Norway Road Trip - Grand

When you arrive at Oslo Gardermoen Airport, pick up your rental car and make your way to Oslo’s city centre where your hotel is located. If you arrive early, we recommend exploring Oslo by foot, spending the afternoon at sights including the Royal Palace, Akershus Fortress, Oslo City Hall, Oslo Opera House, and the Aker Brygge area. Other notable attractions include the beautiful Vigeland Sculpture Park and Karl Johans Street.

Spend the night in Oslo.

Start your road trip by driving to Lillehammer, the host of the 1994 Winter Olympics. Here you can visit The Norwegian Olympic Museum and the Lysgårdsbakken Olympic area as well as the Lillehammer Art Museum. You could also wander through the Maihaugen open-air museum which includes a collection of more than 200 houses from as far back as the 12th century, including the Garmo stave church. After sightseeing, you could stop by one of Lillehammer’s cosy restaurants for a meal and Lillehammer Bryggeri for a local pint of beer. 

Spend the night in Lillehammer

Driving distance: 168 km / 104 mi
Estimated driving duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes (without stops)

Get ready to explore the Rondane National Park and Swedish border, as well as the small mountain town of Røros. This former mining settlement is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offering a charming atmosphere with well-preserved old wooden houses and narrow streets home to many artist workshops.

We recommend visiting Olav’s Mine and learning about the past at Røros Museum Smelthytta, which gives a window into the history of this town.

Spend the night in Røros

Driving distance: 264 km / 164 mi
Estimated driving duration: 4 hours (without stops)

After breakfast at your hotel, head north towards Trondheim, the "Capital of the Vikings". Enjoy exploring this vibrant port city that was once the capital of Norway during the Viking Age, back when the city was called “Nidaros”. Here you will find the remarkable Nidaros Cathedral – with architecture to rival Notre Dame de Paris. Other attractions include the Ringve Museum and Gardens, the Trøndelag Folk Museum, the charming neighbourhood of Bakklandet by the old wharf and much more.

Spend the night in Trondheim

Driving distance: 154 km / 96 mi
Estimated driving duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes (without stops)

Enjoy another open day in Trondheim, Norway’s third largest city. If you’re looking for some relaxing activities, you can take a short boat trip to the old fortress island of Munkholmen (the Monk’s Islet). Or hop on the tram at St. Olavs Gate for a scenic 20-minute ride up to Lian in the Bymarka forest, offering panoramic views of the city. Trondheim also features an excellent selection of restaurants that specialise in regional dishes made with fresh, local ingredients.

Spend another night in Trondheim.

Begin your journey south along the beautiful west coast of Norway towards the island town of Kristiansund with its bright, colourful houses. Kristiansund is often referred to as the "opera town", and for a very good reason as the town offers frequent opera performances, an opera festival and an outdoor rendition of "Donna Bacalao" every year. Kristiansund is also known for its tasty clipfish and we recommend trying their local version of fish and chips called “fishan”.

Spend the night in Kristiansund

Driving distance: 198 km / 123 mi
Estimated driving duration: 3 hours and 30 minutes (without stops)

Today you will drive the famous Atlantic Ocean Road, with the vast open sea on one side and majestic mountains on the other. Then head to the historically significant fishing village of Bud, which was the most important trading centre between Bergen and Trondheim in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Next, drive to the city of Molde to take the car ferry to Vestnes and continue your journey to the captivating town of Ålesund. This city was almost completely rebuilt after a huge fire in the early 1900s and now has a distinctive character. The architecture features a myriad of turrets, spires and beautiful ornamentation, like something out of a fairytale. Here you also have the opportunity to visit the Atlantic Sea Park and enjoy stunning views from Fjellstua.

Spend the night in Ålesund

Driving distance: 175 km / 109 mi
Estimated driving duration: 3 hours and 30 minutes (without stops)

If you enjoy twists and turns, you will be impressed with a drive on Trollstigen, “the Troll Ladder”, one of the most visited attractions in Norway. Trollstigen takes you over the mountain to the Romsdalen valley and Åndalsnes, passing 11 exhilarating hairpin bends on the way. After the scenic drive, we recommend a stop at Jordbærstova in Valldal. During the strawberry season you can try a number of dishes in which strawberries are the main ingredients, and you simply have to try the strawberry cake!

Next, take a short ferry between Eidsdal and Linge before driving down the twisty Eagle Road to Geiranger.

Spend the night in Geiranger

Driving distance: 186 km / 116 mi
Estimated driving duration: 3 hours and 40 minutes (without stops)

Today you can explore Geiranger to your heart’s content. We recommend soaking in the fantastic fjord scenery during a morning hike or on an optional excursion like kayaking. If you want pampering, the spa at Hotel Union is ideal to relax and get a treatment or two. You could follow that up with a trip to the chocolate factory in town for a little more indulgence.

To take in the vast surroundings, we recommend visiting the Geiranger Skywalk at Dalsnibba. It’s Europe’s highest fjord viewpoint by road and you will enjoy sweeping views of Geirangerfjord, as well as across to the mountains and the mighty Blåbreen glacier. Later, return to Geiranger through twisty roads and beautiful mountain scenery.

Spend another night in Geiranger.

Enjoy your morning in the beautiful Geirangerfjord. If you wish to learn more about local culture and nature you could visit the Norwegian Fjord Centre. In the afternoon head to Loen on a 65-minute ferry ride through the UNESCO-protected Geirangerfjord. Along the journey you’ll see famous waterfalls like the Seven Sisters, the Suitor, and the Bridal Veil, along with abandoned fjord farms in the mountains. The sightseeing ferry ends in the small village of Hellesylt, from where you’ll drive south to Loen.

Spend the night in Loen.

Driving distance: 61 km / 38 mi
Estimated driving duration: 2 hours and 30 minutes (without stops)

You will kick off your morning in lovely Loen. We recommend an optional excursion on the magnificent Loen Skylift, a cable car that will take you to the altitude of 1,011 metres (3,300 feet). You’ll have amazing views of the fjord and you could go hiking along the top. Your journey will continue south along Jostedal glacier, mainland Europe’s largest icecap, and the Fjærland road. We recommend stopping at the Norwegian Glacier Museum in Fjærland before reaching Sogndal, a village beautifully situated by the Sognefjord, Norway’s longest and deepest fjord.

Spend the night in Sogndal.

Driving distance: 128 km / 80 mi.
Estimated driving duration: 2 hours (without stops)

Start the day with a short ferry from Sognefjord towards Aurlandsfjord, an especially beautiful spot in Norway. We recommend a stop at the Stegastein Viewpoint for more panoramic views before reaching the village of Flåm. Here you could board the famous Flåm railway (Flåmsbana), a steep train ride between Flåm and Myrdal - a treat for photographers or train enthusiasts alike!

Later, your journey continues to Bergen through scenic villages including Gudvangen, Stalheim and Norway’s adventure capital, Voss .

Spend the night in Bergen.

Driving distance: 237 km / 147 mi.
Estimated driving duration: 4 hours (without stops)

Spend the day exploring beautiful Bergen. Here you’ll find Bryggen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with remarkably preserved old houses and a lively fish and flower market. We recommend riding the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen or taking the cable car up Mount Ulriken to enjoy stunning views over the city. Bergen is surrounded by 7 mountains, so this is an ideal place for hiking.

Bergen is also known for its cultural museums that cover the city’s history, architecture, music and art. We recommend visiting the Edvard Grieg Museum and the KODE art museum, Scandinavia’s largest museum for art and music. If you wish to explore the fjords further, optional fjord cruises are available.

Spend another night in Bergen.

From Bergen, you will embark on a scenic drive along Hardangerfjord and past Hardangervidda National Park, a region of great natural beauty. On your way you will pass the impressive waterfall Vøringfossen – the highest in Norway with a 182-metre (600-foot) cascade – and the dramatic and narrow Måbødalen valley.

Upon reaching Geilo, we recommend visiting Geilojordet, an idyllic area with ancient buildings from the 1700-1800s.

Spend the night in Geilo.

Driving distance: 244 km / 151 mi.
Estimated driving duration: 4 hours sand 10 minutes (without stops)

Today it’s time to close the circle and head back to Oslo trough the Hallingdal valley. On this scenic route, you will drive past steep ski hills, through beautiful forests and over valleys with breathtaking views. We recommend visiting the town of Gol, known for being home to Gol stave church, a Viking village and the Hahaug troll’s cave. From Gol, continue to Jevnaker where you can stop at Hadeland Glassverk to see the glassblowers carry out their traditional craft.

Continue to Oslo where you’ll return the rental car tonight. 

Spend the next two nights in Oslo.

This morning, get an early start to explore the Norwegian capital. We recommend booking a guided bus tour that will take you along the famous landmarks of the city. Highlights include the beautiful Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Royal Palace, Akershus fortress, and Oslo City Hall.

Another option is to tour Oslo on your own visiting the above highlights depending on your interests. Or head over to the Bygdøy peninsula to explore other top attractions like the Fram Polar Ship Museum and Kon-Tiki Museum.

Spend another night in Oslo.

When your time in Norway comes to an end, make your way to the airport. You could hop on the Flytoget Express train from Oslo Central Station or let us book you an easy and convenient private transfer. If your flight is in the afternoon, take the opportunity to do some last-minute shopping, visit one more of Oslo’s many museums or just relax at a café after this amazing journey.