- Family-friendly ski resorts
- TOP 3 best ski resorts in Norway
- Active holidays in Norway
- Beach resorts in Norway
Winter sports are so popular in Norway that the ability to stand on skiing or skating can be considered a national feature of the inhabitants of the kingdom located in the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula. So if you are looking for where to go for New Years or Christmas holidays, choose Norway.
Every year thousands of tourists find ideal opportunities for outdoor activities in the country of fjords. The best resorts in Norway attract guests with a convenient infrastructure, well-groomed trails and a variety of offers for organizing leisure after a busy sports day.
Surprisingly, in summer, the Kingdom of Norway also offers its guests a beach holiday. The proximity of the Gulf Stream determines a special microclimate in certain regions, and it is possible to sunbathe and swim in a rather warm sea even in the northernmost of the Scandinavian countries.
Family-friendly ski resorts
Norwegians try to teach children how to ski from an early age, and therefore kindergartens and schools operate in many winter resorts. Children's ski areas are usually equipped with special lifts, and tracks for toddlers are adapted to safely teach young tourists the basics of the country's most popular winter sport.
One of Norway's premier winter resorts for families, Kvitfjell is part of the Olympic Lillehammer ski area. The season starts here in the last week of October. Perfect snow cover is maintained until mid-spring, which is largely facilitated by modern artificial snowmaking systems. The resort's ski school employs professional instructors. They will be able to put on skis or a board even those who have seen mountains only in the movies. Green slopes are prepared for beginners, and experienced athletes will be able to master special slopes for the pros. Quitfjell is also ideal for snowboarders. If you have teenagers in your family wanting to master the art of boarding, they will love the resort's snow park and freeride trails. Equipment for all ages is available at the Kvitfjell rental points, and the ski pass is valid for the rest of Lillehammer's ski areas.
The stone troll Kollen, which emerged from the forest and remained among the people, is the main natural attraction of Holmenkollen. Now there is a ski resort here all year round, which is looked after by a good-natured fairy-tale giant. Kollen is a favorite of Norwegian children and the voices of young skiers are always heard at the resort. There is a ski school in Holmenkollen, and the history of this popular sport in the country can be found in detail in the Ski Museum - the oldest of its kind in the world and soon celebrating its centenary. The world's first ski jump was also built in Holmenkollen, and today a simulator is opened next to it, using which anyone can get their adrenaline rush.
TOP 3 best ski resorts in Norway
Norway is covered with mountains and is one large highland, in places rugged by valleys and fjords. The average height of the country above sea level is about half a kilometer, and therefore it is not surprising that alpine skiing is in high esteem here.
- The variety of ski slopes makes Hemsedal one of the best among the “colleagues in arms”. The resort has 25 slopes of varying degrees of difficulty - from "black", which can only be submitted to a professional, to "green", where even tourists who put on skis for the first time feel comfortable and safe. The total length of skiing distances in Hemsedal exceeds 40 km. Athletes get to the starting point on the track they like using lifts, and there is a private skiing area for young skiers. Instructors with special licenses are involved in training beginners and looking after the younger generation. Educators in "Trollia Park" can be entrusted with small family members from the age of three months. In addition to the breathtaking ski slopes in Hemsedal, there are trails for flat cross-country skiing. In the valley you can go dog sledding or take a walk in the virgin snow with the help of snowshoes. ApreSki's entertainment lists also include bowling and discos, horseback riding and mountain climbing, snowmobile safaris and a sauna.
- Hafjell, which belongs to the ski resort of Lillehammer, hosted the stage of the Olympic Games, which means that there is no reason to doubt the quality of its tracks, equipment and infrastructure. Hafjell boasts picturesque landscapes that are especially pleasant to admire while skiing on the flat. For their fans, the resort has 300 km of tracks. The Hafjell ski slopes are particularly long and wide. Of the two dozen tracks, four are marked in black, five in red, and the rest are suitable for beginners and athletes who are already skating quite confidently. The longest descent is five kilometers long, and one of the slopes is illuminated at night. A dozen lifts work like clockwork and there are almost no queues for them. The quality of the tracks is ensured by snow cannons, which successfully insure guests of one of the best resorts from the vagaries of the weather.
- However, there is no winter without snow in Norway, and in some places it lies for almost six months a year. For example, on the slopes of the Trysil resort, where the first skiers appear in the middle of autumn, and the last ones who want to zip along its slopes with a breeze spend their May holidays at the resort. Of the 70 km of Trysil's trails, a third is marked in green, more than 30 km - in blue and red, and the rest - “black”. Three dozen lifts serve guests and take them to the starting points. For snowboarders, Trysil remains invariably attractive thanks to its snow parks, which are equipped with multiple rails, jumps, half pipes and other devices for improving skills. A special children's area is designed for the youngest tourists, whose comfort and safety is given special attention at the resort. In Smottenpark, for example, ski instructors work in the images of local folklore characters, and in the Eventyr children's ski area there are special trails for preschool children. The infrastructure of the resort is also "sharpened" for family vacations. There are not too many noisy entertainment in Trysil, but the water park in the frosty Norwegian winter is always a success.
The first ski resorts in the kingdom date back to the end of the 19th century. Over the years, they have developed into modern winter sports centers. Not very popular in Europe against the background of the Alpine ones, they are distinguished by a special intimacy, comfort and are great for travelers who prefer family vacations. On the tracks of Norway, you can completely concentrate on skiing, and therefore they are dearly loved by professional athletes, for whom ideally prepared tracks were and remain the main ones at the ski resort.
Active holidays in Norway
Not only skiing and snowboarding is an active tourist in Norway. Other various opportunities for active recreation fall into the zone of his interests.
You can spend an unforgettable vacation, for example, in Svalbard - an archipelago, from the shores of which it is a stone's throw to the North Pole. Svalbard's most popular attractions include iceberg kayaking and polar bear watching, dog sledding and snowmobiling, snowmobile excursions on virgin white soil, and watching the northern lights sweeping across the sky in these latitudes. Ice caves attract fans of speleology, and novice paleontologists and even experienced scientists go hiking on the slopes of glaciers, where fossils with traces of living organisms and plants have been preserved for millions of years. Excursions are organized to the Pole from the archipelago, the participants of which are delivered to the northernmost point of the planet by helicopter.
If your favorite leisure activity is fishing, choose Tromsø and its surroundings. A large scientific and cultural center in Norway, Tromsø is located in the Arctic Circle, and it is here that many excursion routes to the fjords and other natural attractions of Scandinavia originate. Fishing is especially popular on the island of Kvalay, which is connected to the mainland in the Tromsø region by a bridge. At its western end you will find fishing villages, beaches and stunning views of the sea and the surrounding area. To the north of Kvalay, dozens of small islands are scattered in the sea, where ferries run regularly.
Perfect fishing awaits guests in Norway and the Lofoten Islands. Fans of watching the float come here both in summer and in winter, and at the same time they never go without a good catch. Fishing permits are sold at the tourist centers of Lofoten. This type of recreation is especially popular in the first half of spring, when cod is being hunted in the waters near the islands. Excursions to local museums are also interesting, whose expositions are devoted to the ancient craft, and in the village of Nusfjord, an unchanged fishing village has been preserved, which has stood in this place for about 150 years.
In winter, Geilo Resort is ideal for family skiing holidays. Its slopes have varying degrees of difficulty - from "green" to "black", at the beginners' school they give lessons to everyone - both children and their parents, and at night four slopes are illuminated and everyone who has not had enough of the daytime program has a chance to get adrenaline in full. Geilo is also ideal for snowboarders, as the superpipe in one of his snow parks has a record size in the country. After skiing, guests of the resort can relax at the spa or, alternatively, continue their active leisure time during snowmobile safaris, dog sled races and glacier climbs. In summer, Geilo is popular for fishing and cycling to local natural attractions, horseback riding and rock climbing, river rafting, and scenic hiking trails around the resort.
Beach resorts in Norway
You shouldn't consider Norway as a beach destination, but if you find yourself on the shores of the North Sea during the height of summer, take advantage of the warm weather. The best beach resorts in Norway are quite suitable even for families. The beaches are equipped with everything you need, lifeguards are on duty, and the cleanliness of the swimming areas meets the best European standards.
The resort areas around Arendal are ideal for a beach holiday. On the islet of Murdo, where tourists are taken by boats from the port of Arendal, there are perfectly clean beaches with fine white sand. Another popular summer destination is the coast of Tromoy Island, connected to Arendal by a bridge. The locals are especially fond of Hove Beach with the necessary sun loungers, umbrellas, changing rooms and fresh showers for a comfortable stay. The four islands of the Lingor archipelago in the bay opposite Arendal are another popular summer destination for Norwegians. Lovers of active entertainment prefer to sunbathe and swim on the island beaches. But in Hioya, family tourists with babies stay. The local sandy beach is controlled by lifeguards and has a gentle entrance to the water.
The most beautiful beaches of Stavanger are one of the reasons for the popularity of this resort among residents of Norway and neighboring countries. In this area, the coast is covered with fine sand, and in summer many sunbathers come to Stavanger. The longest beach in the resort is called Sulastranden. Thanks to the strong winds, which are not uncommon in Stavanger, vacationers on Sustrenden can enjoy windsurfing. Equipment for this is provided for rent by sports entertainment centers on the beach. Other popular beaches in the city are covered with white sand. Wigdel and Godalen have the ideal infrastructure, allowing guests to spend their time in the best traditions of the world famous summer resorts.
In Norway, they do not forget about the needs of those who prefer to relax on the beach in complete harmony with nature. Fans of nudity are expected on the nudist beaches in the Huddoken resort area in the capital, as well as on the seashore near Alesund, Bergen and Trondheim.
