Best time to visit Norway

2 min summary When to go Map & highlights Things to do Fjords & islands Killer whales Sami communities Walking ideas Northern Lights Families Advice Responsible tourism

Best time to visit Norway

Norway loves extremes - summer weeks of eternal light, winter months of darkness, with all shades in between!

The best time to visit Norway depends on what you want to do. Jun-Aug promise long days and the fabled midnight sun ideal for hiking, cycling or cruising – but no guarantee of heat, even if it won't be cold! May and Sep offer mild temperatures, fewer crowds and gorgeous natural colours. May is also blossom time, while Aug is berry picking season. Winter can be bitter, but dress properly and Norway is a snowy nirvana, from snow shoeing to cross country skiing. The Northern Lights sparkle from Sep on, peaking Dec-Feb. Spitsbergen peaks in midsummer - read more about the best time to visit it.

Call us for the best time to go to Norway

Bergen Weather Chart

MIN °C

MAX °C

RAIN (mm)

JAN

-1

222

FEB

-1

170

MAR

183

APR

122

MAY

111

JUN

139

JUL

156

AUG

192

SEP

306

OCT

304

NOV

279

DEC

265

Our Norway Holidays

Norway, month by month

The start of the year is pretty cold and dark in Norway, even on the southwest coast in Bergen, and if you’re planning on visiting in January and February make sure you wrap up warm especially if you’re heading for cross country ski trails or in search of the Northern Lights. March is the best time to go to Norway for maximising daylight hours and snowfall in winter sports resorts and as April turns to May you’ll find an abundance of wild flowers and blossom appearing in country meadows as well as a fair amount of slushy snow underfoot. June, July and August are certainly the best months to go to Norway in terms of temperatures and daylight hours although prices will be at a premium as will midges and other bitey insects in and around the marshlands towards the north of the country. After the school holidays in mid-September and October, Norway becomes slightly more affordable as it’s caught between summer and winter with several outdoor attractions starting to shut up shop with the onset of snow and bitter winds. November days are cold and dark with not much going on apart from snow clouds culminating on higher grounds and the Northern Lights starting to respond to conditions. It’s really December when things start to turn pretty with snow flurries, frozen lakes and Christmas festivities lighting Norway up like the preverbal spruce.

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Responsible Travel recommends

Britt Elton from our supplier Discover Norway explains why winter can be the best time to visit Norway: “Norway is one of the few countries offering cross country skiing from hotel to hotel. It is relatively level terrain, with magnificent views in places like the Jotunheimen National Park and Rondane mountains. Eastern Norway has very good snow conditions from mid-December to mid-April.”

Laura Greenman from our supplier Magnetic North reveals what she believes is the best time to visit Norway: “I love early summer – June and July - when the fjords sparkle and the walking is top quality in the mountains. August is great for berry picking - and by September, we're seeing fantastic autumnal displays of the Aurora Borealis.”

Festivals & events in Norway

Riddu Riddu Festival (Kafjord, early July)

Now into its third decade, this Sami festival in northern Norway presents an extensive programme of music, film and art bringing together Sami stars like Marja Helena Mortenson, Jon Henrik Fjallgren and Elle Marja Eira with artists from around the world for a creative mingling of indigenous and non-indigenous cultures (with plenty for children too).

More about Norway

Norway travel guide

Our Norway travel guide takes you beyond the myths and legends in order to let you discover what we rate & what we don’t about a country that’s just as famous for trolls as it is for fjords; read our brief history of Norway to find out more.

Norway map & highlights

From Kirkenes, Svalbard and the Lofoten Islands in the north to Telemark, Stavanger and Jotunheiman National Park in the south, if you’re looking for places to visit in Norway then always make our interactive map page your first port of call.

Things to do in Norway

Things to do in Norway will usually start and finish with the fjords however, if you want to know where to cycle, trek and watch walrus, elk and puffins then read on for our suggestions for top activities in Norway.

Fjords & islands in Norway

Norway’s coastline has been designed with natural beauty in mind with deep fjords and remote islands transforming ferry rides into some of the most scenic voyages in Europe.

Killer whale watching in Norway

If you've always wanted to witness the humbling sight of humpback and killer whales in the wild then Norway, in the fjords to the north of Tromso, is one of the best places in the world to do just that.

Northern Lights watching in Norway

Watching the Northern Lights in Norway will have you wide eyed with wonder and if you want to know where, when and how to watch the world’s most spectacular natural light display, right here is where your adventure begins.

Sami communities in Norway

If you’re visiting Norway then it’s really important to learn a bit more about the Sami communities in Norway which represent the relationship between Scandinavia’s indigenous people and the natural world.

Walking in Norway

Walking in Norway lets you feel the rocks as they steadily rise to 600m; you can hike through fells and fjords and spend nights in mountain lodges; and you can tuck into traditional Norwegian cuisine, like gravlaks, salmon or lingonberry-covered reindeer, safe in the knowledge that by George you deserve it!

Travelling in Norway with kids

Find out what Responsible Travel recommend for travelling in Norway with kids as from troll hunting and Viking heritage to snow shoeing and dog sledding we’ve asked our experts so you can discover what to do with little ones before you head to Norway.

Norway travel advice

Our Norway travel advice comes directly from our friends and travellers in Norway which is why anyone who wants to travel safely in Norway should read on for some really top tips on what to do, where to go and how to stay safe and healthy.

Responsible tourism in Norway

Do a little research into responsible tourism in Norway and you’ll soon find that whaling and the rights of indigenous Sami people are still high on the agenda when it comes to understanding how to travel right in Norway.