Tromsø

city and municipality in Troms, Norway

Sognefjorden

fjord in Norway

Trondheim

city in Trøndelag, Norway

Oslo

capital city and county in Norway

Hardangervidda

mountain range

Bodø

municipality in Nordland, Norway

Fredrikstad

municipality in Østfold, Norway

Nordkapp

cape on the island of Magerøya in Northern Norway

Lofoten

archipelago and traditional district in Nordland county, Norway

Jotunheimen

mountain range

Jostedalsbreen

largest glacier in continental Europe

Kristiansand

municipality of Vest-Agder county in Southern Norway

Drammen

municipality in Buskerud, Norway

Bergen

Norwegian city in Hordaland

Stavanger

municipality in Rogaland, Norway

Lillehammer

municipality in Oppland county, Norway

Finnmark

county of Norway

Troms

county of Norway

Telemark

county of Norway

Nordland

county of Norway

Ålesund

municipality in Møre og Romsdal, Norway

Aust-Agder

county of Norway

Molde

municipality in Møre og Romsdal, Norway

Vest-Agder

county of Norway

Kongsberg

municipality in Buskerud, Norway

Røros

municipality in Trøndelag, Norway

Voss

Norwegian municipality

Oppdal

municipality in Trøndelag, Norway

Lillesand

municipality in Aust-Agder, Norway

Risør

Municipality in Norway

Odda

municipality in Hordaland, Norway

Levanger

municipality in Trøndelag, Norway

Flekkefjord

municipality in Vest-Agder, Norway

Stryn

municipality in the Sogn og Fjordane, Norway

Lærdal

municipality in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway

Balestrand

municipality in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway

Hemsedal

municipality in Buskerud, Norway

Luster, Norway

municipality in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway

Vestvågøy

municipality in Nordland, Norway

Sogndal

municipality in Sogn og Fjordane, Norway

Lyngen

municipality in Troms, Norway

Stranda

municipality in Møre og Romsdal, Norway

Rosenborg BK

The local football club Rosenborg BK is the most successful in Norway and is frequently seen in the European Champions League. Rosenborg plays their home games on the Lerkendal stadium in the south of Trondheim.

Sognefjord

fjord in Norway

Røldal

human settlement

Arctic Cathedral

The city's most photographed building. The striking 1965 structure contains one of the biggest stained-glass windows in Northern Europe, and enjoys a fantastic location on the mainland, just opposite the city centre.

Galdhøpiggen

mountain in Lom, Oppland, Norway

Rjukan

city

Drøbak

city in Norway

Glittertind

mountain

Rauland

former municipality in Telemark, Norway

Geiranger

village in Sunnmøre, Norway

Nidelva

river in Trøndelag, Norway

Geilo

urban area in Hol, Buskerud, Norway

Tromsø Cathedral

The world's northernmost Protestant cathedral, built in 1861. With 800 seats, it's one of Norway's major wooden churches.

Valdres

traditional district and valley in Oppland county, between Gudbrandsdal and Hallingdal, in Norway

St Mary's Church, Bergen

The oldest remaining building in Bergen, St. Mary's Church was built in the 12th century. It is the best preserved of the city's three medieval churches and one of the few basilica-shaped churches in Norway. It was originally Romanesque, then enlarged in Gothic style. Having belonged to the German community in Bergen for many centuries, it contains a unique pulpit, one of Norway's most beautiful altarpieces and characteristic twin towers.

Vår Frue Church

The "Our Lady's Church" also dates from the Middle Ages but was partially rebuilt after a fire in 1708. Almost next to the central square, it's one of Trondheim's landmarks and has an interesting interior.

Southern Norway

region of Norway

Geirangerfjord

fjord in Norway

Bragernes Church

The city's beautiful main church.

Fantoft Stave Church

Stave churches are built in a distinctive style using the logs of trees as pillars, by the early Christians. This is a reconstruction of a church originally built in Fortun, by the Sognefjord, around 1150. On the 6 Jun 1992, the church was totally destroyed by arson, but a perfect copy has since been constructed. The inside of the stave church has no wall paintings and the altar is quite austere. If you have seen the stave church in the Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo, then save yourself a few kroners and skip this one.

Leknes

town in Vestvågøy, Norway

Gudvangen

village in Norway

Jostedal Glacier

largest glacier in continental Europe

Bryggen

Between 1350 and 1750, this area used to be a Hansa dock, trading and processing area. The wooden houses at Bryggen today were built after the devastating city fire of 1702, but are probably very similar to the buildings that were there before. Despite neglect and fires (Norwegian cities had a habit of burning down because everything is made of wood), a considerable number of buildings have survived and are now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you enter some of the alleyways between the storefronts, you really get a feel of what Bergen must have been like in the Middle Ages. There are a few museums on the history of Bergen and of Bryggen, but the most interesting aspect is probably that almost all of the buildings are still in use. One example is the restaurant Bryggen Tracteursted, serving food and drinks in a building first opened for this purpose in 1708. Wandering about on Bryggen is possible with a wheelchair, but getting in and out of buildings can be very difficult.

Hardanger

district

Gudbrandsdalen

valley and traditional district in the Norwegian county of Oppland

Tveit

urban area in Norway

Hove Church

This heavy romanesque building is one of 3 churches in Vik village, and like the stave church is no longer regluarly used. The building is maintained by National Trust of Norway (the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments). It is one of the oldest masonry churches in Norway and perhaps the oldest in Sognefjord area.

Bergenhus Fortress

Once the seat of the king, Bergenhus fortress is one of the oldest and best preserved forts of Norway. The oldest surviving buildings are from the mid 13th century, but the area was a royal residence from the late 11th century. The fortress is situated close to the international ferry terminal. The royal hall, Håkonshallen, (Haakon's Hall), named for King Haakon Haakonsson, was built some time between 1247 and 1261. It is used today for royal galas, as a banqueting hall for the city council, and other public events. The roof is reconstructed after a blast during World War II. The nearby Rosenkrantz tower has the same appearance as it had in the 16th century. The oldest part of the tower dates back to the 1270s, a few decades after Håkonshallen. It was expanded in the 1560s by the governor, Erik Rosenkrantz, to its present shape. The rest of the medieval buildings in the fortress have been replaced or demolished over the centuries, with some ruins still visible. Among these is the medieval cathedral, the Church of Christ, which was used for coronation and as a royal burial site in the 13th century. A memorial marks the site of the high altar. Guided tours of the royal hall and the tower start every hour between 10:00 and 16:00 every day from 15 May to 31 Aug in the royal hall. From 1 Sept to 14 May tours are only available between noon and 15:00 on Sundays. Entrance fee is kr. 40 for adults, 20 for students and free for children under 16. A small cafeteria with coffee, tea and basic snacks is open from June to August. The fortress grounds serve as a city park; you can hang out here and eat that fish you just bought at the nearby fish market - or just enjoy the sunshine and the view. The park is popular among locals and tourists, but usually not crowded. It is normally not a problem to find a good spot for your picnic or a round of Frisbee. There is a very good view of the bay. The use of open fire, including barbecues, and the drinking of alcoholic beverages are forbidden. Unlike in many other parks, the prohibition of alcohol is enforced strictly here, as the fort is still a military area with occasional military guards on patrol.

Besseggen

mountain

Store Skagastølstind

mountain

Gaustatoppen

mountain

Kristiansand Zoo and Amusement Park

Fjærland

human settlement

Lade, Trondheim

neighborhood in Trondheim, Norway

Hellesylt

village in Sunnmøre, Norway

Lyngen Alps

mountain range in Troms, Norway

Ryfylke

district of Norway

Folgefonna

glacier

Stavanger Museum

Free audio guide to take you through the entire museum, available upon request at the reception in German, English and Norwegian.

Elverhøy Church

Dating back to 1803, it's the oldest church in town. It was built in the city centre, but b was moved to a residential area on top of the island.

Krossobanen

Nigardsbreen

Glacier in Norway

Fredrikstad Stadion

Go see Fredrikstad Fotball Klubb (FFK) play a game of soccer at their brand new stadium across the river from the riverwalk. Fredrikstad is beyond a doubt one of the most devoted cities in Norway when it comes to supporting their local team and the strong history of the sport in the city is well felt.

Gamlehaugen

The villa at Gamlehaugen, built to resemble a castle, was the home of Christian Michelsen, former prime minister who helped free Norway from the Swedish rule through the peaceful dissolution of the "union" in 1905. Nowadays, the villa is the royal family's residence in Bergen. There is a large and very popular park around the villa. Bathing possibilities.

Fredrikstad Fortress

Take a walk around the Old Town, on a sunny day it is beautiful. Especially great for kids as there are grass to run on, old cannons to climb, a playground and lots of ducks to feed. Go for a cup of hot cocoa and a cinnamon "snail" at Mormors Café afterwards. Daily guided tours (summer).

Damsgård Manor

This 18th-century manor is the most splendid of the many country retreats built by Bergen's aristocracy in the past centuries. The roccoco main building is surrounded by several beautiful gardens.

Drammen Spiral

helix-shaped road tunnel in Drammen, Buskerud, Norway

Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene

The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene are the only places on Bryggen where the original interior is preserved or restored. A tour of The Hanseatic Museum gives you a good introduction to the Hanseatic Bergen and the Hansa life, as you walk around an authentic Hanseatic merchant's house from the early 1700s. The building was in use until the late 19th century, when it was converted into a museum. In Schøtstuene, buildings from other parts of Bryggen are rebuilt to show where people ate, celebrated and held meetings. Neither the museum nor Schøtstuene is accessible for those using a wheelchair.

Tyholttårnet

TV-tower with a rotating top restaurant: Egon Tårnet (see eat section).

Romsdal

district in Møre og Romsdal, Norway

Siljustøl

The home of the composer Harald Sæverud, famous for late romantic and neo-classicist works now houses a museum with occasional concerts. The somewhat mystic park around the house is open for the public.

Jostedalen

valley in Luster, Norway

Tryvann Ski Resort

ski resort in Norway

West Norway Museum of Decorative Art

museum of fine craft and design in Bergen, Norway

Supphellebreen

Hafjell

ski resort in Norway

Bøyabreen

Nygårdsparken

This is a very nicely landscaped park laid out in the late 1800s after English patterns. The park is a popular picnic place for families, and in the summer there's always several groups of students and young people having barbeques. You are very welcome to step on the grass and it's a nice place to play frisbee, kubb or croquet. If you want to save a few kroner on food and drink stop by a local grocery store to pick up some ingredients to a picnic, bring along a blanket and a few beers and spend a cheap and relaxing afternoon in this park. It's highly unlikely that the police will bother you for drinking in public in this park as long as you behave. It's also one of the places where it's rather easy to get in contact with the locals. There's no public toilet here, but pop over the road to Vilvite and use their facilities for free. The upper part of the park is now rejuvenated, with a nice play area for children, occasional outdoor exhibitions and – some weekends – a café with restroom in the new Pavillion.

Bymarka

park area in Trondheim, Norway

Arctic–Alpine Botanic Garden

Kvitfjell

ski resort

Cathedral of Our Lady, Tromsø

This tiny church is the seat of the world's northernmost Catholic bishop, and also dates from 1861.

Ekebergsletta

Svartlamon

alternative district in Trondheim, Norway

Old Town, Oslo

neighborhood in the inner city of Oslo, Norway

Espolin Gallery

Sverresborg

At Sverresborg, with lots of old houses depicting lifestyle in old days. In a very beautiful park area overlooking the city, and truly worth a visit! Activities for children on Sundays. Eat at the nice inhouse-cafe, or at the next-door "Tavern" dating from the 18th century.

Kristiansand Boardwalk

The boardwalk alongside the seafront in the town centre leads you through beautiful parks and passes Norway's second-largest fountain park (Otterdalsparken, also known as the Nupen Park), Christiansholm fortress from the 17th century (see above), playground for children and a public beach - Bystranda, the City Beach. The boardwalk continues along the western river bank of the river Otra (Otra elvepark) as a 40-km-long path for nature and culture.

Ravnedalen, Kristiansand

(Ravens' Valley) is a lovely park just outside the city centre. It is surrounded with steep cliffs and presents the visitor with lush flower gardens and manicured laws perfect for picnics. If you forgot your picnic basket, there's also a café here. The peaceful idyll is usually disturbed only by an extensive bird life. But there are sometimes music performances in the summer.

Myrdal

Fjellheisen

On Mount Storsteinen. Offers a fantastic view from 421metres/1382feet above sea level. In summer, make sure you go up there at midnight. The view from the top is amazing in winter also. You can walk (less than 1h one way).

Estenstadmarka

park area in Trondheim, Norway

Fiskebrygga, Kristiansand

There is still a fish market here, but there are also several, mostly maritime, restaurants around the central waterfront. During summer, locals arrive in their boats and anchor up here. Lovely place for an ice cream.

Arkivet (Kristiansand)

Gestapo headquaters: This is a current centre for peace and human rights. The building has a creepy history. During World War II, the local headquarters of Gestapo was located there. Many Norwegian opponents of the horrible Nazi regime were imprisoned there and were subjected to cruel torture, some were sent on to concentration camps and many lost their lives in the struggle for resistance. The museum exhibition takes you back to the crime scene of the 1940s.