Norwegians are very proud of our royal family! Do you also love stories about the royals, and would like to visit a real royal castle? In Norway, you actually can! Join us as we take you to some key royal locations in Norway.
Royal Norway
Welcome to Europe’s second-oldest monarchy, Your Grace!
Ever since the Viking Age, Norway has had uninterrupted kingdoms for over a thousand years.
Yet the royal family has perhaps never been as much loved as it is today!
Do you want to walk in their footsteps?
Join us on a tour of both royal residences and the royal family's favourite holiday spots!
Let's start with the most important of the King's residences, The Royal Palace of Oslo!
This is where most official functions take place. HM King Harald V and HM Queen Sonja live here parts of the year, when they are not ...
...spending their time at Bygdø Royal Farm on the peninsula of Bygdøy, in Oslo. The farm is open to the public on some Saturdays in spring and autumn.
Just a short walk from there, you can visit another Royal estate as well, the beautiful Oscarshall Summer Palace, built by King Oscar I and Queen Joséphine in 1852.
Akershus Fortress is a medieval royal castle that has housed Norwegian regents ever since the it was first built at the end of the 13th century.
Located by the fjord in the heart of Oslo, its outdoor areas are open all year around.
There is even a Royal Yacht, Norge, which sails the King and other members of the Royal Family around the country on many of their journeys.
The ship, which has a unique history, is one of only two remaining Royal ships in the world.
The Royal Palace in Oslo is the number one go-to attraction for every dedicated royalist. The interior is only open to the public during summer holidays, and only for guided tours. You should buy a ticket beforehand to secure a spot.
You can experience the changing of the guards outside the palace every day at 1.30 pm.
The palace is surrounded by a large park with majestic trees, ponds, and a sculpture area, and is open to visitors throughout the year, with the exception of a small area, The Queen's Park, which is only open from May 18th to October 1st.
The Queen's Park was created in a Rococo style in 1751, as a private garden for the Royal Family when they were in residence at the Palace. Even though the park has changed a bit through the years, it still retains the main features of the romantic style.
The Queen Sonja Art Stable
Adjacent to the park, you can also visit the Queen Sonja Art Stable, which first opened in 2017. The building once housed the royal stables, but has since been renovated to function as an art exhibition space. It nevertheless still looks very much like it did in its heyday, and is a sight worth a visit on its own. Queen Sonja is very keen on art, being an artist herself, and the exhibitions at the Art Stable change throughout the year.
There are a number of royal residences in Norway. Some of are private, while others are public estates that are open to the public as museums when the royals are not present.
In addition to the above-mentioned estates in Oslo, you can visit Gamlehaugen in Bergen, Stiftsgården in Trondheim, and Ledaal in Stavanger, where the royals stay when they are visiting the respective areas.
But the Norwegian royal family isn't all just pomp and splendour.
On the contrary, they are very fond of life's simple pleasures, like spending time outdoors in the beautiful nature and hiking in the mountains!
HM Queen Sonja is in fact so much into hiking, that hiking trails have been named after her: Dronningrutene, aka The Queen's Trails.
Royal hobbies
The Norwegian royal family is perhaps a little different from most other royal families in one particular way. They are pretty 'down to earth' and like being close to others and doing activities that 'ordinary' people do.
The royal family also loves sailing during the summer, and not just as a hobby. King Olav actually competed and won (!) the gold medal in sailing during the Olympics in Amsterdam in 1928.
His passion for sailing was passed on to his son, Crown Prince Harald, who qualified for participation in a total of three Olympics: Tokyo 1964, Mexico 1968, and West Germany in 1972.
Royal hiking trails
For many years, the royal family, including HM Queen Sonja, has shown a strong passion for the Norwegian tradition of Friluftsliv, outdoor activities, especially hiking, which she has described as being "a necessity of life". Some of her favourite routes has been honoured with the name Dronningruter, 'Queen trails', and have become popular with the Norwegian people.
Vacay like a royal
The other members of the royal family also love being active. Get inspired by them, and check out all the fun holiday spots they like to visit.
In summer, the royal family loves to spend time along the archipelago in Southern Norway, at their cabin on Tjøme outside Tønsberg, or at Dvergsøya island in Kristiansand. Do you maybe want to go skiing like a royal during winter, in the Lyngen mountains in Northern Norway or Uvdal in Eastern Norway?
Princess Ingrid Alexandra has shown a big passion for surfing, and competed in several surfing contests. She even won the gold medal in the Norwegian Surfing Championships in 2020, at Jæren in The Stavanger Region. She has also been spotted surfing at Unstad beach in Lofoten. Her father, Crown Prince Haakon, accompanies her on many of her surfing trips, being very interested in the sport himself.
Princess Märtha Louise has always loved horses, and was for several years one of Norway's foremost riders in showjumping, competing on the national team.
Many historical places around the country have been linked to royalty for centuries.
Examples include the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim ...
... and Håkonshallen in Bergen, built by king Håkon Håkonsson between 1247 and 1261.
This was the largest royal residency in the 13th century, when Bergen was the political centre of Norway.
Olav the Holy
Some places in Norway are closely linked to royalty and royal ceremonies, even though they are not directly owned or managed by the royal family today.
The Nidarosdomen Cathedral in Trondheim has been an important place since the Middle Ages in connection with the coronation and burial of kings. The historical record states that Olav II Haraldsson, also known as Olav the Holy (the king who brought Christianity to Norway), is buried somewhere under the large cathedral. Because of this, Trondheim and the Nidarosdomen Cathedral has been an important pilgrimage destination for centuries. The old pilgrim paths and trails from the Middle Ages are still used by thousands of pilgrims every year.
Håkonshallen in Bergen is another building that has been used by royalty since the Middle Ages. The huge hall was raised by King Håkon IV Håkonsson and was first used to host the wedding of King Magnus VI, aka Magnus the Law-mender, in 1261. Since then, it was also the site of the coronation of several kings.
More fortresses
If you are into old buildings, castles and fortresses, you have much to look forward to in Norway. There are over 60 fortresses in the country, many of which were built by kings or were used to protect the kingdom. Many are now open to the public, and several have been transformed into stylish and historical hotels.
Get inspired for your next fortress adventure!
Sleep like royalty
Treat yourself like the queen or king you truly are!
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