Totally, absolutely, 100% love it that you are traveling to Norway or at least considering traveling to Norway. A big YAY for that! With an open mind, a heart for adventure and legs + lungs to take you places, you will have the time of your life. And I’m dead serious about this, because you really need to be ready for whatever will come your way during your trip: long distances to drive, 4 seasons in a day (or hour), high prices for food and drinks, etc. To help you prepare for your trip, I have created a list with 11 tips and tricks so you can prepare yourself as best as possible.
1 The BEST tip first:
Be prepared for beauty. Like insane gorgeousness, breathtakingness, stunningness (are these words?) and you can’t believe it’s really real. I’m talking nature here. I’m talking Mother Earth’s free gifts for humankind here. Yes, traveling to and in Norway is expensive, but the beauty you will experience will make you feel like richest person on the planet. And of course, you’ll try to photograph this or take videos. But, I’ll warn you: it is kind of impossible to capture the incredible views your eyes will witness on camera. People have tried, of course. And it is lovely to see pictures and videos, of course. But it’s so far from the real deal. The real deal is the best deal. You gotta soak it in yourself.
2. Layers are life. Literally.
Let me say it loud and clear: You. Need. Layers. Not because it’s always cold (it’s not). But because Norwegian weather has mood swings, and your own body temperature will too – especially when you’re hiking.
Example of how a hike can be/feel like:
You’ll start your hike in a bit chilly weather, wearing a hoodie and jacket. After just about 10 minutes, you’re sweating like you’re in a sauna and you can’t understand why on earth you’re wearing so many clothes. And then, when you reach the top of the mountain, you are so happy you’ve got your sweater, because now you’re feeling cold.
That is why, my dear friend, smart layering is everything.
Tips for that:
- Wool or breathable base layer (bring them yourself or shop them at many many different stores here in Norway: Sport Outlet, Obs and Extra supermarket, Det Gule Hus (amazing second hand stores), Sport XXL, Extra supermarket and Cubus.
- A sweater or hoodie you can zip open or take off
- A rain jacket (always, even if it’s sunny when you leave – trust me on this one, because we have been in toooo many oopsie situations and our Norwegian friends laughed laughed laughed at us for always being naive or maybe to positive…!)
Our Norwegian friends never forget their rain gear. They’re pros.
We are terrible Norwegians. But we’re learning.
So please: don’t make our mistake.
Always bring a rain jacket. Even when it looks like July in the south of France.
I often get questions about what people should pack when they travel to Norway. Well, Norway is huge, so it’s impossible for me to create a packlist for someone else and especially when they travel (all) around. What I know you shouldn’t pack or don’t really need are fancy clothes or shoes. Unless you’re going to Oslo and plan to visit fancy restaurants or clubs. Or if that’s just your style and you like to spend time in nature in a cute dress.
3. Wool is your (non-itchy) best friend.
Let’s talk a bit more about wool. I honestly had no idea of how much I was going to appreciate wool before moving to Norway. But now we know and now we love.
Here, all around in Norway, people wear wool base layers all year round. Kids, adults, hikers, babies, everyone.
Merino wool is magic: it keeps you warm, cool, and (the best part) it doesn’t smell after one hike. Or five. And it dries quick.
Our favorite brands: Kari Traa (MY favorite), Bergans, Decathlon, Vikafjell, Bula, Sway, Heldre, Snjor, Northug.
Extra tip: When I take a ice cold plunge in the sea, a fjord or lake, I like to wear woolen socks. My feet are always the coldest and even start to hurt at some point, but with these socks on, it feels so much better. Still cold though, but truly so much better.
4. Respect the feet: hiking shoes are not optional.
It’s really as simpel as this: good shoes = good mood in Norway. You’ll walk a lot. Like a whole lot: on trails, rocks, moss, gravel and probably through some streams. So forget those cute little city sneakers or slippery soles, because hiking in Norway means you need a shoe upgrade.
5. The weather app lies. And Norway is kind of a weather multiverse.
Just in case you weren’t aware yet: Norwegian weather is completely unpredictable. And: This country is HUGE. That means:
- Different climates across regions
- Different weather even on different sides of a fjord (not kidding)
- And very different temperatures on top of a mountain compared to a sunny valley
You can have 26°C sunshine and rain and hail all in one day. So yeah… don’t trust the weather app blindly and just be prepared for it all (remember the layers ;-))
Also: choose the right mindset. Just like the Norwegians:
There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.
Make sure you choose the right mindset! Don’t complain, do rely on the weather to choose a good or bad mood and just take it the way it is.
6. Don’t miss out on visiting the beaches.
We had absolutely no idea about this, because we thought Norway = fjords, forests, waterfalls and mountains… We never ever heard anyone talk about the beautiful beaches in Norway. But there are so many and at many days, you can even have them all to yourself. This is something that we are still amazed by every time we visit the beach on a warm day. As being Dutchies, we expect long lines of cars heading to the beach and having trouble finding a parking spot. But often, it’s really just us. We LOVE it.
From the white sands of Åkrasanden and Sandvesanden on Karmøy (our all-time favorites and they are not too far from our home), to the surfer’s paradise of Hoddevik, or the turquoise water of Hauklandstranda in Lofoten: Norway’s beaches are wild, quiet and absolutely stunning. We haven’t been to the south of Norway ourselves, but we have heard that the beaches are lovely.
You won’t find beach bars, sunbed rentals or boulevards near or on the beaches. Instead, you’ll find silence, clean water and sand, raw natural beauty and space… so much space!
The color of the water is insane. Go check it out yourself, because in real life it’s even prettier than on pictures… The temparture of the water is also uhhh, wellll, very uhhh… refreshing. Think warm thoughts, I would say.
So yes, bring your swimwear and also your thermos of cocoa.
7. Grocery shopping in Norway? Shop smart!
Grocery shopping in Norway can be expensive – especially if you grab snacks at gas stations or eat out every day. But with just a little planning, it’s totally doable.
Your best friend? Supermarkets! Especially these budget-friendly ones:
- REMA 1000 – great prices, wide selection
- KIWI – everywhere and often surprisingly cheap
- (Coop) Extra – affordable version of the Coop chain
- (Coop) Obs – like a Norwegian version of a hypermarket: groceries, clothes, outdoor gear, kids’ stuff – all in one place and often with great deals
- Europris – not a grocery store, but great for snacks, dry goods and camping supplies
Pro tip: When you come to Norway by car, pack some (or more) of your favorite snacks from home: muesli bars, cookies, nuts, anything your kids (or you) might miss.
And if you would like te get the real Norwegian taste: let the kids explore the Norwegian candy aisle too. Smågodt (pick-and-mix candy) is practically a national treasure. It’s cheaper on Saturday, because that’s the day most Norwegian families allow their children to fill a bag with candy in the supermarket: lørdagsgodt it is!
Another true Norwegian thing to do is to bring Kvikk Lunsj (aka the Norwegian Kitkat) and a bottle of Solo on your hike. And don’t forget to grill pølse (hotdog) wherever, whenever. At many parks and on hikes you’ll find places to grill or you can bring your own ‘one time use’ grill box.
8. More shopping (in Norway) info…
During the week, most supermarkets in Norway stay open late. Often until 10 or even 11 PM. Super practical when you’re on the road or decide last-minute to grab snacks or dinner.
BUT:
- On Saturdays, shops close earlier, usually around 7 or 8 PM
- On Sundays, most stores are closed – so be sure to stock up in advance. There might be some smaller supermarkets open on Sunday, but they don’t have the full inventory like you would come across in ‘normal’ supermarkets. It took us quite some time to get used to the slow and quiet Sunday and even had an opinion about it. Like it’s ‘so old-fashioned’, and ‘Come on Norway, it’s 2025′. Especially after living in Vietnam for a year when it feels like shops never close and life never stops being ON. But now we really like our cozy, slow and quiet Sundays. Our neighbors even ask for permission to do garden work which will cause some noise when it’s a Sunday. We were like: ‘Uh, sure, go wild!’ But apparently, you shouldn’t make noise on Sundays. We had no idea! So apologies to all those Sundays on which we were too loud or maybe even mowed our lawn…
Keep in mind: while supermarkets are flexible, banks and public offices usually close early, often between 3 and 4 PM. So if you need anything official done: do it on a weekday, and do it early.
Important: All shops are closed on public holidays, including supermarkets, shops and many cafés. Check out if there are any Norwegian holidays when you travel to Norway. Make sure to get your shopping done before that day, or… those days! Shops also close early on the day before the public holiday, we had no clue about that first…
You can find a list of all the Norwegian holidays here
9. Silence is the vibe.
To continue with the sound of silence: Norway often feels like someone pressed the mute button and I mean that in the best possible way. People don’t fill the air with noise just to fill the air. There’s no pressure to make small talk or explain your presence. I feel like people just mind their own business and that’s so refreshing. So when people aren’t super talkative, you shouldn’t take that as rude or feel like they are keeping a distance from you. It’s just the way to go.
This doesn’t mean that everyone is like that of course. It does feel like the ‘main vibe’ here though and we LOVE it. We feel that people are so open and kind and we think we experience it this way, because we make sure to meet everyone with the same energy as they send out to us. We always have lovely conversations with strangers on hikes, on the beach or other random places. When we hear people from other countries say that Norwegians are so ‘closed’, we don’t recognize that at all. We have the kindest neigbors and colleagues who became friends so soon and we made many other lovely friends in the gym, in the park, at the pool and on the school’s playgrounds. What I said before, we think your own mindset and attitude matters so much in what kind of connections you will make and relationships you will develop.
10. Wild camping is allowed (and it’s soooo magical)
Thanks to Allemannsretten (the Right to Roam), you’re allowed to camp almost anywhere in nature – for free. Yes, really.
Just follow a few golden rules:
- Stay at least 150 meters from any buildings
- Maximum 2 nights in the same spot
- Leave no trace. Ever
Waking up next to a lake, a fjord or a forest with nothing but birdsong around you? Just the best!!
11. Go Slow, See Mo’
It’s super funny to write this title again, since I once used it to write a blog for KLM about our friends who traveled trough Africa on their bicycles. And now I’m using it to describe traveling through Norway. This is why:
It’s tempting to make a long list: Preikestolen, Trolltunga, Lofoten, fjords, glaciers, waterfalls, gorgeous must-visit places in the North, West, East and South… There are way too many stunning hotspots to squeeze into one or two or three trips. Check out our wishlist here: we don’t know how on earth we’ll ever have time to visit all these amazing places!
It’s important to keep in mind that Norway isn’t meant to be rushed through. It is not a checklist. It is an experience to truly just be here. Anywhere. Any place is just so lovely to just be. You won’t experience it like that if you have to go from place to place to place and have no time to absorb the beauty in so many ways. So:
Give yourself permission to slow down.
Let the kids build a dam in a stream.
Drink Solo and Kvikk Lunsj on a rock.
Watch the clouds roll over the mountains.
Breathe.
The best moments are often the moments that weren’t on the agenda. Give yourself and your co-travelers the gift of noth having to rush and to feel that lovely Norwegian slow vibe.
Bonus: These websites will be your BFF when you’re (thinking about) traveling to Norway
Here is a list of websites we often use to plan our trips:
Den Norske Turistforening (to book cabins, to find wonderful hikes and more travel & hike tips)
All provinces and even parts of provinces (municipalities) have their own tourism organization that shares insider tips, local events, beautiful trails, swimming spots, family activities, museums, cozy cafés, and so much more. Wherever you are traveling, just type in Visit (.. the are you’re visiting…) and you’ll find lots of great recommendations!
For example: VisitTelemark.com
We’ve also just discovered Stikk Ut, which is an app with lots of hiking trips. We can’t say we’re hooked yet, because we thought the description of where to park was so strange. And the second part of the hike we took did not make sense at all. There was no path at all, so we just waded through water and cruised through the bushes to the top of the mountain. There were no signs or anything. We made it to the top though and it was quite an adventure, but we’re a bigger fan of the big red T’s DNT has marked on their hikes. It made us feel a bit safer and the kids always love chasing the red T’s! You can read more about our DNT trips here.
That’s it for now! Wishing you the best time ever when you’re in Norway. Allow yourself to just sit or stand still several times a day and soak all the beauty, peace and quietness in. It the greatest thing ever for your body, mind and spirit. I promise you that!
Big hugs,
Annette
The Flying Dutch Family 