The most beautiful places in Norway

Are you looking for the most beautiful places in Norway? You’ll find them here! I have traveled to Norway ten times over the past decade and have traversed a large part of the country by car. Without having planned it beforehand, I came across many beautiful, unknown places that make me wonder if others know about them. So therefor, you will not find the Norway’s most famous sights here, but instead I handpicked a few locations that you may not have yet heard of. Enjoy this list with the most beautiful places in Norway!

The most beautiful places in the south of Norway

I have divided this article into the south and the north of Norway. I have been to both parts of Norway multiple times, and I visited Norway during different times of the year, usually between May and September. In the south of Norway, you will find mainly fjords, fells, and a good tourist infrastructure.

Below, I will share my favorite spots in the south of Norway:

Nærøyfjord

Nærøyfjord was the very first fjord I ever saw, and as far as I am concerned, it remains one of the most beautiful fjords in Norway ever since. The Nærøyfjord is the narrowest fjord in Norway and has a length of 18 kilometers; it branches off from the Aurlandsfjord, which in turn is a branch of the Sognefjord.

I took a beautiful hike to Rimstigen in the Nærøyfjord; you can read more about it in this article.

Trollstigen

Trollstigen is probably one of the most famous roads in Norway. These 11 hairpin bends form a beautiful road from sea level high up into the mountains. Once at the top, you have a magnificent view. I visited Trollstigen on my way back south, after it had been raining non-stop in Norway for days, causing it to be closed for several days. The result: even at 8:00 PM, it was still incredibly busy. Nice, but not something I would repeat. It is a beautiful place nonetheless but just be prepared for a lot of tourists!

Vetlefjord and Gaularfjellet

Just when you think it couldn’t get any more beautiful, Norway has another stunning but unknown fjord in store for you: the small Vetlefjord. From here, you drive to the wondrous and relatively unknown Gaularfjellet, a truly magnificent route. There, you will find beautiful red cottages that stand out sharply against the green forested mountains, majestic rock formations, and peaks that are still covered in snow when I visited in May.

Blådålen and Møsevassbreen

Another place that almost no one knows is Lake Blådålen and the Møsevassbreen glacier located within it. You reach it via the E134, and after passing several dams, you arrive in a beautiful, deserted valley where hardly any tourists come. You can drive all the way to the end, where there is a parking lot and where you can see the Møsevassbreen glacier. It originates from the ice cap in Folgefonna National Park.

You can read my complete article about Blådålen and Møsevassbreen here.

Hardangervidda

Every time I drive across the Hardangervidda, I immediately feel happy, even when the weather is bad. The route between Eidfjord and Geilo provides a good contrast to the fjords and glaciers. On the Hardangervidda, it is barren, vast, cold, and inhospitable. Crossing it on foot has been on my bucket list for years; who knows, maybe it will happen someday.

Røros, the historical mining town

In the spring of 2026 I made a one week road trip through central Norway. There is no exact center of Norway, but if you look at the map, Røros is located fairly centrally. Røros is one of Norway’s best-preserved historic mining towns and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1980. The town originated in the 17th century after copper was discovered and grew into an important mining center. For more than 300 years, life here revolved around the copper extraction at the Røros Kobberverk, until the mine closed permanently in 1977. Today, Røros is known for its characteristic wooden houses, narrow streets, and well-preserved industrial heritage. I absolutely loved wandering around the small streets.

The Nidaros cathedral in Trondheim

Norway may not be known for its cultural highlights, yet I was very impressed by the Nidaros cathedral in Trondheim. It is the most famous cathedral in Norway and is considered one of the most important medieval pilgrimage churches in Northern Europe. Construction began around 1070 on the site where Olav II Haraldsson is buried, the Norwegian king who was later canonized. For centuries, the cathedral was an important religious center and destination for pilgrims from Scandinavia. Today, special ceremonies still take place here, including the consecration of new Norwegian monarchs. You can view the cathedral from the outside; if you want to go inside, it costs NOK 140 per person (approximately 12 euros).

The most beautiful places in the north of Norway

And now we move on to the most beautiful places in Northern Norway. I have been here multiple times as well, and I now live just a two-hour drive from Northern Norway (in Swedish Lapland), and every time I think, “there is still so much to discover here” before driving back home.

I have left out the touristic Lofoten Islands out of consideration for now, as we know them of course, but here I have mentioned six beautiful but lesser-known spots in the north of Norway.

Svartisen glacier

Svartisen (the black ice) is the second largest glacier in Norway and the largest glacier in northern Norway. This ice cap, which actually consists of two parts, lies between Mo i Rana and Bodø. You can approach the glacier from two sides, but both only after a boat trip. I visited the Engabreen (one of the glacier arms of Svartisen) from Holandsvik. Here I took the boat to the other side and walked about 3 kilometers along the gravel road. After this, it is a few more kilometers of climbing over rocks until you reach this viewpoint.

North Cape

To do or not to do, that road trip to the North Cape? That is something I wondered for years, and eventually, a few years ago, I “just” did it anyway. And you know, if you just don’t expect too much from it and go there with an open mind, it really is a very special place. The drive up to Nordkapp is absolutely stunning and I can definitely recommend it!

Senja

As far as I’m concerned, the island of Senja is a great alternative to the crowded Lofoten. I was here a few years ago in mid-August and hardly encountered anyone, because the Norwegians themselves were already off vacation. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t very favorable; I stayed for three nights, and it wasn’t until the day I took the boat to Vesterålen that it cleared up and I understood why Senja is so incredibly beautiful!

You can read more about my visit to beautiful Senja here.

Sommarøy

The small island of Sommarøy lies at the very end of the road past Tromsø; once you reach it, you cannot drive any further. There isn’t particularly much to do on the island, but it is incredibly beautiful. You will find almost snow-white sandy beaches, you can take a beautiful walk to a viewpoint, and in winter it is an excellent place to see the Northern Lights due to limited light pollution.

Skibotn

The village of Skibotn itself is not the most beautiful place, but the surrounding area certainly is. Skibotn is situated at the intersection of the E6 and the E8, and from here you can choose whether to travel inland towards Kilpisjärvi in ​​Finland (and also the tri-border point of Norway, Sweden, and Finland) or continue south through Norway. Across the fjord lie beautiful snow-capped peaks. I honestly don’t think that road tripping in arctic Norway doesn’t get much more scenic than this!

The trolls of Trollholmsund

And last but not least, the trolls of Trollholmsund. This is a series of rocks formed by erosion on the Porsangerfjord in the far north of Norway, just above Lakselv. You have to walk a short distance from the parking lot, but the landscape here is truly beautiful. The water is exceptionally blue, and with a bit of luck, you will hardly encounter anyone else.

That’s it!

These were my most beautiful places in Norway. I realize, of course, that this list is far from complete and that there are many more beautiful places. In fact, on a sunny day, Norway is like a painting where you want to stop every five minutes to take a photo. If it is a rainy day (I’ve had those more often than sunny days, to be honest), you drive a bit faster and probably spend a bit more time in your hotel sauna, for example.

Conclusion of the most beautiful places in Norway

Hopefully, this has given you an idea of ​​the most beautiful places in Norway for your bucket list. If you want to read more about Norway, be sure to visit one of the following articles:

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