Welcome Back to Norway

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Now everybody can travel to Norway without having to quarantine 

(Norway, January 26,2022)  Today marks the first day since early 2020, where the Norwegian border is open to all visitors without having to quarantine. Due to COVID-19, the Norwegian government had to shut its borders and demand self-quarantine for all travelers without the EU COVID certificate. This practice ended at midnight, and now travelers from outside the EU are also free to visit Norway without a 10-day quarantine period. 

For Norway, this is great news. A joint Norwegian travel industry hopes this latest change in guidelines will have positive consequences for the entire tourism industry, as international guests are now finally able to visit again. 

Acting director for Visit Norway, Audun Pettersen, is excited about the border re-opening: “Welcome back! We have waited so long for this day to come, and we have really missed our visitors from around the world. Finally, people can start to plan their vacations and travel to Norway again. This means so much to us and the entire industry.” 

Travelers who come to Norway will still need to test and register upon arrival. This test is free of charge. If you don´t possess a valid, digital COVID certificate approved by the EU (documenting that you are fully vaccinated or have been infected with COVID-19 during the last six months), you will take have to take a test no more than 24 hours prior to arriving in Norway. If you arrive by air, the test can be taken during the last 24 hours prior to the scheduled departure time of the first flight of your itinerary. 

Read more about traveling to Norway and the latest COVID-guidelines: https://www.visitnorway.com/plan-your-trip/coronavirus-and-travelling-to-norway/

We've visited Norway several times.   Our most recent voyage was during winter where we had the opportunity to see Northern Lights multiple times during our coastal cruise.   You can read all about our journey to Norway in our Diary Hurtigruten Classic Voyage Bergen blog post.

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When in Trøndelag Choose Local

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MS Vesterålen
Norway's Coastal Kitchen

Hurtigruten’s cruise along the Norwegian coast not only offers a whole host of incredible experiences and wondrous scenery, but is also a culinary journey. The on-board menus offer authentic Norwegian cuisine, which reflect both the seasons and the local specialties and cuisine of the regions past which the ship is sailing.

        Dinner in Trondheim

During our cruise through Trondheim on the way back south, Hurtigruten's Norway Coastal Kitchen featured local cuisine from the Trøndelag area in Central Norway.  This was one of the most unique local meals during our voyage.

“Sodd” means to seethe and is traditional soup of the region. Genuine Sodd from Trøndelag consists of meatballs and dices made ​​of lamb (mutton),  beef, and broth. The meatballs are made with cornflour, whole milk, heavy cream, ginger and nutmeg. It must be served with Skjenning, a flat bread that has been brushed with sugar and fresh milk on one side.

Additional photos can be found on our Norway Shutterfly page

Norway's Coastal Kitchen


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Visit to Bronnoysund

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Brønnøysund

A pretty little town rich in history and maritime atmosphere 


Brønnøysund is situated on a narrow peninsula on the mainland, surrounded by islands and water. Here, you're actually at the halfway point along the western coast of Norway. The small coastal town of 5,000 inhabitants is centered on the narrow but strategically situated harbor, that caters to all trade and fishing. It is a vibrant and pretty little town with an attractive visitors' marina.

We spent some time some strolling among the shops just across from where we docked - including a Coop food store. to stroll around the streets – perhaps a walk along Havnegata, where you can enjoy looking at the small boats and bustling life of the archipelago. Sample the street life and go into one of the pubs, or treat yourself to a delicious meal at one of the restaurants.

Shortly after leaving the town, we made a slight detour for ....

  Torghatten

On deck we saw the strange mountain Torghatten (rising 850 ft above sea level), famous for its
distinctive hole right through the middle. The hole is 525 ft long, 115 ft high, and 65 ft wide, and was created during the Ice Age.


Stay on deck to see the hole from the sea, as is natural for seafarers (who in the past were the only ones visiting the place).

Additional photos can be found on our Norway Shutterfly page

Brønnøysund
Torghatten





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Southbound Arctic Circle Crossing

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Heading Back Southbound

Crossing the Arctic Circle at 66°33’ N is an important rite of passage. Day 10 we celebrated the event out on deck with a taste of Arctic tradition – a spoonful of cod liver oil!

We couldn't have asked for a better day as we crossed the Arctic Circle for the second time.  The blue sky and white clouds made a beautiful background for the snow-capped mountain tops.

The Arctic Circle is the most northerly of the five major circles of latitude as shown on maps of Earth. It marks the northernmost point at which the noon sun is just visible on the December solstice and the southernmost point at which the midnight sun is just visible on the June solstice. The region north of this circle is known as the Arctic, and the zone just to the south is called the Northern Temperate Zone.

Bodø – Rørvik

We spent the majority of Day 10 sailing along the Helgeland coast. We passed hundreds of islets, fertile farmland, and steep granite walls rich in local lore.

Additional photos can be found on our Norway Shutterfly page

Crossing the Arctic Circle Southbound
Sailing Day 10





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