Anyone know much about Norway?

[sarahhal]

Just found some really cheap flights to Oslo in the summer. Know nothing about it - is it really expensive once there? What's good to see near Oslo?

I second that vote for Bergen and the fjords. Beautiful, even if we did have to live on hotdogs and cartons of milk because food was quite expensive (this though on a just-left-uni budget). The eggs at all our rbeakfasts were the most delicious I have ever eaten.

Oslo is very nice, plenty to see. Bergen too.

Food is indeed expensive. We had good breakfasts at the hotels and usually just one other meal during the day rather than two. Expensive drinks, too. Worth it overall if you only stay a few days. We also went to the beach during their hottest August a few years ago.

BTW distances are absolutely huge between the places, e.g. we had to fly between Stavanger and Oslo as otherwise it would have taken 8 hours or so on the train.

We tried to go on a fjord trip but the boat had a problem with the catering and we didn't fancy a whole day without food, so we got off the boat in the end, after waiting around for an hour. Surprisingly badly organised.

Another thing - another surprising thing for us - not that great with children. A bit of a "seen and not heard" attitude, i thought.

DH says very good restruants, about £4.50 for pint of beer.
He recomends \link{http://www.solsiden.no/english.htm\Solsiden}, click on varmeny for menu and prices, opens in May.

Sorry no ideas for things to da as DH was to busy working i.e eating and drinking .

I've been to Oslo a few times with the kids while dh has been working. Very child friendly and lots to do. Agree about the over-taxed drink though.

its got lots of fjords and beautiful scenery - also the great Ole Solskjaer is Norwegian

i have been to oslo many times my dad is norwegian, it is a beautiful country, and there is food available that isn't fish, but if you like fish there is plenty about to choose from. it is a very expensive country but i think worth going to see, i would recommend a mini cruise on the fjords you can't go to norway and not see them.i also have family that live in bergen also a very nice place.

are any of you previous posters norwegian?

yes, I've been toying with the idea of Oslo to. Is Norway more expensive than Sweden? Would supermarket type food/snack food be very expensive? We're not too fussed about eating out - our budget isn't like to stretch to it!

we went to Norway for a holiday before dd was born. We stayed in a self-catering Chalet in a holiday park on Sognefjord. The weather was great and the scenery stunning. We visited glaciers and swam in the fjords (cold!). There was a mountain railway trip that was fun, and boat trips. Eating out was expensive, but as we self-catered and usually live on varieties of rice/ pasta it didn't get too pricey. Would definitely go back sometime.

Eating out is definitely more expensive. It depends what you are going for - often the set lunch (dagens meny or similar) at all restaurants is fantastic value even compared with eating out here. Bread, salad and a soft drink plus coffee are often included. There's a cafe joining the big H and M with another shop that was v reasonable at lunch time. If you have buffet breakfast in your room rate it will keep you going nearly all day anyway. There are plenty of pizza/ Italian places. Often you can keep refilling your coffee cup in cafes.

Stayed in Stavanger and skiing in Hovden few years back (brother working out there). Overwhelming memory of the cost of eating/drinking out. Can buy booze in the supermarkets but only at certain times of the day and still £££££. Was beautiful tho'. Choice of food Ok - Italian and Oriental restaurants in addition to traditional Nog fare. We hired car and drove from Stavanger to Hovden. Scenary spectacular - almost otherworldly.

Also visited pre-DD. Fabulous place but expensive, as has been said.
We had time in Bergen, Voss (an hour or so by train from Bergen, on a lake, v. pretty) and Oslo. We did the train journey (approx 7-8hrs) Bergen-Oslo and back and it was stunning. I think it would be ok with children, as the trains are soooo much better than in the UK - but maybe just one-way rather than both?!

From Voss or Bergen, you can do this \link{http://www.norwaynutshell.com/default.asp\norway in a nutshell} thing, which was good. We also went out to the glacier north of Bergen. Also lots of historial tours around Bergen and you can go up the Furnicular and get great views. Get out onto the water as much as you can, it is fabulous.
In Oslo we went to the beach (rocky), and the two major museums - one of the viking ships and one of norwegian homes through the ages. We spent lots of time at the marina drinking and eating.

Lots of outdoors activities in Voss and a couple of places to eat. The Fleichers hotel was lovely, views of the lake etc. The best breakfasts I've ever had - great when eating out is so expensive!
Umm that is all I can remember. Hope it helps.

"Can buy booze in the supermarkets but only at certain times of the day and still £££££. "

Oh yes, i'd forgotten about that. The booze in supermarkets is v weak beer and there are some shops selling alcohol but the one in Stavanger, at least, was somewhat out of town (not that it stopped us finding it!) and looked like a pharmacy - a counter you walk up to and ask for what you need. I can't remember if they asked for our parents' written permission too.

Something like SystemBolaget - off licences are state run, close about 4 on a Sat and not open on Sun though I think there are plans to relax the laws a bit. In supermarkets you can only buy beer under 2%. On the plus side they are now much nicer than the old stand and point ones - you get a trolley and look round. As it's tax, some of the more expensive wimes are better value. Even posh people buy boxes - there's far more variety than here. Some people take pull along suitcases to the offy!
It's more expensive than Sweden even - they do booze runs there in the same way we go to France! Dh always takes orders over for colleagues when he goes. Best advice is still don't drink, or take your own!

I have only been to kristiansand and stavanger but it is a beautiful country with loads to see but it is fairly expensive - need to do some fjords!