The best of Norway in 12 days - and itinerary suggestions for 7, 10 , 15 or 20 days

Norway, a country that seems to have come straight out of a fairy tale with its stunning landscapes, majestic fjords, and rich culture , had been on my wishlist for years. After finally visiting, I dream of returning to experience those incredible vistas again.

Located on the Scandinavian Peninsula, with a coastline carved by numerous fjords, Norway borders Sweden, Finland, and Russia, making it a must-visit destination in any trip through the region.

We had only 12 days to explore this absolutely amazing country, so we had to make the most of every minute. After extensive research, I’m sharing the itinerary we followed (and later on, what we would have done if we had more or fewer days available).

First of all, the burning question:

Is traveling in Norway expensive?

For those planning a trip, it's important to know that Norway is an expensive country to live in and visit. It was one of the most expensive destinations we've visited in recent years, more so than Japan, United States e Spain, for example.

However, the beauty of its landscapes makes every cent worth it. When you leave, you think: I could have saved more and stayed an extra day here!

With simple strategies and a proper planning , it is possible to reduce travel costs and still make the most of everything Norway has to offer.

Our itinerary, with the best things to do in Norway in 12 days:

We had only twelve days to visit this absolutely incredible country, so we had to make the most of every minute we had there. After extensive research, here’s what we decided to do, and I can say it was perfect:

1️⃣ Arrival in Oslo: our flight from London landed in the afternoon, allowing us to enjoy the evening — still bright — in the city.

2️⃣ Oslo

3️⃣ Travel to Voss by train: we rented a car and spent the late afternoon at our Airbnb in Oppheim/Voss.

4️⃣ Flam: morning boat tour through the Naeroyfjord and Aurlandsfjord; afternoon train ride on the Flåmsbana from Flåm to Myrdal, returning by bike (rented at Café Rallaren).

5️⃣  Flam: kayak tour on the Aurlandsfjord, lunch in Gudvangen, afternoon at Viking Valley (recommended for children) and the Stalheim Hotel viewpoint. We had also planned to visit Undredal and the Aurland Shoe Shop but opted for a beer at the Ægir Brew Pub and a relaxing evening at our Airbnb.

6️⃣  Flam: Stegastein viewpoint and then the scenic drive to Geirangerfjord, with many stops along the way. We chose to bypass the convenience of the Laerdal Tunnel (Europe’s longest) to enjoy the beautiful curves of the old Gamle Aurlandsvegen road, one of Norway’s scenic drives. It significantly increased travel time but was incredibly beautiful.

7️⃣ Geirangerfjord: said to be the most beautiful fjord in Norway. I can’t confirm this as I haven’t seen them all, but it’s certainly one of the most impressive landscapes I’ve ever seen.

8️⃣ Drive back to Voss: return the rental car and continue by train to Bergen

9️⃣ Bergen: enjoy the city, the charming historic district of Bryggen, the Bergenhus Fortress, take the funicular to Floyen, visit museums, cafes, and savor the best of Norway in this wonderful city.

🔟 Bergen in the morning. travel to Stavanger in the afternoon (we took a bus as there is no direct train line between the two cities).

1️⃣1️⃣ Hike Preikestolen

1️⃣ 2️⃣ Stavanger

1️⃣3️⃣ Flight back home: our flight departed at six am to Frankfurt. We spent the day in Frankfurt and caught the evening flight back home

(Okay, it was actually thirteen days, but this last day doesn’t really count as Norway, right?)

If you have more time to spend in Norway or need to make your trip shorter, at the end of the post I’ll share what I liked the most, what I would skip, and what I would add if I had a few extra days.

How to get around in Norway

We arrived by plane in Oslo from London and took the train from the airport to Oslo Central Station, just a few blocks from our hotel.

From Oslo to Voss/Flåm, we traveled by train, enjoying the stunning scenery. We rented a car in Voss to explore the Flåm area.

A few days later, we drove to Geiranger, one of Norway's scenic routes. I recommend taking your time on this travel day, making the most of the stops along the way. The journey is about 300 km on the map, but believe me, it will take the entire day.

We spent a day in Geiranger and drove back to Voss the next day. This time, we took a different route with fewer stops, and it took about six hours to complete the trip. Both on the way there and back, we had to take a ferry.

We had planned to travel from Voss to Bergen by train, but the train line was closed for maintenance that week, so the train company arranged for a bus instead.

From Bergen to Stavanger, the best way is by bus (there are no direct train lines between the two cities), with two ferry crossings along the way.

We flew from Stavanger directly to Frankfurt, where we caught our connecting flight back with Lufthansa.

Where to stay in Norway

We were traveling with seven people: three adults and four children, aged eight to eleven. We prioritized accommodations that provided space for the kids and privacy for the adults.

Except in Oslo, we stayed in houses rented through Airbnb or Booking . I was very pleased with all the places we stayed. Having a kitchen at our disposal allowed us to reduce travel costs by preparing breakfast and most dinners at home.

Where to stay in Oslo:

You may have already heard – and I'm here to repeat – that Norway is an expensive country to visit, and that Oslo is its most expensive city, so prepare your pockets.

The best cost-effective accommodation I found was Citybox Oslo, a minimalist self-service hotel, with an excellent location, very close to the city's central station. We booked a family room with a double bed and a bunk bed.

Where to stay in Flåm:

My intention was to stay in the small town of Flåm, but when I went to make reservations, all the hotels and guesthouses within our budget (and even those outside it) were already fully booked.

So, here's a tip: book your accommodation in Flåm as soon as possible! My top choices were Fretheim Hotel, Flam Hostel or the amazing Flamsbrygga Hotel.

We ended up finding an Airbnb in a town called Oppheim, about 40 km from Flåm (with a 16km tunnel on the way), a very comfortable house, on the edge of Lake Oppheimsvatnet. This place is close to Voss, known as one of the best regions in the country for adventure and extreme sports, and great for winter activities.

Where to stay in Geiranger:

Needless to say, I really wanted to stay in a hotel with views of the Geirangerfjord, as the Grande Fjord Hotel or the Hotel Union Geiranger Bed & Spa.

I’d love to say we didn’t stay there because they were fully booked, but it was actually because they were out of our budget. The more budget-friendly hotels, like the Havila Hotel Geiranger, were fully booked, so we stayed in an charming house in Stranda: a cozy wooden chalet with a jacuzzi on the porch and a great view. In winter, there’s a ski lift that passes just a few meters from the chalet.

Where to stay in Bergen:

We stayed in a house in Bryggen, Bergen's historic district, with its narrow alleys and wooden houses. The house was, as expected, old, with a lot of charm and history – and a little lacking in cleanliness. It may not have been the most impeccable, but it was the most authentic accommodation.

If you prefer a hotel, the Radisson Blu Royal is very well located in Bryggen and is always a great choice. A more charming option is the Thon Hotel Rosenkrantz Bergen and also the Klosterhagen-Hotel, which seems to have great value for money.

Where to stay in Stavanger:

In Stavanger, the city we used as a base to hike Preikestolen, , once again we opted for a house. We chose one in a suburb, requiring a bus ride to go downtown The house was excellent and the hosts amazing. Everything was super easy and organized, with the bus running on schedule, as you’d expect in Norway

Downtown, the most popular hotel is Radisson Blue Atlantic Hotel – in fact, it is from there that buses leave for the Preikestolen trekking. Other options are the Thon Hotel Stavanger and the historic Hotel Victoria, housed in a building dating back to the early 1900s.

Detailed map

Below is a map showing details of everything we did, where we stayed, and the best places we visited. There are different layers with different colors for each area we visited. The blue line marks the route we drove.

Save the map to your Google account, so when you plan your next trip to Norway, you'll know where to start. ;-) Here's a blog post where I explain how I use Google MyMaps to plan tripsem using Google MyMaps, check it out!

15-day Norway itinerary

I would have loved to spend a few more days (or even weeks) exploring Norway.

For a fifteen-day itinerary in Norway, I would follow exactly what we did, with the following additions:

• After Geiranger, I would go to Alesund. From there, you could return by car to Voss (as we did, it's only sixty km more), or return the car in Alesund and fly to Bergen (this would probably be more expensive but certainly more convenient).

• I would spend an extra day in Stavanger to do the Kjerag Stone hike — the one with the famous photo of the small rock wedged between two massive fjords!

• If you’re up for it, set aside two days to hike Trolltunga, using Bergen as a base (the trailhead is 150 km from Bergen, in a place called Odda)

(Note that my fifteen-day itinerary proposal is actually sixteen days 😂)

In summary, for a fifteen-day trip, I recommend following our itinerary and adding some of these activities. Alternatively, if you enjoy exploring cities and their museums, consider spending an extra day in either Oslo or Bergen, as both cities offer excellent opportunities for sightseeing.

20-day Norway itinerary

With an extra week in Norway, I would definitely visit the Lofoten Islands.

You can drive there – It must be a beautiful journey, but it is 1,300 km from Geiranger, the northernmost point on our itinerary, or 1,230 km from Alesund.

The most practical way to get to Lofoten is by flying to Leknes or Bodø. By the time of writing this post, there were flights to Lofoten departing from Oslo, Bergen, and Stavanger.

If we had less time...

It would have been very difficult to choose which of the places to skip...

I think it all depends on your interests: Are you someone who loves culture, art, and museums? Then Oslo and Bergen should be on your itinerary; you might skip Stavanger and even Geiranger.

Are you a nature lover who can’t pass up an adrenaline rush? So you could leave Olso out, and even Bergen.

Do you want a taste of everything the country has to offer but have even less time than we did? Then choose just one fjord area to visit: Flåm or Geiranger . Both are stunning and offer similar activities, but only in Flåm can you do the train and bike rides, which were, in my opinion, incredible and unmissable.

Short on time? Skip Flåm and do the Norway in a Nutshell tour, , which includes a one-day round-trip to Flåm from Bergen.

Below are my suggested itineraries for those who have less time in Norway:

10-day Norway itinerary

1️⃣ Oslo

2️⃣ Oslo

3️⃣ Go to Flam by train

4️⃣ Flam

5️⃣ Flam

6️⃣ in the morning, train to Bergen, afternoon enjoying Bergen

7️⃣ Bergen

8️⃣ Bergen in the morning, travel to Stavanger in the afternoon

9️⃣ hike Preikestolen

🔟 Stavanger

7-day Norway itinerary

1️⃣ Oslo

2️⃣ Oslo

3️⃣ in the morning, train to Bergen, afternoon enjoying Bergen

4️⃣ Bergen

5️⃣ Bergen, with Norway in a Nutshell day-tour

6️⃣ Travel to Stavanger in the morning, afternoon in Stavanger

7️⃣ hike Preikestolen

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