9 Things to Know Before Traveling to Norway: By a Local!

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I wrote this guide to Norway for first-timers years ago, but finally decided to give it a bit of a revamp. If you are traveling to Norway for the first time, these are the things you need to know before you go!

Considering I was not only born and raised here, but I also wrote the book (literally, my travel guide to Norway is out now!), I know what I’m talking about.

Norway is an incredibly popular country to visit, and it’s easy to see why. From fjords and mountains in the West and the Northern lights up North, to the beautiful towns and cities along the South Coast and our capital Oslo in the East; there’s something for every taste.

Whether you are traveling through the entire country or spending all your time in a specific region, there are certain things you should be aware of before visiting Norway.

I’m here to help you out, and have written this little post on the things you need to consider when visiting Norway.

9 Things you Need to Know Before Visiting Norway

Below are the things I think are most important to know before you visit Norway for the first time. Of course, this post wasn’t meant to help you plan your trip to Norway (but the post behind that link is), but as more of a fun guide of things to know about before you go.

#1 Ask yourself; Why are you visiting?

Also known as do your research.

You have no idea how many times I have been asked ‘Where is the fjord?‘, as I am standing there staring at it. If you are traveling to the west of Norway, you should know that the reason it is such a popular destination is because of the fjords.

You should also know what a fjord is. I have no idea why someone would spend their money and time in order to get somewhere without knowing why the destination is so popular.

Bonus: if you can show the locals that you know your stuff, we will be very impressed, and more inclined to answer all of your questions. Don’t be one of these tourists.

#2 Norway is extremely expensive

Ranked one of the most expensive countries in the world, this shouldn’t come as a surprise. Yet, time and time again tourists are shocked at the prices and the cost of vacationing here.

I’ll say it again: Norway is expensive. Just get used to the idea of paying at least $10 for a beer, and you may get pleasantly surprised if you ever find it for less.

Of course, it is possible to be a little more budget friendly when traveling to Norway, but within reason. Visiting Bergen or Oslo on a budget is completely doable. However, once you get out of the cities with their options, it becomes harder.

Which brings me to my next point.

#3 Prepare for tourist prices.

Tourist prices are common amongst popular destinations such as the villages along the fjords and the main shopping streets of Oslo.

Now I don’t mean that they have different prices for locals and for tourists, like they do in some destinations (looking at you, Mexico..). What I mean is that attractions and activities that mainly cater to tourists are much more expensive than they would be if only locals did them. For example fjord cruises and northern lights tours.

The cost of common tourist attractions usually comes as a shock to travelers, particularly when they are not prepared for Norwegian prices in general.

In short; expect Norway to be expensive, and expect the prices in tourist areas to be even more costly.

#4 Norwegians are rude

I feel like I am really on a roll with the negativity here. Please trust me when I say that visiting Norway truly is worth it, I’m just here to prepare you for it.

Norwegians in general are considered a rather rude people. We live in the dark for the largest part of the year, and this may be a reason why.

The Norwegian language is not filled with ‘fluff’-words such as the English, and instead of saying ‘Pardon?’ or ‘Sorry?’ when we can’t hear you, we will just say ‘huh?’. Also, expect nothing but rude stares if you bump into someone on the street.

When getting off public transport, don’t expect anyone to let you off, but be prepared to fight your way through the mass of people trying to get on at the same time. This is one of my biggest pet peeves in Norway after living in London for three years..

This rudeness is not intentional, however. It is just how we are, and there is nothing more to it than culture. We don’t intend to be rude, but we may come across that way to foreigners.

#5 Be careful with your selfies

Norway has some stunning nature, and most of it is very easily accessible to the regular traveler. It is not a country filled with warning signs and fences, and it is possible to roam free as you please.

In fact, one of my favorite things about my own country is how accessible nature is!

However, this lack of warnings and stop signs does not mean that everywhere is safe and that you shouldn’t stay cautious. The mountains are steep, and the hikes can be quite dangerous, so please don’t ditch the path for an awesome selfie.

The local (and national) rescue teams often get SOS calls from travelers who are lost or from those that have seen their friends fall and get injured due to silly attempts at getting the best photo.

Please be aware of and follow The Norwegian Mountain Code at all times.

#6 We actually live here

On a similar note, please consider and respect the fact that a lot of the nature you see here is private property. Norway is a proud agricultural nation, and our farmers work very hard to keep and preserve their land.

If something is fenced in, even if there is no house for miles, please respect this and do not enter the field.

Also remember that some farming land (especially in the mountain areas) isn’t fenced in, and may have cattle or sheep roaming free. Respect this as much as you can.

If you are traveling with a dog, welcome! Just keep it on a leash when hiking, especially in the summer months. This is when sheep, cattle and goats are grazing freely, and leashing your dog is actually legally required.

#7 You can’t just go anywhere

Norway consists of many small towns and villages, where access to public transport is limited. It is always good to be aware of the transport opportunities before visiting an area.

For example; where I’m from, we have just one taxi company, and public buses that go through the village 3-4 times a day toward Bergen. If you miss these, you are literally stuck in a village of 500 inhabitants, so being aware of the transport schedule ahead of time is a must.

In short, just do your research before you go anywhere.

#8 Norway is huge

So many people traveling to Norway for the first time don’t realise how big the country is. When I create itineraries for people, 9 out of 10 times I have to ask them to lower their expectations of what to see.

People want to see the fjords, spend some time in Oslo, head up north for some dog sledding in Tromsø or Alta, maybe pop over to Svalbard and of course explore some Viking heritage in Lofoten. And most of the time, they want to do this in 10-14 days.

It’s just not possible. Even with domestic flights, you have to spend an entire day (pretty much) getting to the airport, waiting for your flight, changing planes in Oslo, and then picking up your rental car at your arrival airport.

As a general rule, if you have less than 14 days in Norway, you have to pick one region (either the north or the south). If you have more than that, you could see both, but I would recommend flying up there.

To give you an even better idea of the distances in Norway, consider that the drive from Bergen to Geiranger is 9 hours. And those destinations are both in western Norway and the fjord region!

So, before you get your hopes up, I recommend bringing up Google Maps and checking some distances before you start planning.

#9 Don’t ask us if we speak English

This one might be a little bewildering, as you probably know already that most Norwegian speak English really well.

We do, and this is something we take quite a lot of pride in. Therefore, some of us (myself included) can get slightly offended when tourists come up and ask us, whilst enunciating clearly: “Do you speak English?”

It makes us feel like you assume we don’t, when in fact, some of us speak better than you do. Jokes.

Therefore, it is much better for you to ask if we have time to help you with something, or if we could answer a question for you. We will immediately be pleased that you assumed we speak English, and be more inclined to help.

Visiting Norway for the First Time: Final Thoughts

Now I hope you feel a little more prepared for your trip to Norway. Regardless of where you go, and when you visit Norway, I know you are going to have an amazing time.

If you enjoyed this, you may want to check out my post covering things only Norwegians understand. It’s another fun guide to Norwegian culture.