In many ways
Norway is still
a land of unknowns. Quiet for a
thousand years since the Vikings
stamped their mark on Europe, the
country nowadays often seems more
than just geographically distant.
Beyond Oslo and the famous fjords
the rest of the country might as
well be blank for all many visitors
know - and, in a manner of speaking,
large parts of it are. Vast
stretches in the north and east are
sparsely populated, and it is
possible to travel for hours without
seeing a soul.
Despite this isolation, Norway
has had a pervasive influence.
Traditionally its inhabitants were
explorers, from the Vikings to more
recent figures like Amundsen, Nansen
and Heyerdahl, while Norse language
and traditions are common to many
other isolated fishing communities,
not least northwest Scotland and the
Shetlands. At home, too, the
Norwegian people have striven to
escape the charge of national
provincialism, touting the
disproportionate number of acclaimed
artists, writers and musicians (most
notably Munch, Ibsen and Grieg) who
have made their mark on the wider
European scene. It's also a pleasing
discovery that the great outdoors -
great though it is - harbours some
lively historical towns.
Beyond Oslo , one of the
world's most prettily sited
capitals, the major cities of
interest are medieval Trondheim
, Bergen , on the edge of the
fjords, and hilly, northern Tromsø
. None is exactly super-charged, but
they are likeable, walkable cities,
worth time for themselves as well as
being on top of startlingly handsome
countryside. The perennial draw is
the western fjords - every
bit as scenically stunning as
they're cracked up to be. Dip into
the region from Bergen or Åndalsnes,
both accessible direct by train from
Oslo, or take more time and
appreciate the subtleties of the
innumerable waterside towns and
villages. Further north, the
stunning Lofoten Islands are worth a
trip for their calm atmosphere and
sheer beauty. To the north of here,
Norway grows increasingly barren,
and the tourist trail focuses on the
long journey to the North Cape, or Nordkapp
- the northernmost accessible point
of mainland Europe. The route leads
through the province of Finnmark
, a vast, eerily bleak wilderness
where the Arctic tundra rolls as far
as the eye can see, and one of the
last strongholds of the Sami and
their herds of reindeer, which
you'll see right across the region.
