A Travel Itinerary for 10 Days in Norway
Before going to Norway, I had a few preconceived notions about the country: One, that it was expensive. Two, that everyone was tall and Viking-like. And three, that it was full of incredible landscapes.
These things were all proven to be (at least partially) true. But I learned so much more about the country while I was there. I learned about its government, healthcare, and social system. I learned that its Viking-like people are incredibly friendly and fluent in English. I learned that it has some awesome cities outside of Oslo. And it learned that it's actually even prettier in person.
In May 2015, I spent 10 days traveling around Norway, riding trains, eating seafood, navigating twisting roads, meeting lovely people, seeing incredible vistas, and falling in love with the concept of heated bathroom floors.
Even though I was there during the coldest, wettest spring most Norwegians can remember in recent years, I LOVED Norway. Yes, it was expensive — but this is one splurge that I think is absolutely worth it.
If you're planning your own trip to Norway soon, here's a look at my 10 days there to help inspire your own travel itinerary:
Day 1-2: Oslo
I started out in Oslo, where I spent two days trying to see as much as I could while battling jet lag. Highlights included a walking tour of the main city sights (like the City Hall, the Opera House, Karl Johans gate, and the fortress), Vigeland Park with its many sculptures, and going to the Viking Ship and folk museums. There's SO much to do and see in Oslo, so I know it's somewhere I'll need to go back to sometime!
Where I stayed in Oslo: The Scandic Vulkan, which is a really cool hotel close to the city's main hipster neighborhood. My room had floor-to-ceiling windows and a ridiculously comfy bed. (Read reviews | Book here)
Read more: Oslo is Totally Cool
Day 3-4: Trondheim
After Oslo, it was off to Trondheim by train. It rained a good portion of the time I was there, but thankfully the saying “Don't like the weather? Wait 5 minutes” applied here and I DID get some brief moments of sun. I enjoyed Trondheim much more than I expected to, from the wooden wharf houses in the Bakklandet to the massive Nidaros Cathedral in the middle of town. Trondheim gets overlooked by many people because it isn't known for its landscapes – but I still found it to be a very cool city worth a visit.
Where I stayed in Trondheim: The Clarion Hotel & Congress, which is right on the water with a cozy lounge and cool rooftop bar. (Read reviews | Book here)
Read more: Why You Should Add Trondheim to Your Norway Itinerary
Day 5: Kristiansund
I arrived in Kristiansund by ferry from Trondheim, greeted by more rain and cool weather. I then had a near-panic attack over a mix-up with the rental car I was supposed to pick up there, keeping me from doing much exploring. But then the skies began to clear and a rainbow and beautiful sunset reminded me that everything works out in the end (and it did!).
Where I stayed in Kristiansund: The Thon Hotel Kristiansund, which is on a little island across the water from the city center. It's great for getting photos of the city. (Read reviews | Book here)
Day 6: Grip Island
Before leaving Kristiansund the next day, I hopped on a boat tour out to Grip Island. This former fishing village was abandoned decades ago, but locals still use the houses and cabins for summer homes. The weather out at sea was much better than the weather on the mainland, meaning that I once again had a brief meeting with sunshine while exploring the small island.
Check out Gripruta to plan your own visit to this very cool island.
Read more: Going Back in Time in Grip
Day 6: The Atlantic Highway
Once back in Kristiansund, I hopped in my rental car and began the drive to Ålesund. But I didn't take the normal highway there — I took the long way 'round, which included driving along the 8-kilometer-long Atlanterhavsveien, or Atlantic Ocean Road. This has to be the most scenic stretch of 8 kilometers I've even driven, with the highlight being the Storseisundet Bridge.
Read more: The Shortest Yet Most Epic Road Trip Ever
Day 7: Ålesund
I spent the night of Day 6 as well as the next day in Ålesund, Norway's art nouveau city on the coast. I explored a bit on foot, saw the city from above (it looks fake from up high!), visited the aquarium, and even did a short road trip out to a nearby island to see the Alnes lighthouse. Since Ålesund is built atop a handful of islands, driving between them is interesting — it requires using several undersea tunnels!
Where I stayed in Ålesund: The First Hotel Atlantica, which is located in the heart of the city very close to all the cool art nouveau architecture. (Read reviews | Book here)
Read more: All You Need to Know About Ålesund
Day 8: Geirangerfjord
It was difficult to imagine anything topping what I'd already seen, but Norway's Geirangerfjord managed to do it. I took a car ferry through part of the famous fjord, then used a tiny electric car to explore Geiranger for the afternoon. The viewpoints above the small port town are STUNNING, and even cloudy weather couldn't dampen my mood. I then drove up the twisting Eagle's Road to an adorable guesthouse in Norddal where I ate goat for the very first time.
Where I stayed: At the Petrines Guesthouse in nearby Norddal. This guesthouse is super cute and cozy, and Norddal is much less touristy than Geirangerfjord. (Read reviews | Book here)
Read more: The Most Famous Fjord in Norway
Day 9: Trollstigen
My next driving adventure was down another very short but very cool stretch of road: Trollstigen, or the Trolls' Road. I drove through snowy mountain passes to get there, and climbed through snow drifts to get photos at the top. Totally worth it, though.
Day 9-10: Åndalsnes
My adventure more or less ended in Åndalsnes, a small town that's both on the fjords AND surrounded by mountains. A thriving adventure sport scene has formed here (everything from mountain climbing to base jumping), and I got to try stand-up paddleboarding on a river for the first time. I also stayed in my favorite hotel of the trip, a family-run one called Hotel Aak.
Where I stayed in Åndalsnes: At Hotel Aak, which was such an awesome hotel run by a very friendly family.
Then next day, I dropped off my car and took the famous Rauma Railway from Åndalsnes to Dombås, and then continued on to Oslo and my final night in Norway.
I didn't do the typical “first time in Norway” route that usually includes Bergen — but I'm actually glad for that. I got to see some really awesome parts of the country (some I'd never even heard of before), and feel like I have a much better feel for Norway, its people, and what it has to offer now.
Plus, Bergen will always be there next time.
READ NEXT: A Weeklong Northern Norway Road Trip Itinerary
Which of these destinations would you add to your own Norway itinerary?
Thanks to Innovation Norway, Visit Oslo, Visit Trondheim, Fjord Norway, and NSB for making this trip fantastic! As always, all opinions are my own, regardless of who is footing the bill.
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Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
Hello, great descriptions! We are seniors and will be spending 10 days in early May 2021 in Norway. Will do your first Trip part, but after Trondheim can we continue on the ferry to Bergen? Have you traveled in the southern part….Kristiansand, Farsund, Vanse? Parents originated from those areas and would like to visit….but how? Any info would be great and thank you.
Yes, you certainly can. Norway is fairly well-connected, especially in the south. I haven’t personally traveled from Trondheim to Bergen, but I have visited Bergen. You can check out all my Norway content here: https://www.dangerous-business.com/destinations/norway/
WOW WHAT AN EXPERIENCE JUST LOOKING AT TH EBEAUTIFUL PLACE , IAM PRAYING THAT ONE DAY I WILL VISIT THIS BEAUTIFUL PLACE
Great photos Amanda! I was wondering if you had any tips on how to get to the places you’ve been to without renting a car. My travel buddies and I are interested in going to the places you’ve been but we all can’t drive 🙁
I’m afraid I don’t have any personal experience getting around Norway with public transport, but there ARE buses and trains that run to many of these places – you’d just need to do some research yourself to see if you could reach all of these cities easily!
Norway is so colorful and charming, Amanda! Your highlights are so inspiring and they definitely whetted my appetite. I will have to add Norway to my bucket list and explore it soon. Are then days enough to see all the highlights there?
10 days is long enough to see one region of Norway, I would say. On my first trip, I focused on Oslo and central Norway. On my second trip (which was 7 days in the winter), I focused on Northern Norway. And my *third* trip was split between the north again and Bergen. If you wanted to see ALL the highlights in Norway, I think you’d need at least a month!
Amanda, Your 10 Day Norway Itinerary is helpful as I plan a trip for my husband and myself in August. I’m a little confused when I follow it on a map. You went from Trondheim down to Kristiansand and back up to Alesund? Can you share why you chose to do it that way? I do like the idea of driving the Atlantic Highway.
Thanks for the great information!
Patti
Hey Patti! I took the ferry from Trondheim to KristianSUND (not Kristiansand). Kristiansund is a small town in between Trondheim and Alesund. 🙂
I LOVE this post! I am prepping my 7 day trip to Norway right now, and love the Idea of this. I do however travel for food. I hike and bike and do nature for sure, but my driving force is FOOD. What did you experience and what did you love on this trip?
And see, I’m totally not a foodie at all! There’s great seafood in Norway just about anywhere you go, though, so I had a lot of that! I’m afraid I don’t have specific restaurant suggestions, though.
Love the itinerary, and such awesome pictures too! I just started planning a trip that would include a short visit to Norway. Probably won’t be able to do much outside of Oslo, but now I’m going to have to push for a longer stop in Norway! Looks amazing.
It’s absolutely worth a longer trip (or two or three! haha)!
Hey Amanda,,
Thanks for this highlight reel of Norway. 10 days sounds great, longer might be too expensive though with all the camping it might be easy enough. Curious though, if you had 15 days or 20 days what other places would you have visited? I’m looking at different spots and looking at flight info. Threw out some love on a review I saw, that might be helpful.
I’m located in the Philippines so it might be some time before I get to Norway but am saving this article.
Thanks again,
Mark
If I had more time in Norway, I’d probably add on Bergen (the Norway in a Nutshell tour is a great way to get from Oslo to Bergen), and maybe some time way up north in Tromso or the northern islands.
Hey Amanda, I have an upcoming trip to Norway in about a month (a very spontaneous flight reservation). Now that I write that sentence I’m starting to panic a little since I haven’t made any reservations at all… in any case, your itinerary looks great and I’d definitely be open to going the load less traveled so I’m starting to look at hotels and cars around this itinerary.
If you could add 3 days to this 10 day plan, would you stay an extra day or two to some of these cities or fit in Bergen, which seems to be a popular destination? Or (gasp), maybe take out one of the cities from the itinerary? The main reason I ask is because I made the mistake in a previous trip to Australia where I fit in a bit too much driving to my schedule (especially as a solo traveler who can’t divide up driving time) and felt a bit rushed around on certain days so I want to make sure to avoid that. Although I wouldn’t want to do the opposite with too relaxed of a schedule and find myself feeling like I’m staying too long and counting down the time to the next destination…
If you have another 3 days, you could totally add a couple of days in Bergen. Maybe take the train from Oslo (or look into doing the “Norway in a Nutshell” tour, and then fly from Bergen to Trondheim to start your road trip. I took the train from Oslo to Trondheim, and then from Andalsnes to Oslo so I was only driving for part of the time. That would give you maybe 2 days in Bergen – it’s a very cool city well worth visiting if you can fit it in!
Great Information. We are planning to visit Norway this August. Your post got me excited:)
Awesome to hear! I’m sure you’ll have a great time!
This post gave me loads of ideas for our trip next summer! I love that you ventured off the beaten path a bit.
Glad that I gave you some ideas! There’s SO MUCH to see in Norway – it’s really tough to narrow it down!
Hello Amanda,
Very beautiful photos u have here.. I’ve been dreaming to go to Norway but no luck just yet..:) Very useful tips and will surely try to visit all the places mentioned if i ever step my feet here…:) Geirangerfjord looks very picturesque, by the way.
Norway in general is very photogenic. I hope you make it there someday!