Norway |
| Saturday, 16 February 2008 00:00 |
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Norway, the land of trolls and waterfalls, continues to be a favourite holiday destination, with independent travellers come at their own expense. Whether walking, rafting, fishing or skiing, hardly any other country
lets you peruse your own outdoor-hobbies like this one. With 148,610 square miles, Norway is only slightly bigger than Germany but has a population of a mere 4.5 million. The relatively small capital city Oslo with a population of around 500,000 is Norway’s cultural centre. In the town once known as ‘Kristiania’ there is a great deal to see and experience: In ‚Frogner park’ the artist Gustav Vigeland created his fascinating life’s work through sculpting. The most famous sculpture is hidden away behind the others, „Sinnataggen“ – a little boy stamping on the floor in a huff. There is no cause for art lovers to get bored in one of the world’s most expensive cities. The Munch Museum offers a rich insight into the paintings of the museum’s namesake. The world’s oldest ski-jump, Holmenkollen, is a must for all sports enthusiasts. The first ski-jumping competition took place here in 1892. Holmenkollen is also a good starting point for tours. Hiking and cycling tracks, lakes and opportunities to fish allow the uniqueness of the Norwegian nature to be experienced. But it’s not only the capital and its surroundings that are worth visiting in Norway: In the land of rivers, lakes and waterfalls you can’t help but to take a lengthy excursion into the countryside: And for this you should travel by car, as many areas are difficult to access with public transport. The bus only runs once a week to some areas, and even less in the summer months! With a car you can stop by ever picturesque waterfall, lookout point, and ‚fjell’, (mountains) and snap away for your holiday album. Stavanger is the fourth biggest city in Norway (with 100,000 residents) and is a particularly vibrant little town in the summer months. In addition the town Sandes beckons from only ten kilometres away with its large shopping district, with bars and cafes. About 30 km away from here you will arrive at „Lysefjorden“. In this fjord you will find „Prekestolen“, carrying a common Norwegian place name. The rocky plateau has a size of around 7 x 7 feet and sinks 182 feet almost vertically into the „Lysefjord“. Climbing the plateau (there and back) takes about three to four hours, depending on personal fitness, but you should definitely take some good, solid footwear. |
Travelguide Norway
Nord Norge Nord-Norge is the northern region of Norway. It includes three provinces: Nordland, Troms and Finmark. There is daylight 24 hours a day during the whole summer and...more |