Watch the world's BEST (and longest) travel review!
What do travellers think of Northern Norway? We gathered 13,000 comments to find out. Norwegian TV personality Truls Svendsen sums up the highlights in a four-hour-long (!) review reading. The commercial was awarded "best in show" during the travel industry´s "Oscars", Adrian Awards 2022.
Cold, dark and far too remote? Noooot! We gathered 13.000 reviews and comments about Northern Norway from TripAdvisor, Facebook and other social media platforms to find out why our visitors love this part of our country. And yes, that is a lot of comments. In fact, it took comedian Truls Svendsen four hours to read hundreds of them out loud!
Luckily, Svendsen is a true Norseman and grew up here in the north, so he loved every minute of it. Being a local, he couldn't help but share his best tips too, which you can read below the video. Amongst other things, he'll tell you why he thinks Northern Norway is an ideal destination if you are single.
But first: Bring out the popcorn, sit back and get thousands of reasons to go to Northern Norway in what's probably one of the world's longest review readings. The quirky and fun commercial also won the top award during Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Adrian Awards, the equivalent of the "Oscars" in the travel industry.
Note that Svendsen does speak a bit of Norwegian in the beginning, but all the tips he lists will be in English.
To sum it up: there's nothing quite like Northern Norway.
Our country is looooong though, and it takes time to venture north. Still, many tourists have discovered why the trip is worth the journey.
Along the wild Arctic coastline, you'll find charming fishing villages, remote islands, tall mountains and paradise-like beaches. The light is also very unique, with the midnight sun in summer and the northern lights in winter. A lot of fascinating animals love the climate here as well, which is perfect for a safari, and the weather can be quite spectacular as it often changes quickly. Even though Northern Norway seems like a remote region, you can experience lively towns, festivals and lots of yummy food.
In fact, we doubt there are many other places in the world where you can sign up for as much fun as here. Don't believe us? Check out some of the activities that many of our international guests love.
"The most amazing beach! You should visit Bleik, and if the weather is nice, stay and have a picnic, and maybe even go for a swim if you are the tough type!"
"To see the orcas and the humpbacks in the Skjerøvy fjord was one of the most intense, charming and beautiful experience I've had!"
"Did the dog sledding in Tromsø last year. Fell more times than I would like to admit ... But I'd do it again in a heartbeat!"
"We had a brilliant midnight sun holiday in Norway in July a few years back, it was magical to see the sun high in the sky in the middle of the night!"
"Fantastic place to learn about cod fishing."
"I love Norway and have been to experience the northern lights and Sami culture in Tromsø."
It's easy to see why visitors are amazed by Northern Norway, right? But what about the locals, what do they love? After reading reviews for four hours, TV personality Truls Svendsen shared his thoughts.
Had to move south to appreciate the north
"I'm proud to hear all the nice things people say, but I'm not surprised. I can't think of a more beautiful place than Northern Norway", Svendsen says.
He does, however, admit that he had to move to Oslo in Eastern Norway to realise just how special Northern Norway really is.
"When you live here, you're so used to being surrounded by mountains all the time. It's just how it is. But when you think about it, it's simply amazing! When I travel around here, I often ask myself, 'could I live here?' And the answer is always 'yes'. I dream of a house by the ocean, but in Oslo, you'd have to be a millionaire to afford that. Luckily, that is not the case in Northern Norway. So maybe I should move here …" he wonders.
And he's not the only one wondering what it would be like to live up north. During the 'spend-your-summer-in-your-home-country' year that 2020 was (thanks, corona!), people were forced to change their holiday plans.
Northern Norway – a dream destination
Tourists couldn't visit from abroad, and Norwegians had the country to themselves. This was the year that everyone dreamed of visiting Northern Norway. In fact, 7 out of 10 "dream destinations" were in this part of the country, according to a survey by Finn.no.
From Lofoten, Vesterålen, Senja and the Helgeland coast to Nordkapp and Finnmark – it's where the Norwegians wished to go. Some also stated that they wanted to drive the coastal route Kystriksveien to Bodø and Salten, while others planned on a cruise with Hurtigruten.
And there is no reason these destinations and experiences can't be your dream too.
Take it from Truls Svendsen: “If you've never been to Northern Norway, you simply have to go! And trust me, you'll be back several times after that. When I bring friends here, they never stop talking about how beautiful it is.”
Taste the Arctic
Svendsen also can't stop bragging about the food up here, stating that you're in for a real treat.
"A lot of it is based on super-fresh seafood, but game is also a delicacy, like reindeer prepared in traditional Sami ways", he says.
Svendsen highlights the restaurants Umami in Harstad, Mathallen in Tromsø and Maren Anna in Lofoten as places to go for a meal.
"On my next trip to Northern Norway, I’ll try Smak in Tromsø. I'm really looking forward to that."
Make new friends
Another thing that Svendsen really likes about this part of the country, is the people.
"Here, you get epic experiences combined with nice people – and I love that. They are outgoing, welcoming and very flirty, which is perfect when you're single", he laughs.
Facebook user Melina agrees. What she likes the most about Northern Norway is the "personal space and good-looking men ❤️"
Fun experiences, great food and cool people, what more do you need? If you're still not convinced or simply need more inspiration, check out the locals' tips for what to do in Northern Norway.
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