02_100578 ftoc.qxp 4/25/07 8:08 PM Page iii Contents List of Maps viii What’s New in Norway 1 1 The Best of Norway 3 1 The Best Travel Experiences . .3 10 The Most Unforgettable 2 The Best Scenic Towns & Villages . .4 Landscapes/Drives . .10 3 The Best Festivals & Special Events . .5 11 The Best Wildlife Viewing . .11 4 The Best Active Vacations . .6 12 The Best Hotels . .11 5 The Best Hikes . .7 13 The Most Charming Inns & Resorts . .12 6 The Best Downhill Skiing . .7 14 The Best Restaurants . .13 7 The Best Cross-Country Skiing . .8 15 The Best Museums . .14 8 The Best Fishing . .9 16 The Best Buys . .14 9 The Most Scenic Boat Trips . .9 17 The Best Websites . .15 2 Planning Your Trip to Norway 17 1 The Regions in Brief . .17 People to People: Reaching Out . .32 2 Visitor Information . .18 9 Planning Your Trip Online . .33 3 Entry Requirements & Customs . .20 Frommers.com: The Complete 4 Money . .21 Travel Resource . .34 The Norwegian Krone . .22 10 Staying Connected . .34 What Things Cost in Norway . .23 11 Getting There . .35 5 When to Go . .23 12 Package Tours for the Independent Traveler . .40 Norway Calendar of Events . .25 13 Getting Around . .41 Tracing Your Norwegian Roots . .27 14 Accommodations . .44 6 Travel Insurance . .27 15 Recommended Reading . .48 7 Health & Safety . .28 Fast Facts: Norway . .49 8 COPYRIGHTEDSpecialized Travel Resources . .30 MATERIAL 3 The Active Vacation Planner 52 1 Skiing . .52 3 Biking, Hiking & Other Summer 2 Fishing . .54 Pursuits . .55 02_100578 ftoc.qxp 4/25/07 8:08 PM Page iv iv CONTENTS Frommer’s Favorite Offbeat 5 Adventure Sightseeing . .59 Adventures . .56 6 Learning Vacations . .60 4 Canoeing, Sailing & Scuba Diving . .59 4 Suggested Norway Itineraries 61 1 Eastern Norway in 1 Week . .61 3 The Route to the North Cape 2 Western Fjord Country in 1 Week . .66 in 1 Week . .64 4 Norway for Families in 1 Week . .68 5 Settling into Oslo 71 1 Orientation . .71 Family-Friendly Hotels . .86 Neighborhoods in Brief . .73 4 Where to Dine . .93 2 Getting Around . .75 Dining Secrets of Oslo . .98 Fast Facts: Oslo . .78 Family-Friendly Restaurants . .101 3 Where to Stay . .81 6 Exploring Oslo 112 1 The Big Six . .112 5 Especially for Kids . .130 So, Who Was This Sonja Henie, 6 Oslo on Foot: Walking Tours . .131 Anyway? . .113 Walking Tour 1: Historic Oslo . .131 The Man Behind The Scream . .116 Walking Tour 2: In the Footsteps 2 The Best Museums . .120 of Ibsen & Munch . .134 Frommer’s Favorite Oslo 7 Organized Tours . .137 Experiences . .122 Summer Evenings on the 3 Parks & Gardens . .128 Oslofjord . .138 4 Literary Landmarks . .128 8 Active Sports . .139 A Royal Pair: The Un–Fairy 9 Shopping . .141 Tale Romance . .129 10 Oslo After Dark . .146 7 Side Trips from Oslo 157 1 Fredrikstad: Norway’s Oldest 3 Tønsberg: The First Settlement . .167 Fortified Town . .157 4 Sandefjord . .171 Bridge by Leonardo da Vinci . .162 5 Eidsvoll: Cradle 2 Halden: The Burning City . .163 of Independence . .173 The Mysterious Death of King 6 Jevnaker: Norway’s Oldest Karl XII . .164 Glassworks . .174 02_100578 ftoc.qxp 4/25/07 8:08 PM Page v CONTENTS v 8 Lillehammer & the Peer Gynt Road 175 1 Hamar: Gateway to Lake Mjøsa . .175 5 Rondane & Dovrefjell The Voice of the Century . .179 National Parks . .200 2 Lillehammer of Olympic Glory . .181 Sigrid Undset Country . .203 3 Vinstra: The Peer Gynt Road . .191 6 Røros: Norway’s Great Mining Town . .203 Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson: Yes, We Love This Land . .192 4 Lom & Jotunheimen National Park . .195 9 Southern Norway 207 1 Larvik: Home of a Great Explorer . .207 4 Arendal & Merdøy Island . .217 2 Kongsberg: Where Silver 5 Kristiansand S: The Summer City . .220 Was King . .210 3 Skien: Memories of Henrik Ibsen . .214 10 Stavanger 227 1 Orientation . .227 A Bike Ride to the Fast Facts: Stavanger . .229 “Three Swords” . .242 2 Where to Stay . .229 6 Shopping . .242 3 Where to Dine . .233 7 Stavanger After Dark . .243 4 Outdoor Activities . .237 8 Side Trips from Stavanger . .244 5 Seeing the Sights . .237 Norway’s Most Beautiful Fjord . .245 11 Bergen 246 1 Orientation . .246 Ole Bull: Romantic Musician The World’s Longest Tunnel . .247 & Patriot . .276 2 Getting Around . .248 Walking Tour: Historic Bergen . .277 Fast Facts: Bergen . .250 6 Outdoor Activities . .280 3 Where to Stay . .251 7 Shopping . .280 4 Where to Dine . .259 8 Bergen After Dark . .283 5 Seeing the Sights . .264 9 Side Trips from Bergen . .286 Grieg: The Chopin of the North . .274 02_100578 ftoc.qxp 4/25/07 8:08 PM Page vi vi CONTENTS 12 The West Coast Fjord Country 288 1 Utne: A Trio of Fjords . .290 9 Geilo: A Winter Wonderland . .309 2 Lofthus: Center of the 10 Fjaerland: Artists & Hardangerfjord . .291 Mountaineers . .313 3 Kinsarvik: Holiday on the 11 Loen/Olden/Stryn & the Jostedal Kinso River . .293 Glacier . .315 4 Eidfjord: Western Gateway to 12 Geirangerfjord: Norway’s Most Hardangervidda . .295 Majestic Fjord . .320 5 Ulvik: Misty Peaks & Fruity 13 Åndalsnes: Launch Pad for Fjord Farms . .298 Trollstigveien . .323 6 Voss: A Winter Playground . .299 14 Ålesund: The Great Fishing 7 Balestrand: Center for Sognefjord . .304 Harbor . .325 8 Flåm: Stopover on Europe’s Most 15 Molde: City of Roses . .331 Scenic Train Ride . .307 13 Trondheim 337 1 Orientation . .337 Beauty from the Sea—On Ice . .363 Fast Facts: Trondheim . .339 5 Activities Indoors & Out . .364 2 Where to Stay . .340 A Midsummer Night’s Dream: 3 Where to Dine . .346 Warm-Weather Ski-Jumping in Trondheim . .365 4 Seeing the Sights . .351 6 Shopping . .366 An Escapist’s Retreat . .354 7 Trondheim After Dark . .366 The First European to Discover America . .356 Burgers, Bangers & a Soccer Fetish . .367 Zealots, “Perverts” & the Ax Man . .358 8 Side Trips from Trondheim . .368 Walking Tour: Trondheim’s Historic Center . .359 14 Tromsø 370 1 Orientation . .370 5 Outdoor Activities . .383 2 Where to Stay . .372 6 Shopping . .384 3 Where to Dine . .374 7 Tromsø After Dark . .385 4 Seeing the Sights . .378 Aurora Borealis: The Northern Lights . .379 02_100578 ftoc.qxp 4/25/07 8:08 PM Page vii CONTENTS vii 15 The Route to the North Cape 388 1 Mo i Rana: Arctic Circle City . .388 5 Alta: City of Northern Lights . .421 Coastal Steamer: The Way to Go . .390 6 Karasjok: Capital of the Sami . .424 2 Bodø: Gateway to the North . .393 7 Hammerfest: World’s 3 Narvik: World War II Northernmost Town . .427 Battleground . .399 8 Honningsvåg & the North Cape . .430 4 The Lofoten Islands: The Soul of Norway . .403 Appendix A: Norway in Depth 435 1 Norway Today . .436 Dateline . .439 2 The Natural Environment . .438 A Sifter of Viking Secrets . .443 Did You Know? . .439 4 Food & Drink . .444 3 History 101 . .439 Appendix B: Useful Terms & Phrases 446 1 Basic Norwegian Vocabulary 2 Restaurant Terms . .447 and Phrases . .446 Index 450 General Index . .450 Restaurant Index . .465 Accommodations Index . .463 02_100578 ftoc.qxp 4/25/07 8:08 PM Page viii List of Maps Norway Regions 19 Stavanger Accommodations & Eastern Norway in 1 Week 63 Dining 231 Western Fjord Country in 1 Week 65 Stavanger Attractions 239 Route to the North Cape in Bergen Accommodations & 1 Week 67 Dining 252 Norway for Families in 1 Week 69 Bergen Attractions 266 Oslo Public Transportation 76 A Walking Tour of Historic Bergen 279 Oslo Accommodations 82 The West Coast Fjord Country 289 Oslo Dining 94 Trondheim Accommodations & Oslo Attractions 114 Dining 342 Walking Tour 1: Historic Oslo 132 Trondheim Attractions 352 Walking Tour 2: In the Footsteps of A Walking Tour of Historic Ibsen & Munch 135 Trondheim 361 Oslo Nightlife 150 Tromsø Accommodations & Side Trips from Oslo 159 Dining 374 Lillehammer & the Peer Gynt Tromsø Attractions 380 Road 177 The Route to the North Cape 389 Lillehammer 183 The Lofoten Islands 405 Southern Norway 209.