Pinch yourself: It is real!
Fjord Norway actually looks like this – full of surreal viewpoints that could be taken straight out of a fairy tale. Like Preikestolen in Ryfylke …
… and jaw-dropping waterfalls, like Vøringsfossen.
The region is full of wild glaciers you can explore on a guided trip …
… and roads that seem impossible until you drive them – like The Atlantic Road in the Northwest, named “the world's best road trip” by The Guardian.
The western part of Norway is also home to the iconic fjords. See the mountains and waterfalls cascade down to the green-blue water.
The most famous ones are the world heritage listed Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, the Hardangerfjord and Nordfjord, and the 205 kilometres long Sognefjord. But you will also love the less-visited fjords. The region has hundreds of them!
They are beautiful in summer …
… but even more stunning in spring, when the hills are filled with colourful flowers in the orchards.
Or in autumn, when the trees are covered in red, orange, and yellow leaves.
Explore the fjords in all their serenity from water level in a kayak or on a boat trip …
… or put on your hiking boots for an active day full of sweeping views. You can find great hikes almost everywhere in Fjord Norway.
Some of them are tough, even for experienced hikers. Other treks are both short and easy – and equally stunning.
In winter, you can ski down the mountainsides – all the way to the fjords. Yiiihaaa!
Fjord Norway has excellent ski resorts where you find everything from challenging off-piste skiing to family-friendly slopes, like Stranda, Sogndal, Myrkdalen, and Voss. On some glaciers, you can even go summer skiing.
… or see the majestic mountains rise towards the sky on a fjord cruise.
(Check out the winter highlights in Hardanger and on the route from Bergen to Flåm.)
Don’t miss the Flåm Railway, voted one of the world’s most spectacular train journeys.
You can experience it on the famous Norway in a Nutshell tour, with departures from Bergen and Oslo.
In fact, the Bergen and Rauma railways also qualify for Lonely Planet’s list of Europe’s most scenic train journeys.
Another highlight is to enjoy the views along one of the Norwegian Scenic Routes that zigzag their way through the rugged landscape of mountains and fjords.
Imagine driving up here, at Trollstigen.
Of course, driving roads like these takes time. Fjord Norway is much larger than it looks on the map, so stay for a few weeks – or concentrate on one part of the region.
And make plenty of stops to enjoy the food.
The fresh catch from the sea. Meat as tasty as the pasture is scenic. And the crunchiest, most juicy fruit you have ever tasted – eat it fresh or sip the cider from the farms in Hardanger or the Sognefjord region.
The outer coastline is an adventure in itself, full of fascinating islands, like Grip. Here, many houses were washed out to sea in 1804, but they were rebuilt since the island is an important fishing community.
Fjord Norway is also a region of beautiful towns.
For many tourists, Bergen is the natural starting point. As a former Norwegian capital and Hanseatic city, it’s full of historical treasures like Bryggen – and a vibrating cultural scene with theatres, concerts and festival year-round.
But Bergen is not the only urban marvel in this part of Norway.
Fascinating towns are scattered all along the coast, like the art nouveau beauty Ålesund (pictured), the foodie city Stavanger, and Haugesund with its rich Viking history.
Serious hiker? Picture yourself here, at Trolltunga!
Or anywhere else in this picturesque part of the country.