NorwayExplainedA bunad is more than clothing. It is heritage you can wear, stitched with local patterns, stories, and pride. If you are planning to buy one for May 17 or a wedding, you are likely wondering what it will actually cost and why the price varies so much. As someone who grew up around bunader … Read more
Catching the northern lights in Oslo is absolutely possible, but it takes a little luck and some strategy. At 60 degrees north, Oslo sits far south of Norway’s auroral hot spots, which means displays are rarer and usually fainter than what you see in Tromsø or Lofoten. Still, a strong solar storm, a clear sky, … Read more
Filling up your car in Norway is mostly straightforward, but there are a few local quirks that can catch travelers off guard. From unmanned stations and card pre-authorizations to the E10 vs. 98 octane question, this guide covers everything you need to know to refuel smoothly anywhere from Oslo to the Arctic. If you just … Read more
If you’ve heard that Norway has “weird laws,” you’re not alone. Visitors stumble on rules about alcohol hours, wild camping, studded tires, even dog leashes and wonder if we’re just making it up. As a Norwegian who grew up with these norms, I can tell you they’re less about being quirky and more about balancing … Read more
Norway is famous for whales, orcas, and puffins, but we also share our cold, clear seas with several species of sharks. From the gentle, plankton-eating basking shark that cruises near the surface in summer to the mysterious Greenland shark that haunts deep fjords, sharks are a quiet part of our marine story. As someone born … Read more
Driving in Norway is a joy, with fjords around one bend and mountains around the next. It is also tightly regulated, and speeding tickets in Norway are both common and expensive compared to many countries. If you are planning a road trip here, a little homework will save you money and stress. In short, Norway … Read more
Svalbard’s stark mountains and blue glaciers hide one of the world’s most extraordinary places: the Svalbard Global Seed Vault outside Longyearbyen. Built into the permafrost, this secure backup for the planet’s crop diversity has become a bucket-list stop for Arctic travelers. If you’re curious about how to see it, what you can and cannot do … Read more
Trondheim offers far more than colorful wharf houses and student buzz. This is one of Norway’s oldest cities, once a royal capital, and its museums reach from Viking archeology to pop music, from open-air farmsteads to contemporary art. If you like places where history and everyday life sit side by side, our museums will feel … Read more
If you love music, or you simply want to understand what makes modern Norway tick, Rockheim in Trondheim is the place. This national museum of popular music traces the sounds, stories, and subcultures that shaped Norway from the 1950s to today. It sits right on the waterfront at Brattøra, inside a striking converted warehouse topped … Read more
The NTNU University Museum in Trondheim is where Norway’s deep time and human story share the same roof. You step from Iron Age burials to medieval church art, then into rooms filled with Norwegian wildlife and geology. It is an easy walk from Nidaros Cathedral, tucked into the historic Kalvskinnet neighborhood, and it never feels … Read more