Norway

Norway is the land of the fjords — long, deep arms of the sea winding between towering cliffs and waterfalls, carved by glaciers and ranked among the most beautiful landscapes on Earth. Stretching far into the Arctic, this long, mountainous country offers glaciers, the soaring peaks of the Jotunheimen (crowned by 2,469-m Galdhøpiggen), the dramatic Lofoten Islands, the North Cape, and a coastline of countless islands and skerries.

It is a paradise for hikers, kayakers, and lovers of wild scenery, where the midnight sun shines through Arctic summers and the northern lights dance over winter snows, all underpinned by a deep cultural bond with nature and the outdoors.

Cruise and kayak the Geiranger, Nærøy, and Sognefjord, hike to Preikestolen and Trolltunga, ski and chase the aurora in the north, climb in Jotunheimen, and explore the Lofoten Islands. The coastal Hurtigruten voyage and Arctic dog-sledding add more.

Summer (June–August) brings the midnight sun, long days, and the best fjord and hiking weather; autumn offers color and fewer crowds. Winter is for skiing, dog-sledding, and the northern lights in the Arctic north.

Norway's wildlife includes reindeer, moose, Arctic foxes, lemmings, sea eagles, and, in the far north and Svalbard, polar bears, walruses, and whales, while its rivers and coasts are famed for salmon and seabird colonies.

Norway's fjords were gouged by glaciers into ancient hard bedrock and drowned by the sea, while the Jotunheimen and other ranges hold the country's highest peaks and largest mainland glaciers. The long coast is fringed by thousands of islands and skerries.

Home to the seafaring Vikings, who raided and settled across Europe from the 8th century, Norway was long united with Denmark and then Sweden before gaining full independence in 1905. Oil wealth has made it one of the world's most prosperous nations, with a strong outdoor and egalitarian ethos.

Norwegian culture prizes friluftsliv ('open-air living') — a deep love of nature, hiking, cabins, and skiing (Norwegians say they are 'born with skis on') — alongside Viking heritage and the Indigenous Sámi culture of the Arctic north.

Visit in summer for the fjords, midnight sun, and hiking, or winter for skiing and the aurora. Use the scenic ferries and trains, book popular hikes and Lofoten stays ahead, and embrace friluftsliv — but pack for changeable weather.