The most beautiful natural sites to discover Norway

The Troll Road is the most visited tourist route in Norway. This route includes the famous section called Trollstigen, the Troll Ladder, or The Golden Route. From the end of June to the 10th of August, the Troll Route Museum is open. Climb up Ørnesvingen, the Eagle Bend, a ledge from which you can enjoy a last magnificent view of Geiranger and the fjord. After 20 km, take the Eidsdal-Linge ferry. The road passes through high mountain scenery for about 40 km before starting the descent to Trollstigen. For hundreds of years, an old mule track, climbing up the 180 m high Stigfossen waterfall, was the only communication route between the fjords in Sunnmøre and Romsdal counties. It is now a hiking trail (for those not prone to vertigo). The new Trollstigen road, completed in 1936, winds its way up the side of the mountain with 11 sharp bends and a gradient of 12%. The road, which closes for the winter from mid-September, is not recommended for caravans. Before starting the descent there is a mountain hut, Trollstigen Fjellstue, with a souvenir stand and a cafeteria. A footpath behind the lodge leads to a breathtaking viewpoint near the Giant's Potholes. On the road, from the bend called Bispesvingen, or Bishop's Bend, there is a beautiful view of Åndalsnes and the Romsdal Fjord.

Trolltunga Active is one of the best known and recognized local actors in the region. They offer more than 12 different activities on and around Trolltunga, with a focus on sustainability, quality, surprise effect and above all safety. They will share their knowledge about nature and wildlife, Norwegian traditions and history, and of course trolls and Vikings! To do: combine the hike with a night in one of the Arctic domes! Incredible staff dedicated to making your vacation unforgettable.

At the end of the cliff of the North Cape was once a place of Sami ritual sacrifices. Today, only a large parking lot remains, a compulsory passage to access the tourist center hidden in the cliff and inaugurated in 1988. No way to avoid paying, the road is surrounded by barriers. Otherwise, you should know that an entry is valid for 24 hours. Many clever people come to pitch their tent in the park. A good way to benefit from an amazing place, a radically different environment, and to save a night in a hotel with a breathtaking view of the sunrise and sunset on the cape! However, you will have to deal with the incessant humming of the coaches which undeniably detracts from the majesty of the place. Anyway, the place has that magic touch because you know you are at the northernmost point, at the end of Europe, and this thought is enough. The road that leads to the North Cape has a lot to do with this. A slow progression, the aridity of the landscapes, everything contributes to make the cape a place apart. If the end of the world is fascinating, the road that leads to it is no less so.

Apart from the view towards a blue horizon, the vast tourist structure carved into the cliffs houses a modern complex of shops, cafeterias and restaurants (where prices are correct). A small museum is dedicated to the first personalities who came to the North Cape. The Italian explorer-priest Pietro Negri, in search of the end of the world, was one of the first tourists to visit the North Cape in 1664. This was followed in 1873 by Oscar II, King of Sweden-Norway, and Louis-Philippe, who had been chased out of France in 1795 and disguised as an ordinary visitor. At the time, the only way to approach the cliffs of the North Cape was by boat, and then climb the 300 m to the top, as the carriage road across the plateau was not opened until 1956. This road will soon be opened again and the physical test will give access to a sumptuous view of this cape.
Inside the hall, a "champagne bar" has been set up facing a panoramic bay with a superb view of the midnight sun which lasts from 16 May to 28 July (when there is no fog). A small outdoor terrace is hung over a 300m precipice overlooking the icy Arctic Ocean. Fog often rises from the ocean, enveloping the tip of the North Cape, which then seems to float between sky and sea. This is the end of the world! Do it if you can.

The tourist brochures praise two beautiful views of the city: Fløyen and Ulriken. The Ulriken cable car is further from the centre. The funicular to Fløyen Hill is undoubtedly the most pleasant, taking you up to 320 m in 7 minutes and offering a superb view of the fjord. It is only 150 m from the market. It is also possible to go for a walk... or to go back down on a perfectly marked path, on the side of the mountain and in a beautiful vegetation. There is also a nice café and a shop.

The northernmost wildlife park in the world, where you can observe Arctic animals in their natural environment. The park is home to species from the far north, including 4 large predators: brown bear, wolf, lynx and wolverine. Very pleasant and amazing for children. And those who have remained so. Allow time (minimum 2 hours) because the animals are sometimes hidden and you must be patient to observe them. It is possible to book a guided tour with a zookeeper who will bring food to the predators to attract them.

Jostedalsbreen is the largest glacier in Europe (474 km²) and is a vast glacial plateau from which several tongues of ice stand out. The contrast between the fertile, trough-shaped valleys and the glaciers that slope almost to the sea is spectacular, to say the least. Note that hiking on the glacier is difficult, and even dangerous, so if you want to try it, take a guide! There are many trails to see the glacier up close.

Built in 2005, the Atlantic Ocean Route is an 8.9 km stretch of Route 64. It connects the village of Vevang to the island of Averøy by 8 bridges crossing a string of islands. This route is the second busiest tourist route in Norway after Trollstigen (Route 63, from Langvatnet to Åndalsnes via Geiranger).

It is a high rock overlooking the city. A staircase of 418 steps leads to the top, but it can also be reached by car via the road around the hill. At the top there is a café with a terrace and a summer restaurant (Fjellstua) under a glass dome. There is a fantastic view of the town, which stretches out over the sea, with dark rocky islets off the coast. Turning inland, you can see a row of ice-capped peaks. There are trails up there that can extend the walk by a few hours.

The Reisaelv River dug a deep canyon across the mountain plateau. Waterfalls (including those of Mollisfossen, 269 m high), and rocky sediments, as well as the flora and bird species, are very diverse. The park serves as pasture for Semi semi-domestic reindeer. Access from Storslett (on the E 6), take the 865 to Bilto, then the forest road to the Sarelv River, where boats can be rented. Refuges shelters. Area: 803 km ².

Back on the E 6, after a hundred kilometres, while the road follows the contours of the bottom of the fjords, which sometimes extends the double, we arrive at a campsite that has taken its neighbourhoods in this extraordinary landscape. You can see the Large bird sanctuary. Another hundred kilometres, and we approach the mountains of Kvaenangen.

In Mettevollen, you can buy strawberries which, if incredible, grow here during the short summer season. Then the road rises in the Montagne mountain, isolated and dark. At the peak, facing the glacier and dominating the fjord, there is an old low-stone inn in the country. We are here very far from any dwelling, with the exception of some rudimentary Sami Demeures residences, "en hard" variants of tipis, and built in peat.

In a green site, this classic park offers attractions, such as Russian mountains and roundabouts, as well as cafeterias, kiosks and shops.

5 km from Karasjok is a nature park with barbecues, a rain shelter, toilets and a children's playground. Of course, you should check the weather conditions (or just look at the sky!) before venturing into a nature area, even if this one is equipped and is really not far from Karasjok. Not very well signposted but the tourist office will be able to explain the route. Bring something to light the barbecue!

"Hornet is a rocky, horn-shaped promontory on the northeastern side of the North Cape cliff, below and beside the sea. In pre-Christian times, Hornet was a sacred place for the Sámi people of Magerøya, who regarded it as the domain of the gods. "Hornet can only be seen from a distance. In Viking times, the area was subjected to Viking taxation and sometimes sacked. The chief of Håløy traded with the Sami as far as the White Sea in Russia. But Norwegian settlement of Finnmark probably did not begin until the 16th century. The abundance of fish attracted fishermen from northern Europe. To secure territory, the fortress of Vardø and several fortified churches were built. Hornvika, or Horn Bay, was the place where tourist boats docked before 1956 and the construction of the road to Nordkapp.

Finnmark was booming until the end of the 17th century, when fishing suffered a serious crisis. Several sites along the coast were abandoned by the Norwegians. The 18th and 19th centuries saw an influx of immigrants from northern Finland and Sweden, as well as farmers from southern Norway. This led to many conflicts with the Saami who had occupied the land for centuries. A contemporary novel by a Saami author, Alio Gaup, The Magic Drum, was translated into French by Editions du Rocher in 1992. A place full of history that is worth a visit if you pass by.

This geological formation is a feast for the eyes; it's a portal-like fault several metres wide in a rocky promontory. The midnight sun shines through this "portal" between midnight and 2 a.m., and it's quite impressive. From here, the Hornet is clearly visible in the distance. The walk to Kirkeporten is also very pleasant: 2.5 kilometers from the Kikeporten campsite or the Nordkapp Turisthotell. Allow 1 hour in all.

This cave dug into the rock is located under one of the city's hills and sheltered the civilians who took refuge there during the German bombardments of the Second World War. The 25-minute tour focuses on the history of Kirkenes during this painful time, with the presentation of a film and photos. A must-see place that is part of the network of museums throughout Northern Norway. A good way to imagine the daily life of the population in these times of war, but also the reconstruction that followed.

This 3,560 km² national park was established in 1973 and covers the north-western part of the island of Spitsbergen. It is home to Svalbard reindeer (a smaller species than in Norway), walrus and numerous colonies of pelagic birds. The park also includes the island of Magdalenfjord. Virgohamna, on Danes Island, was the starting point for engineer S. A. Andrée's (failed) 1897 expedition to reach the North Pole in a hydrogen balloon.

Mount Wallenberg (or Wallenbergfjellet) is a 375 metre summit. He owes his name to Knut Agathon Wallenberg, a Swedish politician who contributed to the expeditions in Svalbard.

On the way back to Oslo, you can take the small road 156 on the right up the Nesodden peninsula to the church. 1.5 km to the north lies Røer, a well-hidden medieval farmhouse inhabited by the same family since 1600. This hilly, forest-covered peninsula was once so isolated that a medieval language survived here much longer than elsewhere. Today, the ferry between Nesodden and Oslo is very popular with tourists and bathers.

This archipelago of about 100 islands and rocky islets is home to huge colonies of breeding birds, including one of the largest colonies of Atlantic Puffins in Northern Norway. These birds coexist with other species such as gannets, white-tailed eagles, razorbills, eiders, great cormorants, fulmars and parasitic jaegers. The breeding bird population on these islands is estimated at some 3 million individuals.

It is the northernmost point in Europe (71º 11' 08"), the true North Cape. But it is true that this point has a much less dramatic appearance! With its marked path of 18 km round trip starting from the E69 road, it is an excellent point of view to admire the cliffs of the North Cape, and avoid the crowd! However, Magerøya remains an island connected to the mainland by a road. The Nordkinn Cape near Mehamn is actually the northernmost point of the European continent.

This park dedicated to Sami culture opens with a 25-minute film on the history of the Sami people, followed by a tour of several buildings that recreate the Sami way of life during the summer (traditional tents or lavvu, food shelters, a reindeer pen). The premises aren't very big, and you quickly get the hang of it, unlike the store, which is huge. All the staff are dressed in traditional costume. An opportunity to discover a little more about Saami culture, the original people of these northern lands.