8. Natural Beauty and Outdoor Activities

Being a large country with interesting geographic features and a small population, much of Norway is visually stunning. Even in the areas where sheep grazing has left large areas of almost bare rock, the views are still beautiful. There is so much to do and see around the fjord country of Stavanger, and almost all of it is accessable by public transportation or bicycle on a network of safe bicycle paths.

The first thing that comes to mind is Preikestolen, a rock table, the edges of which drop 600 meters straight down into a fjord. From Stavanger, it’s a quick ferry ride, a bus ride (waiting for the ferry on the other end) and then a couple hour hike up the mountain to the formation. Pack a lunch!

It’s worth mentioning that in Norway, access to the land belongs to the people, so unless land is being farmed you can camp there, wherever you want in the whole country. Also, no individual can own the seafront, so you could conceivably walk the entire coast without trespassing, and no fishing license is needed in coastal areas, so you could also conceivably pull your food from the sea to fuel your hike.

The sandy beaches of Jaeren are known for their excellent surfing conditions, and are one of the best places in Europe to surf.

If you’re into snowboarding or skiing, Norway is famous for its facilities.

There are a wide range of festivals in the summer months so just get out and enjoy it. If you have access to a car, be sure to see Sirdal, up in hytta country. You can’t take a bad photograph there.