21 days in Norway (and Sweden) - First draft

[Timetraveller]

Hello everyone!

My 22nd birthday is up and coming this July, and I'm planning on escaping home for that occassion. My plan is to take a Scanrail pass for 21 days, and most of that time I would be spending in Norway.

I have a first draft of my planned itinerary, and would very much appreciate all help and tips, any comments on my planned route. Like I said, I'm mostly interested in exploring Norway, but any recommendations for Sweden, that won't take me too far off my route are appreciated. And I should probably mention Finland is my home country, so I won't be making any stops there on this trip.

Also, while I do want to experience some city life on this trip, I'm mostly interested in staying in smaller, more remote places, and am interested in activities such as hiking, biking and canoeing.. (Mostly hiking, I suppose, for budget reasons!)

Day 1 - Overnight train Helsinki-Kemi, bus to Luleå, Sweden
2 - Luleä
3 - Narvik, Norway
4 - Stamsund (Lofoten Islands)
5 - Stamsund
6 - Stamsund
7 - Å (Lofoten Islands)
8 - Å
9 - Å

(Are there any other places you'd recommend on the Lofoten Islands? Should I spend less/more time there? Where to go to avoid the worst tourist traps?)

10 - Bodo
11 - overnight train Bodo-Trondheim
12 - Trondheim
13 - Hellesylt
14 - Hellesylt

(The reason I want to stay in Hellesylt is I want to see Geirangerfjord and I thought this would be a good place for budget accommodation nearby. Any other suggestions?)

15 - Bergen
16 - Bergen

(More/less time for Bergen?)

17 - Stavanger
18 - Stavanger

(For visiting Lysefjord/Preikestolen. Would I be better off staying somewhere else though?)

19 - Oslo
20 - Stockholm
21 - Ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki aka home!

Thanks a lot in advance for any help!

Anna

[herrbert]

Hei, Hei Anna,

Welcome to this little piece of the internet,

It looks like a really interesting travel, trying to get to some of the more remote parts of Norway. When you say you want to see a lot of Norway, wouldn't it be better to fly to Oslo (Blue1), and from there to Narvik (Norwegian). Just checked the websites, and it seems a little bit expensive (59 + 61 euros, as the cheapest options), but I don't know how much you can save on the pass, if you can skip 2 days, and the part through, Finland and Sweden (and it might that a return ticket Helsinki - Oslo, could be cheaper than the one-way tickets I just checked.)

I presume you have already checked the public transport on the Lofoten, to me it looks like a place, that is wonderful to visit by car, as it has a lot of small villages. You would have to research on the things you want to do there, as it could easily be, that you have seen the town your staying in, in one hour. If you choose a place, where you can do some activities, it will be OK. (can only offer you some general advise, as I haven't been there).

Near to Trondheim you will be passing Hell. (always nice, to tell the people at home, you are going to Hell and back, and this time, it ain't a lie).

For the Geirangerfjord, I would reckomend the walk from Møll-Grande (the Ørnesvingen). It's a 6 km walk, but worth the view. From Hellesylt, you could take the boattrip to Geiranger (and back).

If you railpass covers it, you should consider taking the train between Flåmm and Myrdal, from there you can head by train to Bergen. (only if you can get to Flåmm, without damage for your route).

It depends a little bit on how much you want to see of the historic part of Bergen, if you should stay here longer than two days. In my opinion Bergen is a good place to stay during the year, when there are a lot of students, but in summer, it might be that they are replaced by turists. (which harms the atmosphere a little bit, but that happens everywhere in Europe)

Instead of Stavanger, you could opt for the area around Geilo, that is if you hadn't had enough of hiking at that moment. I presume you already spend a couple of days in Stockholm before, if not you might want to add one or two days

Like I said, it looks like a great trip, but also one that not a lot of people take, as they stick to the bigger cities, and central/south Europe. I hope you find the time to give us a report when you return.

hyvää matkaa!

[nitsansh]

There's plenty to see between Geiranger and Bergen. You shouldn't skip it.