10 Great Norwegian Foods to Try (and Where to Get Them)

You may not think of Norway as a culinary destination, but on our recent western fjord road trip, we were pleasantly surprised with the food. Although the dining scene in larger towns like Bergen and Alesund was amazing with lots of fine dining options, we were equally impressed at some of the food we had in tiny fjord-side towns and mountaintop restaurants, too.

From hot dogs to prix fixe menus, we were delighted at the focus on using local ingredients in traditional dishes and in more unusual and creative ways, too (smoked salmon on a pizza, anyone?).

Before our trip we did some research on traditional Norwegian foods to try, but finding some of those foods proved near impossible. In this post we highlight some traditional and more common foods that we were actually able to try, and give some ideas of where to find them around the western fjords.

Read more

Kayaking in Geiranger Fjord to the Seven Sisters Waterfall

Seeing waterfalls on the fjords of Norway is often high on every visitor's list. 

There are many ways to accomplish this, either by taking a cruise, ferry, boat tour, or, in some cases, simply stopping at an overlook with a car. But in Geiranger, you can check out waterfalls like the Seven Sisters waterfall via kayak as well.

Although this one makes for a long day out, the kayak trip (and, for those up to it, hike to Skagefla) was truly one of our favorite experiences in Norway!

Read more

The Flam Railway and Biking Combo is a Must Do

Taking a ride on the Flam Railway is often a highlight of visitors to the region. It is a beautiful trip up into the mountains that departs just feet from the shores of the fjord.

Admittedly, most travelers will simply buy a round-trip ticket to go up the mountain and back. But for the more adventurous, renting a mountain bike at the upper train station and biking to Flam is a great option!

So book a one-way ticket to Myrdal, grab a bike rental from Cafe Rallaren, and hit the trail for a stellar 12-mile (19-kilometer) ride through the countryside!

Read more

How to Get to Kjaesen Mountain Farm Outside of Eidfjord

Kjaesen mountain farm is a stunning spot located just outside of Eidfjord, Norway, that has an interesting history and stunning views.

But while it would be one thing to simply say you need to check out this 400-year-old farm because of its beauty (that really should go without saying), getting to Kjaesen farm is a whole other matter entirely.

So in this one, we're not going to discuss what you can see (the pictures are, admittedly, self-explanatory), and solely focus on what it is like to make the drive to Kjaesen to begin with!

Read more