Most Famous Must-See Tourist Attractions in Norway

 Norway Travel Guide to Top Tourist Attractions

Norway today offers tourists a fantastic mix of cultural, architectural, and natural wonders. For example, from cosmopolitan Oslo, deep impressive, jaw-dropping fjords, to its countless snow-covered mountain peaks, there's virtually no limit in choices for visitors in the country of the midnight sun, stargazing opportunities of all 12 constellations of the zodiac, and breathtaking northern lights.

Traveling around Norway is quite simple, and the nation's excellent public transportation services provide top-ranking sightseeing chances, too, whether by train or aboard the wonderful coastal steamers.

As one of the most prosperous countries in the world, Norway appears to have a captivating museum for exhibiting just about every significant aspect of its abundant social and cultural history. If you conduct a little research, you'll find intriguing attractions encompassing everything from fishing, seafaring, Vikings, art, to entertainment.

Norway also boasts many places of spectacular scenery that's largely unrivaled in many respects. For instance, from its stunning mountains to glaciers, several of which tourists can easily access, and here you'll discover some of Europe's best sites for exciting adventures.

Plan an unforgettable sightseeing trip with the help of my Norway travel guide to find the top tourist attractions in Norway.

1) Sognefjord.  Having Norway's biggest fjords, Sogneford is referred by Norwegians as the King of the Fjords. Why? From the coastal village called Skjolden, it reaches at least 204 kilometers inland and branches off into endless smaller fjords and inlets along the way. At its broadest, Sognefjord is nearly 5 kilometers across, plus the cliff-walls peak at 1,307 meters, creating an awe-inspiring sight, like the stuff that heaven must be made of.

The most popular manner to tour the fjord is by hopping on either a fjord cruise or boat, and you'll find many sightseeing tours. Several of the top-notched touring options leave conveniently from the charming town of Bergen. This whole "adventure" may take one day.

Also, visitors will like exploring narrower branches such as Naeroyfjord, a stunning very long stretch with cliff-walls separated by 250 meters of space and rise over 1700 meters beyond the water.

Another prime destination is Fjaerland, which is a strikingly lovely region where you'll find Europe's largest glacier, Jostedalsbreen, as well as the Norwegian Glacier Museum.

2) Pulpit Rock.  It's a tourist attraction most suitable for the active type of visitor because of the physical-demanding trip required to reach Pulpit Rock. Nonetheless, it's a very popular site in Norway. Situated close to Stavanger, you'll need a ferry, bus rides, and finally, a 2-hour uphill hike for reaching the nearly flawlessly flat-topped cliff that looks over Lysefjord, over 600 meters beyond the water.

Everyone who comes to the Stavanger location will also want to visit the unusually intriguing Norwegian Canning Museum, being set up like the Cannery working during WWll. Stavanger Cathedral is yet another major attraction situated in Stavanger. The 12th-century building features many styles such as a Gothic font, a Baroque pulpit, and a Romanesque basilica.  

3) Viking Ship Museum.  As Norway's largest museum built in honor of their seafaring ancestors, the museum features 3 9th-century Viking ships, and each serving as a burial chamber for eminent Vikings.

The biggest of these, the seventy-foot Oseberg Ship, constructed about AD 800, now contains a chieftan's wife, two other women, and several items which provide insightful clues into Viking life.

Also, the museum displays the Gokstad Ship that's magnificent and 23 meters long, including the Tune Ship. Tourists could also see many exhibits and films which stress the importance of a seafaring life for that culture.

4) Bygdoy Peninsula.  Located in a suburb just 4 miles west of Oslo, visitors can use a car or public transport to reach Bygdoy Peninsula. It's home to many of the city's best tourists attractions, plus forests, parks, and beaches.

Here, you'll find Fram Museum that houses the vessels Fram, noted for Polar voyages. The popular Kon-Tiki Museum stands only next door.

In this area lies the Norwegian Maritime Museum. It's a great place to tour in Oslo for all history and ship buffs. The museum explores Norwegian life through the roles of fishing as well as other maritime activities.

5) Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf.  This colorfully painted area used to be Bergen's center of trade and Hanseatic merchants dominated it. Today, visitors could find many historic structures which portray life throughout the Middle Ages, including the Bryggen Museum, restaurants, and boutiques.

Go to the Hanseatic Museum, open since 1872, to learn much more. The museum is located in Finnegard, which is a 1704 house that a merchant once owned. During your tour, you'll want to see Troldhaugen, which was composer Edvard Grieg's former residence and workspace. Stop by the Open-Air Market for anything particularly appealing.

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Most Famous Must-See Tourist Attractions in Sweden

 Sweden Travel Guide to Top Tourist Attractions

With its incredibly rich culture, history packed with much consequence, and varied landscapes concealing countless natural gems, Sweden is a tourist's paradise. If you love exploring the outdoors, indeed it's hard, no, impossible to dismiss. Both the water and air are strangely clean, plus there are literally thousands of acres where untarnished forests and impressive lakes lie, including extensive archipelagos along the country's enchanting coasts.

The public transport and roads are exceptional, the people are unusually helpful and friendly, plus in recent times, Swedish cuisine has experienced a real earth-quaking revolution. Toss in an astonishing history, from infamous Viking invaders, imperial intrigue to Royal dynasties, and one fact is perfectly clear: you'll never get bored.

Sweden's fine attractions range from famous Ice Hotel, ancient towns, vast Arctic landscapes, to opulent palaces. There are plenty to do and you will want to have a lot of available time to take full advantage of all its historic treasures and outdoor adventures.

To assist you in making the most of your travel itinerary, we encourage you to use our Sweden travel guide to find the top tourist attractions in Sweden.

1) Vasa Museum.  Located in Stockholm, the Vasa Museum is Sweden's wildly popular museum, now attracting nearly a million tourists a year. Over 20 million people already have toured since it opened in 1990. And you'll soon know why.

Back in 1628, the pride and joy of the Swedish Imperial fleet, warship Vasa, sporting 64 cannons, sank during its maiden voyage. The ship lay deep under the icy waters for over three whole centuries, but in 1961, a highly ambitious salvage operation began. Today, tourists from all over the globe visit to see this intriguing time capsule.

The museum accommodates visitors of all nationalities, such as providing audioguides and guided tours in English. A tour to Vasa which houses ten separate displays and four additional museum ships, is a full day out. You'll find a shop and a restaurant here to help you out in getting by.

2) Skansen & Djurgarden.  As the oldest open-air museum in the world, Skansen is an ancient village comprising homes and farmsteads, representative from all over Sweden. However, collectively these remarkably preserved structures represent urban and rural culture at different eras, ranging from 1720 to the 1960s.

Gathered here are a bakery, a Sami camp with reindeer, churches, mills, schoolhouses, workers' homes, a funicular railroad, complete farms, and artisan's shops.

In such houses, workshops, and farms actually live costumed interpreters who continue daily work, showing the skills, crafts, and doing both household and farm-related tasks. Animals native to this country, inhabit a zoo, including areas for exotic animals as well as a children's zoo.

Skansen is situated in the large urban Djurgarden Park, where locals go often, particularly in the summer. Everywhere are traditional snackbars, restaurants, cafes, and hotels. You can rent either a canoe or bicycle. Here you'll find Abba the Museum and the Grona Lund amusement park.

Use a ferry beginning from Gamia Stan, or bus or tram from Norrmalmstorg. Alternatively, since the park is just a pleasant and quick 15-minute stroll from the city center, get more information at the Djurgarden Visitors' Center.

3) Gamla Stan.  Stockholm's old town, called Gamla Stan happens to be a little concentrated area precisely where the city started in the mid part of the 13th century. A lot of today's medieval enclave still remains, though in typical Scandinavian style, it's brushed afresh as well as painted regularly. Its real charm exists in the architecture that includes narrow stone-paved paths and cobbled streets that go around its squares, particularly the central one, Stortorget, surrounded by aged merchants' homes.

In this neighborhood, lined with many cafes, restaurants, and shops, you'll run into the Royal Coin Cabinet, the Post Museum, the Nobel Museum, and several churches. Also, it's a great area for spending a day or two, that is, if you could find appropriate accommodations, with options ranging from economical hostels and inns, guesthouses to luxury boutique hotels.

4) Drottningholm Palace.  On the lovely island of Lovo, the palace which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, exudes a fairy-tale feel. It lies approximately 11 kilometers west of Stockholm city center, a 45-minute ride by ferry. The 17th-century palace is today the Swedish Royal Family's official residence.

On the stunning terraced park lie bronze sculptures from Denmark and Bohemia, but brought here as war trophies. Be certain to visit the 17th-century Chinese Pavilion. The 18th-century-old Palace Theatre is yet used to present performances throughout summer. While touring through the Theatre Museum, visitors now can admire from period stage costumes to stage scenery.

Available are guided tours in English, plus a fair number of exciting workshops and programs for adults and children alike.

5) Stockholm Archipelago.  Stockholm is frequently called the "Venice of the North" because there is water everywhere and about 30,000 islands exist in Stockholm's enchanting archipelago.

While unique yellow and red timber summer homes occupy certain islands, others remain completely untouched as if frozen in time; but here tourists can discover treasure chests fully loaded with endless natural wonders.

A sea trip that includes around the city or visiting one or more islands, should be a top priority, regardless when you arrive, for cruises operate all-year-round. Several tours now include either lunch or dinner, plus they all provide a great opportunities for viewing the city. Take advantage of the hop-on hop-off options. While in downtown, you can't miss the distinguished Stromma boats.

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