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DISCOVER NORWAY

How much do Norway’s most popular activities cost 

From museums to fjord cruises and renting a mountain cabin to stunning train rides and amazing hikes, there are plenty of amazing things to see and do in Norway. 

Published: 11 July 2023 16:54 CEST
Pictured is a cruise ship in Norfjord.
This is how much Norway's most popular tourist activities cost. Pictured is a cruise ship in Norfjord. Photo by Steinar Engeland on Unsplash

Museums 

The Munch Museum, which opened in 2021, has been a superb addition to Oslo’s cultural tourism menu, and at 160 kroner for an adult, it’s actually pretty fair value by Norwegian standards. In addition to its many changing exhibitions, the museum is home to copies of the world-famous Edvard Munch painting The Scream. 

Another museum home to copies of The Scream is the new National Museum which opened its doors last year. The museum is the largest in the Nordics, and tickets cost 200 kroner for adults. 

You can get two for the price of one and purchase a joint ticket for the Fram Polar Exploration Museum and Kon-tiki Museum for 250 kroner. The Vigeland Museum, devoted to the Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland, costs 100 kroner. 

Mount Fløyen funicular 

The Fløibanen funicular railway that takes you high above Bergen’s UNESCO- world-heritage-listed harbour costs 160 kroner for an adult, 80 kroner for a child, and 400 kroner for a family ticket.

Once you get to the top, there is a shop, café, restaurant and toilets. From the top, you can take in the scenery or follow the numerous footpaths and trails in the area. 

Trolltunga and Preikestolen

The stunning cliff Trolltunga above the Ringedalsvatnet lake in Vestland is free to climb. However, you will either need to pay for parking or a shuttle bus. Parking as close as possible to the hike costs 600 kroner per day. Shuttle buses cost around 350 kroner to get to the parking closest to the hike. 

Parking at Preikestolen, on the other hand, costs around 250 kroner, provided you make it up and down in good time. The charge is hourly, so longer trips will cost more. A guided hike up to the top, which boasts views of other Lysefjorden, costs around 1,200 kroner. 

Pictured is Preikestolen.

Pictured is Preikestolen. Photo by Maksim Shutov on Unsplash

Fjord cruises from Bergen or Geiringer and the Hurtigruten cruise 

A fjord cruise between Geiranger and Hellesylt in the UNESCO-listed Geirangerfjord will set tourists back around 500 kroner each today, while a four-hour cruise up the Osterfjord from Bergen will cost you about 800 kroner. 

The cost of taking the Hurtigruten cruise up the Norwegian coast from Bergen to Kirkenes and back is currently 15,225 kroner.

Renting a cabin from the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) 

There are hundreds of DNT cabins across Norway. For those wishing to experience the best of Norway’s wildlife and nature, staying in one of these cabins or hiking from one to the next in national parks is an excellent way to spend a holiday. 

Booking a bed in one of the association’s staffed hostels in the countryside near Oslo can cost close to 1,500 kroner a night for a non-member while booking a bunk in one of the association’s more remote unstaffed cabins is about 450 kroner. 

The Bergensbanen and Flåm railways 

Crossing the Hardangervidda plateau, Europe’s largest high mountain plateau, on the train between Oslo and Bergen must rank as one of the world’s great train journeys, as well as being the most relaxed way to get between Norway’s two biggest cities. 

 A one-way ticket currently costs about 1,100 kroner. However, ticket prices are based on supply and demand, meaning cheaper seats are available. 

When taking this railway, you can actually stop in Flåm and take the railway there, often dubbed one of the most picturesque in Europe. Tickets for this journey cost around 750 kroner. 

Pictured is the Flåm railway.

Pictured is the Flåm railway. Photo by Daniele D’Andreti on Unsplash

A fishing boat trip in the Lofoten Islands

A fishing trip with the company No Problem Sportfishing, based in Svolvær in the Lofoten Islands, is currently 1,000 kroner per person. 

There are also providers offering boating and eagle-watching tours in the area too. 

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DISCOVER NORWAY

How to enjoy summer in Norway like a Norwegian

Norwegians, reveal a different side when the summer sun appears. Here's how you, too, can make the most of Norway's cherished summer season.

Published: 18 June 2024 11:52 CEST
How to enjoy summer in Norway like a Norwegian

Norway is often associated with its stunning fjords and winter sports (most people usually imagine Tromsø in northern Norway when they think about the country).

However, as anyone living in eastern or western Norway will tell you, the country can often feel very central European when it comes to the weather, and it really does enjoy its fair share of summer each year.

READ MORE: What you need to know about summer travel to and from Norway

As temperatures rise and daylight stretches late into the evening, many Norwegians reveal a different, more vibrant side of themselves.

The reserved demeanour often observed during the colder months disappears; instead, a welcoming, almost “party” spirit emerges, making summer a special affair in the country.

If you want to enjoy the season like a local, this mix of activities best reflects the Norwegian way of life.

Hit the beaches and parks

When the temperatures rise and the Sun shines, Norwegians flock to beaches and parks for sunbathing and socialising.

This is a time when people seem to become happier and more open, shedding their usual reserve.

It’s common to see Norwegians lying close to each other in bikinis, enjoying the Sun’s warmth (walk through any city park in Bergen, western Norway, in July, and you’ll see swarms of Norwegians lying on the grass, laughing, and just having a good time).

For newcomers to the country, the contrast in behaviour between summer and winter can be striking, with a noticeable Norwegian friendliness that emerges with the summer light.

Don’t let it go to waste!

READ MORE: How to make friends in Norway – six things I wish someone had told me

Plan a boat or tent trip

Norwegians love spending time in nature, and thanks to Allemannsretten, they have the right to roam freely on uncultivated land.

This freedom allows for spontaneous tent pitching almost anywhere, whether it’s a secluded forest spot or a scenic lakeside.

For the adventurous, spending the night in a hammock or even under the open sky is a cherished experience. It offers a sense of freedom that the average Norwegian values quite highly.

Boat trips also fall under the category of experiences that strengthen this sense of freedom, and many Norwegians hop on their vessels – or rent one out – and head out into the fjords.

Lofoten cod

Summer fishing is a popular activity around the Lofoten Archipelago. Pictured is a fisherman with a cod caught close to Svolvær in June 2023. Photo: The Local Norway

Dust off your fishing gear

Fishing is a year-round passion in Norway, but summer brings a special joy to the activity.

Norwegians relish the chance to catch fresh fish while enjoying the excitement that fishing brings, and the country is famous for its abundant fishing stock.

Anglers have numerous opportunities to try their luck in virtually every part of the country, whether fly fishing for salmon or casting a lure for cod.

Fishing tourism is especially booming in northern Norway, and you won’t struggle to find fishing tours in popular tourist hotspots like the Lofoten Islands.

The season of cabin comforts

For many Norwegians, a long weekend or holiday often means a trip to the cabin.

Cabins, whether in the mountains, forests or by the sea, are seen as a beloved escape from daily life.

EXPLAINED: ‘Hyttefolk’: Why Norwegians are so passionate about cabin retreats

These retreats, ranging from simple huts to more elaborate structures with electricity and internet, offer a cosy refuge where Norwegians can unwind, drink freshly brewed coffee, and enjoy the natural surroundings.

The Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT) provides access to a network of cabins across national parks and mountains, which you can check out on their website.

A beer in the Sun

Summer in Norway means finally being able to enjoy a beer outdoors, a practice known as utepils.

With good weather, Norwegians cherish the chance to relax with friends, savouring cold beers in the warm sunshine – something that might seem ordinary to foreigners but is seen as a magical experience in a country where the weather can often be quite unreliable.

Heading south

Many Norwegians spend part of their summer in southern Europe, particularly Italy or Spain.

This trend includes retirees leveraging the cost of living differences and younger Norwegians seeking sunny, affordable escapes.

If you can’t imagine summer without scorching 30°C temperatures while at the same time saving on some expenses (such as food and drinks), heading southwards to destinations such as the Canary Islands, the Costa del Sol, or the Balearic Islands might just be one of the most Norwegian things you can do this summer.

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