From fantastic fjords to the magical Northern Lights: Why Norway is a must

Release time：2024-05-03 12:41:14 Source：International Identities news portal

Norway is a feast for the eyes. 

Across the country are charming, chocolate-box houses, making up colourful cities and vibrant villages. 

But while these are worth a visit, to truly experience Norway is to surrender your eyes, body and soul to the glories that nature has to offer, from rich-green forests and blinding-white Arctic landscapes to the jewel-blue shimmer of the fjords.

The great outdoors suffuses so much of what is amazing about Norway - the breathtaking scenery, the sumptuous cuisine, and the fascinating wildlife.

Here is why Norway needs to be your next holiday destination. 

Once-in-a-lifetime scenery  

Trolltunga (Troll’s Tongue) juts out precariously over Lake Ringedalsvatnet in Vestland County

Majestic: The Seven Sisters waterfall in Geirangerfjord

If you thrill to a good view, Norway boasts scenery that will make you want to burst into spontaneous applause. 

Fleet of foot? Hike to the tip of the mythical Trolltunga (Troll’s Tongue) - a staggering rock formation, jutting out precariously over Lake Ringedalsvatnet in Vestland County.

Or recline on a cruise through the canyons of Geirangerfjord, where a photogenic canopy of waterfalls tumble down mountainsides. The misty mystique of three - The Seven Sisters, the Suitor and the Bridal Veil - will stop you short. 

In the tiny village of Flåm, you can climb aboard a truly riveting train journey. This rollicking railway - one of the steepest in the world - whisks you through vertiginous mountainsides, foaming waterfalls, and through 20 tunnels, stopping to take in sights such as the 738ft Kjosfossen waterfall.

This country has beauty writ larger than you can imagine. 

Wildlife you'd usually only see in a documentary 

There are 3,000 polar bears on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard

The fabulously fluffy Arctic fox

The Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, a whisper away from the North Pole, is a polar bear kingdom: 3,000 polar bears roam the island, far outnumbering the number of human residents. 

These lumbering, curiously elegant creatures can be spotted on a boat trip through the fjords, or a winter snowmobiling or skiing expedition. If luck is on your side, you may also spy a walrus, sedately splayed by the fjords outside Longyearbyen.

Or take a whale safari - you might spy the mottled grey of an enormous sperm whale breaching the swirling waters, common in the north. Or you might see orcas, humpbacks, or the fleet flukes of a pod of playful dolphins.

Further south, channel the spirit of early Norwegian explorers by riding astride a sledge drawn by a dozen galloping huskies, an ideal vantage to take in the grandeur of the glistening white countryside.

From Tromsø, Norway’s Arctic capital, take a guided tour to learn how to track wild reindeer as the Sámi do. Hope to spy an Arctic fox with its fabulously fluffy white fur.

A light show you'll never forget 

The Northern Lights - aurora borealis - lighting up the night sky above Tromsø

It's one of Norway's strongest draws: the heart-stopping majesty of the Northern Lights - aurora borealis - waves of iridescent green light unfurling across the inky night sky, licked with spikes of fiery red. 

This year is predicted to be a banner year for aurora activity, offering the best opportunity to spy the Northern Lights for two decades according to astronomers.

The prime spots to watch their undulating, shimmery dance? Tromsø or Svalbard.

Fresh, fabulous food

Norway's jagged, jaw-dropping coastline is more than just a feast for the eyes: it's the reason the country has such fresh, fabulous cuisine. 

Sharply cold water cultivates the flavour and texture of seafood caught daily by local fishing communities - haddock and mackerel, mussels, oysters and scallops, shrimps and lobster.

Meltingly tender king crab is hoisted straight from the icy seabed of the Northern coastline. Skrei - cod - migrates thousands of miles from the north coast of Russia to a spawning ground off Norway's coast. Freshly fished, it's firm yet succulent - you'll have no difficulty understanding why some quarters consider it the best cod in the world. 

And the land-locked fare is just as delectable. Rich, robust elk sausages or the hearty heft of wild reindeer, herded by the indigenous Sámi people, perfectly matched with the zing of lingonberry jam, sweet brown goat's cheese, and mashed potato. 

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