Norway Experience

Chasing the Northern Lights in Tromso

Advantages: Beautiful scenery, snow capped mountains
Disadvantages: Very expensive and a lack of sunlight

In January of this year we set off to Norway in search of the ethereal Northern Lights. Tromso is known as an execllent place for viewing the lights - you have a 50% chance of seeing them on a clear night - but make sure you go in the winter when there's a lot more night time in which to see them! We flew to Oslo first and then changed to take internal flights to Tromso itself - a mere 150km journey between the 2 airports! Tromso is a small university ...
...It has several 'most northern' claims including brewery and Burger King! We stayed in a log cabin across the bridge from the town centre. It was a peaceful setting, the thick layer of snow on the ground muffled all sounds, even cars seemed to purr along the roads. Coupled with the dominating mountains the town had a magical feel to it. The rivers were for the most part totally frozen over, creating abstract patterns and formations. We came prepared ...

mushroom34 30.08.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of General: Norway

Skiing in Voss

Advantages: Not very far to travel
Disadvantages: Very expensive

Although Voss is a very small town located about 1-2 hours drive from Bergen airport it offers some of the best skiing conditions I have skied in. There are passes available for the cable car and ski lifts which range from one day passes to monthly passes, there is a restaurantsituated at the top of the mountain where meals are served all day. Although much of the food is quite expensive there is a wide variety of meals available. The ski slopes ...
...of the main centre of Voss with all equiptment needed provided. Instructors on the mountain speak a wide variety of languages including very good English. There is only one main hotel in the main town of Voss but a youth hostel provides good facilities with large comfortable rooms for up to 4 adults. ...

sdonaldson 07.01.2001 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Voss

The end of Europe

Advantages: Beautiful views, educational
Disadvantages: Cold, winding road to reach the Cape

...really enjoyed my visit to Nordkapp, to reach the north end of Europe was special, it was very busy though, perhaps more so because there was a Christian concert that evening and that had attracted more people who had been in Honnisvåg at a Conference, so we had the pleasure of listening to the group members singing in the large hall with people sitting on the steps down to the entrance overlooking the Globe and standing where they could find room. ...

jo145 03.07.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Nordkapp, Honningsvåg

Arctic Gateway

Advantages: Gateway to Arctic
Disadvantages: Shops Closed on Sundays

Tromsø is known as the gateway to the Arctic and is a starting point for many expeditions to the North Pole. It is also called the Paris of the North. It is the 7th largest city by population in Norway and most of it is located on a small island connected to the mainland by Tromsø bridge and also a tunnel under the sea. Food and fishing production is a large employer and Tromsø is lucky to have a good climate because of the Gulf stream and although ...
...at the same latitude. We moored in Tromso and spent the afternoon touring the city and outskirts and visiting the beautiful modern Arctic cathederal,which represented a Sami tent and the iciness of a glacier which was across the elegant bridge on the mainland and the Polaria centre, both of which had entry fees, they were interesting places to visit and I hope to write separate reviews on them later. We were lucky enough to have an excellent student ...

jo145 23.06.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Tromsø, Troms

Art Nouveau in Norway

Advantages: Scenery great and pretty architecture
Disadvantages: Expensive

Ålesund is a pretty town on the coast of Norway, north of Bergen. The story goes that during a tragic fire on a cold night in January 1904, a prison warder released the prisoners shouting “Come back tomorrow!” sadly the fire destroyed 850 homes and left ten thousand homeless. Fires were quite common in Norway where the houses are mostly made of wood. Architects and craftsmen came from all over Norway and rebuilt the town in 3 years and built some ...
...ornaments which are much admired. It was voted the most beautiful town in Norway in 2007 by Norwegian people. Ålesund town centre is built on the islands of Aspøy and Nørvøy, while Hessa and Oksnøy contain residential areas. The second largest island, Elingsøy, used to be accessible only by boat but a subsea tunnel was built to make travelling between the island and the city centre more convenient. There is a good bus service and an airport is 20 ...

jo145 22.06.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Alesund, Møre og Romsdal