This Norway travel guide covers what we did in Oslo and Bergen. It includes a scenic fjord cruise and a few unexpected experiences along the way.
Norway had always been on my list, but I didn’t fully know what to expect. I thought it would just be fjords and pretty scenery. Instead, we found a mix of modern cities, unique experiences, and some moments that honestly felt a little unexpected.
If you’re planning a Norway itinerary, this guide gives a simple look at what to see and do in both cities.
If you’re curious what it’s like arriving in the city, read my full post on arriving in Oslo.
🏙️ Things to Do in Oslo, Norway (Our Experience)
Oslo feels very modern, clean, and surprisingly calm. It’s not a busy, overwhelming city — which I actually liked. We stayed at the Thon Hotel Panorama. It was in a great location and made it really easy to get around the city.
📍 Oslo Opera House
One of the first places we visited was the Oslo Opera House — and it’s unlike anything I’ve seen before.
You can actually walk up the sloped marble roof for views over the water and the city. It’s simple, but really unique.
Even on a gray, misty day, it felt peaceful standing there looking out over the harbor.
👉 Tip: This is completely free and worth doing even if you only have a short time in Oslo.
⚓ Fram Museum
This was one of the more interesting stops. The Fram Museum is all about polar exploration, and you can actually go inside the ship.
It’s a really immersive experience and gives you a sense of what those expeditions were like. It’s definitely worth doing if you’re in Oslo.
🛡️ The Viking Planet Oslo
We also did a virtual reality experience here, which was fun and something a little different.
If you’re interested in Viking history but want something more interactive, this is a good stop.
🌲 Nordic Pixel Forest (night experience)
This one was… an experience 😅
We went to something called Nordic Pixel Forest, located in Ekebergparken in Oslo. It’s a permanent light installation created by artist Pipilotti Rist, featuring over 24,000 lights suspended throughout the trees.
It sounds magical — and it is — but getting there at night was a little intimidating.
We took an Uber, and when we got dropped off, it honestly felt like we were in the middle of nowhere. No obvious entrance, no lights at first… and I’m pretty sure our driver thought we were crazy.
Luckily, we met a mom and her daughter from the U.S., and we all walked together up the dark forest roads trying to find it. The lights are located up on a hill area so the walk there can feel like a hike. The road has a gradual incline so just be prepared. There are some surprises along the way. There is an area where you’ll see underwear hanging from tree branches surrounded by white lights. And don’t freak out if you think you see someone standing down a dark path-its just a larger than life statue starting straight at you. The lights are beautiful and the music is timed with the lights to create a beautiful ambiance. There are areas to sit down amongst the lights and just take it all in.
👉 How to get there:
- Take tram 13 or 19 to the Ekebergparken stop
- Walk up past Ekebergrestauranten
- Follow the path toward the pond — that’s where you’ll find it
👉 Tips:
- Bring a flashlight if you go at night
- Don’t go alone (just to be safe)
I’m sure it’s safe, but it definitely felt a little eerie getting there in the dark
🚆 Oslo to Bergen Train Journey (Vy Train Experience)
We took theVy train from Oslo to Bergen, which was about 6.5 hours — and honestly, it felt like part of the experience.
The scenery along the way is beautiful, and it’s a really relaxing way to travel between the two cities. Vy runs on the Bergen line and there’s about 6-7 departures daily. There are 182 tunnels on this line and the highest point is 1,237 meters above sea level.
There are many different tickets available for purchase. From Single day, Low-fare, Season, Flex, Compartment (for groups of 6, sofa seating/shared table), Plus, and Plus Night (lie-flat seats). We had Plus tickets which offer more comfortable seats, power outlets, and freshly ground coffee & tea (FREE).
The onboard cafe is great if you get hungry along the way. There are a variety of hot/cold items, drinks, baked goods, etc. In addition it is permissible to bring bikes aboard, tickets may have to be purchased in advance. Prams/strollers and skis are also allowed. Pets are also welcome to travel, with some restrictions. More information can be found here.
🚆 Arriving in Bergen
From Oslo, we made our way to Bergen — and the arrival itself felt like part of the experience.
Walking out near Bergen Railway Station, it immediately felt different from Oslo. Bergen has more of that cozy, small-city feel and is surrounded by mountains.
This is also where you really start to feel like you’re in “fjord country.”
🌧️ What We Did in Bergen
Bergen has a completely different feel from Oslo — smaller, cozier, and surrounded by mountains.
We stayed at Hotel Oleana, and the location was great for walking everywhere.
🚠 Mount Fløyen Funicular & Troll Forest
We took the funicular up the mountain, which is one of the most popular things to do in Bergen.
At the top, we walked through what’s known as the “troll forest,” and the views over the city were incredible.
🧌 Troll Museum Bergen
We also visited the Troll Museum, and it ended up being really fun — especially if you enjoy Norwegian folklore. The museum features some of the oldest fairy tale collections, with exhibits inspired by the collectors who brought these stories to life.
There are a lot of interactive elements throughout, like measuring yourself against the size of a troll and stepping into scenes from traditional stories. The museum also uses augmented reality to make everything feel more immersive.
For younger kids, there are games, puzzles, and a really cool interactive sandbox. You can shape the landscape into mountains and oceans. A projection above the sand reacts in real time, bringing the scene to life with light and movement.
It’s a great stop if you want something a little different from the typical museums.
⛵ Mostraumen Fjord Cruise
One of the highlights of the entire trip was taking a fjord cruise from Bergen.
We didn’t really know what to expect — but it ended up being one of the most relaxing and scenic parts of the trip.
As the boat moved through the fjords, we passed:
- small waterfront villages
- quiet homes tucked into the hills
- winding roads along the water
- and even a historic church sitting right by the shoreline
It felt like time slowed down out there.
There’s something about Norway’s landscape that just feels untouched and peaceful . Getting the chance to see it from the water gives you a completely different perspective.
👉 Tip: If you’re visiting Bergen, a fjord cruise is 100% worth adding to your itinerary.
🏰 Rosenkrantztårnet
We also visited Rosenkrantztårnet, a historic stone tower in Bergen — and this was actually more interesting than I expected.
There are around 100+ steps, but it’s not one long climb straight up. The staircase is broken up with small rooms and levels along the way which is a plus. You don’t have to stress about walking up 100+ stairs continuously all at once. You get to take your time and explore the rooms at your own pace.
At the top, you can walk around the rooftop and get great views over Bergen and the harbor.
👉 It’s a nice mix of history + views without feeling like a workout.
If you’re planning your trip, I’ve saved some of the best tours and experiences in Norway here:
👉 Browse Norway tours & experiences
🍽️ Let’s Talk About the Food (honest opinion)
Okay… this was probably the most surprising part of the trip.
The food scene was a little… confusing.
- Many restaurants close their kitchens early
- People tend to sit and drink beer rather than eat full meals
- Menus were sort of all over the place
We even went to an Irish pub that only had pizza — and pizza seemed to be everywhere.
Honestly, it felt like most of the people actually eating full meals were tourists.
👉 Just something to be aware of — plan ahead a bit for meals.
💭 Final Thoughts
Norway isn’t a fast-paced, checklist-style destination — and that’s kind of the point.
It’s more about:
- the scenery
- the quiet moments
- and the overall experience
Between Oslo, Bergen, and the fjords, this trip ended up being really memorable. It was our first “girls trip” with my 2 daughters and we had a blast. Can’t wait to see where we go next!
I’ve rounded up some of my favorite Norway tours here to make planning easier. Want to skip the research? Check out my favorite Norway tours here.
✈️ Planning More Scandinavia Travel?
We had actually visited Finland a few months before this trip, where we stayed in incredible glass igloos in Lapland. If that’s on your list, you can read all about our glass igloo stay in Lapland ❄️
👉 Read about our glass igloo stay in Lapland
