Introduction
Snow-capped mountains, silvery fjords cutting through steep cliff sides, pristine blankets of snow glittering in the sun… Norway does winter like nowhere else on Earth.
If you haven’t experienced the colder months in Norway, you’ve missed out on a surprisingly lively place. After all, Scandinavians spend much of the year with short days and crisp temperatures, and have developed a wide range of popular activities to get the most out of the winter season.
Don’t miss the Northern Lights
Trips to see the Northern Lights make it onto many people’s travel wish lists, and for good reason. The aurora borealis is a colourful display over the polar regions caused by the collision of charged atmospheric particles, and the best way to view the lights is on a clear, dark night. Norway happens to be home to some of the best places to see the Northern Lights, such as the far Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and the remote Lofoten Islands, and our expert guides will bring you to the best spots to catch sight of this impressive wonder of the natural world.
Try ice hotels, husky sledding and more wintry wonders
For a unique holiday idea, spend an evening at an ice hotel, where the rooms are rebuilt every year by master artisans and the landscapes of Sorrisniva or Kirkenes form a scenic backdrop for one-of-a-kind igloos. In Roros, Karasjok and other rural lodges, the staff can take you on a dogsledding adventure or guide you through a relaxed snowshoe trek in the quiet woods. Winter cruises, from fjords to open-water expeditions, provide opportunities to get away from light pollution for stargazing and aurora sightings. At the end of a chilly day, curl up in a luxury lodge on a winter log cabin holiday and gaze into the fire or relax in a hot tub.
