Planning a trip to Norway is exciting—but it can also be surprisingly challenging. Unlike many destinations where you simply pick a few cities and connect the dots, Norway stretches for more than 1,000 miles from south to north. Mountains, fjords, islands, ferries, scenic railways, domestic flights, and winding roads all make travel part of the adventure. The more we researched, the more we realized there wasn’t one perfect itinerary—only a series of tradeoffs.
Many travelers experience Norway through a single lens. Some focus on the famous fjords. Others take a coastal cruise or plan a road trip through one region. All are wonderful ways to experience this spectacular country.
We wanted something different.
Could we combine many of Norway’s most unforgettable experiences into one incredible journey without spending half our vacation getting from Point A to Point B?
That question sent us down a months-long planning rabbit hole. We compared train routes, cruise itineraries, ferry schedules, flights, hotel locations, driving times, and more spreadsheets than we’d like to admit.
At first, our goal was simple: see Norway’s iconic fjords. We imagined taking a scenic cruise, renting a car for part of the trip, and piecing together the rest.
But the deeper we got into planning, the more Norway surprised us. We discovered one of the world’s great railway journeys, a working coastal voyage that doubles as an unforgettable travel experience, and island chains above the Arctic Circle that quickly became must-see destinations.
Our trip stopped being about visiting a few famous places. Instead, it became about discovering as many sides of Norway as we could in two weeks.
The itinerary below is the result.
Would we recommend this exact route to everyone? No. Every Norway itinerary involves tradeoffs, and every traveler has different priorities. You may decide to spend more time in one region, skip the rental cars, or add destinations we didn’t visit. We hope you’ll use our itinerary as a starting point and adapt it to fit your own travel style.
Our goal isn’t to convince you to copy our trip exactly. Instead, we hope this guide helps you understand the planning decisions behind our itinerary so you can build your own unforgettable Norway adventure with confidence.
At a Glance: Our 2-Week Norway Itinerary
If you’re wondering whether this itinerary is right for you, here’s a quick overview before we dive into the details.
Best For
This itinerary is ideal for first-time visitors who want to experience the incredible variety Norway has to offer—not just the famous fjords. It combines vibrant cities, one of the world’s most scenic rail journeys, a coastal voyage, Arctic landscapes, unforgettable drives, and some of the country’s best hiking opportunities.
Trip Style
- Length: 14 days / 13 nights
- Transportation: Train, coastal ship, rental cars, domestic flights, and ferries
- Walking/Hiking: Moderate, with optional hikes
- Driving: Moderate, including scenic mountain roads and ferry crossings
- Hotel Changes: Frequent (every 1–3 nights), but each serves a purpose
Our Journey
- Oslo — 2 nights
- Bergen Railway — Oslo to Bergen
- Bergen — 1 night
- Hurtigruten Coastal Voyage — 4 nights
- Lofoten Islands — 3 nights
- Flight back to Bergen
- Fjord Country — 2 nights in Balestrand and Aurland
- Bergen — 1 final night
See Our Norway Route on the Map
Norway’s long, narrow geography can make this itinerary a little hard to picture on paper. This map shows our route from Oslo across the mountains to Bergen, north along the coast to the Lofoten Islands, and back south to explore the fjords by car. Zoom in and click the markers to see the places we visited along the way.
(Download as a KML file and use in Google Maps, Google My Maps, OpenMaps, or other mobile apps. Start from the full screen view of the map. Click the star next to the map title to view in Google Maps and then save for later reference.)
Why This Itinerary Works
There isn’t one perfect way to experience Norway.
Many travelers experience Norway through a single lens. Some focus on the famous fjords. Others take a coastal cruise or plan a road trip through one region. All are wonderful ways to experience this spectacular country.
We wanted something. We wanted to experience as many sides of Norway as we reasonably could in about two weeks without constantly feeling like we were in transit.
To make that happen, we matched each leg of the trip with the form of transportation that made the most sense. The Bergen Railway carried us across the mountains, Hurtigruten became both transportation and one of the highlights of our trip, and rental cars gave us the freedom to explore the Lofoten Islands and Norway’s breathtaking fjord country at our own pace.
Instead of treating travel days as something to endure, we made them part of the adventure.
Why You’ll Love This Itinerary
- You’ll experience Norway by train, ship, car, ferry, and plane—each revealing a different side of the country.
- You’ll see both the iconic fjords and places you may not have considered before planning your trip.
- You’ll minimize backtracking, making the most of your two weeks in Norway.
- You’ll experience an incredible variety of landscapes, from vibrant cities and dramatic fjords to Arctic islands and mountain villages.
- You’ll have the flexibility to tailor the trip by adding or skipping hikes, extending stays, or adjusting the pace to match your travel style.
Start in Oslo
If you’re flying from North America, we recommend beginning your trip in Norway’s capital rather than heading straight to the fjords.
After an overnight flight, Oslo is the perfect place to ease into Norway. Spend a couple of days adjusting to the time change while exploring a city that feels welcoming, walkable, and refreshingly unhurried. It’s an enjoyable introduction to the country before the more adventurous parts of your itinerary begin.
One of the advantages of starting in Oslo is that you won’t need a rental car. Between walking, ferries, and excellent public transportation, getting around is simple. The Oslo Pass includes admission to many of the city’s top attractions as well as public transit, making sightseeing both easy and economical.
With two days, you’ll need to choose your priorities. Stroll Karl Johans Gate to the Royal Palace, wander the revitalized waterfront, or take the short ferry to the Bygdøy Peninsula, home to several outstanding museums. If we had to narrow the list to just two, we’d choose the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History and the Fram Museum. The open-air museum, with more than 150 historic buildings and the beautiful Gol Stave Church, offers a fascinating introduction to Norway’s history and culture, while the Fram Museum tells the incredible story of Norway’s polar explorers aboard one of the world’s strongest wooden ships.
Better yet, starting in Oslo sets you up for one of the best parts of this itinerary: the Bergen Railway. Instead of taking a quick domestic flight, you’ll cross mountains, alpine plateaus, sparkling lakes, and waterfalls on one of the world’s most scenic train journeys. For us, it wasn’t just transportation—it was one of the highlights of the entire trip.
Take the Bergen Railway
Don’t think of the Bergen Railway as transportation—think of it as an adventure in its own right.
Consistently ranked among the world’s most scenic train journeys, the Bergen Railway carries you nearly 300 miles across forests, mountain lakes, waterfalls, and the rugged Hardangervidda Plateau before descending into the lush valleys surrounding Bergen.
For us, this was our first real introduction to Norway’s extraordinary landscapes. Watching the scenery transform from Oslo’s forests to snow-dusted mountains and a vast, windswept plateau built anticipation for everything that was still to come.
The journey also forms the backbone of Norway in a Nutshell®, Norway’s famous self-guided itinerary. Rather than booking the complete package, we simply incorporated this iconic train ride into our own route, giving us the flexibility to continue north on Hurtigruten, explore the Lofoten Islands, and finish our trip with a self-drive adventure through Norway’s spectacular fjord country.
Experience Bergen
Bergen, Norway’s second-largest city, is much more than a gateway to the fjords—it’s an incredibly charming city in its own right, and well worth exploring.
With just over a day, you’ll need to choose your priorities. Stroll through the colorful wooden buildings of Bryggen Wharf, browse the bustling Fish Market, ride the Fløibanen Funicular for panoramic views over the city and surrounding fjords, or simply enjoy wandering Bergen’s lively streets and harbor.
One of our favorite experiences was a guided walking tour offered by the Bryggens Museum. It brought Bergen’s fascinating history to life and gave us a much deeper appreciation for the people, commerce, and resilience that shaped this remarkable city.
Could you spend longer here? Absolutely. But for this itinerary, one evening and most of the following day struck the right balance. Bergen gave us a wonderful taste of western Norway before we began our voyage north.
Sail Norway’s Coast on Hurtigruten
From Bergen, we boarded a Hurtigruten ship for a four-night voyage on the Original Coastal Express northbound route.
Unlike a traditional cruise, Hurtigruten is Norway’s historic coastal route, serving communities up and down the coast while welcoming travelers from around the world. The ships are much smaller than most cruise ships, carrying about 650 guests, and offer comfortable cabins, excellent dining, panoramic observation lounges, outdoor viewing decks, enrichment lectures, and optional shore excursions. We found it to be an excellent value for everything that was included.
If you’re considering adding the coastal voyage to your Norway itinerary, our complete Hurtigruten guide covers everything we learned about choosing a route, booking, cabins, meals, life onboard, and what to expect along the way.
For us, it was the perfect way to see Norway’s spectacular coastline. Instead of spending a day traveling from one destination to the next, the journey itself became one of the high points of our trip. Each day brought dramatic scenery, charming towns, and unforgettable moments as the ship carried us north of the Arctic Circle toward the Lofoten Islands.
Although many port calls are brief, several are long enough to explore. Wander the colorful Art Nouveau streets of Ålesund, rent e-bikes to discover Trondheim, or spend an afternoon exploring the Arctic city of Tromsø.
During the summer, many northbound voyages also detour into the breathtaking Geirangerfjord. Ours did, giving us the unforgettable opportunity to experience one of Norway’s most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Sites from the water.
Explore the Lofoten Islands by Car
After four unforgettable days aboard Hurtigruten, we arrived in the Lofoten Islands—and this was the part of the trip we had looked forward to the most. Towering peaks rise straight from the sea, colorful fishing villages dot the shoreline, and nearly every turn in the road reveals another breathtaking view. If you’ve seen photos of Norway that made you stop scrolling, there’s a good chance they were taken here.
When the weather cooperated, we hiked to spectacular viewpoints, wandered beautiful beaches, and enjoyed scenic drives, stopping at countless overlooks for pictures and to be “wowed.” When it didn’t, we explored charming fishing villages, ate too many cinnamon rolls (in the best way!), and visited the Viking Museum.
We recommend basing your stay near Leknes, close to the geographic center of the archipelago. From there, it’s easy to explore the main island chain in both directions—from Svolvær in the east to Å (yes, it’s really called “Å”), the tiny fishing village at the very end of the road.
Slow Down in Norway’s Fjord Country
After exploring the Lofoten Islands, you’ll fly back to Bergen and pick up another rental car for the final leg of your journey. It’s the perfect way to explore Norway’s spectacular fjords at your own pace.
This stretch combines some of Norway’s most memorable drives with unforgettable experiences, whether you’re taking in panoramic viewpoints, hiking above the fjords, or exploring them from the water.
Cross fjords by ferry, drive the breathtaking Aurlandsfjellet Scenic Route (Snow Road), wind over one of Norway’s most spectacular mountain passes from Balestrand to Aurland, visit the beautiful Borgund Stave Church, stop at the Stegastein Viewpoint, and experience the dramatic Nærøyfjord on a thrilling RIB safari.
We recommend spending one night each in Balestrand and Aurland. Although it means packing up twice, both villages are peaceful, walkable, and wonderfully scenic, with memorable waterfront accommodations that make the extra hotel change worthwhile.
Ending your trip with a self-drive adventure through Norway’s iconic fjord country provides the perfect contrast to the structured pace of the Bergen Railway and Hurtigruten. After two weeks of unforgettable experiences, it was a relaxing and fitting finale to our journey.
Frequently Asked Questions about this 2-week Norway Itinerary
Is two weeks enough for Norway?
Yes. While you could easily spend a month exploring Norway, two weeks is enough to experience many of the country’s highlights without feeling rushed. This itinerary combines cities, fjords, a coastal cruise, Arctic scenery, and scenic drives into one unforgettable trip.
Is this itinerary expensive?
Norway isn’t a budget destination, but we found several ways to keep costs reasonable without sacrificing the experience. We booked accommodations (most of which included breakfast), trains and flights well in advance, sailed Hurtigruten in a standard outside cabin, rented cars only when they added real value, and shopped at grocery stores for lunches and snacks. With thoughtful planning, this itinerary can be surprisingly affordable compared with many travelers’ expectations.
Do I need to rent a car?
Only for part of the trip. One of the things we love about this itinerary is that each mode of transportation serves a purpose. Oslo and Bergen are easy to explore on foot and by public transportation, the Bergen Railway and coastal voyage eliminate long travel days, and rental cars give you the freedom to explore the Lofoten Islands and Norway’s spectacular fjord country.
When is the best time to take this trip?
We designed this itinerary for late spring through early fall, when mountain roads are open, many northbound summer sailings visit Geirangerfjord, many hiking trails are accessible, and daylight lasts well into the evening.
What should I pack?
Layers. Even in summer, temperatures can vary dramatically between cities, mountains, and the coast. A lightweight waterproof jacket, comfortable walking shoes, and clothing you can layer throughout the day are essential. As with any Europe vacation, we recommend traveling with carry-on luggage only.
Would you change anything if you did it again?
Honestly, not much. We were thrilled with how the itinerary came together. If we had additional time, we’d probably spend another night in the Lofoten Islands and another in the fjord region, but for a two-week trip, we thought the balance was excellent.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, one of the smartest decisions we made was letting each mode of transportation play to its strengths. The Bergen Railway carried us across the mountains, Hurtigruten took us up Norway’s spectacular coastline, short domestic flights connected us between regions, and rental cars gave us the freedom to explore both the Lofoten Islands and Norway’s breathtaking fjord country. Rather than spending our vacation driving the length of the country, we spent our time experiencing it.
Would we plan the same trip again using this 2-week Norway itinerary? Absolutely. It introduced us to vibrant cities, dramatic mountains, unforgettable coastlines, Arctic islands, and some of the most spectacular scenery we’ve ever experienced—all in just two weeks.
Our journey continued with a few days in Stockholm, but if you’re focusing only on Norway, this itinerary ends naturally in Bergen, where you can catch your flight home. However you choose to adapt it, we hope it gives you the confidence to plan an unforgettable adventure of your own.
Related Guides
As you refine your plans, be sure to check out our detailed guide to Hurtigruten, as well as our guides for Bergen, the Lofoten Islands, and Norway’s fjord country (all coming soon!) for practical tips, favorite experiences, and everything we learned along the way.