Norway (Interrail Countries)

The centre of Norway´s capital, Oslo, is located on the edge of a fjord, surrounded by mountains and dense forests. The view from "Holmenkollen" is quite magnificent. Pay a visit to the Aker Brygge wharf where you will find shops, restaurants and entertainment, and enjoy a glass of mead on board a viking ship. Oslo has just about everything you would expect from a city, and the nightlife has acquired an excellent reputation in recent years. It is the fjords which distinguish Norway from the rest of Scandinavia. Long and deep, the fjords wind their way between mountains and the steep countryside, surrounded by sheer cliffs, high waterfalls and beautiful scenery.

Country characteristics

Oslo
Norway’s capital, Oslo, is centrally located in the heart of Scandinavia. Bounded by the fjord and the forested hills, it offers fantastic scenery. Oslo is in rapid development and is a popular venue for national and international activities. Music, art, culture, science and sport add life and colour to the city. During summertime the days are long with over 18 hours of daylight available for outdoor pursuits.

Bergen
The City of Bergen and the Fjords of Norway offer you the ideal combination of nature, culture and pulsating city life. 
Situated where sea and mountains meet, Bergen is a city with a big heart and endless enthusiasm and visitors are greeted with open arms. Welcome to Bergen, the old city with the young heart
Bergen is more than 900 years old, a World Heritage City and was the European City of Culture in year 2000.

Stave churches
Norwegian stave churches are an architectural sight worth seeing. The Gol stave church can be seen at the Norsk Folkemuseum in Oslo, and another interesting stave church is to be found in Borgund.

Historic Relics
Historic Relics are dotted around Norway. Viking culture has left its mark in the form of Viking ships and other finds - unique ancient remains which put us in contact with the people who lived here so very long ago. Excellent Viking museums are to be found in both Oslo and Lofoten.

Artists and explorers
Norway´s history is peppered with famous individuals who were drawn to the unknown, and whose exploits helped introduce others to art, poetry and music. The explorers Amundsen, Nansen and Heyerdahl lived here as did the composer Grieg, the dramatist Ibsen, the author Sigrid Undset and the expressionist Munch. Pay a visit to Grieghallen in Bergen and enjoy a delightful concert.

Four distinctive seasons
Norway is blessed with a climate that has its advantages all year round and is one of the few countries with four distinctive seasons.

• Spring - with flowers and trees in full blossom, is especially spectacular along the western fjords.
• Summer - the temperature can often rise up to more than 30°C ., and thanks to the Golfstream the water is pleasant for swimming.
• Autumn - a fantastic season to go hiking in the mountains surrounded by brilliant reds and yellows.
• Winter - most parts of Norway are covered with snow, making it ideal for winter sports like cross country skiing, downhill, snowboard etc.

Northern lights (Aurora Borealis)
If you are lucky you might see the natural phenomena known as the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis to call them by their scientific name. A spectacular play of lights, undulating to and fro across the night sky. Unfortunately, however, you are never guaranteed this treat, as it depends on certain meteorological conditions between November and February. To improve your chances you need to go north of the Arctic Circle, but the Northern Lights may, on occasions, also be seen in southern Norway.

Midnight Sun
The best time to see the midnight sun in Norway is between May and July. The sun does not sink below the horizon in all of northern Norway from Bodø to the North Cape.

Elks, Bears, Salmon or Perch
Opportunities for hunting and fishing abound in Norway. The wild life is very impressive and, with a little luck, you may well catch sight of both elks and reindeer from your train window. If you choose to visit one of the mountain national parks, you might even see a musk-ox.

Trolls, Gnomes and ‘Hulder’
Elves play an important part in Norwegian folklore and even today, the colours and sounds of nature easily evoke a sense of the mystical. You will meet these spirits and creatures in folk- tales, painting and music which often have a strong pagan element.

Source http://www.interrailnet.com