The world’s most foremost photography museum is opening in the Norwegian capital. Fotografiska has become a global focal point for photography in Stockholm, New York, Berlin, Shanghai and Tallinn. Fotografiska to open in Oslo in 2027, as a part of Deich, House of Photography.
Fotografiska celebrates the art form of photo and photography as a contribution to new perspectives in the public debate. The museums are vibrant cultural houses with a unique universe of inspiration, interactivity, and colorful surprises.
“We want to create a special moment for each of our guests.,” says Yoram Roth, Fotografiska’s Executive Chairman.Art photo from Fotografiska
“We want to create a special moment for each of our guests. We view them not as visitors but rather as guests. You should have a fun, joyful, inspiring, and thought-provoking time with us, and each visit should offer a range of experiences,” says Yoram Roth, Fotografiska’s Executive Chairman.
Fotografiska does not have its own collection, but develops rotating exhibitions in close collaboration with everyone, from international star photographers to local stars. Together with the artists, they have challenged established genres and the very museum format itself. With long opening hours and a rich program of lectures, conversations, and social gatherings, Fotografiska has welcomed millions of guests since the opening in 2010.
Art photo from FotografiskaFotografiska Oslo will be a part of Deich House of Photography
Fotografiska Oslo will be a part of Deich House of Photography, in the former main public library building, Deichman. The museum will feature its own shop, bar and conservatory, becoming a key part of the house’s extensive array of restaurants, bars and meeting venues, all framed by the theme of photography.
Art photo from Fotografiska
Fotografiska is the contemporary museum of photography, art and culture and one of the world’s leading museums dedicated to photographic art. Established in Stockholm in 2010 with the mission to inspire a more conscious world, Fotografiska has become a museum for inspiration, inclusion and creativity. Fotografiska is currently located in Stockholm, Berlin, Tallinn and Shanghai.
“Fotografiska will become part of the Deich photo house, in the historic library building at Hammersborg. The museum will have its own museum shop, bar and conservatory and will be a central part of the house’s broad offer. It will be a central part of the innovation of the 12,000 square meter building,” writes Møller Eiendom in a press release.
Fotografiska to Open in Oslo, a press release from Oslo Business Region
28 million people in the Nordic region, rising to 35 million if we include the Baltic countries make the Nordic countries the 10th largest economy in the world. “This is a unique foundation for the future of Artificial Intelligence in the Nordic countries,” says Karen Ellemann, Secretary General in Nordic Council of Ministers.
The future success of AI in the Nordic countries should be measured not only by the way it benefits the Nordic region but also how it contributes to setting global standards. The development of AI is progressing rapidly and affecting many sectors. That’s why it’s critical that the Nordics, as a region with strong democratic values and a high level of trust in its institutions, take a leading role in this development.
Karen Ellemann, Secretary General in Nordic Council.
A region with a unique foundation
The Nordic region has long been known for being at the forefront of digital innovation. The Nordics have a dynamic technological ecosystem, world-class research within the field of AI, and a well-educated population. Purpose-driven innovation with a human-centered approach, where democratic values and shared social responsibility are fundamental principles, has characterized the region. Not only does this give the Nordic countries the opportunity to lead the development of responsible AI but also a duty to do so.
Less than a year ago, the Nordic prime ministers signed the declaration on Nordic digital resilience. The declaration emphasizes that the region’s highly digitalized societies and shared values put it in a unique position to address the challenges and leverage the opportunities that AI brings. Co-operation across borders and sectors is crucial in harnessing this potential. The first steps have already been taken with the preliminary project for a New Nordics AI center, which builds on recommendations from the Nordic Ethical AI Expert Group.
While AI has enormous potential, there are also significant challenges, such as access to talent and expertise. Even now the Nordics are experiencing a shortage of specialists in AI, and the need for advanced data knowledge is greater than ever. The education sector must be adapted to meet these needs, while the region also needs to ensure diversity in AI expertise in terms of gender, ethnicity, and background.
Another critical factor is data. Although the region has high-quality datasets in both the public and private sectors, there are significant technical and legal barriers that hinder the effective sharing and application of data across borders. To scale AI solutions and maximize their potential, the Nordics must strengthen co-operation on secure data sharing and ensure a sustainable AI infrastructure that supports innovation without undermining the region’s ambitious climate goals.
The new EU legislation for AI already imposes strict regulatory requirements. That’s why it’s important that the implementation in the Nordic Region is harmonized while avoiding overregulation that could stifle innovation. AI can succeed only if it’s responsible and transparent, which means the Nordics must have robust and democratic frameworks in place.
AI Readiness Conference in Copenhagen 2024. Photo: Svein Berg
The Nordics are seeking to bring about a Nordic AI vision for 2030, whereby the region is a world leader in large-scale AI adoption, with tangible benefits for both citizens and businesses. The region should excel at using responsible AI to strengthen its companies’ global competitiveness, improve public services, make new scientific breakthroughs, accelerate the green transition, and maintain cybersecurity and resilience in its democratic societies.
The proposal for such a vision was discussed last August, when high-level decision-makers from the private and public sectors met with Nordic and Baltic ministers in Copenhagen. What the outcome will be remains to be seen. Nevertheless, the Nordic Council of Ministers is proud to be a platform for close co-operation across sectors and borders.
“We must promote innovation, ensure access to necessary expertise, and develop an AI infrastructure that’s both efficient and sustainable. This is an enormous challenge but also a unique opportunity for our region to lead the global AI revolution. Let’s take responsibility and ensure that the Nordic-Baltic region leads by example in how AI can be developed and used in a way that benefits both society and humanity as a whole. Together, we can shape the future,” according to a statement from the council.
About the Nordic Council of Ministers
The Nordic Council of Ministers is the official body for inter-governmental co-operation in the Nordic Region. It seeks Nordic solutions wherever and whenever the countries can achieve more together than by working on their own.
Artificial Intelligence in the Nordic Countries, based on a press release from Norden.org
Finnair commissioned Helsinki-based designer Joanna Laajisto to create a new 440 seat Finnair lounge at Helsinki Vantaa Airport. It has become a commuters’ haven at Helsinki Airport.
This lounge is not a refurbishment of the existing Schengen Lounge but a brand-new lounge. It is almost 50% larger, allowing it to accommodate 440 guests and address overcrowding issues that have plagued the lounge in the past year.
The space, which is located on the Schengen side and opened on 9 July, is influenced by Finnish nature and features local wood, stone, leather, and woolen fabrics. The new Schengen Lounge applies the same Nordic design language that was ushered into the Schengen Lounges in 2019 and onboard Finnair’s long-haul aircraft under the auspices of David Kondo, former Head of Customer Experience Product Design (who is now at Austrian).
The lounge is furnished with Artek’s Domus chairs.The lounge is designed with busy commuters in mind.
The materials are complemented by Finnish furniture, including Artek’s Domus chairs. Made by Choice’s Goma bar stool by Thomas Sandell and Centenniale coffee tables designed by Laajisto for Finnish furniture maker Nikari.
The lounge is designed with busy commuters in mind and offers dedicated areas for both work and relaxation, making it the perfect pre-flight destination. It now looks consistent with Finnair’s Schengen lounges and the new AirLounge award-winning business class seat.
The lounge features separate yet subtly demarcated areas for a range of users.The cafeteria.
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Related: Airport of the Future
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The lounge features separate yet subtly demarcated areas for a range of users. It has been created in response to Finnair’s comprehensive customer surveys. Emphasizing spaciousness, comfort and refined areas for different functions, every detail is designed to meet the customers’ hopes and needs for an overall better lounge experience.
You’ll find the new lounge near Gate 21. It is open from 5am until midnight daily, with breakfast served until 10:30am and a lunch/dinner buffet thereafter.
Commuters’ Haven at Helsinki Airport, reported by Tor Kjolberg
This potent novel by award-winning Norwegian writer Vigdis Hjorth narrates a doomed, adulterous affair between a man and a woman, accompanying its female protagonist – a writer named Ida – as she surrenders herself to a seemingly bottomless pit of abjection in the name of love, a Norwegian novel about a passionate and destructive love affair.
The novel If Only by Vigdis Hjorth, first published in Norway in 2001, is considered the cult author’s most important novel.
The novel If Only by Vigdis Hjorth, first published in Norway in 2001.
It’s the story about a relatively young woman, aged thirty. She married in her early twenties, had two children. It is winter. January and minus 14°C, white, frosty mist around the parked car, around the spruces, the mailbox on its post, but higher up the sky is blue, clear, the sun has come back. She has written in her diary that she is waiting for the heartbreak that will turn her into her true self. She has an impending sense of doom or possibly her own death.
Vigdis Hjorth is an artist of the desperate and the broken. Spanning nearly forty years of publication, her novels have come to be associated with “scars,” “wounds,” and “psychological warfare.” Hjorth’s three previous works in English have all been released through Verso, and all translated by Charlotte Barslund.
Vigdis Hjorth is an artist of the desperate and the broken.
Is Mother Dead (2023) presents a woman dangerously obsessed with her mother; Long Live the Post Horn! (2020) follows an alienated public relations specialist, haunted by the suicide of her colleague, who finds herself reinvigorated by her work resisting the privatization of the postal service; 2019’s Will and Testament, perhaps the novel best known to Hjorth’s English readers, recounts, through the kind of slippery autofiction made famous by fellow Norwegian Karl Ove Knausgaard, the story of a woman who accuses her father of having sexually abused her as a child. In a 2019 New Yorker profile of the author, Lauren Collins writes that Hjorth “forces us to regard bleeding souls.”
Now out in English for the first time, If Only exposes the tragedy of both longing for and attaining one’s love object. Can passion be mistaken for love? When Ida meets Arnold, also married, at a conference, she impulsively invites him to share her bed. She returns home, already half-obsessed, and the dissolution of her marriage and break-up of her family pass almost without her noticing.
Bookcover of the Norwegian version from 2001.
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Related: Norwegian New York-Based Author, Feminist and Philosopher About Art and Gender
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After writing to each other for a couple of months, they meet again in early June where they spend a night and an afternoon together. They still write, but more rarely now, it is the summer holidays and besides, it has become too serious, potentially uncontrollable, but they can’t help themselves. They meet a few times that autumn, but it only becomes more dangerous, more difficult, they have to end it, they end it and don’t see each other until May, at her insistence, the following year. By then she is divorced and living on her own.
“An absorbing study of inner turmoil … gripping” wrote the Guardian
“Addictive … The beauty of If Only is in the way Hjorth underscores how often love and suffering are bedmates” wrote Susie Mesure, Financial Times.
A Norwegian Novel About a Passionate and Destructive Love Affair, reported by Tor Kjolberg
Copenhagen has been ranked as the second most liveable city in the world in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2024 Global Liveability Index. Indeed, the Danish capital is known and loved for its beautiful green urban spaces, lively culture, and healthy work/life balance. Yet, life in Copenhagen doesn’t come cheap, and expats moving here need to budget accordingly.Read on and learn more about smart steps to rent the perfect Copenhagen apartment.
A one-room city center apartment, for example, costs over 9,450 kr on average a month. As long as you keep your apartment search to areas within your budget, plan for all expenses, and submit rental applications fast, you’re bound to find the perfect apartment in no time.
Where to look for rentals (based on budget)
Which part of Copenhagen you move to is ultimately determined by your budget. A minimum monthly budget of 16,000 kr, means you can pretty much afford a spacious one-bedroom apartment anywhere, including one in the city center, Indre By. As Indre By is both beautiful and full of things to do, it’s very competitive and apartments here go fast. On the other hand, you can also look in Østerbro with a similar high budget. Østerbro is an attractive family area just north of the city center — the perfect spot if you love nature as it’s full of parks, lakes, forests, and even a beach.
Which part of Copenhagen you move to is ultimately determined by your budget. Photo: Cityapartment.dk
Alternatively, you can look in more affordable districts if needed, such as, Nordvest, Nørrebro, Vesterbro, Vanløse, and Ørestad. You can expect to pay a minimum of 6,000 kr in these areas. Nørrebro and Vesterbro are city center districts, while Nordvest, Ørestad, and Vanløse are slightly further afield. It’s particularly easy to find affordable apartments in Ørestad. This area is generally quite quiet, and you can catch the subway or train into Copenhagen.
Act fast to beat the competition
As the market is so competitive, it usually takes some time to find a good rental in Copenhagen. So, book a few weeks in a hotel or airbnb to accommodate this. Once you find something you like, you need to act fast, otherwise someone else will snap it up first. So, book a viewing asap — and if it feels right, submit an application. You can then expect to be vetted by the landlord. This process usually takes a few days. In particular, payment problems and eviction history are the top two concerns landlords have about potential tenants, a recent SmartMove survey reveals. So, these are key areas in your rental history you should expect your landlord to research. If you do have a history of late payments, you can work to improve your reputation. For instance, report your on-time rent payments to credit bureaus. This also helps improve your credit score over time.
While you’re looking for the perfect apartment, book a few weeks in a hotel or airbnb . Photo: airbnb-copenhagen.
The rental contract itself will also obviously be written in Danish, so it’s important to translate it before you sign anything. You therefore won’t agree to points you’re not happy with. In particular, the contract will state the condition you should leave the rental in once the contract ends. This may require you to repaint or redecorate, which can be expensive, so you’ll need to budget accordingly.
Financial considerations
Usually, tenants are required to pay a three-month deposit in order to qualify for a rental. On top of that, you may also have to pay three months’ rent in advance, which then covers your rental payments over the final three months of your contract. So, you may therefore have to be prepared to make an upfront payment of six months’ rent in total. Keep in mind, rent doesn’t always include water, heating, or electricity, either, so you’ll also have to check that and work it into your budget.
Move-in costs are another financial consideration. Photo: CBRE Investment Management.
Move-in costs are another financial consideration — although these vary considerably between furnished vs. unfurnished apartments. Unfurnished apartments come with fully-fitted kitchens and electrical appliances, and, although they’re typically cheaper than furnished accommodations, you obviously have to buy the furniture. If you go this route, you can find good deals on new and used products on DBA, Denmark’s largest online marketplace.
Copenhagen is a great place to live, and finding an apartment here is well worth your effort. As long as your smart and plan for the process carefully, you’ll secure your dream rental in no time.
Karoline Gore
Smart Steps To Rent The Perfect Copenhagen Apartment, written dedicatedly for Daily Scandinavian by Karoline Gore. Karoline is a freelance writer from Stoke on Trent in the UK who left the corporate grind when she started a family and has never looked back. She enjoys contributing to a range of online publications on the topics that are important to her.
According to Norwegian Air Shuttle, this summer’s blustery weather has resulted in early planning of the autumn’s everyday breaks and family holidays. Norwegian has made a list of the ten most booked travel destinations abroad during the autumn holidays, and destinations with a good and warm climate combined with big city life are tempting the most. Read more aboutNorwegians’ most popular destinations this autumn
Spain continues to be the favorite country among Norwegian travelers
In the top ten list that Norwegian presents, there are a total of five destinations in Spain. The most popular destination for the autumn holidays, which in Norway are in weeks 40 and 41, is Alicante followed by Malaga. The other Spanish destinations on the list are the cities of Palma, Barcelona and Gran Canaria.
Other cities on the top ten list are the cities of London, Nice, Berlin, Rome and Budapest.
“We are happy to be able to offer an exciting and varied route network to attractive destinations. Spain continues to be a favorite among many of our customers, but there is also great interest in discovering our destinations in many of the other European countries. This autumn and winter we are launching a number of new and exotic destinations to warmer latitudes, so we look forward to welcoming travelers on board this season,” says Magnus Thome Maursund, commercial director at Norwegian.
“This autumn and winter we are launching a number of new and exotic destinations to warmer latitudes,” says Magnus Thome Maursund, commercial director at Norwegian
In total, Norwegian offers 170 routes to 76 destinations for the coming winter season, with 27 of the routes being new this year. Among other things, Norwegian launches direct flights from Norway to Dubai, Agadir and Hurghada.
Beyond the essential ideas of broad access to food, housing, quality education, health care and employment, quality of life also may include intangibles such as job security, political stability, individual freedom and environmental quality. According to U.S. News & World Report, four Nordic countries are seen as treating their citizens well. These four Nordic countries with best quality of life through all phasis of life are scoring on top 10 in this report..
What makes a country truly great? Is it a booming economy, a high standard of living or the ability to inspire adventure and creativity? According to the 2024 Best Countries ranking from U.S. News & World Report, it’s all of the above—and more.
Denmark tops quality of life rankings by U.S. News & World Report and Wharton School.
The rankings evaluated affordability, job stability, healthcare quality, and individual freedom.
Scandinavian countries, including Sweden, Norway, and Finland, dominated the top 10.
The Kingdom of Denmark emerged in the 10th century and includes two North Atlantic island nations, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Along with Sweden and Norway, it forms Scandinavia, a cultural region in Northern Europe.
The Kingdom of Sweden, flanked by Norway to the west and the Baltic Sea to the east, expands across much of the Scandinavian Peninsula and is one of the largest countries in the European Union by land mass. Capital city Stockholm was claimed in the 16th century, and border disputes through the Middle Ages established the modern-day nation.
Switzerland, officially called the Swiss Confederation, is a small country in Central Europe made up of 16,000 square miles of glacier-carved Alps, lakes and valleys. It is one of the world’s wealthiest countries, and has been well-known for its neutrality.
The Kingdom of Norway is the westernmost country in the Scandinavian peninsula, made up mostly of mountainous terrain. Nearly all of its population lives in the south, surrounding the capital, Oslo. Norway’s coastline is made up of thousands of miles of fjords, bays and island shores. The Norwegians developed a maritime culture, and were active throughout the Viking era, establishing settlements in Iceland and Greenland.
Canada takes up about two-fifths of the North American continent, making it the second-largest country in the world after Russia. The country is sparsely populated, with most of its 35.5 million residents living within 125 miles of the U.S. border. Canada’s expansive wilderness to the north plays a large role in Canadian identity, as does the country’s reputation of welcoming immigrants.
Geography defines the history and culture of Nordic Finland, one of the most northern-reaching countries in the world. Bordered by Scandinavia, Russia, the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia, Finland and its vast stretches of heavily forested open land acts as a northern gate between West and East.
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Related: The Inviable Lifestyle in Helsinki
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Denmark was ranked first for quality of life by U.S. News & World Report in partnership with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Denmark ranked 10th overall for best countries, which was released 10 September and considered quality of life among 10 factors.
The rankings considered factors such as affordability, job and political stability, healthcare quality, and individual freedom. Scandinavian countries dominated the list, as Sweden, Norway, and Finland made the top 10.
The rankings 7 – 10 were Germany, Australia, Netherlands and New Zealand respectively.
Four Nordic Countries with Best Quality of Life, reported by Tor Kjolberg
A small town in northern Sweden is offering financial incentives for families who decide to move there. Why not get paid to move to Lapland, Sweden?
Lapland is a land of amazing landscapes, aurora borealis, endless forests and snow-covered expanses. This region is associated with Christmas fairy tales, reindeer, Santa Claus, and winter adventures.
Glommersträsk primary school. Photo: Wikipedia
The small town of Glommersträsk in Lapland is a haven for nature lovers and outdoor sports enthusiasts, but the town is facing a serious demographic crisis. In the 1950s, its population was about 1,000, but now it has only 200 residents. The local primary is in danger of closing if numbers continue to drop. Now, a local organization, Glommersbygdens Framtid, which means “The Future of Glommersbygdens,”is vying to save the primary school and repopulate the town with cash handouts.
The situation with school-age children has become particularly critical – there are so few of them, 23 in fact, that the local primary school is under threat of closure. In this case, students will be forced to travel about 40 kilometers every day to the nearest school in Arvidsyaur.
Repopulation schemes are not new. They have been widely used in other European countries like Italy and Spain. This village in Lapland will pay families nearly €900 to move there.
Glommersträsk’s high school shut its doors in 2009 after student numbers fell to just 18 in 2007.
The Silver road. Photo:Ted Logardt/Swedish Lapland
Glommersträsk is surrounded by untainted nature, but still has some useful services within easy reach.
Skellefteå tech hub is around an hour’s drive away. The high school in Arvidsjaur is half an hour away while Luleå, a coastal city with a museum and beaches, can be reached in two hours.
All three have small airports with connections to other European countries including Germany and France.
Get Paid to Move to Lapland, Sweden, written by Tor Kjolberg
This was once the archive of Denmark’s radio at Iceland brygge. When the archive moved out, the 25,900 sq m building stood empty for a while before a group of artists and musicians moved in and created studios and a nightclub. Today, you can feel at home in a Copenhagen design apartment hotel.
This design hotel is found in Copenhagen’s harbor area, 2.5 km from central Copenhagen. It offers a large rooftop terrace with panoramic views, free Wi-Fi and gym access, and spacious apartments with balconies. STAY Copenhagen is a converted industry building from the mid 1900s and features Scandinavian minimalist design. Why stay in a small hotel room when you can have a spacious, serviced apartment or loft for the same price?
Originally, it was intended to be an apartment building, but when the developer finally started the process in 2006, there was no longer a market for it in Copenhagen.
Stay is now an apartment design hotel located on the Island Brygge, a fast developing residential area, just a five minutes’ drive from the center of Copenhagen. And a stone’s throw from the buzzy meat packing district.
The smallest apartment is 70 square meters, the largest 180, and you can rent from one day to three years. Most have balconies or terraces, and all are furnished by the Danish design company Hay.
The smallest apartment is 70 square meters, the largest 180.
The bright apartments have a fully equipped kitchen, washing machine and dryer, and flat-screen TVs with cable channels. Located on the 7th floor, the SKY Lounge is a popular meeting place for evening cocktails or a glass of wine.
Although all the rooms have a kitchen, guests are served free breakfast downstairs or can meet in the evening in the lounge upstairs while having a glass of wine with amazing views over Copenhagen.
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Related: On Copenhagen’s Amager Island
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Stay is now an apartment design hotel located on the Island Brygge. Photo: David de Vleeschauwer/Stay Copenhagen
In a way, it works like a regular hotel where you pick up your key at reception. At the same time, it is more like home. There is a laundry room in the basement, glasses in the cupboards and cutlery in the drawers. The idea is that you should be able to move right in.
Guests wishing to explore the surroundings can rent a bicycle in the reception or take a relaxing walk in the Amager Fælled Nature Reserve, only 200 meters away. STAY Copenhagen is within 10 minutes’ walk of Dybbølsbro Station. Free indoor parking is available on site.
You can still find traces of this creative past in some of the apartments in the form of writing on the concrete walls or small splashes of color in the black & white interiors.
Room prices start at approximately 120 euro for an apartment, breakfast for two included.
Feel at Home in a Copenhagen Design Apartment Hotel, written by Tor Kjolberg
Autumn is the season of wonders in Norway. The landscape turns red and yellow, it’s when the Northern lights return, the forests abound with berries, mushrooms and game – and it’s the perfect time to snuggle up under a warm blanket when it’s raining.
Let’s make a journey together in the diverse landscapes in Norway from cruising the fjords to hiking in beautiful mountain trails, from seaside hiking to foraging mushrooms in the forests or berries by the lakes.
Mountain hikes
One very popular autumn activity is to go for a hike in the mountains and marvel at the sight of the heather, which changes into a vivid red, yellow and orange. Public transport takes you to great destinations for both biking and hiking. In some places, you can even catch a ride with a gondola to the top.
Historical lighthouses
Vippefyret
Tjøme municipality is located on islands between the Tønsbergfjorden and the Ytre Oslofjord. The southern tip is called Verdens ende (‘the end of the world’) and is probably best known for ‘Vippefyret’ – the lighthouse, made by stones from the local beaches. The lighthouse is a replica built in 1932.
Færder National Park Verdens Ende is located in Færder National Park, which is one of the country’s most important areas for coastal outdoor activities. The national park covers 340 square kilometers of mainland, islands, reefs and seabed in Færder municipality. It stretches from Ormøy in the north to Færder lighthouse in the south.
Vippefyret, Tjøme. Photo: Wikipedua
Ryvingen lighthouse
Ryvingen lighthouse is located on an island 7 km southeast of Mandal. In addition to being the visible landmark for ship traffic that passes the southern tip of Norway, Ryvingen lighthouse together with Hatholmen lighthouse and lantern “Bestemor” on Sjøsanden, is the entry lighthouse to the ports of Mandal. The first lighthouse was lit on October 20, 1867. In 1897, today’s cast-iron lighthouse was completed. The lighthouse lens was the second strongest in the world, at that time, and it is the same lens that is in use today. At most, there were around 30 people living at the station, and it was a school for children who grew up here. In 1957, Ryvingen lighthouse became a shift station and the families of the lighthouse keepers lived on mainland. Until the lighthouse was automated in 2002, the lighthouse keepers lived on land and commuted to the work on the island.
The Flåm Railway The Flåm Railway is one of Norway’a most famous train lines, described simply as ‘pandemonium’. In autumn, often only a handful of people are traveling, so you can almost have the iconic spot all to yourself for some time.
Lonely Planet is not alone in naming the Bergen Railway Line as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. However, Norway has several other breathtaking stretches to travel by train, such as the Rauma Line and the Nordland Line. As autumn marches on, you are bound to drift along past a wide variety of seasonal beauty.
The Flåm railway. Photo: flamsbana.no
Storm watching
On the edge of the rocky terrains on Frøya, west of Kalvåg, you can visit the stormwatching cabin Dosabu. It has panoramic views to the great sea and the placement is carefully planned in the terrain. The cabin is open to everyone and Bremanger is a paradise to sea eagles. You can bring your own food and drink and enjoy a violent storm or a beautiful sunset while sitting warm and cozy inside.
Fjord tours
Lysefjord
The Lysefjord offers some of the world’s most iconic hikes. The classics Pulpit Rock, Kjerag and Flørli are most known, but the 42 km long Lysefjord is also home to a wide range of other more off the beaten track hikes, all with great vistas.
Pulpit Rock juts out over Lysefjord and provided the backdrop for the climatic fight scene in Mission: Impossible – Fallout. During the summer, 6,000-7,000 people a day hike the 2.5 miles each way to the lookout.
In autumn, visitor numbers are low, and in the western part of the fjord, hiking is possible most time of the year. Gorgeous coastal routes is offered by Fjord Line.
An island full of history
The island of Årøyholmen is an about 15 minutes boat ride from Koppangen Brygge on the western side of the Lyngenfjord in the heart of the Lyngen Alps.The island has probably been inhabited since the iron age, and yopu’ll find war memories and bear graves here.
Koppangen brygge has appartments for rent with private bath rooms and outdoor hot tubs.
There is no kitchen, so all the meals have to be pre-booked in the restaurant on the second floor in the main building. The restaurant serves locally produced food from Lyngen, as far as possible.
Fjord tours
Romance by the fjord Breathe in. breathe out. Feel the bustle of summer shift to the tranquillity of autumn. Want to stay at a magnificent, historical timber hotel? Getting a room is a lot easier as we drift into this time of year. Hike along the fjords and observe how the majestic landscape changes colour and pulse, while feeling the pull and push of the forces of nature. Inclement weather also has the power to bring people together to stay warm.
Cheesemaking in Lofoten
Lofoten Gårdsysteri, a farm and cheese factory in a fabulous location between fjord and mountains at Saupstad on the north of Vestvågøy, on the road to Unstad is the perfect place to experience the artisanal cheese-making process. The farm has goats, pigs and chicken and offers mini courses and workshops and cheese tasting.
If you are going on a mountain trip or beach visit, they are happy to make a fresh lunch for you!
Lofoten gardsysteri. Photo: Visit Lofoten
Northern lights and whale safaris
Winter is not the only time of year you can see the northern lights. The intensity of this staggering natural light show is enough to leave anyone speechless. Up north, autumn is also ideal for whale spotting; species include humpback whales and orcas. If you are travelling with Hurtigruten, you get northern lights tours and whale safaris included. Vesterålen, Senja, Alta and Tromsø are all superb destinations in which to experience whales and northern lights.
Whale safari. Photo: Visit Norway
Sightings of the aurora borealis can happen in Norway from late August through March. Above the Arctic Circle, the days constrict quickly in autumn, going from seven hours of sunlight early in November to just two and a half by the end. What those numbers obscure is the quality of that light – with the sun always low on the horizon and high clouds often adding texture, it’s nearly impossible to take a bad photo – and the additional periods of dawn and dusk when you can still be exploring outdoors.
Nusfjord Arctic Resort
Authentic fishing village
Nusfjord was once part of Norway’s leading fish buying stations and has an intertwining building area, which evolved at the end of the 19th-Century and the beginning of the 20th-Century. Today, Nusfjord Arctic Resort offers traditional rorbu cabins for lodging in authentic surroundings. To get there you leave the main Federal Highway 10, halfway between Napp and Ramberg. Then, for the next 6 kilometres the county road winds through a beautiful and dramatic landscape.
Cultural autumn
Autumn is the perfect season for new arts and culture experiences. Make the most of it by visiting the best art museums and galleries in Norway. Head to the MUNCH museum, or the National Gallery, the biggest art museum in the Nordic countries, and experience the fabulous sculpture parks dressed in autumn colors. There are also excellent museums for arts, history, and natural history in Bergen, Stavanger, Tromsø and many other places (not to mention film festivals and live music).
Akershus forress, Oslo. Photo: Cato Hansen/Oslo kommune
Oslo’s many museums are ideal sanctuaries on short, chilly days. Explore the city by hopscotching from one toasty museum to the next. You can experience multiple iterations of Edvard Munch’s The Scream, the study in which Henrik Ibsen wrote his last play, and secret messages circulated by the Norwegian resistance during World War II. Don’t miss the Kon Tiki Museum which displays the original bamboo-and-balsa vessel Kon-Tiki raft which Thor Heyerdahl built in 1947 and then successfully sailed it from South America to Polynesia.
Big cities with small town charm
Even though Oslo is often listed among the top cities in the world to visit, there are several other smaller cities that are also worth your time. Despite their smaller size, cities such as Bergen and Ålesund are sure to provide you with grand – and unique – adventures.
Ålesund. Photo: Wikipedia
Relaxing
Nothing can compare to the joy of snuggling up under a warm blanket in a cozy cabin after some days of exciting activities. As the evenings grow darker, autumn is the perfect time for candlelight and the relaxing sound of a crackling fireplace, perhaps while enjoying a good book or spending time with someone special.
Do you usually cram in too much when you travel? If your answer Is yes, you’ll probably appreciate the dark morning and afternoon hours of Norway’s off-season. It will force you to slow down both body and brain. It may help you to understand the Norwegian way of life. It may make room in the day for your family to play board games, stoke a fire in your cabin’s fireplace, or relax together in a hot tub.
Stranda Hotel. Photo: RAW Reklame og Foto
It’s true that the tourist season slows down as summer draws to a close. But for the clever tourist, the off-season is a perfect opportunity to get up close and personal with Norway’s famous destinations without the crowds.
Top ten destinations from Norway this autumn:
