Norway

Introduction 

Norway is a country that is known not only for its natural beauty but also for its food and culture. Did you know that Norway is the largest exporter of Salmon in the world? Norway is famous all over the world for its beautiful Northern lights.  Besides, it is also known for some places such as Ypsilon Bridge, Sculpture park, gardens, museums, etc.  

Location and Population: –  Norway is located in the subregion of Scandinavia which is in the Northern part of Europe. It shares land borders with Finland, Russia and Sweden. The geographical area of Norway is 3,85,203 km2  

According to the census conducted in the year 2021, the population of Norway is 5,465,629.  

Norway’s History: –  The history of Norway goes back to the time of the Viking ages, that is during the 8th century when they tried to expand their territories until it was captured by Denmark and then later by Sweden. Norway gained independence after the wars fought until 1905. Norway was neutral in the First World War but during the Second World War, it was captured by Germany. It was restored after the second world war and it has become a founding member of NATO. 

Facts you should know about Norway:

There are various facts that tourists should know about Norway before they visit it. These are as follows: – 

• Norway is home to the largest road tunnel in the world, the Laerdal tunnel that connects Oslo and Bergen. 

• Norway supplies one Christmas tree to London every year as a feature of thanks for their help during the Second World War. The Christmas tree is placed in Trafalgar Square.

• The climate in Norway is different from other countries. During the summer season in Norway, the sun does not set at all whereas during the winter season, the sun never rises, it is dark. 

• Did you know that 98% of Norway’s domestic power usage is drawn from hydroelectric power plants? 

• Norway is known for its innovations that have become popular in the world such as the Cheese slicer, Salmon sushi, Aerosol cans, Harpoon cannon, etc. 

Culture and Food: –  The people in Norway are very casual in nature and they don’t talk too much to strangers. They love to have food in their home rather than going to a restaurant as buying groceries from the supermarkets is not expensive. They like to do adventure sports and love to have coffee.  

Norwegian cuisine is a cuisine that involves the use of vegetables, meat like lambs, beef, etc and it includes seafood that is more of fish. The cuisine is similar to the cuisines of other European countries. Some of the popular dishes of Norwegian cuisine are Fårikål, Lapskaus, Smalahove, Vafler, Tilslørte Bondepiker, Kjøttkaker, etc. 

Things to explore in Norway:

There are many things for tourists to explore in Norway in terms of festivals, events and adventure activities that are as follows: – 

• Northern Lights Festival: – It is one of the most popular festivals that is held in the city of Tromsø during the season of northern lights. The music festival is known for some of the popular artists like Leif Ove Andsnes, Jan Garbarek, Martin Fröst, Yuri Bashmet, etc. 

• Christmas: – It is one of the most celebrated festivals in Norway. The tourists would get to experience the way Christmas is celebrated in the country. The tourists would see the markets and various houses decorated with beautiful Christmas trees and lights all over the city. The tourists would get to taste the traditional Norwegian cuisine during the snow and get to see the popular markets in the cities.   

• Hiking: – The tourists can explore some of the best parts of the country through hiking which has become one of the most popular adventure sports in Norway. Some of the popular spots to go hiking are Pulpit Rock, GaldhØppigen, Ryten and Kvalvika Beach, Trolltunga, etc. 

• Dog Sledding: – It is a very exciting ride for tourists to do in the country and it is enjoyable, especially for the kids. The tourists would get to personally interact with the dogs. Besides, tourists can visit Svalbard, Finnmark, Tromsø, Bardu, etc.  

• Kayaking: –  The tourists can do Kayaking at some of the beautiful rivers, fjords and lakes in Norway with proper safety. Some of the spots for Kayaking are Nærøyfjorden, Geiranger fjord, Reinefjorden, etc.    

Things to buy in Norway: – There are various things for tourists to buy in Norway. Some of them are Rosette cookies, Freia chocolates, Norwegian Tine, Linie Aquavit, Norwegian Brown Cheese, Jewellery, Wool clothing, Cheese slicer, Kitchen accessories, Liquor chocolates, etc.   

Best time to visit: – The best time to visit Norway is during the summer season which is between June to August and the winter season which is between December to February as the tourists can see the best of Norway. Besides, the climate would be pleasant for the tourists to explore Norway with some rains during the summer season to cool the day. 

Places to Visit in Norway:

• Oslo: – The city which is the capital of Norway is Oslo. The tourists can visit the Royal Palace which is situated at the heart of the city. The Royal palace is the residence of the Monarch. The palace was made during the 18th century and it is known not only for its architecture but also for the guards changing ceremony that happens at around 1: 30 PM Norway time. The tourists can explore the Vigeland Sculpture Park which is the biggest sculpture park on the planet It is covered in the Norway tour packages from India and it was developed by Gustav Vigeland. It is known for various collections of statues which are made of bronze, granite and iron. Some of the popular statues are the Angry Boy, Wheel of Life and many more. Besides, the tourists can visit the Ullevaal Stadium which is a football stadium that is the home ground of the Norway Football team. A place that every football lover in Norway should visit and the total seating capacity is 28,000. The tourists can watch some football matches at the stadium depending on the schedule of the football matches.   

• Tromsø: – The city that is situated in the Northern part of Norway above the Arctic Circle is Tromsø. The city is known as the Capital of the Arctic and it is most popular for the Northern lights. Tromsø is the best city that is covered in the Norway tour packages from India to view the northern lights and it would be in the bucket list of every traveller to see the beautiful northern lights at least once in their lives. The tourists can visit the Arctic Cathedral which is one of the most popular cathedrals in Norway. It is known for its marvellous architecture especially the panels on the roof which are in the shape of a Triangle and the big cross in the centre. The tourists should visit the Cathedral during the evening as the cathedral would be lit up beautifully with the lights around the panels and it would be a good spot for the tourists to click pictures with their loved ones. Besides, the tourists can explore the Arctic Alpine Botanical Garden, a place that every nature lover should visit in the city of Tromsø, near the Tromsø University Museum.  

• Bergen: – The city which is situated on the southwestern coast of Norway is Bergen. The tourists can visit the Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf which is a part of the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. It is situated at the eastern side of the Vågen harbour and it is also known as Tyske Bryggen. It is famous for the architecture of the buildings which are in one line at the harbour and a beautiful view of the sea which is the perfect spot to click pictures and also explore restaurants, etc. The tourists can visit the Bergenhus fortress which is the oldest castle in Norway and it is located at the Bergen harbour. It was built during the 12th century, also known as Holmen. It was being used during the World Wars which led to damage in the castle but then the government made renovations at the castle to restore it. The castle is now used for conducting special events. Besides, the tourists can explore the Bergen Aquarium which is situated in the Nordes Peninsula. The tourists would get to see more than 300 marine animals at the aquarium and the aquarium also has outdoor ponds which include animals like seals, penguins, monkeys and many more. 

• Drammen – The city which is situated in the southeastern part of Norway is Drammen. The tourists can visit the Kjøsterudjuvet which is an old 1,300-metre-long gorge that is situated in Assiden. The tourists can climb the gorge during the summer season as the water level in the river would be low and the tourists can reach the Gamledammen lake. It is a good spot for trekking. The tourists can visit the Ypsilon Bridge which has been open for public use since 2008 and is designed by Arne Eggen. The bridge is known as Ypsilon because it is in the shape of a Y when it is viewed by and is supported by around 16 cables. It is used for cycling and walking by people. Besides, the tourists can explore the Drammens Museum of art and Cultural History which is situated at the Marienlyst estate. The tourists would get to see the various collections of the museum such as the rose-painted wooden chests, Norwegian baroque silver, folk art, etc. 

How to reach Norway from India: – The tourists can reach Norway from India through flights but there are no direct flights from India to Norway. There would be one or two stops in the flight journey depending on the airline chosen by the tourists. Some of the airlines that fly to Norway are Qatar Airways, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, etc. Besides, the tourists cannot reach Norway from India by road, train or sea.  

Popular packages: – Here is a list of popular packages to travel to Norway. It also includes packages to travel to other countries including Norway which are as follows: – 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

• What is the currency of Norway?

Ans: The currency of Norway is the Norwegian Krone. 

• What is the language spoken in Norway? 

Ans: The language spoken in Norway is Norwegian and Sami but the locals can also speak in English. 

• What are the eateries that serve Indian food in Norway? 

Ans: A portion of eateries that serve Indian food in Norway are The Great India restaurant, Restaurant Mother India, Indie, Maharaja, Indian Kitchen and Bar, etc. 

• What is the national sport of Norway?

Ans: The national sport of Norway is Cross-country skiing but football is also popular in the country. 

• Which places are popular for shopping in Norway? 

Ans: There are various places for tourists to shop in Norway such as Oslo City Shopping Centre, Karl Johan Shopping Market, Nerstranda Shopping Centre, Gamle Strandgaten, Galleriet, Magasinet Shopping Center, etc.