Viking Kingdom: TOP-20 attractions in Norway

The Royal Palace in Oslo

The Royal Palace in Oslo, built in the Neoclassical style in the mid-19th century, is the residence of Norway’s current monarch, King Harald V. An interesting fact: if the King is in the building, a gilded royal flag flies above the roof; if not, the flag of Crown Prince Haakon is raised.

The palace has 173 elegantly decorated rooms. It took 24 years to construct this architectural gem, which still adorns Oslo today. Every day at 1:30 p.m., residents and visitors can witness the ceremonial changing of the guard.

The palace itself is not open to visitors, but tourists can stroll through the beautiful surrounding grounds and admire its majestic architecture.

The Town of Røros

One of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites also attracts great interest from tourists. In the past, it was a town inhabited by copper miners; today, it has become an open-air museum.

Historically, the town was designed and built by King Christian IV, who had architectural training. Between 1678 and 1718, the settlement was attacked by the Swedes, causing significant damage to its buildings. Nevertheless, the town survived. It was later restored, and today visitors can appreciate the magnificence of this revived living museum.

Geirangerfjord

Geirangerfjord is one of Norway’s most picturesque and popular fjords and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fjord takes its name from the village located on its shore.

Here, visitors are greeted by the extraordinary beauty of coniferous forests, vast waters, and dramatic cliffs. This is where you’ll capture some of the best photos from your trip to Norway. Numerous hiking trails run along the shoreline, offering breathtaking views of the fjord.

Trolltunga

Photos of tourists posing on a giant rock jutting out over a precipice have long spread around the world. This is Trolltunga — another iconic symbol of Norway.

This natural wonder is located near the town of Odda, on Mount Skjeggedal, overlooking a lake and valley. Brave visitors eager to test their courage take photos at the very edge of the cliff.

To admire the surrounding beauty while standing on Trolltunga, you must complete a challenging hike — a long yet scenic ascent through mountain streams, waterfalls, forests, snowfields, and crystal-clear lakes.

The Besseggen Ridge

The Besseggen mountain trail is a favorite trekking route among Norwegians — an incredibly scenic path that will remain in your memory forever. The trail runs between two lakes, Ende and Bessvatnet, which differ in elevation by 400 meters. Since the lakes lie close to each other, the contrast in their colors is clearly visible: the turquoise Ende is filled with glacial meltwater, while the dark-blue Bessvatnet is fed by rain and melting snow. Throughout the day, the shades of the lakes change, creating a truly mesmerizing sight.

Keep in mind that hiking the Besseggen trail takes 6–8 hours and follows a mountain ridge, requiring appropriate skills and equipment.

North Cape

Here you can fulfill the dream of every romantic — to see the ocean from the top of a giant cliff.

The cape received its name due to its location at the northernmost point of Europe. Many scientists and distinguished figures were drawn to this place, including King Oscar II of Norway and King Chulalongkorn of Thailand. Today, North Cape is a popular tourist site offering breathtaking views of the Arctic Ocean.

Mount Dalsnibba

Mount Dalsnibba offers breathtaking views over Geirangerfjord, with landscapes that resemble masterful computer graphics more than a creation of nature.

The mountain rises to 1,500 meters. At the summit, there is an observation deck, a souvenir shop, and a parking area. We recommend visiting this spot to enjoy the fairy-tale views of Geirangerfjord with its glaciers, waterfalls, lakes, and mountain ridges.

Akershus Fortress

In the country’s capital stands the historic Akershus Fortress, built in the 14th century by order of King Haakon V. It was constructed as a reliable defensive structure intended to protect Norway’s capital.

In 1624, the fortress was rebuilt. After reconstruction, it began to resemble a luxurious castle with grand halls and gloomy dungeons where prisoners were once held.

Today, the fortress houses the Ministry of Defence, the Headquarters of the Norwegian Armed Forces, the Armed Forces Museum, and the Norwegian Resistance Museum. State celebrations are also held here.

Oslo Botanical Garden

The Oslo Botanical Garden is considered a favorite walking spot for both residents of the capital and visitors. Beautiful scenery, a wide variety of plants, and meticulous European landscaping make this place cozy and inviting.

You can book a hotel in Norway with discounts of up to 65% on the website.

Vigeland Park

This unique park is regarded as a landmark for both tourists and the residents of Oslo. It features more than two hundred sculptures by Norway’s national sculptor Gustav Vigeland. Thus, it can be called one of the largest sculpture parks in the world dedicated to a single artist.

Some of the sculptures in the park are quite unusual (such as the man fighting off babies), yet it is precisely these works that arouse particular interest among visitors.

Urnes Stave Church

Norway’s attractions are all beautiful, original, and impressive. A striking example is the stave church in Urnes, whose decorative elements combine Christian and pagan motifs.

This 13th-century structure is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Churches like this marked the beginning of a new form of wooden architecture. In addition to exploring this cultural and religious monument, visitors can take many beautiful photos against the backdrop of mountains, the sea, and the church itself.

Viking Ship Museum

When describing Norway’s attractions, special attention should be given to the museum built in 1913. It houses boats raised from the seabed. Scientific research has shown that they were constructed in the 9th century, yet thanks to the clay seabed, they were remarkably well preserved despite lying underwater for over 1,000 years.

Guides particularly highlight the ship displayed in the eastern wing of the building, believed to have been used for long voyages. The smallest — the third vessel — has survived only in fragments.

Holmenkollen Resort

Holmenkollen is one of Norway’s most famous ski resorts and one of the highest points in Oslo. It is home to world-renowned ski slopes where major sporting competitions are held annually.

Holmenkollen enjoys great popularity thanks to its well-developed infrastructure, featuring numerous recreation facilities and perfectly equipped ski runs of varying difficulty levels for both beginners and professionals.

The Flåm Railway

The Flåm Railway is located in western Norway and connects with the Sognefjord. It has 10 stations, and the total elevation difference along the route is 863 meters. Today, the Flåm Railway is primarily used by tourists, as the journey offers spectacular views of Norwegian mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and gorges.

The main highlight of this route is the impressive scenery that accompanies the ride along a steep mountainside.

The Fram Museum

Norway offers many fascinating places worth visiting, and this is one location we strongly recommend not to miss.

The Fram Museum, located in Oslo, is entirely dedicated to the history of Norwegian polar expeditions. From the outside, the building resembles a glass tent, and its main exhibit is the ship used for expeditions that once led to the discovery of new lands.

After its final voyage in 1914, the ship was placed in Horten. To prevent it from deteriorating, restoration work was carried out 15 years later, and the vessel was placed under a protective roof.

The Henie Onstad Art Centre

This cultural center demonstrates that modern Norway is known not only for its historical heritage. The popular museum houses unique masterpieces of modern art. Here you can see works by artists and sculptors such as Pablo Picasso, Henry Moore, Fernand Léger, Joan Miró, Henri Matisse, and many others.

The Northern Lights

If your lifelong dream has been to witness colorful lights dancing across the night sky, then you should head to the northern latitudes of Norway. The country is famous for locations where the chances of seeing the aurora are among the highest in the world.

The Northern Lights can be observed from many parts of the country, but it is best to travel to the northern regions, where the likelihood of witnessing this phenomenon is significantly higher. Distance from water is also considered favorable: the drier the air, the clearer the sky.

Nærøyfjord

Nærøyfjord is the narrowest fjord in Norway and one of the narrowest in the world. At its narrowest point, it measures no more than 300 meters across. The fjord is approximately 17 kilometers long.

While sailing through the fjord, travelers admire towering green mountains, numerous waterfalls, and small coastal villages that together create an extraordinarily picturesque landscape. In 2005, Nærøyfjord was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.