Norway is known for its incredible beauty, from the majestic fjords to the Northern Lights. On a recent much-needed vacation, my partner and I had the opportunity to visit the country for a week. Though we didn't get to see Aurora Borealis, we still had an amazing visit.
How We Travel
We take a fairly laid-back approach to vacation. We'll pick which cities we are visiting and book hotels and any necessary transportation, but beyond that, we leave a lot of it up to the whims of the day. I'll typically do some research beforehand in case there are any activities that need to be booked ahead of time, but otherwise we wake up and see how we feel on that day.
Museums? Shopping? Cafe hopping? Hiking? All of those questions are determined by our preferences that day.
This approach gives us plenty of time to actually relax and feel refreshed by the end of vacation. We get to explore the city and really take in the sights, without having to rush to our next destination.
And, of course, this gives plenty of time for photos.
Visiting Oslo
We flew in and out of Oslo, the capital of Norway. It's a modern city in line with many other European capitals, combining beautiful historic architecture with the hustle and bustle of city life. Here are some highlights from our time in Oslo.
Traveling to Bergen
If Oslo is the modern center of Norway, Bergen is the historic gateway. A key harbor in past times, it's home to the famous Bryggen row of colored homes along the water. It's a city built around water and hills, so we definitely got a workout in climbing up and down the small streets.
The train to Bergen itself was an incredible experience. Seven hours on the train took us through the green countryside, up into the mountains where houses were practically buried in snow, and back down to Bergen. As we stepped off, the difference from Oslo was immediately clear - a cold breeze blew off the water and our luggage clacked on the cobblestone streets.
As we explored the town over the next few days, it was easy to see why this is a highly-recommended destination for anyone traveling to Norway. It's a gorgeous city, full of uniqueness, color, and vibrance.
It felt like every turn housed an incredible photo opportunity. Here are just a few of my favorites.
Conclusion
I can think of very few places that are more beautiful than Norway. It really was the perfect vacation - dozens of miles logged, nooks and crannies of each city explored, and plenty of good food was eaten. As we got back on the plane to New York, I was sad to leave. But I was also full, and content, and already looked back fondly on the days we got to spend in Norway.
The vacation inspired me and gave me a fresh boost of energy to take on the week ahead. And that's about the best I can ask for.
