🇳🇴 Norway
Hej! I’m sharing a glimpse of my experience visiting magical Norway. I was there in 2021 and 2023. Below are some notes on what I tasted, saw and listened to.
Important: I only share my own experience and recommend the things I personally tried and liked. Therefore, everything written below is extremely subjective, and does not cover all the wonderful local features and places ☺️.
🗺 Places: Oslo, Bergen, Flåm, Fredrikstad, Moss, Horten.
🏛 Top sights visited:
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- Oslo
- Norwegian National Opera & Ballet (Den Norske Opera & Ballett)
- Vigeland Sculpture Park (Vigelandsanlegget)
- Akershus Fortress (Akershus Festning)
- Royal Palace (Det Kongelige Slott)
- Storting (Stortinget)
- Nobel Peace Center (Nobels Fredssenter)
- Oslo City Hall (Oslo Rådhus)
- National Theatre (Nationaltheatret)
- Oslo Cathedral (Oslo Domkirke)
- Karl Johans Gate (Karl Johans Gate)
- Bergen
- Bryggen Hanseatic Wharf (Bryggen)
- Bergenhus Fortress (Bergenhus Festning)
- Bergen Fishmarket (Bergen Fisketorget)
- Bergen Cathedral (Bergen Domkirke)
- Musikkpaviljongen (Musikkpaviljongen i Bergen)
- Sailor’s Monument (Sjømannsmonumentet)
- St. Mary’s Church (Mariakirken)
- Flåm
- Naroy Fjord (Nærøyfjord)
- Flåm Railway (Flåmsbanen)
- Gudvangen Viking Village (Gudvangen)
- Fredrikstad
- Old Town Fredrikstad (Gamlebyen)
- Kongsten Fort (Kongsten)
- Isegran Fort (Isegran)
- Fredrikstad Cathedral (Fredrikstad Domkirke)
- Moss
- Industrial District (Møllebyen)
- Jeloya Island (Jeløy)
- Refsnes Gods (Refsnes Gods)
- Bytårnet (Bytårnet)
- Horten
- Oslo Fjord (Oslofjord)
- Karljohansvern (Karljohansvern)
- KNM Utstein (KNM Utstein)
- Midgard Vikingcenter (Vikingsenter)
🎧 Local musicians:
- 🇳🇴 Katastrofe (singer). Genre: pop
- 🇳🇴 Postgirobygget (band). Genre: rock
- 🇳🇴 Vidar Villa (singer). Genre: pop
- 🇳🇴 Marcus & Martinus (duo). Genre: pop
- 🇳🇴 Soppgirobygget (DJ duo). Genre: russ music
- 🇳🇴 Cezinando (singer). Genre: pop
- 🇺🇳 Secret Garden (duo). Genre: new-age
- 🇺🇳 A-ha (band). Genre: pop
- 🇺🇳 Ørjan Nilsen (DJ). Genre: trance
- 🇺🇳 Kygo (DJ). Genre: tropical house
- 🇺🇳 Røyksopp (duo). Genre: electronic
- 🇺🇳 Alan Walker (DJ). Genre: pop
- 🇺🇳 Nico & Vinz (duo). Genre: pop
- 🇺🇳 Aurora (singer). Genre: indie pop
🎚️ Contribution to Electronic Music:
- Russ Music. Originated: mid-2000s
- Tropical House. Originated: early 2010s
🍽️ Local food & drinks:
- 🥓 Gravlaks (Gravlaks)
- 🥓 Smoked Salmon (Røkt Laks)
- 🥓 Ribberull (Ribberull)
- 🥓 Spekesild (Spekesild)
- 🥓 Fenalår (Fenalår)
- 🍲 Sodd (Sodd)
- 🥘 Fårikål (Fårikål)
- 🥘 Lutefisk (Lutefisk)
- 🥘 Pinnekjøtt (Pinnekjøtt)
- 🥘 Raspeball (Raspeball)
- 🥘 Norwegian Meatcakes (Kjøttkaker)
- 🍰 Rømmegrøt (Rømmegrøt)
- 🍰 Norwegian Waffles (Norske Vafler)
- 🍰 Ingefærnøtter (Ingefærnøtter)
- 🍰 Fyrstekake (Fyrstekake)
- 🍰 Julekake (Julekake)
- 🍰 School Bun (Skolebolle)
- 🍰 Smultring (Smultring)
- 🍰 Marsipankake (Marsipankake)
- 🍰 Queen Maud Fromage (Dronning Mauds Pudding)
- 🧀 Brunost Cheese (Brunost)
- 🫓 Flatbrød (Flatbrød)
- 🫓 Lefse (Lefse)
- 🍶 Julebrus (Brand: “Hansa”)
- 🍶 Norwegian Akevitt (Brands: “Løiten”, “Linie”)Vestland - Regional Special:
- 🥘 Bergen Pressed Cod (Persetorsk)Vestfold - Regional Special:
- 🥫 Sandefjord Sauce (Sandefjordsmør)
🎬 Local movies:
- Headhunters (Hodejegerne). Year: 2011. Genre: action / thriller
- Kon-Tiki (Kon-Tiki). Year: 2012. Genre: adventure / action
- The Bothersome Man (Den Brysomme Mannen). Year: 2006. Genre: fantasy
- The Tunnel (Tunnelen). Year: 2019. Genre: action
- The Worst Person in the World (Verdens Verste Menneske). Year: 2021. Genre: drama / comedy
- Thelma (Thelma). Year: 2017. Genre: fantasy / horror
- Beforeigners (Fremvandrerne). Year: 2019. Genre: fantasy (series)
🪔 Authentic features:
- Authentic Concept: Kos (Kos)
- Open-Air-Life (Friluftsliv)
- Nordic Skiing Tradition (Nordiske Grener)
- Dragestil Architecture (Dragestil)
- Basse Game (Basse)
- Norwegian Rose-Painting (Rosemaling)
- Authentic Musical Instrument: Hardanger Fiddle (Hardingfele)
- Authentic Garb: Bunad (Bunad)
- Legacy of Vikings (Vikinger / ᚢᛁᚴᛁᚾᛦ)
- Younger Futhark Runic Alphabet (Den Yngre Futharken / ᚠᚢᚦᚬᚱᚴ)
- Hnefatafl Game (Hnefatafl)
- Skalds & Skaldic Poetry (Skalder og Skaldekvad)
- Viking Ship Construction (Vikingskip)
- Title of Jarl (Jarl)
- Norse Mythology (Norrøn Mytologi)
- Norse Paganism (Norrøn Religion)
🎊 Authentic holidays & celebrations:
- Norwegian Constitution Day (Syttende Mai). Month: May
- Russefeiring (Russefeiring). Month: April to May
- Olsok (Olsok). Month: July
Vestland - Regional Special: - Bergen International Festival (Festspillene i Bergen). Month: May to June
Vestfold - Regional Special: - Midgard Viking Festival (Midgard Vikingfestival). Month: July
Oslo-City - Regional Special: - Oslo Medieval Festival (Oslo Middelalderfestival). Month: May to June
💐 National flower:
- Pyramidal Saxifrage (Bergfrue)
🦉 Local wisdom: “Good words should be carved in rock, bad words should be written in snow.” / “Det gode skal en hugge i fjell, det onde skal en skrive i snø." — Norwegian proverb
👨🎓 The oldest university: The University of Oslo (Universitetet i Oslo), Oslo, est. 1811.
