What is the best time to travel to Norway?

One of the most attractive destinations you have in Europe for you summer vacation trip es Norway.

In particular, the norwegian fjords have become a very popular destination in summer thanks to the numerous Cruise with thousands of tourists who visit them during this summer season.

Although there are also good attractions to travel to the fjords at any other time of the year.

But also the northern norway It is an increasingly visited region in winter in search of the possibility of seeing the incredible spectacle of the Aurora borealis.

What is the best time of year to travel to Norway?

Now, taking into account the Norwegian climatology and the attractions of its different regions, you can consider What is the best time of year to take a tourism trip? to that northern European country.

In this regard, there are several factors that can influence your decision, from what places you want to see, to what type of activities you would like to do, all of this conditioned by the weather in Norway at different times of the year.

To help you make the decision for your next trip, below are some useful tips. tips based on the experience of the various trips I have made in recent years to various regions of Norway, and at different times of the year.

What is the weather like in the Norwegian fjords?

Contrary to what you may think, and despite being a region located very far north of Europe, in winter in the Norwegian fjords it is not as cold as you can imagine.

It is true that in the areas of interior of norway, and specifically in the north of the country, temperatures of -10 and even -20 degrees below zero can be reached.

But you should know that in the fjords the temperatures in winter not only do not go far from -0 degrees, but as I have been able to verify, in the middle of February there are days when it is +5 or +7.

This is because the Norwegian coast is bathed by warm waters from the Gulf Stream, which prevent the fjords from suffering the greatest rigors of winter.

Of course, the Norwegian fjord region is very rainy, so you have to face your trip knowing that you will have to live with days of rain...but this happens throughout the year.

Indeed, I have already had the opportunity to travel to the fjords of Norway in summer, spring and winter, and in a certain way the time has been very similar, that is, always very variable.

Thus, there are days that may start with rain, and then little by little it will open until the sky completely clears, and when night comes, it will rain again.

The difference in winter is that on some of those days, if your trip coincides with the entry of a cold front, the rain can be snow.

But I have also had some days in spring when it started with a heavy snowfall, only to soon clear up and the snow disappear; or in summer, some day with a rain that hasn't stopped for hours.

In short, always a very variable time.

Best time to see the northern lights in Norway

If your main reason for traveling to Norway is see northern lights, the ideal time extends over several months.

Specifically, you can see them north of the Arctic Circle from September to April, although it will depend on the greater or lesser activity that there is on the days of your trip and, essential, enjoying nights with clear skies.

This article will be useful to you with information about how to see the northern lights in Norway.

Best time to ski in Norway

Now, if what you want is to enjoy winter activities, a trip to northern Norway should be done from December to April, a time when you will find the most beautiful winter landscapes.

There you can, for example, make a snowmobile excursion a dog sled excursion, or snowshoe trekking.

This same time is ideal if what you want is to ski in Norway, where you will find ski resorts like Myrkdalen in the Hardanger Fjord.

Although you should know that in Norway you can also skiing in summer on a glacier, specifically, in Fona, resort of the Folgefonna glacier, in the same Hardanger fjord, activity that you can now do from mid-April to September.

How to avoid excess tourists in Norway

Another factor to consider is the influx of tourists in Norway at specific times of the year.

Of course, this country is very far from suffering from the problems of excess tourism that certain cities or regions of the world have.

But it is true that in recent years, because a Norwegian fjord cruise It has become a very attractive vacation trip for many people, and in the summer there begins to be an excess of tourists in certain places.

This would be, for example, the case of the city of Bergen, which due to its small dimensions can suffer from an uncomfortable accumulation of tourists when several cruise ships coincide.

Or nature enclaves such as the great rocky mountain known as The Pulpit (Preikestolen), which last year was already visited by more than 300.000 people, with a line of tourists being common during the summer season.

Another impressive rocky viewpoint of the fjords, Troll tongue, in summer it is visited by up to 2.500 people every day.

In this regard, you should know that the cruise season in the fjords begins at the end of May and ends in mid-September, although when there are more cruises it is in July and August.

Therefore, if you can avoid these months and travel, for example in May or September, you are guaranteed to be able to enjoy the splendor of Norwegian nature almost to yourself.

For example, the aforementioned enclave of The Pulpit It can be visited from April to October, and you don't have to go up in August, queuing with other visitors during the demanding climb.

Lower off-season hotel prices

Finally, when choosing the time to travel to this Nordic country, there is a factor that is also worth taking into account, and that is hotel prices, which are clearly lower in months outside the summer season.

In a country where everything is going to cost you very expensive on your trip, such as transportation, restaurants, excursions or the purchases you make, you can save on hotels if you travel in the low season.

You will surely appreciate it.

In short, best time to travel to norway It is the one that best suits your tastes and preferences...because the weather is never a problem.