Light), a 'sound sculpture' by Arnold…
The Far North
This oil-rig-shaped airship mast on Vadsø island was built in the mid-1920s as an anchor and launch site for airborne expeditions to the polar regions…
Ålesund
Ålesund's celebrated Sunnmøre Museum is 4km east of the centre. Here, at the site of the old Borgundkaupangen trading centre, active from the 11th to 16th…
Tromsø
Near the southern end of Tromsøya, this museum has well-presented and documented displays on traditional and modern Sami life, ecclesiastical art and…
Central Norway
Of all the beautiful mountain roads of central Norway, one stands out for its combination of scenery and storytelling: Peer Gynt Vegen. Running for 60km…
Arctic Highway
The Vefsn Museum is split over two sites. In Sjøgata, the Jakobsensbrygga Warehouse is an excellent small museum that portrays, via some particularly…
Bergen
Housed in a series of wonky wharfside warehouses dating from the 18th century, this museum delves into the industry that sustained Bergen (along with the…
Norwegian Museum of Travel & Tourism
The Western Fjords
A museum examining the history of tourism might not immediately sound like the biggest must-see, but bear with us: the story of how people travelled…
Southern Norway
Don't miss the imposing Oscarsborg Fortress, which lies on an offshore island and dates back to the 1600s. It was the Oscarsborg batteries that sank the…
Central Norway
West of town (1.5km), this extensive open-air museum includes 18th- and 19th-century buildings, a folk history exhibit featuring the creepy Devil's Finger…
The Western Fjords
The River Lærdalselvi is one of the top spots for wild salmon fishing in Norway. Salmon fishing has been part of the culture here since time immemorial,…
Bergen & the Southwestern Fjords
This ancient stone church was built under the reign of King Håkon Håkonsson. Work began in 1250, although it's thought that a much earlier wooden chapel…
The Northern Fjords
The beautiful islet of Ona, with its bare rocky landscapes and picturesque lighthouse, is still home to an offshore fishing community of about 25 people…
Nordland
A long way from anywhere – it's 40km south of Namsskogan, which is, in turn, 125km south of Mosjøen along the Arctic Highway – the Namsskogan Familiepark…
Tromsø
This Arctic-themed attraction provides a multimedia introduction to northern Norway and Svalbard. Kick things off by watching the two panoramic films:…
The Western Fjords
Spectacular wooden stave churches get all the attention around here, but this little gem of a medieval parish church built of stone shouldn’t be…
Stavanger
This beautiful church is an impressive but understated medieval stone cathedral dating from approximately 1125; it was extensively renovated following a…
The Far North
This large, open-air zoo is 23km south of Setermoen and 3.3km east of the E6. It features wildlife of the boreal taiga (marshy forest) in spacious…
Oslo
The highlights of a visit to Oslo Cathedral, which dates from 1697, are the elaborate stained-glass windows by Emanuel Vigeland (brother of Gustav) and…
Nordkapp
Presiding over a scene of considerable natural beauty is this visitor centre, a vast bunker of a place, topped by a giant, intrusive golf ball. Within you…
Tromsø
Fittingly for a town that was the launch pad for many pioneering expeditions to the North Pole, Tromsø's Polar Museum is an old-fashioned romp through…
Ålesund
At the peninsula's western extreme, 3km from the town centre, this aquarium can consume a whole day. Be introduced to the North Atlantic's teeming…
The Northern Fjords
Kristiansund's old town lives on in a part of the island of Innlandet, with clapboard buildings that date back to the 17th century. The grandiose…
Bergen & the Southwestern Fjords
The Kunsthuset Kabuso runs a fascinating program that features big-name contemporary artists (Damien Hirst, Matthew Barney and James Turrell have all…
Longyearbyen
Galleri Svalbard features the Svalbard-themed works of renowned Norwegian artist Kåre Tveter (1922–2012), so pure and cold they make you shiver, as well…
Bergen & the Southwestern Fjords
Voss' stone church occupies the site of an ancient pagan temple. A Gothic-style stone church was built here in the mid-13th century and although the…
Oslo
The quirky 18th-century wooden homes of the Damstredet district and the nearby Telthusbakken are a nice change of pace from the modern architecture of the…
Aurland
This restored hamlet perches high above the fjord, between Flåm and Aurland. The 27 scattered buildings, the oldest dating from the early 17th century,…
The Coast
The Mølen promontory, around 20 minutes' drive west of Stavern, is Norway's largest beach of rolling stones, and an austere and rather impressive sight…
Central Norway
Forests have been central to life in Norway since time immemorial, and this quirky museum 1km from downtown Elverum celebrates them in all their various…
Bergen
Viking fans will feel right at home at this impressive ceremonial hall, built by King Håkon Håkonsson in 1247–61 and completed for his son's wedding and…
