Things to do in Norway

A microcosm of today’s Norway, Oslo’s Astrup Fearnley Museet combines stunning modern architecture (designed by the Shard’s Renzo Piano), beautiful parkland, a child-friendly beach, and one of the country’s most important collections of contemporary art, including Anselm Kiefer’s epic Zweistromland (The Land of the Two Rivers). To focus on the works of Norway’s most famous artist, you’ll want to head instead to Oslo’s Munchmuseet, dedicated to the brush strokes and pencil lines of Edvard Munch, creator of The Scream. But don’t be misled into believing Norway’s cultural attractions are limited to Oslo’s centre— Karljohansvern, on the outskirts of the capital’s Horten district, is a major pull for history buffs due to its role as one of the country’s earliest naval bases. It’s now home to a hugely important collection of photographs that leaves even non-photographers spellbound. Nor is Norway’s art confined to gallery walls, with its cities acting as a huge open-air canvas for street art, including works by Martin Berdahl Aamundsen, who leads tours through the latest hotspots, including the towns of Bergen and Stavanger.

When it comes to outdoor adventures, Norway is a prime destination. With a ski and snowboarding season that lasts into the summer on the glaciers of the north, Norway boasts countless cross-country tracks and alpine resorts, with the most popular dotted through its central and eastern belt. In this land of fjords, lakes, and rivers, fishing is as deeply embedded into the local culture as skiing is. In the summer, join anglers for a chance at hooking wild trout, or brave the country’s winter for the unusual experience of dropping a line through an opening in the ice sheet.

If you’d rather come face to face with an orca than an arctic char, or nose to nose with a musk ox, a hairy survivor of the last ice age, rather than a mackerel, then consider a wildlife safari. A refuge for some of Europe’s most unusual species, Norway’s vast length means there’s always a native oddity to keep an eye out for, be it King Crab on the Russian border or the birds of Runde. The country’s natural wonders continue with the Northern Lights. Norway is one of the best places to see these swirling ribbons of otherworldly light, with tours, cruises, and hotels all dedicated to the natural phenomenon. And while the winter months welcome the aurora borealis, high summer is the time of the midnight sun. Though it can be experienced anywhere beyond the Arctic Circle, this mind-bending marvel is at its most sublime on Svalbard, where the sun doesn’t set between April and August, dog-sleds are a major form of transport, and polar bears prowl along the beaches on the hunt for walrus.

Whether you want a resort vacation, wildlife safari, city break, luxury cruise, wellness retreat, honeymoon, once-in-a-lifetime adventure or weekend escape, the trip curation experts at Mr Hudson make travel planning a breeze. Find out how we can handle the finer details of vacationing in style.