99 AMAZING Things to Do in Norway

So, I am home from wonderful Norway and still reeling from the excitement of that country. I can’t believe how much I did in just three weeks and I can’t believe how much of Norway still remains to be explored.

Such is the nature of travel–it only makes you hungry to come back for more! Thus I compiled this little list of things I’ve done and things I still want to do some day whenever I make it back to Norway (you may notice a lot of them include climbing, water, and eating, ahem). Feel free to grow the list by adding your own suggestions of all the amazing things you can do in Norway!

1. Hike Preikestolen.
2. Eat a pølse with everything on it!
3. Taste licorice ice cream at Gangstad Gårdsysteri.
4. Sleep in a lighthouse.
5. Walk in the woods and hear the gransanger sing.
6. Sail the entire coast of Norway on the Hurtigruten.
7. Watch a play at Den Nationale Scene.
8. Roam through the Vigeland sculpture park in Oslo.
9. Fish for your own dinner at Havfruen in Trondheim.
10. Join Trondheim students & indulge in the Sunday cake buffet at Mormors Stue.
11. Compare versions of The Scream (By Edvard Munch) at the Munch Museum and Norway’s National Gallery.
12. Climb the longest wooden staircase in the world.
13. Watch the midnight sun.
14. Visit the world’s largest halibut farm.
15. Drive through the world’s longest road tunnel at Laerdal.
16. Hunt for trolls along the jaw-dropping Trollstigen mountain road.
17. Snowshoe in June.
18. Wave a Norwegian flag on the 17^th of May!
19. Sample aquavit that’s crossed the equator twice!
20. Kayak the islands of Ålesund.
21. Fish for ling in a fjord.
22. Learn a Norwegian folk song.
23. Explore the Jugendstil architecture of artsy Ålesund.
24. Be a pilgrim! Walk St. Olaf’s Way from Stiklestad to Trondheim Cathedral (90 km on a well-marked path, allow 4 days).
25. Ride the famous Flåm Railway.
26. Take a spa day at Hotel Union in Geiranger.
27. Conquer Mt. Hoven by scaling the brand new Via Feratta.
28. Sunbathe at Bergen’s best beach at Helleneset!
29. Go to Hell! (Hell, Norway)
30. Hike up to the ultra-isolated Skalefllå farm in Geirangerfjord.
31. Drive the Golden Road of Inderøy.
32. See any member of Norway’s royal family (they get around!)
33. Run the famous Skåla Opp (1,848 m uphill race!)
34. Milk a goat!
35. Drive through the incredibly scenic Gudbrandsdalen.
36. Try 6 different kinds of salmon at the Hotel Alexandra Norwegian buffet.
37. Taste some fjord-brewed beer.
38. Practice your allemannsretten.
39. Take the kids to Stavanger!
40. Stay in Juvet, one of Norway’s ultimate experiential design “hotels”.
41. Try Norwegian sushi made by Lithuanians.
42. Find the perfect bouquet in Oslo’s flower market.
43. Ride the ferry through spectacular Lysefjord.
44. Look for moose in the forest.
45. Find out everything you ever wanted to know about leprosy at Bergen’s very cool Leprosy Museum.
46. Lick a glacier.
47. Explore Trondheim’s canals and cobblestone alleys by citybike!
48. Visit a century-old farm (and taste the bread!) at Gulburet.
49. Go clubbing in Oslo and see how hard Norway parties at night.
50. Learn to say the same word in Norway’s dozens of different dialects.
51. Catch the dive show at the Atlantic Ocean Park in Ålesund.
52. Go to composer Edvard Grieg’s home in Bergen.
53. Check out the street art in Stavanger & the art scene at Tau Scene.
54. Eat Norway’s “Best Breakfast” (and biggest) at Rica Nidelvan Hotelin Trondheim.
55. Ride a helicopter through the fjords (worth it!)
56. Stay in Husfrua, a whitewashed B&B from 1867 (serving all local food).
57. Drink from St. Olaf’s blessed spring (and be healed!) in Valldal.
58. Drink the water (‘cuz it’s the best).
59. Take a wild ride in a rib boat.
60. Eat brunost.
61. Dine with an unforgettable view of Oslo at Ekebergrestauranten.
62. See fur seals.
63. Ride Bergen’s funicular all the way to the top.
64. Retreat into the sagas by walking along the roaring ravine of Gudbrandsjuvet.
65. Admire the dandelions.
66. Visit Holmenkollen, Norway’s iconic ski jump, and the fascinating ski museum.
67. Try the klappkak at Baklandet Skydsstation.
68. Grab a backpack and jump headfirst into Frilufstliv.
69. Ride a bike all the way down the Flåm valley.
70. Drink 8 cups of coffee a day.
71. Get addicted to boller.
72. Visit Undredal stave church, one of the oldest in the country.
73. Buy a sheepskin rug (I did!)
74. Try the goat cheese chocolates at Fjordnær Geiranger Sjokalade.
75. Go white-water rafting in Voss.
76. Count all the blonde people.
77. Spend a day at the Vitenfabrikken (Science Factory) in Sandnes. So much fun.
78. Be kissed by a goat.
79. Sleep in a Viking longhouse at Stikelstad.
80. Climb up to Kjerag and conquer your fear of heights!
81. Jog along the Oslo waterfront.
82. Drink eplemost.
83. Go canyoning
84. Drive from Oslo to Bergen and count the tunnels you go through (dozens!)
85. Put flowers on Ibsen’s grave.
86. Find your relatives.
87. Eat reindeer.
88. Nap all day, stay up all night–and not know the difference.
89. Get a room with a balcony at Hotel Continental.
90. Enjoy the one-of-a-kind, otherworldly view at Flydalsjuvet.
91. Tease the Swedes.
92. Attend the ceremony for the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo.
93. Swim in the fjords (not as cold as you think!)
94. Climb up the tower and onto the roof of Trondheim Cathedral.
95. Discover the awesomeness that is Norwegian Country Music!
96. Stay at my favorite hostel in Norway: Eplet Bed & Apple.
97. Ski all year round in the country that invented skiing.
98. Take the train and gawk at the landscapes that pass you by.
99. Be happy. You’re in Norway.