Holidays to Norway

THERE’S SOMETHING about the pale Norwegian light that makes more southerly climes seem flat and slightly jaded. It gives the landscape a clean, gentle quality, and makes the locations of many of the hotels in this section particularly idyllic. The places themselves are often simple clapboard houses on, say, a harbour front or a spit of land next to a still fjord. Many are family run – some for as far back as three or four generations. Using our recommendations, you could construct an itinerary taking you from the islands of the south, via Oslo, through the western fjords to north of the Arctic circle, staying in unique places each night, without once having to resort to one of the many bland chain hotels.

NORWAY REGION BY REGION

NORWAY CAN be divided into Eastern Norway, Southern Norway, the Western fjords and Northern Norway. Eastern Norway Some of Europe’s finest museums can be found in Oslo, the capital of Norway, but the city is also stirred by plenty of interesting street life and late night bars. Its 19thcentury boulevards are also home to a number of handsome hotels.

Southern Norway

This is Norway’s holidayland – an area of flat countryside, long beaches and small islands just off the coast. The town of Kristiansand’s water-front is the closest Norway has to a beach resort. It also has a ferry link to Copenhagen, and many small family-run hotels.

The Western Fjords

At the southern end of the Western fjords is Stavanger, an old town with a maritime feel. In the narrow lanes are attractive tall, white wooden houses where seamen and merchants once lived. Ferries chugging up the coast take thousands of visitors to the fjords in summer. Many head for Bergen, an old trading centre with restored wooden houses and a lively quayside. There’s a wide choice of places to stay here, as well as in the surrounding countryside. The rail route between Bergen and Oslo goes through great scenery. This is a fine journey at any time, but in winter it offers the bonus of viewing the mountains under snow and waterfalls frozen solid. A branch line – one of the steepest in the world – plunges down to Flåm, on the edge of the serene Sogne Fjord. In this area there are several of the remarkable Norwegian stave churches.

Northern Norway

Around Trondheim, north becomes far north. The landscape, driving conditions and weather all toughen up. You cross the Arctic circle between Mo-i-Rana and Bodø, before arriving at the biggest settlement in Northern Norway, the university city of Tromsø. By the time you get to the Northern Cape, and perhaps sail out to Spitsbergen, hotels tend to be functional and cosy, but not much more.

 Among our other favourites are Hotel Mundal in Fjaerland , an imposing Victorian building in a great setting; Frogner House Hotel in Oslo, a smart town hotel with style and individuality; the Kongsvold Fjeldstue inn in Kongsvold , a 17th-century inn formerly used by pilgrims; and the Sygard Grytting near Hundorp , a beautiful hotel, open for only a couple of months in summer, with a simple wooden interior dating from the 17th century.

FOOD AND DRINK MUCH NORWEGIAN FOOD is heavy and filling, perfect after a day’s cross-country skiing. Some of the best traditional cooking is only available at Christmas, when special dishes like pinnekjøtt – smoked mutton steamed over

Shredded birch bark and served with cabbage – appear on the menu, along with ribbe, julepølse and filling medisterkake – pork ribs, sausage and dumplings. Reindeer steaks are available throughout the year, either served with boiled potatoes and cranberry sauce, or as the main component of a rich stew. Venison, elk and seal meat – the latter marinaded until it is almost black and tasting slightly of the sea – are also occasionally offered. A thick gravy (brun saus) seems to be served with anything meaty, but you can get away from this if you opt for fish such as pickled herring or salmon, which are particularly good. Lutefisk is preserved cod reconstituted to a jellylike consistency. It is good with potatoes and often served alongside herring dishes as part of a traditional feast. Dried cod fish – soaked to plump it up, but always slightly chewy – is also tasty when served in broth. Some of the simpler foods are the most memorable, and include different kinds of ‘black’ breads, fresh goat’s cheese, and wild cloudberries – from north of the Arctic circle – served with cream. Beers are classed as I, II or III, III being the strongest and available in bars and shops. Wine and spirits including the local 40 per cent proof akevitt can only be bought from the state-controlled Vinmonopol shops, or in bars. All alcoholic drink in Norway is surprisingly expensive.

Drinking is not a mainstream social activity during the week, but at weekends people kick over the traces and indulge in drinking sessions complete with drinking songs and other ‘Viking’ behaviour. Drinking in Oslo is more urbane, with a fickle bar scene and some ‘microbreweries’ serving real ale.

BEDROOMS AND BATHROOMS

IF YOU WANT twin beds, ask for them specifically when booking. Doubles are standard size – it’s not usual to come across king size or extra king size beds. Bathrooms are en-suite and many hotels have shared saunas (mixed-sex).

OTHER PRACTICAL INFORMATION

BREAKFAST IS substantial and typically comprises a helpyourself buffet of different kinds of bread, ham, cheese, pickled fish, sausages, fruit juices and coffee. Smoking has been banned in all public places (including restaurants and the public areas of hotels) since 1988. If you are deterred by the price of evening meals, try the lunchtime koldtbord that many restaurants offer (the Norwegian rendition of smörgåsbord) – all you can eat for a set price. Another good deal is the dagens rett – a daily special menu. During the summer, businesses shut down from July onwards, and hotel prices drop considerably. Between October and June, too, luxury hotels suddenly become much more affordable at the weekends, when substantial discounts (often 40–50 per cent on the usual room rate) come into effect. It is always worth asking what the ‘special prices’ are. Language Norwegians have two mother tongues, Bokmål (book language) and Landsmål or Nyorsk (based on Old Norse dialects). Bokmål is the commonest, but it’s not something you have to master to get around. English is widely spoken – and, moreover, spoken well. Currency The Norwegian krone, written NKR. Shops Open 9am–5pm Mon– Wed & Fri; 9am–6pm or 7pm Thu; 9am–2pm or 3pm Sat. Tipping No extra charge is made for service on the bill, but it’s normal to leave a tip of around 10 per cent in restaurants, and 5 to 10 per cent in bars.

Telephoning Inside Norway, dial all 8 digits of a number, wherever you are calling from. If you wish to call Norway from the UK, dial 00 47 followed by the number, leaving out the initial 0 from the area code; from the US, dial 011 47.

Public holidays 1 January, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, Easter Monday, 1 May, 17 May (Constitution Day), Ascension Day, Whit Monday and Tuesday, 15 August, 25 and 26 December.

USEFUL WORDS Breakfast Frokost

Lunch Lunsj

Dinner Middag

Free room? Ledig rom?

How much? Hvor mye?

Single room Enkeltrom

Double room Dobbeltrom

NORWAY PRICE BANDS

THERE IS NO star (or any other symbol) system to classify the comfort level of Norwegian hotels, so if you are booking a room from a long list of hotels without descriptions, the only thing to go on is price.

Price bands as usual refer to the price of a standard double room in high season. Prices quoted by hotels usually include breakfast and all taxes.