17 tips for 5 Norwegian cities - Traveling Psychiatrist

On the 17th of May 1814, the Constitution of Norway was signed, declaring the country as an independent kingdom. On the 17th of May 2000, an elderly assassin positioned himself at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel in Oslo in an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Norway’s Crown Prince. Of course, this only happened in Jo Nesbø’s crime novel ‘Rødstrupe’ (‘The Redbreast’). The 17th of May, known as Syttende Mai (Seventeenth May) or Nasjonaldagen (National Day), is a day of national pride and festivities. Across the country, the streets are filled with people of all ages dressed in festive attire and celebrating. Having travelled to Norway many times in the last few years, I’d like to take the opportunity and share my top 17 tips for the 5 Norwegian cities I’ve visited.

Scream & Scream again

Let’s start from the country’s largest city and capital, Oslo.

The Nasjonalgalleriet (National Gallery) is home to the most famous of the two painted versions of ‘The Scream’, Edvard Munch’s iconic masterpiece. The Nasjonalgalleriet, located just a few meters away from the Royal Palace, also houses Norway’s largest public collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures, including works by the lesser-known Norwegian painters J.C. Dahl and Thomas Fearnley.

Another painted version of ‘The Scream’ is located at the Munchmuseet on Tøyengata. This is also home to more than half of Edvard Munch’s paintings.

2. Visit the new MUNCH in Bjørvika

The new MUNCH museum was scheduled to open its doors last year, but then the COVID-19 pandemic hit Norway (and the rest of the world). Located in the area of Bjørvika, where the Oslo Opera House is also situated, the new museum will (hopefully) open this autumn.

3. Visit the Oslo Opera House

In 2018, a devastating earthquake shook Oslo. Built only a decade prior, the Opera House was one of the many buildings seriously damaged by seismic activity. Gladly, this only happened in the scandisaster film ‘Skjelvet’ (‘The Quake’). This architectural masterpiece gladly still stands tall at the head of the Oslofjord. Wander around the building, then walk up onto the roof, and finally enter the foyer, which houses a café and a restaurant.

A view of the Oslofjorden from the Oslo Opera House — A view of the Oslofjord from the Opera House

4. Stroll around the sculptures

Frognerparken, also referred to as Vigelandsparken (Vigeland Sculpture Park) is the perfect spot for a picnic or a leisurely walk. Stroll around and admire the 212 bronze and granite sculptures by the Norwegian Gustav Vigeland. The sculptures consist of naked human figures, in various poses and situations. At the highest point lies the Monolith, the centrepiece of the park, composed of 121 human figures rising towards the sky.

One of the 212 naked sculptures by Gustav Vigeland at Vigelandsparken in Oslo — One of the 212 naked sculptures by Gustav Vigeland at Vigelandsparken

5. Take the train to Bergen

Take the train from Oslo to Bergen, a distance of 496 kilometres. The journey, one of the world’s most scenic train rides, takes almost 7 hours. Crossing the Hardangervidda plateau at 1,237 metres above sea level, it is also the highest mainline railway line in Northern Europe.

Somewhere between the 2 largest Norwegian cities

6. Go to the (Stave) Church

In Bergen, visit the Fantoft Stavkirke (Fantoft Stave Church). Once present in many parts of northern Europe, nowadays stave churches are almost exclusively found in Norway. This is one of the 28 still remaining in the country. Located in the Fana borough of Bergen, this elaborately carved wooden church was destroyed by arson in 1992, but has since been reconstructed.

7. Visit Edvard Grieg’s villa

Enjoy a half-hour lunchtime concert in the Troldsalen chamber music hall at Troldhaugen, located right next to Edvard Grieg’s villa. Troldsalen is considered one of the most beautiful chamber music halls in Norway. The ticket includes the concert and a guided tour through Edvard Grieg’s villa.

8. Explore the fjords

Known as the city of the seven mountains, Bergen is one of my favourite Norwegian cities. It is also an ideal place to explore the fjords, which the country is renowned for.

Fjord Tours offer a wide range of options, including the popular ‘Norway in a Nutshell’ 10-hour round-trip, which was the one I chose. Take the train to Myrdal, where you get on the Flåm Railway (Flåmsbana) embarking on one of the world’s most beautiful train journeys, as rightly advertised on the sides of the green train. This 20 km-long train ride offers spectacular views of ravines, waterfalls, and mountains, and it also makes a short photo stop at the Kjosfossen waterfall. The 57-minute journey ends in Flåm, a tiny village located at the head of Aurlandsfjorden. Here you can stay for either one and a half or four hours before you take the ferry to Gudvangen.

Or, if you want to make an overnight stop in Flåm, go hiking and further explore the beautiful fjord scenery, you can stay at the Fretheim Hotel and continue on the ferry the following day.

The 2-hour cruise on the Aurlandsfjord and then on the Nærøyfjord, the narrowest arm of Sognefjord, was simply the highlight of my 9-day trip. Together with the Geirangerfjord, the 17 km-long Nærøyfjord has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The ferry will bring you to Gudvangen; from there, a bus will take you to Voss, where you get on the train back to Bergen. On your way to Voss, the bus will drive past the Stalheim Hotel, Norway’s most spectacularly sited hotel, then down Stalheimskleiva, one of the steepest roads in Northern Europe. Also passing between Sivlefossen and Stalheimsfossen waterfalls, the view is all the way magnificent.

Cruising the fjords, Norway — Cruising the fjords

9. Attend the Bergen International Jazz Festival

Norway, renowned for the beautiful fjord scenery and railway journeys that offer spectacular views of ravines, waterfalls and mountains, also boasts a thriving jazz scene. Every year from May to August, when the days just don’t turn into nights, no less than 10 festivals take place in various Norwegian cities, Bergen included.

Also known as Nattjazz, this is one of the largest jazz festivals in Norway. It is held annually in late May/early June and takes place in a converted sardine factory at USF Verftet, in a beautiful location not too far from the city centre. Doors open in the evening, so you can combine it with sightseeing in the country’s second-largest city. Each evening there are up to 6 Norwegian or international bands or artists playing. This year, Nattjazz is due to take place from 21 May to 5 June. The line-up features Thomas Dybdahl (23 May) and Bangkok Lingo (24 May). When the music stops (not before midnight), wander around in the twilight – it will soon turn into full daylight.

10. Attend the Bergen International Festival

Established in 1953, the Bergen International Festival takes place from 26 May to 9 June 2021. Each year, the program includes over 400 events taking place over 15 days in more than 70 venues in and around Bergen. These events include music, theatre, dance, opera and visual art performances.

11. Enjoy panoramic views of Ålesund

Ålesund is a beautiful port town on the west coast of Norway. It may not be the most famous city in the country, but it’s the birthplace of Sigrid, the Norwegian singer/songwriter who rose to international fame when she won the BBC Music Sound of 2018. Climb the 418 steps to Aksla and admire the spectacular view of the town, the surrounding mountains and the nearby islands.

After climbing 418 steps, I could enjoy this panoramic view of Ålesund

12. Have an unforgettable cocktail at Milk

When in Ålesund, do not neglect to treat yourself to a cocktail at Milk, a big-windowed bar at the seafront, and one of my favourite bars in the world. I had the ‘Fjellbekk’: vodka, aquavit, lime cordial and sprite.

Milk: one of my favourite bars in the world

13. Visit the Nidaros Cathedral

Trondheim was once called Nidaros and was Norway’s capital; it is now the country’s third-largest city. The Nidaros Cathedral (Nidarosdomen / Nidaros Domkirke) is one of the most photographed buildings in the city; it is also the northernmost medieval cathedral in the world and Scandinavia’s largest medieval building.

14. Rock this country

Rockheim is Norway’s national museum for popular music. This interactive museum opened in 2010 and is housed in a former grain warehouse in central Trondheim. Take the lift to the 6th floor, where interactive video walls allow you to listen to the country’s most important popular musicians from the 1950s to the present. Then make your way through the rooms, each devoted to a different decade. The permanent exhibition has many interactive components. There’s also a temporary exhibition on the 4th floor, whereas the 5th floor has a café-restaurant offering panoramic views.

Rockheim is housed in a former grain warehouse in central Trondheim

15. Chase the Northern Lights

Tromsø is the largest city in northern Norway, lying 350km north of the Arctic Circle, about an hour and 50 minutes on the plane from Oslo.

If you visit Tromsø in the winter, then you’re probably there to see the Green Lady. Unfortunately, there are no guarantees she will make an appearance, even if you visit in the middle of the winter (when there is barely any daylight). Darkness is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition. Clear skies is another. Many tour operators offer evening excursions chasing the Northern Lights away from Tromsø (as far as the Finnish border). This, of course, increases the viewing probability, but still…

16. Listen to music in a church (or two)

Two churches stand out in Tromsø and are rather hard to miss. Built in 1861, the Cathedral (Domkirke) is one of the oldest in Tromsø and is located on Sjøgata (one of the city’s main streets) on a site where there has been a church since the 13th century. It is the only Norwegian cathedral made of wood and one of the country’s biggest wooden churches. It is also the northernmost protestant cathedral. Every afternoon (except for Sunday) at 15.30 there is a half-hour concert showcasing the region’s music tradition.

The other church standing out is the Arctic Cathedral (Ishavskatedralen). Unlike Domkirke, this is a modern concrete and metal church built in 1965. It is located in Tromsdalen, on the mainland; Domkirke and the city centre are located on the island of Tromsøya, which is connected to Tromsdalen by a 1,036-meter-long bridge, once the longest in Northern Europe. Like Domkirke, the Arctic Cathedral is a great place to attend folk and classical music concerts, most of which take place in the evening.

17. Ski

The word ‘ski’ originates from the Norwegian language; it actually comes from the Old Norse word ‘skíð’, meaning ‘stick of wood’. Cross-country skiing is a popular activity in Norway, but don’t let this put you off from trying it yourself. You can easily combine your visit to Tromsø with a guided cross-country ski trip for beginners.

Scream & Scream again