Combine the two most spectacular regions in Norway with Widerøes direct flights between Bergen and Bodø and Tromsø.
Fjords and Northern Lights
Magic has never been more accessible. Swap drab and grey views for an authentic winter wonderland experience with a twin-centre city stay that lets you escape the winter and embrace a whimsical Norwegian one.
Trolltunga - Photo: Sveinung Klyve / www.fjordnorway.com|© Sveinung Klyve
Untouched landscapes that look like they’re straight from a Munch painting. Cuisine that's so fresh you can still feel the salty water that it was pulled from. The surreal and beautiful Northern lights (they’re on your bucket list for a reason). Enjoy the landscape and culture of the Fjord Norway region and then travel up north to experience the beauty and thrills of the arctic, from dog sledding to hunting down the famous Northern lights.
Welcome to Fjord Norway
The Norwegian fjords are transformed in winter. They become rawer and wilder, and the landscape is dominated by a constantly changing mix of light, colour and sound. Winter is the season for magical experiences in Fjord Norway, which you can experience in lots of ways.
Bergen - A European City of Culture
A European city of culture, a World Heritage city and a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Bergen is located in the heart of the Fjords, and is the very start of your Norwegian adventure. There’s a whole host of attractions to keep you busy, too many for one day. The Hanseatic wharf Bryggen, Bergen Aquarium, the Fløibanen funicular and the Fish Market, are just a few of the activities on offer in this vibrant city. The KODE has one of the largest Edvard Munch collections in the world, as well as an impressive Nikolai Astrup collection.
Local food relies on fresh produce and the freshest of catches and seafood is a delicacy you can enjoy all year round, especially in the winter. The weather not only keeps seafood fresher for longer but also makes it tastier, pulling out the higher omega 3 fats. Enjoy the most delicious catches at BARE, the Michelin stared restaurant.
Sognefjord - The King of the Fjords
If city life is something you are wanting to escape then Bergen is the perfect place to start your exploration into the fjords. Experience the Sognefjord and the Nærøyfjord easily with Norway in a Nutshell - combine train, boat and bus for a simple and environmentally friendly experience. Flåmsbanen is a 20km train journey that works its way down the mountain to the fjord. You can spend the day in Flåm, go to Stegastein for the great Fjord view, taste Ægir beer at the local brewery and join a Fjord safari. Why not end your adventure with a luxurious stay overnight at the Fretheim hotel? There’s another scenic route you can take from Bergen to Sognefjord by catching the local express boat and experiencing how the vikings would have seen things. It’s no wonder National Geographic Traveller voted Norwegian fjords the best destination in the world.
© Fjord Norway
Trolltunga - The Trolls Tongue
Trolltunga is the most spectacular rock formation in Norway. Located on the western edge of Hardangerfjord, it can be reached as the final destination of a hike that starts in Skjeggdeal, finishing at 700 metres above the lake Ringedalsvatnet. The hike isa challenge, especially during the winter season, so it’s advised that you experience Trolltunga with a local guide-either on a one or two-day expedition.
Our guides know to respect nature and will always put your safety first, but winter is a great time to avoid the summer crowds, so put on your snowshoes and join the adventure. You can stay the night at Trolltunga "arctic dome", an accommodation formed like an igloo with a see-through ceiling and walls and witness the beautiful sunset in the snow-covered landscape. This is an adventure that encounters peace and solitude unlike anywhere else.
Trolltunga hike during winter is spectacular. Photo: Trolltunga Active. | © Visit Hardangerfjord
Welcome to the North!
Now that you have seen the best of the fjords, it is time to head north and experience one of the most spectacular nature phenomenons in the World. The Northern Lights.
It has never been more accessible, due to Widerøes direct flights from Bergen to Bodø and Tromsø.
Here you can enjoy adventures in and around Bodø - the 2024 European City of Culture, or beautiful Tromsø with its fantastic scenery. The winter in the north is extraordinary, and a true magic experience.
- For more inspiration and activities in The North – Visit the official website: Northern Norway – magnificent nature and vibrant culture.
Credit: Kari Schibevaag - visittromsø.no
Bodø and Salten Area
Sitting between an archipelago and the open ocean, vibrant and lively Bodø is the heart of the Salten region and Northern Norway’s second biggest city. A glacier, mountains, islands and a strong maelstrom surround it. It’s also located in the northern lights belt just north of the arctic circle.
This is the place to walk the streets, have coffee in chic coffee bars, dine in a good restaurant and go shopping. Photographers go out on the breakwater ro to the little Nyholm fortress to capture the view of the city with the peaks in the background or climb the hill at Rønvikfjellet to see the city from above. The northern light aren't the only attraction, as Bodø´s selection as a European city of culture in 2024 attests. The Stormen concert hall and the new library are the newest cultural landmarks.
The Saltfjord is a huge fjord system, reaching 80 km inland. However, near the mouth thereis a passage that is both shallow and narrow. You could compare it with all 90,000 football fans at Wembley Stadium trying to get out through a single door after the match. When the tide comes in, there is simply way too much water pressing its way through the narrows. A fantastic spectacle of whirlpools can be observed from the cliffs on the shore as the water rushes through in 10 to 15 knots. Go there with a fishing rod or take a RiB tour.
There is a whole world of adventure waiting for you in northern Norway. Cross country skiing in Sulitjelma is recognised as some of the best in the whole of Norway. In Sulisfjellet, Fjellfarer runs cross-country trails, which Martin Johnsrud Sundby describes as World Cup standard. Dog sledding is another authentic winter experience that you can enjoy either as a passenger or driving your own team. No previous experience is needed to drive the sled in to the white landscapes and enjoy the arctic nature. You get to meet your dogs first and prepare the sled together. They are a bunch of barking huskies more excited than you to start the trip! They are well used to visitors, great with children and love getting your attention and petting.
Photo: Kristoffer Vangen
Tromsø - Paris of the North
A vibrant city with arctic history, culture and cuisine, surrounded by mountains, fjords and islands below the Northern Lights. With a visible past, a fascinating history, a lively, colourful city centre, an inclusive nightlife and numerous attractions. Use Tromsø as a base to foray into Arctic wilderness chasing Northern Lights.
Today, Tromsø has a mature tourist industry specialising in finding the Northern Lights. The amount of organized tours by bus, minibus, boat, snowmobile and dogsledding heading out every night to hunt for those green rays is impressive. This assures you to get the best experience under the Northern Lights. The competition is fierce, so everybody is on their tiptoes to make sure that the lights are found.
What are you waiting for?
From the fjords on the west coast to the Northern lights, this journey will enthral you and with its majestic views and unique experiences: from art, culture, and adventure to delicious seafood pulled from the arctic ocean. The impeccably trained but playful dogs that steer you through the snowscape, the unmatched and dream like northern lights. See and do things you’ve only ever read about, and that some people will never be lucky enough to experience.
Norway is easy to access by plane and Bergen is an important hub for international flights.