Winter in Norway

Winter is the perfect season for students and explorers alike to experience unique locations during their off-season. This means less tourists, cheaper flights, and a better chance for true immersion into a foreign culture. Out of  all the potential winter getaways, Norway in particular stands out. Its location and geography grant it some of the most extreme and inadvertently beautiful qualities, seen in few other places on Earth. Add in its large English speaking population and easy to navigate transportation systems, and Norway will triumph as your next winter adventure!

Bergen

Location and Background

Bergen sits on the southeastern coast of Norway. It is surrounded by easily accessible mountains and fjords, offering ample hiking and sightseeing opportunities. There are also plenty of unique shops and restaurants to explore in the city center. With so much history to take in, Bergen is a city to see cultural development through the centuries.

Weather

Bergen boasts very mild winters with the help of the Gulf Stream. It is located close to multiple mountains which makes it a bit on the rainy side, so it would do you well to be equipped with rain gear. Fortunately, temperatures in winter tend to stay closer to 40°F, and they often go a little higher. This makes Bergen a much more comfortable climate than other winter destinations. That being said, it gets VERY windy, to the point that people are caught completely off guard by murderous gusts of wind that force their limbs into momentary fits of rhythmic flailing. But, this can be quite comical, nonetheless.

Transportation

You can fly into the Bergen airport or take a train from Oslo. The train takes seven hours, but it is considered one of the most beautiful rides in the world, and it is well worth it! If you are flying, there is a coach bus service that will take you round trip to the Bergen airport for about $20.  Luckily, public transportation is free in Norway. Many bus stops in Bergen even have an electronic sign telling you exactly the amount of minutes until the next bus arrives. It is so easy to use the bus system that you will see little children getting on and off buses unsupervised. Bergen definitely wins at hassle-free transportation.

Activity and Location Highlights for Winter

Riding the Fløibanen Funicular to Mount Fløyen is one of the most popular activities in Bergen. You can purchase tickets online or in the Bergen Sentrum for under $10. Then, take the funicular, a vehicle similar to a tram that travels up a steep incline via cable railway, to the top of Mount Fløyen and experience the incredible panoramic views of the entire city. Once you are there, you can hike through the extensive trails at the top of the mountain or dine at the restaurant for a “dinner with a view” experience.

Street art and graffiti covers buildings and alleyways in Bergen.  Many famous street artists have their own galleries set up in Bryggen, an ionic shopping location in Bergen.  If you love art, Bergen is a gold mine with over 300 one-of-a-kind pieces scattered through its streets. Some pieces are even available for purchase in a Bryggen gallery! You can simply wander through the streets trying to find as many as you can, or use a map with the location of each piece at your leisure. You can view the map here

New Year’s in Bergen is a fireworks extravaganza! Norwegians LOVE fireworks and practically every household in Bergen sets off fireworks at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Although you can see fireworks around the city, Bergen Sentrum is where the real show takes place. You can set up a spot in the Sentrum to be up close or you can hike up a mountain to a biking or walking trail to experience the views of fireworks for miles across the coast. Some popular hiking locations include: Tippetue trail, Skredderdalen trail, and Stoltzekleiven trail.  

Traveling to a country during a holiday can expand your take on cultural traditions. If you enjoy New Year’s Eve and the pure exquisiteness of winter, then consider Bergen as a late December destination. It will be sure to dazzle you!

 

Tromsø

Location and Background

Tromsø is a young city spread out among a cluster of islands with its capital at Tromsøya. Although it is located above the Arctic Circle, Tromsø is very culturally vibrant and continues to grow with unique qualities. Specifically, Tromsø is home to the northernmost botanical garden in the world as well as some of the best places to view the Northern Lights.

Weather

The winter season brings with it a phenomenon characteristic to many arctic destinations: the sun does not rise above the horizon from about mid November to mid January. Tromsø is no exception. Every day during that time, the sun makes its way up to the horizon line, sits there for a few hours, and then descends back into darkness. So, for a little window of time, from about 9am to 12pm, there is a perpetual sunrise into a sunset where the light has a kind of purple or pink hue to it for the majority of the time. With little light and a location in the Arctic, Tromsø is a bit on the chilly side with average temperatures around 30°F and nightly dips into the teens, but it is definitely less extreme than most arctic locations due to its coastal location.

Transportation

No trains go up to Tromsø, so you can take a two hour plane ride from Bergen or Oslo, take a cruise that lasts about 6 days from Bergen, or drive. The bus system is similar to Bergen with a coach service to and from the airport and public buses throughout Tromsøya, but if you prefer to walk then be prepared for snow and ice everywhere. When I visited, locals were using skis to get around because it was less dangerous than walking. I resorted to sliding down the sloped roads– not always on purpose.

Activities and Location Highlights for Winter

The Northern Lights Chase with Arctic Guide Service is one of the best ways for seeing the Northern lights in Tromsø. In the winter, Arctic Guide Service has a tour almost every day.  They will drive almost three hours in any direction, using weather and light activity tracking systems to find the places that will give the best chance of seeing the northern lights. The guides are super friendly, speak multiple languages, and will gladly take a professional photo of you with the lights if you are not a skilled photographer. The service also offers reindeer sledding and snowmobiling tours.

Go dogsledding with Villmarkssenter and learn how to drive a dogsled! You can chose to drive a sled or sit inside and let a guide drive the whole time. The ride lasts about an hour and the experience is complete with a tour of the grounds, a meet and greet with the dogs, and a traditional meal in a Sami tent, the original tent structure of the native Scandinavian Sami people. They also provide transportation to and from their location in Kvaløya.

Finally, go skiing in one of the many ski resorts surrounding Tromsø! Tromsø Alpinpark and Grønnåsen Hoppsenter are two popular spots that offer a wide range of runs with varying difficulty and ski jumping.

Winter is definitely a perfect time to visit a new location. Whether or not you chose Norway for a winter location is up to you, but the season definitely offers experiences unlike any other. During the next winter season, be sure to take any opportunity you have to travel. I am certain you will not regret it!

[accordion_tab title=”Collegiate Correspondent: Jennifer Nieves” default]

Jennifer is a collegiate correspondent with Voy. [/accordion_tab]