Hey all! I had a lot of people asking for my specific itinerary from my trip to Norway. Knowing what I like when reading an itinerary, I made it short, sweet, and with minimal side notes. This is also the honest version of where I went and what I did – both the exciting and the “change-of-plans” experiences. When inclement weather or closures happened, I wanted to incorporate what I would have done or other suggestions for you to help plan your trip. There are also helpful links to hotels, companies, or businesses that I visited while there. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or shoot me a DM on Instagram!
Enjoy!
Spot #1 Bergen and the Fjords
Day one
Arrived at Bryggen at 1 pm and dropped off luggage
Walked to the famous fish market (got some delicious fish soup and fish and chips) and explored the market
Explored the shops and alleys at Bryggen
Walked to the side around of the harbor facing Bryggen, got some photos
Explored the surrounding streets, enjoying the art and architecture
Fought sleep, but began losing. Headed back to Airbnb
In bed at 7:40 pm
Day 2 – explored the town
Slept in 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Had breakfast at Gødt Brød (Good Bread)
Explored and learned some history at Rosenkrantz Tower and Håkon´s Hall
Went to a free art gallery (it was so-so) called KRAFT
Checked out more shops and art stores/galleries at Bryggen
Visited Byparken and took pictures of the flowers, statues, and National Theatre, then checked out the neighboring shops
After dinner (of kebab 😋) went by No Stress for drinks and to play Mario Kart (unfortunately the chord in the N64 was not working, so we hung out and chatted.)
Watched the sunset around Bryggen (absolutely beautiful)
Day 3 Norway in a Nutshell (book tour here)
Hopped on the Bergen Train at 7, enjoyed the views
Hopped on the famous Flåm Railway
Had 1:30 to explore Flåm, bought some Scandinavian Sweaters and ate lunch, loaded the bus for Stegastein Viewpoint
1:30-minute tour to Stegastein Viewpoint 🤩
Got back, did a 1-hour hike at the Nature Trail – ate a delicious cinnamon custard Bolle
Get in line for the boat 15 minutes early (note where the captain is facing and grab a spot by the rail facing the same direction.
Fjord cruise of Nærøyfjord (a branch of Songefjord)
Bus back (stopping at the panoramic hotel along the way)
Tacos and a lil ice cream after dinner at the wharf
Picked up muffins from the 7/11 for a to-go breakfast for tomorrow
Day 4
Catch the early bus to Norheimsund, and get out at Steinsdalsfossen to have the whole waterfall to yourself (before the tour busses come in!)
Walk 35-45 minutes to Norheimsund (taking in the beautiful scenery along the way)
Stop for coffee and a view at Kaffe Kap
Stroll to the Hardanger Fjord Adventure – 1:15 minute high-speed Fjord Safari
Catch the bus back to Bergen
Hit up the Maritime Museum before they close (I wanted to learn about the Viking history of the area, this was a great option, but it also showcases the history of boats and Norwegian Seafaring)
Enjoy a loop around the large lake at Fyllingsdalen and climb through the trees to find the rocky outcrop over the lake
Pop back to Bryggen for a classic Beer Garden experience, enjoying the sunny outdoors (food available as well)
Go to bed because exhaustion has hit pretty hard
Day 5
Wake up early and grab breakfast at the bottom of Mount Fløy (Floybannen Funicular)
Ride the Funicular up to the top
Visit the goats to the right of the funicular exit first, then start the Vidden hike
Hike and hike and hike for about 6 hours (don’t forget Kvikk hiking chocolate! 🍫)
Eat a late lunch at the Ulriken Cafe
Take the Ulriken Cable Car down and catch the bus to City Sauna
2 Hour Sauna cruise (for two 💕)
- melt in the sauna
- Cold plunge in the fjord
- Drink LOTS of water
- Vibe with your music
- Pick a favorite essential oil to add to the sauna water
Feel AMAZING after
Dinner at Olivia (pizza and focaccia were so good)
Pack up and go to bed
Spot #2 Longyearbyen, Svalbard
Day 6
Haul everything to the station and catch the flight to Longyearbyen (Svalbard)
Beer tasting at the Svalbard Bryggri
Dinner at Svalbar
Day 7
Walrus safari with Better Moments tour company (lunch on the boat)
Dinner at Nuga Sushi
Guided evening hike to the Global Seed Vault with Snow Fox and then to the top of Blomsterdalshøgda for great cardio exercise and even better views
Watch the Midnight sun from the beach
Go to bed INCREDIBLY tired
Day 8
Guided nature hike into Bjordallen with Snow Fox (see Arctic foxes, Svalbard Reindeer, and a plethora of wild birds.)(lunch on the hike)
Svalbard Museum (to learn the rich history of the area) (we had to choose between this and the coal mine tour and ultimately chose this option, but you could easily swap out this choice if you wanted to see Mine Number 3)
Dinner at Saenphet Thai in the shopping center (really pretty views of the street from the main window)
Day 9
Pack up and check out of hotel
Walk the city shops and pick up souvenirs
Husky Cafe 😍 pet the pups and drink some tea
Catch the bus to the airport
Quick Tour Company Notes:
If you want to go outside of the city limits, there is a very real possibility of running into a polar bear (there are signs at a few points outside of town warning you of this.) Because of that, it is not wise to leave town without a guide, or unprepared to scare off a polar bear (most of the time this is done with a flare gun, but all locals carry guns for worst-case scenario situations.) Tours are what 99.99% of visitors do to explore outside of Longyearbyen. I loved both of the companies listed above, they were by far some of the best tours I have ever been on as far as quality of information, structure of the tour, and genuine friendliness and character of our guides – some of which I am now friends with on Instagram.
It should be stated that the odds of seeing a Polar Bear are INCREDIBLY low, but there is a long history of people being hurt or killed by bears since the discovery of Svalbard – one incident happening as recently as 2022. Going with a guide is the best way to explore and stay safe.
Land in Lofoten, pick up car and drive to Eliassen Rorbuer in Hamnøy
Watch the sunset
Spot #3 Southern Lofoten Islands
Day 10
Constitution Day – most everything is closed to celebrate
Pick up breakfast and a few groceries at the Circle K
Stop by the Lofoten Store for souvenirs and information (specifically for Constitution Day)
Walk in the Constitution Day parade (from Moskenes to Sørvågen)
(This was kinda specific to our trip, feel free to take this time to go for a drive, hike, or on a fun tour. Some ideas to get you going – sea kayak in Reine Bay, drive the E10 in either direction and check out the lovely beaches, or take a tour to see Sea Eagles!)
Get lunch at Tapperiet Bistro (fish and chips and fish of the day were both EXCELLENT)
Climb Reinebringen (about 3-4 hours) eat some hiking chocolate and enjoy the view from the top
Rest and enjoy dinner at home
Day 11
These next two days had really bad weather. Because many of the hikes are up mountains and fairly exposed and slippery, we had to change our plans. I’ll include a list of hikes in case you have nice weather and want to get outside at the bottom of this page.)
Drive to Å and explore the cool coastline, and get a cinnamon bun at the bakery 😊
Take the E10 to Leknes – stopping at pretty places for photos along the way
If you are in the Lofoten Islands from late winter to late spring, you will probably see the racks of dried fish, most of which are Cod. These are super cool to walk under and get a closer look at the unique, no-salt drying method that fishers have used for hundreds of years to preserve their precious fish.
Lunch at the mall plus quick shopping for gifts
Visit the Lofotr Viking Museum (the chieftain’s longhouse was particularly cool.)
Drive back, hitting up the beaches and/or side roads along the way, and really get into the spirit of exploration and adventure
If you want to get back quickly, you can do the afternoon sea kayak, we wanted to do the evening one, it gets done at 11:30 pm or so
Walk to Saga Lofoten for a 3-hour sea kayak
Day 12
Drive to Nusfjord and check out the historic fishing village. Be sure to visit the panoramic viewpoint and – for even more adventure – walk out to the small lighthouse at the end.
Have a late lunch (the pizza restaurant opens at 3 and quickly gets busy. If you for sure want a spot, make a reservation, or hope you get lucky and they have room. The Pear Cider was excellent!
Enjoy the drive back, stopping at side roads, and seeing what cool things you can discover. If the weather is good, consider a hike!
Light Dinner at home
Day 13
Wake up early and head to Ryten Trailhead (grabbing cinnamon buns at Anita’s along the way. If you feel up to it, they have excellent Stockfish, be brave and give some a try)
Climb the mountain! (Plan on closer to 4 hours for the direct route, and if you want to take the route to the beach, add on an extra hour or two)
Lofoten Hiking list:
- Bunes Beach + Helvetestinden (need to take a ferry)
- Hermannsdalstinden (hardcore)
- or just to the Munken stop if you want to not be intense hiking all-day
- Horseid Beach
- Kvalvika Beach to Ryten Mountain
- Reinebringen
- Tindstinden
- Håen (on the next island over, accessible by plane or ferry)
- Veggen
- Delp
Beaches to see
- Kvalvika
- Horseid
- Bunes
- Skagsanden
- Hauklandstranda
- Unstad (for surfing or surfer watching!)
*Now it is time for a gentle observation. I love to travel, but it doesn’t mean every single trip has perfect choices and outcomes every time. Take what you need from this next section, knowing that this much travel all at once was exhausting. I will probably make another post on how to survive a crazy amount of flights or long-leg flights, but that is not the purpose of this particular post. A little exhaustion keeps you young, right?*
Catch the flight out of Leknes to Bødo, then Bødo to Bergen. Check into the Bergen Airport Hotel and catch about 4-6 hours of sleep
Day 14
Pop on the 6:20 am flight to Frankfurt, then the 11-hour flight to San Fransisco, before taking the final flight home to Salt Lake City. Feel accomplished for taking a 5-flight adventure, then sleep for about 14 hours.
That is the whole epic adventure! If you have other questions about my trip to Norway, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Send me a DM on my Instagram or leave a comment. I have a highlight story saved to my Instagram page if you want to experience the whole amazing experience – check it out! Happy traveling!