Oslo is the capital of the country of the fjords. Tourist information in Oslo. Sports and recreation

Full name: Kingdom of Norway.
Capital: Oslo.
Area: 385,186 sq. km (including water - 19,520 sq. km).
Population: about 5,085,000 people
Official language: Norwegian (Bokmål and Nynorsk), in some communes - Sami.

Official currency: Norwegian krone.

The coat of arms of Norway is one of the oldest in Europe. He is over 7 years old. The lion in heraldry is a symbol of strength, and the ax is the weapon of the Vikings and the heavenly patron of Norway, St. Olaf.

The Kingdom of Norway is the northernmost state in Europe. "The way to the north" - this is how the name of the country is translated from the Old Norse language. But more often it is called the Northern Kingdom, or the Land of the Midnight Sun. In summer, in some areas of Norway, the sun does not hide behind the horizon for days, while in others, a period of white nights begins.

Almost the entire territory of the country is occupied by mountains, and the coast is indented by narrow sea bays - fjords. They go deep into the tens of kilometers. Norwegians prefer to live in sea ​​coast and the banks of the fjords. In mountainous regions there are places where no human foot has set foot for many years.

The seas around the Norwegian coast do not freeze because the warm Atlantic Gulf Stream comes here. It not only "warms" Norway. In the waters of the Gulf Stream there is a lot of plankton, and schools of fish follow the abundant food. For many centuries, Norwegian fishermen have been sharing their catch with all of Europe: the fish is frozen, dried, processed into canned food and fishmeal.

The King is one of the symbols of Norway's independence. He cannot independently make important decisions for the country, but he approves them, opens parliamentary meetings, and attends holidays. Royalty is a beautiful Norwegian tradition.

International Oslo

Oslo began to grow along with the construction of the Akershus Fortress. The Norwegian kings did not accidentally choose this place in the southeast of the country for their residence. The city is located among the picturesque hills, where a hundred kilometers deep into the land crashed sea ​​bay Oslo fjord. Here is the warmest place in Norway. Even in February in the capital, the thermometer rarely drops below -2 °C. A little more than half a million people live in Oslo, but almost half of the Norwegians settled in the neighborhood of the capital on the banks of the Oslo Fjord.

Karl Johan built the palace of the Norwegian kings for himself. Now the royal family lives in it. Sometimes tourists are allowed to inspect the rich chambers.

The length of the central street of Oslo is only a kilometer, but it divides the capital of Norway into two parts. In West Oslo, which stretches from the Royal Palace to Frogner Park, only native Norwegians and immigrants from Western European countries live. There are respectable cottages here, richness and chic are felt in everything.

Lives in East Oslo most of population of the city, but it is an area of ​​immigrants. Here in the schools, not only students, but also teachers are foreigners. Residential areas mainly consist of standard high-rise buildings. All peoples and races mixed up on the city streets.

Descendants of the Northern Gods. Vikings. Normans. Varangians

In the homeland of the Vikings, in Norway, everything related to those times is carefully stored.

Who are they?

How did you live?

What gods did they pray to?

Why were they considered invincible?

The squads often included specially trained berserk warriors. These people from childhood devoted themselves to serving the god Odin, they were fluent in any weapon, they did not feel pain and fear.

But most importantly, the Vikings appeared suddenly.

• 9000 BC e. The first evidence of human presence in Norway.
• 4000 BC e. In the south of Norway there are agricultural settlements.
• End VIII- middle of the X century. Age of the Vikings.
• 872-930 King Harald the Fair-Haired begins the unification of Norway.
• 961 Hakon the Good, son of Harald Fairhair and the first Norwegian king to convert to Christianity, dies in battle.
• 1015-1028 Olaf II unites Norway and introduces Christianity in the country.
• 1030 Olaf dies at the Battle of Stiklestad. Subsequently, he becomes the patron saint of Norway under the name Olaf the Saint.
• 1070 Construction begins on the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.
• XIII V. A short golden age of stability and prosperity.
• 1349-1351 The Black Death reduces the country's population by two-thirds.
• 1397-1536 Norway is part of the Kalmar Union with Sweden and Denmark.
• 1536-1814 Norway maintains union with Denmark.
• 1814-1905 After the Napoleonic Wars, Norway is united with Sweden.
• 1905 Norway gains full independence after a peaceful withdrawal from the union with Sweden.
• 1914 To the first world war Norway is neutral.
• 1918 Norwegian women get the right to vote.
• 1940-1945 Germany occupies Norway during World War II.
• 1949 Norway is a member of NATO.
• 1968-1969 Discovery of oil fields in the North Sea. Oil production begins in 1971.
• 1972 Norway votes against joining the European Union.
• 1981 Gro Harlem Brundtland becomes the first woman to head a government formed by the Workers' Party.
• 1994 Norway votes against joining the European Union for the second time. Olympic Games in Lillehammer.
• 2008 Opening of the first Norwegian Opera House in Oslo.
• 2010 The Norwegian Nobel Committee is dissatisfied with China in connection with the award of the Peace Prize to Chinese political prisoner Liu Xiaobo.

Sports and recreation

In summer

Hiking and visiting glaciers. Most of all, Norwegians like to spend their leisure time “on their feet” (ga pa tur), that is, putting on a pair of shoes and stocking up on provisions, go for a whole day to wander among delightful places, whether it be mountains, fjords, forests or fields. There are countless trails here, a map of which can be obtained from local travel agencies. Some of the many Norwegian national parks (33 on land and 7 on the islands of Svalbard), such as Jotunheimen or Hardangervidda, are particularly good in this regard: most of the hiking trails are well equipped and marked with piles of stones or signs. Remember that the time for hiking is limited from May to October, and in the Far North it is even shorter. The weather here is changeable even in the height of summer, so do your research before you go. The Norwegian Travelers Association can supply you with more detailed information and in addition, he leads the hikes himself (www.turistforeningen.no). A short summer is also suitable for traveling on glaciers.

Nygardsbre, the tongue of the Jostedalsbre glacier, offers the adventurous the opportunity to explore the glacier with an experienced guide on 2-5 hour excursions from mid-June to mid-September (www.jostedal.com). In addition, you can visit the Okstindan and Svartisen glaciers located above the Arctic Circle, for which you need to make inquiries at Rana Spesialsport (www.spesialsport.no).

Bike. Norwegian roads are relatively calm, so they are great for cycling in spring, summer and autumn. City streets began to be equipped with a bicycle path, and driving along country roads is rarely a concern. Bicycles can be easily rented, even in the countryside, where hotels often rent them out to their guests on an hourly or daily basis. In mountainous terrain, such a ride sometimes requires a lot of strength, and besides, it must be borne in mind that the distance is large, and along the way, especially in the Far North, one can rarely count on help. One of the most favorite routes runs along the "Miners' Road", going from the railway station Houtastöl or Finse (Finse) to Flåm or Boss, with a length of up to 108 km. Also known is the North Sea cycling route, which is part of the longest cycling route in the world, passing through seven countries. For more information and maps contact Bike Norway (www.bike-norway.com).

Fishing. In a country where there is so much water, one should not be surprised at the craze for fishing. You can go fishing in the sea or on the river. The Lofoten Islands are the most convenient for such activities, and the original fishing culture here is the best preserved, as evidenced by the old rorbu fishing huts, where you can rent.

Fishing trips are organized in many places in Norway, which can be checked with local travel agencies or you can purchase a fishing license sold at www.inatur.no.

This activity is popular in many places. The Lofoten Islands are considered the center of rock climbing with their impregnable mountains and a mountaineering school in Henningsvær (www. nordnorskklatreskole.no). In addition, one can note Jotunheimen with peaks up to 2000 m, the ridge of the Vesteralen archipelago (Vesteralen) and the ridge of the Lyngen Alps. You can also climb on the ice (frozen waterfalls) in Ryukan. The Norwegian Travelers Association (Den Norske Turistforening, DNT) provides training for rock climbers (www.turistforeningen.no).

Rafting, sailing and canoeing. You can raft along numerous rivers and by sea among the fjords. Rafting on the Vestfjord between the Lofoten Islands and the mainland is possible only with favorable wind and current. Sailing is mostly spread in the south of the country and around the Oslo Fjord. Rowing can be done wherever there is water, but the western fjords are especially picturesque, while in the Far North the places are calmer, there are fewer pleasure boats and ferries. For more information, contact the Norwegian Canoe Association (www.padling.no).

Wildlife and bird watching. In many places in Norway it is possible to see animals such as reindeer and elk, and in the Dovrefjell National Park and the more exotic musk ox (www.moskussafari.no) and in the county of Finnmark king crab. A huge number of birds (473 species) nest inland and on the coast. To combine bird watching with a crab safari, contact the travel agency Arctic Tourist (www.arctictourist.no) in Finnmark county.

Midnight sun. The midnight sun can be seen in many parts of Northern Norway from May to August depending on the latitude of the location. It is best to admire them from a hill or from the sea.

in winter

Running and skiing. Cross-country skiing is Norway's favorite winter sport, with over 7,000 km of ski slopes built by the Norwegian Travelers Association alone. Such trails are found even within Oslo, and most counties lay their own trails, sometimes lit up in the evenings, so that people can ski after work. The Jotunheimen, Rondane and Dovrefjell National Parks offer some of the best cross-country skiing in the country. In addition, skiing is possible in many places, from Geilo, Hemsedal and Trysil counties in the center of the country to Narvik in the north. The best time for skiing is February - April, but it is quite possible to ski from November to mid-May. Check the snow conditions at www.skiinfo.no.

Dog harnesses. In the north of the country, dog sledding trips are arranged, lasting from an hour to two to five days. You can either drive the team yourself, or sit tightly wrapped up, and leave all the work to the driver with dogs. For more information, please visit the information website www.visitnorway.com or the travel agency Nordland Adventures (www.nordlandturselskap.no).

Skates. With the advent of winter, outdoor skating rinks appear, including the one beloved by everyone in the center of Oslo, near the National Theatre. There are also natural skating rinks on frozen lakes, rivers and fjords, but check with the locals before heading there. On artificial skating rinks, skates are usually available for rent, and sometimes lessons can be taken as well.

Ice fishing (pimpling). For this kind of activity, a hole is drilled in the ice, through which the fish are then pulled out, getting a good catch even in winter. Bring waterproof gloves and a thermos of hot chocolate. Tour operator Competent Travels (www.competenttravels.no) from Tromsø offers three-day ice fishing safaris.

Northern Lights (Aurora borealis). This natural phenomenon is best observed in October, February and March between 18.00 and one in the morning. The brightest flashes are visible beyond the Arctic Circle, where there is less light pollution, but you can admire the northern lights further south. Going to watch such a spectacle, dress warmly.

shopping

Prices for consumer goods can be high, but about 3,000 shops across Norway are having a sale on tax-free items. Therefore, look for such stores with a sign about tax-free sale. VAT in Norway on many goods is 25%, and 12-19% can be claimed back by tourists from countries outside the European Union / European Economic Area.

Refunds can be made through Worldwide Money Back Network points at border checkpoints, airports, border ferries and cruise ships.

The quality of most goods is usually excellent, and the traditions of local crafts date back hundreds of years. Look for the salg sign in the windows, meaning a sale or an offer to sell at a better price.

Where to buy

The largest cities of the country Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim are equipped with magnificent shopping centers, but big cities there are interesting shops, especially those selling local handicrafts.

From major department stores like Glasmagasinet and House of Oslo to quirky fashion boutiques in up-and-coming Grunerlokka and the ultra-modern Majorstuen district, Oslo has a lot to offer. Aker Brygge is another block with a shopping center where an old converted shipyard houses shops, restaurants and bars.

In Bergen, the area around Bryggen, Strandkaien pier, Strandgaten and Torget square is full of interesting shops with local handicrafts, furs and knitwear. There is also the famous Fish Market, where you can eat, buy fresh fish and seafood.

Stavanger is famous for its glass products, so here you can visit glass blowers' workshops and buy their products in specialized shops. In Midtbyen, the center of Trondheim, next to main square Trondheim Torg has recently opened with 75 shops, not counting cafes and restaurants, and old-fashioned shops can be found on Jomfrugaten Street, which is predominantly run by women.

There are plenty of other places to shop in Norway as well. For example, in Tromsø, many shops and shops are located in old wooden buildings; and in the Far North, Sami handicrafts (duodji) made of silver and reindeer skins or bones are widely represented.

What to buy

Here is only a small list of those things that are either found only in Norway, or are of excellent quality.

Products of local crafts. Traditional crafts in Norway have existed for hundreds of years, and the origins of modern craftsmen using local materials date back to ancient crafts. Knitwear - sweaters, scarves, gloves, mittens and hats - are known all over the world for their quality. Handicrafts made of wood, glass, silver and jewelry, deer skins and woven products are in great demand among visitors. In the Far North, as already mentioned, Sami handicrafts are sold.

Local food and drinks. Norway is also famous for its food, from smoked salmon and dried fish to vodka like akvavitt (akvavitt), and Mack beer is brewed in the world's northernmost brewery in Tromsø. To resurrect memories of Norway, you can buy smoked venison or elk sausage and cloudberry jam to take home.

Cloth. Male and women's clothing often distinguished by a wonderful style, but only the price can scare away. Knitwear is usually heavy, but lighter items can be found. As a rule, there are more private shops here than chain stores, although in large cities products of well-known world manufacturers are widely represented. Norwegian fashion atelier Moods of Norway has made itself known in Japan and Beverly Hills (www.moodsofnorway.com) with its colorful designs.

Sport equipment. Norwegians are perhaps the most athletic people in the world, which is reflected in the local shops. Excellent all-weather and winter clothing is sold everywhere, including, along with skis and skates, complete ski equipment.

Entertainment

In a country as vast as Norway, with a population of five million, the quality and quantity of entertainment varies from one area to another, both in the city and in the countryside. Norway is famous for its musical and theatrical traditions, festivals are held here, especially in summer.

Tickets for cultural events can be pre-booked using the Norwegian branch of the American company Ticketmaster (tel: 81-53-31-33; www.billettservice.no). Sometimes travel agencies can help with this.

Music, opera and dance art

Classical music is heard everywhere in Norway, glorifying the name of the national composer Edvard Grieg. The Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra has a well-deserved reputation. He performs at his native city Concert Hall (Konserthus) from late August to early June (for tickets and repertoire, check www.oslofilharmonien.no). The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra performs at the Grieg Hallen (www.harmonien.no); there is also the Norwegian Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra, created in 2009 and based in the city of Tromsø (www.noso.no).

Jazz is very popular in Norway, and if the classical music season lasts from autumn to spring, then jazz festivals and performances fall in the summer. There are over 30 jazz venues in the country, including some outside the big roads. For more information, please visit www.jazz-clubs-worldwide.com. Recently, there has been a fascination with such a direction of heavy rock as black metal, and Norwegian performers of this music are very famous abroad.

Norwegian folk music has not lost its appeal, and after Alexander Rybak won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009, the halling folk dance and violin playing that sounded in the winning song gained even more popularity. The dance itself comes from the Hallingdal valley in Buskerud county.

In Oslo, near the harbor, a new Opera House appeared, which opened its doors in 2008. Troupes are located here national opera and ballet (for performances, see www.operaen.no). This is the first opera house in the country with excellent acoustics, where foreign opera and ballet companies often perform, and in August a chamber music festival is held.

Theater and cinema

Norway can be proud of its theatrical tradition dating back to late 19th century dramas by Henrik Ibsen and Bjornstjerne Bjornson. National Theater in Oslo (www.nationaltheatret.no), Den Nationale Scene in Bergen (www.dns.no), Rogaland Teater in Stavanger (www.rogaland-teater.no) and Trendelag Teater in Trondheim (www. trondelag-teater.no) are distinguished by an extensive repertoire, but where, of course, most of the performances are in Norwegian. In cinemas, films are almost always shown in their original language with Norwegian subtitles.

Night life

Cities like Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim, with their bars and clubs often open after midnight all year round, have a vibrant nightlife. During the summer, neighborhoods like Aker Brygge in Oslo are full of people dining al fresco in the evenings. Bars usually close around 1:00 am and even later on weekends. Keep in mind that expensive liquor can make you spend a lot of money at night, but fortunately, some establishments have discounted drinking time after work or in the early evening.

In rural areas, nightlife is not so diverse, but even there, as a rule, there is at least one bar where you should look in order to communicate with the locals. Many county towns near the fjords come alive in the summer, and hotels often have bars open not only for guests, but for everyone. And the ski resorts have something to have fun in the winter at night. On the website of the Oslo Tourism Authority www.visitoslo.com you can find a practical guide "What"s on in Oslo".

Norway for kids

In Norway, children are especially carefully taken care of. In public transport, not only the entrance for baby carriages is provided, but also special seats in buses.

Most restaurants and cafes have high chairs and a children's menu. Often in hotels, campsites and other places of accommodation there are playgrounds, and sometimes even “paddling pools”. Cities and county centers are equipped with outdoor playgrounds, which are also available in many public places. When visiting attractions, in ski centers and on public transport for children, significant discounts are provided. In addition, most attractions sell family tickets.

Cities are not always the best place for children, but much is done in Oslo to entertain and keep them occupied; for example, many museums provide live (interactive) communication with visitors (www.visitoslo.com). Just 20 km from Oslo is the TusenFryd amusement park (late April - early October, opening hours vary; admission fee) with numerous attractions, including the first 5D attraction in Europe and a water park. 15 km north of Lillehammer broken family park Hunderfossen (www.hunderfossen.no; opening hours vary; admission fee) with 50 attractions including a troll park, a cable car ride, rafing and a full size fairytale palace.

In winter it turns into a winter park. In Telemark, located 80 km west of Oslo, there is the largest water park in Scandinavia, Vo Sommarland (www.sommarland.no; June - August; admission fee) with 20 different ponds and water slides. In addition, clowns perform here, there is a Tarzan trail, rowing, and the only Master Blaster water roller coaster in Europe. The zoo in Kristiansand, just outside the city, is open year-round and has five parks, including a nursery and a northern wilderness experience, with animals from all over the world. Pirate ships and playgrounds have also been built here (www.dyreparken.no).

The Rockheim National Interactive Experimental Center in Trondheim (www.rockheim.until; Tue-Sun 11am-6pm; admission fee), opened in 2010, is dedicated to Norwegian rock and pop music. You can send your restless teenagers here after dinner.

The country has created all the conditions for children to play sports, so almost everywhere you can rent sports equipment like skis and skates, even for toddlers just starting to walk. Norwegian children start skiing and skating from a very early age and accompany their parents on hikes. There are always good coaches for children of any age.

Festivals and holidays

• January. Northern Lights Festival (Tromso).
• February. Opera Festival (Kristiansund).
• March. Ski festival in Holmenkollen (Oslo). Winter Festival (Narvik) includes sports competitions, concerts and a carnival. Birkebeiner ski race (lit.: birch-footed, bast-footed) (Rena - Lillehammer), a 53-kilometer ski marathon, where up to 12 thousand skiers participate.
• April. Amateur Jazz Festival (Voss), three days of jazz and folk music.
• May. International Music Festival (Bergen), one of the largest musical events in Scandinavia.
• June. North Cape Procession (Honningsvåg), a 68-kilometer march from Honningsvåg to the North Cape. Emigrant Festival (Stavanger and Kvinesdal) in memory of the Norwegians who moved to North America. Midsummer (everywhere), the summer solstice is celebrated. White Nights Marathon (Tromsø), starting in the north of Norway with the onset of white nights.
• July. International Jazz Festival (Kongsberg), open-air concerts and performances by foreign jazzmen. Games at the stadium "Bishlet" ("Bislett") in Oslo, international competitions in athletics. International Jazz Festival (Molde), Norway's oldest jazz festival lasting over six days. Day 29 July (olsok) (Trondheim), commemoration day of King Olaf the Saint; and Oi food feast! (Trondheim). Culinary festival Gladmat (Stavanger), "holiday of gluttony".
• August. International Folk Music Festival in Telemark, a celebration of folk music and folk dance. Feast of Peer Gynt in the town of Vinstra (Vinstra), celebrations in honor of the hero of the drama of the same name by Ibsen. Jazz Festival (Oslo), has been held since 1986. The Chamber Music Festival (Oslo), chamber music is played in Akershus Castle and Fortress.
• September. Marathon in Oslo.
• December. Christmas markets (Oslo and elsewhere). With the advent of Advent (in early December), unusual Christmas gifts, handicrafts and sweets are sold at fairs in many parts of the country on weekends. Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony (Oslo), held at City Hall every year on December 10

Public holidays

• 1st of January. New Year
• March, April. Good Thursday
• March, April. Good Friday
• March, April. Bright Monday
• 1st of May. Labor Day
• May 17th. Constitution day
• May June. Ascension
• End of May/beginning of June. Spirits Monday
• December 25th. Christmas
• December 26th. Boxing Day

Norwegian cuisine

Norwegian cuisine, which favors fresh, local products, has recently taken on a new face, and the local fish and seafood, from cod to arctic crabs and smoked salmon, is famous all over the world. Desperate meat lovers have something to try here: for example, venison and elk dishes are increasingly appearing on the menus of the best restaurants. A new generation of chefs is rediscovering local dishes, sometimes sticking strictly to traditional cuisine, sometimes bringing in the flair of international cuisine.

Village food in Norway was usually prepared from what the local land gave at one time or another of the year. Many of the dishes that are still loved today date back to the old way of peasant or fishing life, so that on the coast, fish predominates in food, and game in the depths of the country.

The relief of the country, including the coast, farmlands, forests and mountains, testifies to the different food preferences of the Norwegians. Pickling, curing, smoking, salting, and pickling predated the advent of freezing, preservation, and modern food processing, and were used to store food through the long winter. Some meat and fish dishes have a strong flavor that takes some getting used to, but at its core, Norwegian cuisine is fresh, healthy and tasty, and the portions are quite generous.

But all of the above does not mean that you will find only Norwegian food here. Cuisine in Norway is becoming more and more international. Pizza, pasta and hamburgers are becoming just as commonplace as are lefse, Norwegian pancakes usually made from potatoes, and sursild, pickled herring with onions.

The cuisine of such countries as Italy, China, Thailand and India is widely represented, at least in large cities. Besides, in last years in the summer, food festivals began to take place, where both Norwegian and international cuisine are presented. The food culture in Norway varies by region, and the table of an Oslo resident can differ significantly from what is eaten, for example, in Bergen or Tromsø, but local products are preferred wherever possible. As a rule, in rural areas, excellent restaurants can be found in hotels where they feed not only guests.

food festivals

Norwegians treat food very responsibly, so over the past decade food festivals have appeared in the country, a kind of celebration of gluttony. Norsk Matglede in Geilo, Gladmat in Stavanger, Norwegian Gluttony Fest in Ålesund and Oi! Trendersk Matfesival in Trondheim are just some of the festivities in a string of celebrations in honor of the local food. Their program is varied: from food tasting to cooking lessons, classes with chefs and special treats from local restaurateurs. Here, for the most part, strictly adhere to the traditions of Norwegian cuisine, standing at the origins of modern national cuisine, but the Gladmat culinary festival, held every summer on the banks of the picturesque harbor of Stavanger, tries to instill in it an international spirit. In Geilo, on the contrary, preference is given to small producers and natural products. Holidays often take place at the height of summer, when the stalls are taken outside, so you can enjoy your meal outdoors, admiring the beauties of Norwegian nature.

Where there is

In Norway, they try to eat relatively early. Although most Norwegians work outside the home, they eat dinner surprisingly early, apparently from the habit of the old days. It is unusual to see restaurants serving dinner from 5 pm, and in small towns it can be difficult to eat after 9 or 10 pm, when almost all the bars are closed.

What is

Most hotels serve an international breakfast, while for Norwegians, breakfast can be hearty and consist of one cup of coffee, always black. A working Norwegian can't do without a "dry ration" (matpakke) taken with him, even now, when eating out or buying a sandwich is in everyday life.

As you might expect, Norwegians eat more fish than many other countries, and fish has been a staple of their diet for centuries. But mollusks entered their diet later.

More than 200 species of fish and shellfish are found in Norwegian waters, some are caught on sea ​​spaces, others are grown. Norway is one of the world's largest suppliers of seafood, selling about 3 million tons of its catch abroad. Most often on the menu and on the market you can see cod, salmon, trout, herring, arctic char, pollock, anglerfish, mackerel and red salmon. But even such a variety is not enough, so we are also offered sea flounder, sea trotter, silver pollack, mole (sea pike), sea burbot, whiting, haddock, catfish, halibut and river flounder - and these are just the most common species.

As soon as fish is not cooked, but Norwegian cuisine is rather stingy with spices and seasonings: salt, pepper and a few herbs like dill and mustard seed are most often used. Boiling, stewing, poaching, smoking and salting are the favorite types of cooking fish, often served with one boiled new potato and a piece of butter. Perhaps the most famous Norwegian dish is gravlaks (gravlaks, literally "buried salmon"), salmon fillet salted with sugar.

Fish stew, usually based on milk, especially loved on the coast of the country, is made from a variety of fish and shellfish with the addition of vegetables and potatoes. Herring, salted with all sorts of additives, from mustard and onions to tomatoes and herbs, is another truly adored dish here. The taste of fermented trout (rakfisk), along with dried fish (lutefisk) soaked in an alkaline solution, moth or cod, takes some getting used to. They are usually eaten at Christmas, although the smell inherent in them may seem fetid to many. Dried fish (torrfi.sk) is incredibly popular here as a light snack. It is eaten both dried and boiled.

On the coast, especially the north, there may be such a dish as whale meat. Norwegians do not consider it shameful to eat it, and whaling in the north has been going on for more than one century. Whale meat roasts, whale burgers, and the like are available in many restaurants, though less frequently now that whale quotas have been cut.

Shellfish, which have only become a staple food since the second half of the 20th century, have gained immense popularity here, so that Norwegians now consume seafood in large quantities, including arctic shrimp, lobster, oysters, mussels, scallops and crabs. Especially good is the huge king crab caught near the North Cape. Crab feasts (krabbelag) are held in the summer, when crabs are eaten with plain bread, butter, and possibly a circle of lemon.

However, in Norway they are not limited to one fish and seafood. Here are many and meat dishes, and dairy products have always been adored. As for gluttons, there is something to offer desperate tasters. In the north, venison dishes, and also elk, including “buried elk” (gravet elg), elk salted with sugar, as is the case with the already mentioned salmon. In addition, pork, beef, chicken, lamb and mutton are widely used. Favorite meatballs (kjottekaker), often with sour lingonberry sauce or spices. Braised lamb with cabbage (farikal, “mutton with cabbage”), a warming dish in winter, is served with potatoes.

It is not uncommon for stalls or counters to sell all sorts of sausages as a light snack, including venison and elk salami, or simple hot sausages (varme pelser). Many restaurants offer dishes from seasonal gifts of nature: for sweets, gravies or marinades in summer and early autumn, fresh berries are used, a little later they are replaced by a variety of mushroom dishes, in autumn it's time for magnificent game, and in winter - hearty stews, soups and casseroles .

Vegetables on the local table, unfortunately, are not so generous, so vegetarians will have to dodge in search of something suitable, but this situation is beginning to change, at least in big cities.

Bread goes with many dishes, and it is represented by various cereals. Sandwiches here are usually open: all kinds of cuts are piled on a slice of bread.

Desserts consist mainly of fresh berries with sour cream or cream, and waffles served with melted cream and jam from all kinds of berries, most often strawberries, cloudberries, raspberries and blueberries, can be considered a Norwegian innovation.

What drink

Norwegians simply adore coffee, ranking first in the world in terms of the consumption of this drink (about 160 liters per person per year). Neither a short break, nor a friendly or family meeting can do without coffee, and any pastime is not conceivable without a large cup of coffee.

Coffee with spirits (karsk), a drink originating in Trønnelag, even appeared here. Usually vodka or moonshine is added to coffee.

In recent years, tea has become widespread, so that now there is a rich selection of tea in shops, hotels and restaurants. Non-alcoholic drinks and fruit juices of local and foreign producers are widely represented. In addition, in rural areas, many still prefer to drink a large mug of milk with dinner.

Norway is well known for its tough attitude to alcohol, but the Norwegians themselves love to drink. The country has introduced a state monopoly on the production and sale of wine (Vinmonopolet), and although the prices for alcohol in stores can be quite high, they are quite acceptable compared to prices in bars and restaurants.

Beer has been drunk in Norway for a long time, there are many breweries here, for example Ringnes in Oslo, Nasha in Bergen, NE in Kristiansand and the northernmost Mack brewery in the world in Tromsø. In addition, strong alcoholic drinks like Akavitt and vodka are produced in Norway. Vikingfjord is a brand of Norwegian vodka. Well-known brands of Norwegian aquavit are Gammel Opland, Lime and Gilde, and aquavit is drunk mostly at Christmas. During the rest of the year, foreign varieties of alcohol are preferred. Wine is gaining popularity, which, however, is not cheap. Indeed, if you order wine for dinner, the bill will more than double.

Quite widely, especially in rural areas, moonshine (hjemmebrent), which is usually driven from potatoes, is widespread.

Accommodation

The standard of hotels in Norway is generally high. Prices can also be quite high as many hotels cater to business travelers. In summer or on weekends, there are significant discounts, when hotels offer special conditions to attract guests. In recent years, international hotel chains have begun to buy up smaller, family-run hotel businesses. Such moves do not appear to have led to a reduction in service levels, but to some extent contributed to increased competition and knock down prices. Please note that the main tourist season in Norway is very short, so not all conditions for renting housing are valid all year round, although the situation is changing.

In addition to hotels, there are other accommodation options, in particular in the countryside there are boarding houses and rooms with accommodation and breakfast, accommodation in a farmstead, youth hostel, camping and, most of all, a separate house, the so-called hut, hytte (hytte ). Hotel associations such as the Historic Hotels and Restaurants of Norway (De Historiske; www.dehistoriske.com) have a number of idiosyncratic hotels throughout the country. On the coast, for example in the Lofoten Islands, you can stay in an old rorbu fishing hut or even in a lighthouse building. Norway's most extensive hotel pass, the Fjord Pass, provides discounts at 170 locations across the country (www.fiordtours.com). The Norwegian Tourism Authority will tell you where to stay, and you can book a hotel room online at www.visitnorway.com.

Camping

There are about a thousand campsites in Norway, ranging from one to five stars. Most campsites are open only in June-August, and only a few operate longer, including year-round for caravans. In addition, many places are equipped with cabins that can be rented for a week in the summer. The cost of a place is 80-150 CZK per day, and electricity is charged additional fee. The Norwegian and Scandinavian Camping Card can be purchased at all associated locations, which entitles their holders to receive discounts, fast check-in and many other benefits.

The same benefits apply to the international camping card. Useful information can be found at www.camping.no and www.norwayd.irect.com. Under the Norwegian law on the right of access to public places, you can pitch a tent or sleep outdoors anywhere on open, unfenced land in the countryside for up to 48 hours, provided you are at least 150 meters from the nearest house. For longer stays, you will need permission from the owner of the land. In addition, please note that you cannot make a fire near the forest from April 15 to September 15.

Airports

Norway's main airports are Gardermoen in Oslo, Flesland in Bergen, Sola in Stavanger and Vaernes in Trondheim. In addition, Oslo is served by Sandefjord Airport in the town of Torp near the Sanefjord. Due to the distances and local terrain, it is not bad to travel around the country by plane, given the developed network of local airlines. Norway has 16 major airports, including international flights, and 29 domestic airports. Taxis at major airports are not cheap. Oslo Airport Gardenmoen is located 50 km from the center of the capital, and here international and domestic flights are served by one terminal, where there are many eateries, duty-free shops, a tourist information office and a car rental service. The fastest way to get to the center of Oslo in 19 minutes is by the Flytoget express train, which departs six times an hour to the Central Station. In addition, suburban trains of the Norwegian State Railways run regularly, and there is an intercity bus and taxi stand in front of the airport (www.oslo.no). Ryanair and other low-cost airlines fly to Torp Airport near the Sanefjord, 110 km from Oslo. Buses are served by the arrival of aircraft, and the journey takes 2-2.5 hours. In addition, trains and a shuttle bus (www.torp.no) run to Sanefjord. Bergen Flesland Airport is located 20 km from the city and is equipped with everything you need. Frequent bus service connects the bus station and Radisson hotels with the airport, and the journey takes about half an hour (www.bergen-guide.com).

Stavanger Sola Airport lies 15 km from the city center and is equipped, in addition to the conference center, with everything you need. A regular bus gets to the city in 20-30 minutes, taxis also go (t: 67-03-10-00, www.avinor.no).

Trondheim Vaernes Airport is located 35 km north of the city center and has shops and restaurants, a hotel, a lounge and currency exchange offices. You can get here by train, express bus, regular bus or taxi. The journey takes approximately 35-40 minutes (tel.: 67-03-25-00, www.avinor.no).

Travel budget

In cities and rural areas, prices for services are different in the high season and in the off season. Below are only approximate prices. As a rule, it is more expensive to live in cities than in the outback (with a few exceptions, like the well-known fjords).

Car rental. Prices fluctuate a lot. A weekly rental will cost from 2800 kroons for a small car to 3700 kroons for a large car. Many companies install a child seat for an additional price.

Hotels. Housing, depending on the cost of daily living, can be conditionally divided into cheap, affordable and expensive (for two, including breakfast): 1100 kroons, 1100-1800 kroons and over 1800 kroons. Prices can be significantly less than 1100 kroons, and much more than 1800 kroons. There are many special offers with discounts, Sunday rates and packages for tourists.

Food and drinks. Breakfast in a cafe or restaurant costs 50-80 kroons; lunch 60-120 kroons; dinner in an average restaurant without drinks 200-250 CZK per person; coffee or soft drink 20-30 CZK; a bottle of wine from 150 CZK; strong alcohol (400 ml) 80 CZK. Breakfasts and lunches at the hotel are profitable, and the first ones are especially satisfying, while most restaurants serve one regular dish for lunch.

Museums. 30-80 crowns. Children usually get a half discount.

Fuel. 12.20 kroons per liter of petrol and 11.20 kroons per liter of diesel fuel. Most gas stations are equipped with automatic pumps that accept banknotes and credit cards. Public transport. Traveling in Norway is expensive, but the buses and trains are comfortable. The average cost of a train ticket from Oslo to Bergen is 600 kroons.

Taxi is expensive. The road from Gardermoen airport to the center of Oslo will cost 610-720 crowns, depending on the time of day.

Tourist card. The Oslo Pass and Bergen Card give you free entry to many attractions, free public transport, and many more benefits. For more information, please visit www.visitoslo.com and www.visitbergen.com. On the site www. visitnorway.com contains information about all passes and tourist cards.

Bicycles for rent

Bicycles can be easily rented from a rental shop or local travel agency, guesthouse and hotel. Roads are usually not crowded, and bike paths are laid out in large cities. Please note that driving in mountainous areas can be difficult. There are few cities and villages, the distances between them are large, especially in the Far North, and the weather is changeable. Prices vary and depend on the quality of the bike and the terrain, around 60-350 CZK per day. Travel agencies usually have good maps and information about cycling routes. Two routes are especially picturesque, around the North Sea and the Miners' Road. For more information, please visit www.bike-norway.com.

Car rental

All major car rental companies are present in Norway, including Avis, Eurocar and Hertz, as well as competitively priced local Norwegian car rental companies. In most cities, you can find car rental companies, or rent them directly at the airport by making a reservation or upon arrival. Prices are usually lower the longer you rent a car, and there are special discounts in the summer and on weekends. As a rule, a car can be rented in one place and left in another. When renting a car, you must have a driver's license from your country of residence valid for at least one year. If you are not an EU citizen, you must have an international driver's license with you. Cars are rented to people over 19, but if you're under 25, you'll have to pay a young driver's tax of about 100 crowns per day. Insurance is a must, so make sure it's included in your car rental.

Climate

The Gulf Stream contributes to the establishment of a milder climate in Norway than it should be for such latitudes, so that the temperature in summer sometimes rises to 25-30 ° C. The temperature varies significantly in winter and summer, in the north and south, on the coast and inland, at sea level and on mountain peaks. The weather is also changeable, so that in many places it is a joke that "all the seasons fit in one day." From late June to mid-August, the days are sunny, and the air temperature is about 25°C, and the water is 15-18°C, except in the Far North. In the Arctic regions at this time you can observe the midnight sun. Spring and autumn are colder and damper. In autumn, in these latitudes, you can already see the northern lights (aurora borealis), especially in October, February and March. In winter, a significant part of Norway, with the exception of the coast, is covered with snow, and the temperature inland can drop to -40 ° C. On the coast at any time of the year it can rain, and even in summer the temperature here sometimes drops to 10 ° C, especially in the evenings.

Cloth

Because the weather can be changeable during the day, it's a good idea to wear something over the top to protect yourself from the vagaries of the weather. Even on a sunny day, try to take an umbrella and a raincoat along with sunglasses and a wide-brimmed sunhat. Norwegians are not prudish, so wear shorts and a T-shirt when sightseeing on a warm day. In the evening or when going on a boat trip, be sure to take a sweater with you. Sturdy shoes are important not only for hiking and outdoor activities, but also for walking on the cobbled sidewalks of many cities. In winter, warm clothes, boots, a scarf, gloves and a hat are needed.

Crime and security

Norway is a relatively safe country, with a low crime rate, especially in terms of serious crimes, so visitors rarely encounter crime. Rural areas are dominated by night theft or petty theft. Take the same precautions you would at home, keep an eye on your belongings, especially in crowded places and on public transport, and don't walk alone at night in dark places in big cities.

Car driving

Roads are generally calm, except in the big cities (but even there traffic jams are rare) and well maintained. In winter, winter tires are required (the timing of their installation varies depending on the location). Some roads in the Far North are closed in winter. In the spring, when the ground thaws, it becomes dangerous to drive on certain sections of the road. In mountainous areas, there are long tunnels, including the longest in the world, 24.5 km long.

Speed ​​Limit. Normally the speed limit is 80 km/h. In residential areas, it does not exceed 30 km/h; in densely built-up areas - 50 km / h; on a two-way road and on motorways - 90 or 100 km/h. Vehicles with trailers and trailers must not travel faster than 80 km/h, even on a faster highway.

Documentation. You must have a driver's license from your country of residence valid for at least one year, or if you are not a citizen of a country that is part of the European Union/European Economic Area, an international driver's license.

Traffic Laws. Drive on the right side, go around on the left and give way to vehicles moving on the right unless otherwise indicated. Seat belts are required in both the front and rear seats. The attitude towards drunk driving in the country is irreconcilable, therefore, selective checks of drivers are often arranged on the roads. The permissible level of alcohol in the body should not exceed 0.2 mg per liter of blood, so it is better to refrain from drinking alcohol while driving, otherwise the specified limit may be exceeded and, as a result, a large fine and even deprivation of rights are inevitable.

Accidents and breakdowns. In the event of an accident or breakdown, you must put up a warning triangle and wear a yellow fluorescent jacket. Emergency services: Norges Automobil-Forbund NAF, tel.: 0810-00-505, Falken, tel.: 02222 (toll-free) or Viking, tel.: 06000 (toll-free).

Electricity

Mains voltage 220 V/50 Hz, European-style two-pin plug. Just in case, bring an adapter with you.

Embassy and consulates

Embassy of Russia in Norway. Norge, 0244 Oslo, Drammensveien, 74 Tel.: (8-10-47) 22-55-32-78. Fax: (8-10-47) 22-55-00-70. Email: [email protected].

Consulate General of the Russian Federation in Kirkenes. Norge, 9900 Kirkenes, Postbox 98, Radhusplassen. Tel.: (8-10-47) 78-99-37-37, 78-99-37-38. Fax: (8-10-47) 78-99-37-42. Email: [email protected].

Consulate of the Russian Federation in Barentsburg (Svalbard). Norge, Svalbard, Barentsburg, Den Russiske Foderasjons Konsulat. Tel.: (8-10-47) 79-02-17-85. Fax: (8-10-47) 79-02-17-85. Email: [email protected].

emergency services

For the police, call 112, for an ambulance - 113, for the fire department - 110. For non-urgent matters, call the police at tel.: 02800.

Information for gays and lesbians

Legislation and, as a rule, the inhabitants of Norway treat representatives of sexual minorities quite tolerantly. Most of these types of travelers do not experience any inconvenience, but it must be remembered that Norway is a sparsely populated country, so there are not many places for them outside of large cities, although there are very few special bars or clubs there. A tolerant attitude towards supporters of same-sex love can not always be found in the rural outback, although you rarely encounter obvious intolerance. More information can be obtained from the Norwegian Union of Sexual Minorities, LLH: Valkyriegaten 15A 5th floor, N-0366 Oslo, Tel: 023-10-39-39, www.llh.no. They also have a section on the website www.visitoslo.com/en/gay-oslo.

Arrival

By plane. Many international carriers, including SAS, British Airways, Continental Airlines, Norwegian, KLM, Lufthansa and Thai Airways, fly to Norway either directly or with a connection. Local flights are operated by SAS, Norwegian and Wideroe.

By sea. There is a ferry service between Norway and Denmark operated by Color Line (www.colorline.com), DFDS Seaways (www.dfdsseaways.co.uk), Fjordline (www.jjordline.com) and Stena Line ” (www. stenaline.co.uk), and in addition, there are Color Line ferries from Oslo to German Kiel and from Swedish Strömstad to Sannefjord. In Norway, numerous ferries and ships ply along the coast: the most famous is the Hurtigruten steamship line between Bergen and Kirkenes in the Far North (www. hurtigruten.co.uk or www.hurtigruten.com).

By train. One of the options for arriving in the country, traveling through it and leaving it is associated with the purchase of a railway ticket like Interrail (for Europeans) or Eurail (for the rest). It can be booked prior to departure from your country via the Internet using the services of the Eurail Group (www.interrailnet.com) or by contacting European Rail at: 020-7619-1083 or at www.europeanrail.com (regular rail tickets within Europe).

Guides and excursions

English is widely spoken in Norway, so it is easy to find English-speaking guides and English-speaking excursions here. Many bus, boat and museum tours are available in several languages: Norwegian, English, German, French and increasingly in Russian, Chinese and Japanese. Travel agencies can book tours and guides and provide multilingual booklets of available tours. Some of the more popular tours, such as "Norway in a Nutshell", are run by Nutshell Tours and Fjord Tours (www.norwaynutshell.com and www.fjordtours.com). A useful list of travel agencies can be found at www.visitnorway.com.

Health and medical care

Norway is part of the European Economic Area, so visitors from countries in this area are provided with the same medical service the same as the Norwegians. Citizens of countries belonging to the European Union / European Economic Area must have European map health insurance (European Health Insurance Card, EHIC), issued via the Internet at www.ehic.org.uk; it is issued free of charge for five years. It is highly recommended to get travel insurance. Make sure it covers winter or extreme sports as well, if you're going to join them. No vaccinations are required to travel to Norway, and tap water is perfectly safe.

Oslo has a 24-hour pharmacy (apotek): Jernbanetorvet Pharmacy, Jernbanetorget 4B, N-0154 Oslo, tel.: 23-35-81-00.

Language

Norway has two official written languages ​​- Bokmål (bokmal, "written language") and Nynorsk (nynorsk, "new Norwegian"). Approximately 86% of the population uses Bokmål. In addition, in Norway, more than 20 thousand people speak the Sami languages, which are part of the Finno-Ugric language branch and are not related to the Norwegian language. Widely spread English language taught in school from an early age.

Knowledge of some commonly used expressions in Norwegian, although not required, will be appreciated. Pronunciation can be a stumbling block, and in addition, the Norwegian alphabet has three additional letters for vowels, located at the end of the alphabet: æ, ø and å. Å is pronounced like “o”, æ like “e”, and ø like “ё”, and at the beginning of the word like “e”.

Cards

Most local travel agencies have great cards of your region.

Mass media

Radio and television. There are two leading television companies in the country - the state-owned NRK with four channels and TV2, also with four channels. All programs are in the original language with subtitles. Public radio is also dominated by NRK with three channels operating in the FM radio frequency band and with digital broadcasting.

Newspapers and magazines. According to the international non-governmental organization Reporters Without Borders, Norway ranks first in the world in terms of freedom of the press. The leading daily newspapers are Aftenposten, Dagbladet and Dagsavisen, but there are many more local newspapers and magazines. The Norway Post (www.norwaypost.no), which publishes news from Norway, is published in English.

Money

Currency. The monetary unit of Norway is the Norwegian krone (krone; denoted by kg or NOK). 1 crown is equal to 100 era (ore). In circulation there are coins in denominations of 50 öre, 1, 5, 10, 20 crowns and denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 crowns.

Exchange offices. Money can be exchanged at the airport and Oslo Central Station, as well as at many commercial and savings banks, some post offices, Forex offices and some hotels. The exchange is carried out mainly through Forex branches (as a rule, it is open Mon-Fri 8.00-20.00, Sat 9.00-17.00).

Credit and debit cards. Most well-known credit cards are accepted even in small establishments, which eliminates the need to carry large amounts of cash with you. ATMs are everywhere, and they are easy to use, and in all cities there will definitely be at least one such machine, but in the outback it is better to have some cash with you.

If you lose your credit card, call: American Express, tel.: 0800-68-100. Diners Club, tel.: 021-01-50-00. Mastercard, tel.: 0800-30-250. VISA, tel.: 0815-00-500.

Traveler's checks. Traveler's checks are gradually falling into disuse, but they can still be exchanged at a bank, Forex and other exchange offices. In banks, the exchange rate is usually more favorable.

Opening hours

The shops. Most shops are open Mon-Fri 10.00-17.00 or until 18.00, Sat 9.00-14.00. Shops in large cities and large shopping centers or supermarkets are open longer, until 20.00 or 21.00, and also on Sun. Some shops still close for lunch, especially in rural areas, and private shops usually close for two weeks or more in July or August.

Banks. Banks are open Mon-Fri 9.00-15.30, until 17.00 Thu. In summer (mid-May - mid-August) banks close at 2.30 pm every day, but exchange offices are open longer.

Police

Most police stations are open weekdays and have a duty officer to whom people can report a crime or other incident. The police phone is 112, the call is free even from a payphone.

Mail

Norwegian post boxes for both domestic and international mail are of the same color, red. Most post offices are open Mon-Fri 8.00-17.00 and Sat 9.00-15.00, closed Sun.

Public transport

In Norway, public transport connects many parts of the country, but remote rural areas or places in the Far North have to be reached by car or boat.

Aircraft. One of the best means of transportation around the country is air transport. There are about 50 airports in Norway, from where planes fly even to the smallest counties. The main domestic air carriers are SAS (www.flysas.com), Norwegian (www.norwegian.com) and Wideroe (www.wideroe.no).

The Norwegian State Railways, NSB, stretches for 3,000 km all the way to Bodø. Some paths pass through amazingly picturesque places, especially Bergen Railway from Oslo to Bergen, the non-electrified Rauma line from Dombas to Andalsnes and the Flåm railway from Myrdal to Flåm. For tickets, please visit www.nsb.no.

There are a number of bus carriers operating in Norway, the largest being Nor-Way Bussekspress with 40 routes (www.nor-way.no). Tickets can be bought online or at the bus station. If there is free space, you can carry a bicycle and skis with your luggage. The schedule of many buses is coordinated with the schedule of ferries or other bus routes intersecting with them.

Ferries/ships. A huge number of ferry and ship carriers serve the Norwegian coast. In many cases, these are steamship lines or car ferries linking the fjords and numerous islands to the mainland. It is often faster to cross the fjord by ferry than by the nearest bridge, which still needs to be reached, and many roads are connected by ferry crossings. Leading carriers are Hurtigruten, Fjordl, Tide, Fjordline, Kolumbus, Rodne Fjordcruise and Senja Ferries.

Religion

Approximately 80% of the country's population are Protestants belonging to the Lutheran Church. Such a figure is somewhat misleading, since a person is ranked as a church immediately after baptism, but in reality Norway appears as one of the most secular states in Europe, where residents attend church once or twice a year. About 10% of the population do not profess any religion, and the rest belong to one or another religion, from shamanism among the Sami to the Bahai religion.

Phones

Pay phones accept coins, telephone or credit cards and are easy to find in major cities. Phone cards are sold at newsstands, 7-Eleven chain stores, and similar stores. In the outback, including the Far North, pay phones are harder to find. Therefore, it is better to take a mobile phone with you or, in case of a long stay in the country, buy a Norwegian SIM card, bearing in mind the high roaming rates and the impossibility of receiving a return call.

Difference in time

Time in Norway is two hours behind Moscow. When it's noon in Moscow, it's ten in the morning in Norway. Norway switches to summer time at the end of March and winter time at the end of October.

Tips

It is customary to round the bill in a restaurant or bar to the nearest 5 or 10 crowns, but it is rarely offended if this is not done. In case of good service in a restaurant or bar, you can leave a tip in the amount of 10% of the bill. Taxi drivers sometimes get slightly bigger tips, while, for example, they are not accepted in a hairdresser's.

toilets

Cities have many clean and tidy public toilets; in most cases, payment is made through a machine, the average cost is 5 kroons. In the countryside, toilets are not easy to find, but you can use, and often free of charge, restrooms at service stations, near the main square, or at travel agencies. Along the highways there are roadside parking lots with toilets, but in the outback and on country roads, latrines, of course, are not provided.

Information for tourists

The Norwegian Tourism Authority has 17 main tourist information offices in the country, and in addition there are many local tourist information offices, although some of them are only open during the summer. All bureaus display the International Tourism Sign (a white "i" on a green background). Employees are knowledgeable everywhere, often speak several languages, so they can tell about their region and book accommodation and excursions.

• Central Station Tourist Information Office, Trafikanten Service Centre, Jernbanetorget 1, N-0154 Oslo (Mon-Fri 9.00-16.00), tel.: 81-53-05-55, www.visitoslo.com.
• The Norwegian Information Office, Fridtjof Nansens Plass 5, N-0160 Oslo, Tel: 24-14-77-00, www.visitnorway.com, has information about Oslo and other parts of Norway.
• Bergen, Vagsallmenningen 1, N-5003 Bergen, tel.: 55-55-20-00, www.visitbergen.com.
• Stavanger, Domkirkeplassen 3, N-4006 Stavanger, men.: 51-85-92-00, www.regionstavanger.com.

Visas and passports

To travel to Norway, residents of EU countries need only have a valid passport with them. Arrivals from Canada, Australia, USA and New Zealand do not need a tourist visa if they spend no more than 90 days in Norway.

Citizens of other countries should make inquiries at the Norwegian embassy of their country. A tourist visa is usually issued for three months.

Norway is a member of the Schengen Agreement. Citizens of Russia and the CIS countries need a visa and a passport to visit Norway.

• “Ga pa tur”, which means “to take a walk”, is one of the features of a purely Norwegian attitude to life, when everyone, young and old, breaks somewhere, if not every weekend, then quite often. Dressed warmly and wearing strong boots, they go to nature, often their path lies in the mountains. A halt is certainly made in order to refresh oneself with the provisions taken, usually consisting of sandwiches with a thick slice of bread and hot black coffee from a thermos. On summer weekends, in many picturesque places in the country, whole families go to conquer peaks and fjords, in particular in 33 national parks.
• After the adoption by Norway in the XI century. Christianity, the first local preachers were engaged in the construction of churches in the once pagan lands. These so-called stave churches are medieval wooden structures, named after the supporting pillars placed in the middle, around which a wooden frame was then built. Previously, there were about two thousand such churches in Northern Europe, and very few of them have survived to this day.
  Twenty-nine stave churches, mostly from the 12th century, can still be seen today. The Stave Church from Urnes in the county of Sogn og Fjordane is listed as a site world heritage UNESCO
• Olav Haraldson (995-1030) completed the unification of Norway, which he began in the 9th century. his ancestor Harald Horfager (Fair-Haired). He, who converted to Christianity in England, was destined not only to convert the country to this faith, but also to unite it. Long before all this happened, he fell at the Battle of Stiklestad, but soon miracles began to happen at his grave, now in Trondheim's Nidaros Cathedral, as a result of which he was venerated as a saint. Olaf becomes the patron saint of Norway. In 1997, the pilgrimage route to Trondheim, which was declared a European cultural route in 2010, was resumed.
• The Oslo Viking Shipbuilding Museum contains some of the most successful finds, including the Oseberg ship found in a burial mound on the Oseberg farm, near the town of Tønsberg, west of Oslo. The boat dates back to about 800 AD.
• When entering the house, do not forget to take off your shoes, otherwise you will make the first (and perhaps unforgivable) mistake.
• Nightclubs are restricted to adults, often aged 21 or older. Therefore, if you look younger than your years, take your ID with you.
• At Christmas, you can try soaked dried fish (lutefisk), lamb rib, partridge and, of course, alcohol: mulled wine (glogg, often diluted with stronger alcohol), juleel (Jula0l, Christmas beer) and akvavitt vodka, the strongest drink ( from grain or potatoes with the addition of cumin seed).
• Norwegians love black coffee, without milk, sugar, which they drink from a large cup. Nor do they suffer from insomnia at all.

Kingdom Norway occupies the western and northern parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula, the Svalbard archipelago in the Northern Arctic Ocean and Jan Mayen Island in the North Atlantic Ocean. Norway is washed by the North and Norwegian Seas. It borders on Finland and Russia in the northeast, and Sweden in the east.

The name of the country comes from the ancient Norwegian Norreweg - "northern road".

Official name: Kingdom of Norway

Capital: Oslo

The area of ​​the land: 385.2 thousand sq. km

Total population: 4.8 million people

Administrative division: Norway is divided into 18 counties, which are governed by governors. Traditional division: Northern Norway, which includes three historical and geographical regions (Nurland, Troms, Finnmark), and Southern Norway, which combines four regions: Trennelag, Vestland (West), Estland (East) and Sør-lann (South).

Form of government: A constitutional monarchy.

Head of State: King.

Composition of the population: Norwegian. In a number of communes of Troms and Finnmark, the Sami has an equal status with him.

Official language: German. Most people working in the tourism industry understand and speak English. In the border areas they speak: Hungarian, Slovenian, Croatian, Czech, Italian.

Religion: 85.7% - Lutheran Church, 2.4% - Orthodox, 1.8% - Muslims, 1% - Pentecostals, 1% - Catholics, 8.1% - others.

Internet domain: .no

Mains voltage: ~230 V, 50 Hz

Phone country code: +47

Country barcode: 700-709

Climate

Located almost entirely in the temperate zone, in comparison with other land areas located at the same latitudes, the south of Norway is much warmer and more humid due to the large influx of heat from the Norwegian current. The warm current, however, does not penetrate the Skagerrak Strait, which sharply affects the climate of southeastern Norway, at the same time, continental air masses from the Baltic easily penetrate here.

Masses from higher latitudes, where the Arctic High dominates in winter, often also penetrate into the offshore zone. Since the surface of Norway drops steeply to the sea, and the valleys are elongated meridionally, warm air masses cannot penetrate very deep into them, which creates a situation where in winter the temperature decrease gradient when moving deep into the fjord is greater than when moving north.

Height Scandinavian mountains does not allow air masses to pass to the east of the country, and create a barrier effect, which, subject to significant moisture saturation, causes a huge amount of precipitation, both in summer and in winter. The influence of the warm current on the country's climate is not associated with the direct heating of the oceanic air layer (after all, the territory of southern Norway is separated from this current by 300-400 km), but with the western transfer that brings these heated air masses.

Average January temperatures range from -17 °C in the north of Norway in the city of Karashuk to +1.5 °C in southwest coast countries. Average temperatures in July are around +7°C in the north and around +17°C in the south in Oslo.

Geography

Norway is located in northern Europe, in the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. A third of the country lies beyond the Arctic Circle. The total area of ​​the country is about 387 thousand square meters. km. The country shares land borders with Russia, Sweden and Finland. In the north, the coast of Norway is washed by the Barents Sea, in the west by the Norwegian and North Seas, in the south, the Skagerrak Strait separates Norway from Denmark. Norway owns the Svalbard archipelago with Bear Island in the Arctic Ocean, Jan Mayen Island in the North Atlantic, as well as Bouvet Island off the coast of Antarctica and more than 50 thousand small islands.

The territory of Norway is predominantly mountainous and covered with forests, tundra and mountain vegetation. The highest points are the city of Gallhöpiggen (2469 m) and the city of Glittertinn (2452 m), located in the Yutunheimen massif. The most long river- Glomma (600 km), the largest lake - Miessa (362 km). High plateaus (felds) are covered by the largest glaciers in Europe, total area which are 5 thousand square kilometers. The largest of the glaciers are Jostedalsbre (the largest glacier in Europe), Svartisen in north central Norway. There are fjords all along the Norwegian coastline, they were formed thousands of years ago when glaciers cut deep into the land. The longest is the Sogne Fjord (204 km).

Flora and fauna

Vegetable world

Tundra vegetation (subnival-nival belt) has a significant distribution and is confined to the highest mountain regions, to areas adjacent to glaciers and the northern part of the country. Growing conditions here are the most unfavorable within Norway: low temperatures, an insignificant growing season, wide distribution of snowfields and the proximity of glaciers, strong winds and thin soil cover. Therefore, the vegetation cover here is extremely fragmented and is mainly represented by various mosses and lichens.

The vegetation of the Alpine belt occupies vast expanses of fields and the most elevated areas. west coast above the line of possible tree growth, located on medium height 800 - 1700 m, the values ​​of which, as in the case of the vegetation of the subnival-nival belt, increase when moving from west to east. The climatic conditions in which these formations grow are also unfavorable. Trees in this belt are completely absent, shrubs and forbs are dominant communities, shrub vegetation appears only at the lowest hypsometric levels, the moss-lichen layer is poorly developed and appears only in areas covered with snow for a long time. The species composition includes amphiatlantic and circumpolar species. The dominant plant forms here are hemicryptophytes and chamephytes.

Mountain forests and woodlands occupy the largest areas in Norway, located in the lower tier of the Scandinavian mountains. They rise up to 1000 m in the most continental areas, and in coastal zone The Atlantics are descending even in the lowlands under the influence of the general lowering of the belt boundaries here. This belt includes pure birch forests on the western macroslope, and pine-birch forests in more continental parts.

The taiga zone also occupies significant areas in the territory Southern Norway, occupying its most continental sections (Ostlan and East Serlan), as well as going to the coast on the Trönnelag plain, where the warming influence of the ocean is still noticeable, but allows taiga vegetation to grow here. Formations of this belt are absent on the western macroslope of mountains and in the fjord area. It is represented by spruce and oak-spruce and pine forests in the south.

The Atlantic moorlands occupy a narrow coastal outer strip along the entire western coast, never going deep into the fjords. Moorlands here are developed on well-drained, oligotrophic acidic substrates. Tree and shrub species are generally absent here, however, they can appear in some places well protected from the wind blowing from the sea. In terms of species, heathers predominate in combination with shrubs, herbs, grasses, mosses and lichens. The soil and vegetation cover here is often fragmented.

Mixed and broad-leaved forests in Norway are represented by small areas occupying the southernmost part of the country. However, the inner parts of the largest fjords, where the warming effect of the ocean is strong, are also occupied by mixed broad-leaved forests, which take on an intrazonal character there. Represented by oak, beech and ash forests.

Floodplain vegetation is represented by one area of ​​the floodplains of the Glomma and Logen rivers in the area of ​​their confluence, which is significant in terms of scale. Hydrophilic vegetation is developed here due to periodic flooding. It is represented by forests of alder and spruce, which occupy floodplain and oxbow depressions.

Animal world

The following representatives of the animal world are found in the forests of Norway: lynx, red deer, marten, weasel, badger, beaver, ermine, squirrel. The white and blue fox, lemming (Norwegian mouse), and reindeer live in the tundra. Hare and fox are found everywhere in large commercial quantities, while the wolf and bear are practically exterminated.

Norway has a large number of birds: capercaillie, black grouse, gulls, eiders, wild ducks, geese. Huge bird colonies nest on the coastal cliffs. In sea waters there are a large number of fish, of which traditionally commercial: herring, cod, mackerel. Trout, salmon, salmon live in rivers and lakes.

Attractions

The main treasure of Norway is its nature. Thousands of secluded bays and picturesque fjords encircle its coast, and low mountains covered with forests and meadows create a unique flavor of this country. Thousands of clean lakes and rivers provide a unique opportunity to enjoy fishing and water sports, and carefully protected nature allows you to get acquainted with one of the most untouched corners of Europe.

Fjords are the main attraction of the country. The entire coastline of the country is indented by these narrow and deep bays, sung in the ancient Scandinavian sagas. The most popular among tourists are Yairangerfjord, Lysefjord, Sognefjord,

You can exchange currency at any bank or post office, as well as at bank branches at the railway station and at Oslo Airport. Non-cash forms of payment are extremely developed, major credit cards are accepted almost everywhere.

Traveler's checks can be exchanged at most banks, travel agencies, post offices and offices of international payment systems. Some banks take a certain percentage from each check, so it is more profitable to import money in a single check.

Useful information for tourists

Night clubs, discos and other entertainment establishments have a clear gradation regarding the age of visitors, the range of alcoholic drinks offered and opening hours. Therefore, many of them may require a passport to enter. Entrance to most museums is free.

Smoking is prohibited in all forms of public transport and on board aircraft, as well as in most public buildings, offices, etc. In hotels, bars and restaurants, all common areas are non-smoking, and a third of the tables are mandatory for non-smokers. Hotels follow the same policy - up to 50% of hotel rooms are non-smoking only, and this should be taken into account when choosing a hotel. Cigarettes are only sold to persons over the age of 18.

All parking in Norway is paid. You can't park outside the parking lots - only cars of residents living in the surrounding houses can be there.

The city of Oslo is one of the oldest in Scandinavia. The capital of Norway was founded by King Harald III Severe around 1048. This settlement had a rather turbulent history, there was a great fire here, a plague epidemic passed, authorities changed, the main religion and even the name of the city changed. All this had its undoubted influence on its architecture and specific atmosphere.

With its incomparable beauty, the capital of Norway differs from others. The location in the depths of the huge hundred-kilometer Oslo Fjord gives it a special charm. In winter, the surrounding hills are dressed in snow caps, which gives a mysterious and fabulous look. In summer, all the slopes are simply buried in greenery and stand out in contrast against the blue background of the bay. If you climb one of the hills, you can see the whole extraordinary panorama of Oslo.

The most famous street not only in the capital, but throughout Norway is Karl Johans Gate. On this picturesque street, huge buildings are immersed in greenery, and shops and cafes are located right on the path leading to the Royal Palace, standing on a hill. The royal palace of Slottet was created thanks to Charles XIV Johan, and the street leading to the palace is named after him. Parades take place on this street during the holidays, including during the most important - Constitution Day. Popular shops in Oslo are located on this pedestrian street. In addition to the world's leading brands (H&M, Zara and Benetton), there are large department stores and shopping centers. Not far away on Akersgata street is the design house Moods of Norway, very popular in Norway.

Today, the royal residence has a large collection of various works of art. This collection is available to tourists in summer. On the same street as the Royal Palace are also the University and the National Theatre. Traditionally for European capitals in winter, the main street is filled with a skating rink. You don't even have to bring your own skates, you can rent them here. The capital of Norway has many attractions, but one of the most remarkable buildings of the capital is located far from the city center.

This is the city hall building. Its construction was carried out for a very long time, and was completed only in 1950, when the 900th anniversary of Oslo was celebrated. The extraordinary project causes mixed feelings among the residents of the city. Geometrically, a completely simple form attracts the attention of all visitors. In the ceremonial hall of the City Hall, the annual Nobel Peace Prize is awarded.

The capital of Norway has its own historical center - the Old Town. In its heart is located This fortress, located on a hill, in the old days protected the city from enemy attacks from the sea. The construction of the fortress began in 1299, it was rebuilt and modernized many times until the 18th century. Only then did it acquire its final form. Today, this fortress houses a museum and sometimes solemn ceremonies are held in it. Another attraction for tourists is the Museum of Modern Art located in the old building of the Bank of Norway.

Oslo burned down several times in fires. In 1624, the fire turned almost the entire city into ashes, and then King Christian IV founded a completely new city at the foot of the Akershus fortress. He was given the name Christiania. Today this city has become one of the quarters of Oslo and is called Kvadraturen. Guests of the city are of particular interest when visiting the amazing sculpture park in Oslo - Vigelandsparken. He is famous for his 212 sculptures. All year round, Oslo hosts a wide variety of opera and theater performances, concerts, festivals, performances by folk ensembles, as well as music Festival"Norwegian Forest".

Despite the rather respectable age, the Norwegian capital is not striking in the abundance of historical monuments. However, this has its advantages: instead of being scattered over several dozen sights, the tourist always has the opportunity to calmly and thoroughly study the options already available, without turning the trip into a feverish collection of impressions.

It is customary to start a walk around Oslo from Karl Johan Street, which has become the very straight line that connected the Royal Palace, the railway station and the pier on its way. It is on Karl Johans Gate that the capital's Christmas tree is set up in December and most of the souvenir boutiques are located.

The architectural symbol of the city, which occupied the left bank of the Oslo Fjord, is the medieval fortress Akershus. People come here mainly to watch the changing of the guard ceremony and walk around the fortress palace with its intricate Renaissance interiors. In the center of Oslo, on Fridtjof Nansen Square, there is a laconic building of the City Hall: the seat of the city council meeting and the building that accounts for the main tourist flow. By the way, the silhouette of this austere brick building became widely known after the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in it.

One of the sights of the Norwegian capital deprived (by the way, completely in vain) of attention is the Oslo Cathedral. A modest outward building, famous for its amazing stained-glass windows and organ music concerts, lurks on Stortorvet Square.

During the summer months, the most popular place in the city is the building of the Metropolitan Opera, located on the shore of the bay. Stop by here to listen to the classic arias in a new version, look at the moving sculpture "Icy Sea" and at the same time determine where the 500 million euros went, which, according to official sources, the construction of the opera cost the city budget.

Spectacular houses of the 17th-18th centuries, in which half-impoverished creative bohemians once used to settle, await travelers in Darmstredet or the Old Town. Well, the most romantic green corner of Oslo is located on Sars Street, where the main botanical garden of the country has spread its rose gardens and exotic greenhouses. Constant revival reigns in Vigeland Park, which attracts tourists with its colorful sculptural monoliths by Gustav Vigeland and the evening light show.

All sights of Oslo

Museums

One should look for the historical heritage of Oslo not on its streets, but in museums, where prudent Scandinavians hid the most valuable artifacts and archaeological finds.

Most of the capital's expositions are devoted to navigation, which, in general, is not surprising: the homeland of the Vikings, after all. To understand how severe the Norwegian soul is tied to the sea, take a ride on the river bus to the Bygdö peninsula, where several museums of this direction are located.

Take a look at the Fram Museum and stroll along the deck of the legendary schooner, on which the restless Roald Amundsen set off to conquer the South Pole. Walk under the semicircular snow-white vaults of the Viking Ship Museum, where three funerary boats are kept, which, together with their eminent owners, sank to the seabed more than 1000 years ago and were raised from there at the end of the 19th century.

A non-trivial exposition awaits guests of Oslo at the Kon-Tiki Museum, which houses the wooden raft of the same name. It was on this fragile structure in 1945 that a group of Norwegian researchers set off to surf the Pacific Ocean in an attempt to repeat the route of the ancient Polynesians, which, apparently, provoked Fedor Konyukhov to his subsequent records. There is something to see and maritime museum Norway, whose expositions acquaint visitors with the history of development in the country of fishing and whaling.

Notorious "visuals" and fans of fine arts will be welcomed in art museums and galleries in Oslo. Try to take the time to tour the wealth of the National Gallery, where the creations of the Norwegian masters of painting dilute the canvases of Gauguin, Picasso and El Greco. Here is one of the versions of the legendary "Scream" by Munch, which in 1994 was mysteriously stolen from the gallery and just as mysteriously returned to it. By the way, about Munch: the "master of depressive painting" in Oslo has his own museum, which exhibits another author's copy of "The Scream", as well as several hundred other paintings made in a manner not quite typical for the artist.

You can see the progenitor of modern carpets, which was woven several millennia ago, at the Museum of Applied Arts, and at the Astrup-Fearnley Museum of Modern Art you will be shown phantasmagoric creations of contemporary artists and sculptors. Works by Matisse, Picasso, Leger, Moore and Klee are kept in cultural center Heni-Unstad on Cape Hövikodden, which is 12 km from the center of Oslo.

All fans of the Scandinavian classics are invited to a tour of the Henrik Ibsen Museum on the street of the same name. It was in this building that the writer spent the last years of his life and, according to the city tale, uttered his mysterious dying words. Fine sunny days are best spent in the Norwegian Museum of Ethnography, which is an extremely colorful historical town with all its wooden buildings, workshops, cozy farms and, of course, the inhabitants dressed to smithereens.

Beaches

Despite the fact that the climate of Oslo does not favor a beach holiday, this does not stop the locals. The swimming season in this part of the country begins in mid-May and lasts until mid-August, so on the few warm days - by Norwegian standards - most of the population rushes to the seashore to sunbathe. by the most popular beach Oslo continues to be "Hook" on the Bygdøy peninsula. The coastline here is rocky, and the lack of sandy places is more than compensated by green meadows and lawns. For those who came to the sea “to see others and show themselves”, the northern part of the beach, which was occupied by nudists, is suitable. By the way, sun loungers and umbrellas are not held in high esteem here, so you will have to sunbathe on the boulders, and escape from the sun under the trees growing along the coastline. You can get to the most advertised beach of the capital by bus (route number 30, stop "National Theater"), or by boat (departure from the Aker Brygge embankment). If you go north from Hook, you can come across a calmer beach called Paradisbukta.

The islands also have their fans, where swimming places are equipped with special retro-style cabins. Excellent conditions are offered, for example, by Songvann, whose coast is distinguished by a gentle slope into the sea and developed infrastructure, but it is better to go in search of beaches with soft white sand on Langoyene. There is a ferry service between the islands and Oslo, however, to get to it, you will first have to find the Vippetangen terminal on the Aker Brygge embankment. One of the most popular ferry routes is number 3, plying between the capital and the islands of Hoveda, Linda and Nakholmen.

Good to know: all the beaches in Oslo are absolutely free.

Holidays and events

The second addiction of every Norwegian (remember that the descendants of the Vikings had, have and will always have the sea in the first place) is music. Conventionally, all residents of the Norwegian capital can be divided into those who sing and those who listen. However, both the first and the second are related by a common love for all kinds of concerts, so the musical life in Oslo is more than rich. "Oya", "Norwegian Forest", "Inferno" - these and several other less well-known festivals of musical and performing arts are held annually at the venues in the capital.

At the end of May, every free citizen suddenly remembers that the blood of the fearless Eric the Red flows in his veins and hurries to the walls of the Akershus fortress, where the annual festival of medieval culture starts.

At the same time, the descendants of the Vikings themselves are not alien to some internal contradictions. As an illustrative example, one can cite the fact that in Oslo, in addition to the administrative division, there is also a social one. Despite the fact that it is considered bad form to “measure” income in the kingdom, Oslo itself has been divided into the elite - Western and worker-emigrant - Eastern parts for almost a hundred years. And if the first one is a nice neighborhood filled with cozy cottages owned by wealthy Norwegians, then the second one is built up with boring typical high-rise buildings in which families of poor immigrants huddle.

In all other respects, the Oslovians can be called typical Scandinavians: practical, strictly metering emotions, loving sports and outings in nature, slightly obsessed with natural materials, handing over bottles to recycling points so as not to harm the environment - in general, true patriots of their country with a special , unlike any other, mentality.

Public transport

You can move around Oslo by bus, tram or metro, the main thing is to purchase a single travel card in advance. You can find it at ticket machines, press kiosks, and stores like 7/11. A ticket calculated for 1 hour of driving around the capital costs 32 crowns. It is also allowed to buy it from a public transport driver, but at a price of NOK 50. A daily pass costs 90 kroons, a weekly pass costs 240 kroons. There is a 50% discount on tickets for children and senior citizens. By the way, despite not the most attractive fares for public transport, it’s more expensive to ride around Oslo “hare”: fines for free riders here are simply extortionate - from 750 to 900 NOK.

Great option for small excursion Oslo's places of worship - City Sightseeing Oslo buses. They roam the city streets only during the high season - from April to September, from 9:30 to 17:00 and stop at the most memorable places. The cost of such a mini-trip is 300 kroons. For 215 crowns, you can admire the views of the city from the City Cruise ships sailing from the embankment (landmark - the opera house) and cruising along the Oslo Fjord from 9:45 to 15:45.

Taxis in the Norwegian capital are more of a luxury than a means of transportation. The classic fare of local taxi companies is 43 kroons for calling a car and then 13.5 kroons for each kilometer of the way according to the meter. Moreover, in the evening and at night, as well as on holidays, the rate can almost double.

You can succumb to the country's ecomania and rent a bike. The main companies that own local rental points are Oslo Bysykkel and Viking Biking. Rental rates are far from affordable. To take a bike to Oslo Bysykkel, you will have to buy a tourist card at the Information Office located at the Town Hall. The cost of a 24-hour card is 100 CZK, plus a refundable deposit of 3400 CZK. And even with such serious prices, the traveler will be allowed to ride only within Oslo. Viking Biking has its own rules: customers are not limited in choosing routes, and they charge 200 kroons for renting a bike for 24 hours. In addition, a fee of 125 kroons is charged for each day the vehicle is used in excess of the indicated time frame.

Car rent

There are practically no traffic jams in Oslo, so getting around the Norwegian capital by car is pleasant and interesting. You can rent a car right at Oslo Airport, where the largest rental offices are located - Europcar, Hertz, Avis. The average cost of a rental day is 900 kroons for an economy class car. Gasoline prices at local gas stations are usually kept within 16 kroons per liter, diesel fuel is slightly cheaper - 14.5 kroons. You will also have to pay for parking from 30 to 40 crowns per hour. Parking spaces are marked in yellow, gray and brown, which symbolizes the time for which the car is left - 1, 2, 3 hours. If you plan to spend the night, it is more reasonable to use underground parking for 180-360 kroons per day. Owners of studded tires who wish to enter Oslo will have to pay the traditional fee of 35 kroons (450 kroons per month), or pay a fine of 750 kroons. You can compare prices and book a car using the rentalcars.com service.

Connection

To minimize the cost of cellular communications in Oslo, it is better to get a SIM card from one of the local operators - NetCom, Telenor, Lebara Mobile. For example, the same Lebara Mobile has a MyCall tariff plan (the price of the starter package is 49 kroons), according to which calls within Norway will cost 0.49 kroons, and a minute of conversation with a Russian mobile operator is about 1.99 kroons, plus the connection fee - 0.99 CZK At the same time, if you call from MyCall to MyCall, the fee is charged only for the connection. In cases where mobile Internet is needed, then you can connect a package for 1, 3, 6, 10 GB of traffic for 79, 149, 219, 299 kroons, respectively. You can buy local SIM cards in the salons of cellular companies, stores like 7/11, magazine kiosks and gas stations.

How to save money in Oslo

Everything is expensive in Oslo - from housing to fines and public transport, so the first problem that a budget traveler who finds himself in the Norwegian capital faces is the question of saving money. Experienced backpackers are advised to bring dry rations with them in order to at least slightly reduce the cost of food, which, as a rule, “eat up” the bulk of the cash reserve. The same principle applies in the case of cigarettes and alcohol: it is extremely unprofitable to buy them on the spot: it is much more reasonable to stock up on everything you need even before departure. In addition, Norway boasts extremely high value-added taxes, so it makes sense to look for souvenirs in shops that support the Tax free system in Oslo.

You can earn a discount in the grocery store for a dozen or two crowns by handing over bottles. This is more of a form of extreme savings, but you can take comfort in the fact that in Norway this type of activity is not associated with a marginal lifestyle. Moreover, even very wealthy townspeople do not hesitate to hand over glass containers here.

If your minimum travel plan includes visiting museums and exhibitions, it makes sense to buy an Oslo Pass tour card, which is valid for 24, 48 and 72 hours and gives you the right to:

• free rides in city public transport;
• free admission to 30 museums in Oslo, including the National Gallery, the Ibsen Museum, the Munch Museum, and the Viking Ship Museum;
• access to free city tours, as well as access to the Frognerbadet and Toyenbadet swimming pools.

The 24-hour Oslo Pass is NOK 385, the 48-hour Oslo Pass is NOK 595, and the 72-hour Oslo Pass is NOK 745. There are significant discounts for children and pensioners (children - 210, 295, 370 kroons, tourists over the age of 67 - 315, 475 and 595 kroons).

In addition to cultural pleasures, the Oslo Pass can also provide practical benefits, such as saving money at a restaurant or a store. You can buy a tour card at information points right at the airport, at the Central Railway Station, the Aker Brygge embankment, in museums and hotels (not everywhere) or you can order it on the official website.

Where to stay

One of the most prestigious hotels in Oslo is the Grand Hotel. The institution has been operating since 1874 and can offer its customers a convenient location (500 m to the royal palace, a couple of steps to the metro), a spa center and an extravagant rooftop bar. The price per room corresponds to the level of the institution - from 2281 crowns for a standard double room with one bed. A similar double room with breakfast included in another "five" Oslo - Lysebu Hotel will cost around 2558 kroons. The feature of the institution is its own wine cellar and picturesque natural views, because the hotel is located on the Tryvannshuiden hill.

Of the simpler options located in the center of Oslo, one can name Smarthotel Oslo, Anker Hotel, First Hotel Millenium, Citybox Oslo, a modest room in which will cost 1017 crowns. If you have an extra 800 crowns in your wallet, try renting a studio apartment equipped with a kitchenette and a private bathroom. Those who want to cut housing costs as much as possible are waiting for city hostels, where they ask from 660 to 720 kroons for a double room with a bathroom. But keep in mind that usually the matter is not limited to this amount, since in such places it is customary to additionally “sell” linen and towels to guests for 45-70 crowns per person.

Food in Oslo

Simple, satisfying, but without frills and slightly provincial - this is how Norwegian cuisine can be described. With food, the harsh Scandinavians are not particularly wiser, preferring simple and high-calorie food to all kinds of delicacies. To understand the culinary direction in which Norwegian chefs work, it is enough to order lutefisk (a dish of pre-soaked in a soda solution, washed in water and dried cod), fried venison, sweet goat cheese geytust, forikol (literally - sheep in cabbage), potato dumplings and herring.

Breakfasts in most hotels and private homes in Oslo are increasingly approaching the English version - bacon, scrambled eggs, cheeses, jams and the same coffee that Norwegians absorb almost in buckets. For a full meal, the inhabitants of the capital prefer not to be distracted, being satisfied with a traditional sandwich (smorrebred).

Prices in restaurants specializing in national cuisine in Oslo are beyond reasonable (the average check for a modest lunch in an average cafe is 160 kroons), and tips are usually included in the bill. The East Asian street food saves the situation a little. You can eat a kebab or a hamburger in the city for 45-100 kroons. The cheapest way to feed yourself in Oslo is to cook on your own or have small picnics in the adjacent parks. Well, you can stock up on relatively inexpensive products in supermarkets like Rimi and KIWI.

Might come in handy: Most grocery stores in Oslo are closed on Sundays. And in those establishments where this rule does not apply, the prices of goods, as a rule, soar almost twice.

shopping

There are two shopping options in Oslo:

• Long and hard to save money in a bank account and lower it in one day in local boutiques.
• Wait for seasonal sales and buy everything the same as in the first case, but with a discount of 50 to 70%.

The main shopping thoroughfare of the Norwegian capital is Karl Johan Street. It is in her stores that the lion's share of souvenirs is purchased, taken away by tourists from Norway. It is full of both tiny shops and large shopping centers like Byporten, OsloCity, Steen&Strom, EqerKarlJohan. Young people usually prefer Bogstaveien and Hegdehogsveien streets, where inexpensive clothing stores like H&M, ZARA, MEXX are grouped, attracting good quality products and affordable prices. For designer things, you should drop by the Grunerlökka quarter. They sell here mainly the creations of local couturiers, whose distinguishing feature- an extremely non-standard approach to tailoring art. Shopaholics with a solid income usually flock to the Frogner area, as the prices for local antiques and designer furniture go through the roof. In Greenland, most of the shops are owned by immigrants, so it is customary to come here for exotic purchases. Fans of things "with history" will definitely fish out something interesting for themselves at the capital's flea markets (Vestkantorget, Slurpen).

What to bring from Oslo

Well, of course, trolls, the craze for which is slowly turning into mass hysteria, if such a term is generally appropriate for Scandinavians who are pragmatic and stingy with emotions. By the way, enterprising sellers of these little freaks assure that it is better to buy them in pairs - and the owner of the shop has an extra fifty crowns, and the trolls are not bored. A wool sweater with a classic deer pattern is also a good option, but be aware that the right jumper costs 1800-2700 kr. Silver jewelry made in a deliberately handicraft style and household items painted using the rosemaling decorative and artistic technique look very non-trivial. Cheaper options for souvenirs in Oslo include products with Viking symbols, natural wool mittens and socks, and national clogs. Brunost cheese, Lacris salt candies and the legendary Aquavit are suitable as original edible gifts.

In addition, Oslo has amazing sportswear and fishing equipment stores where you can stock up on excellent training equipment and real Norwegian spinning rods. Well, an option for beautiful ladies is the perfume of the Norwegian brands Geir Ness and Moods of Norway.

Do not forget

• take a look at the Lofostua restaurant, where for 45 years they have been preparing the best lutefisk in all of Oslo;
• buy horned viking helmet. Well, or at least try it on if you are afraid to become the hero of bearded jokes;
• on a fine day, climb onto the sloping roof of the city opera building to sunbathe along with dozens of other Oslo residents;
• buy a ticket to the local Museum of History, which houses the most beautiful (from the point of view of archaeologists) of Egyptian mummies - the priestess of the goddess Min.

How to get there