The Best Places To Explore Norway In Winter

Oslo has a few smart boutique hotels to know. Our first choice would be Amerikalinjen, set in a building that was once the headquarters of a Norwegian cruise ship company. Guests can now stay in one of 122 modern rooms and suites, most of which have original features like deep-ledged art-deco windows. Standard rooms are small but cosy for a weekend trip, while deluxe rooms have spacious living areas filled with an eclectic mix of modern and vintage furniture. For Scandi minimalism, book a room at The Thief in Tjuvholmen. Designed by Nordic architects, the decor is moody and atmospheric, with Damien Hirst pieces scattered across the floors. Then there’s Sommerro, Oslo’s newest luxury hotel in a wonderful 1930s art-deco building. The interiors and art are a huge draw but ultimately, it’s about the culinary scene: there are seven restaurants and bars, as well as a super luxe spa and year-round rooftop pool – a first for the city.

Arriving into Ålesund is a reminder that some destinations announce themselves early. If you fly in from Oslo (flights are just 55 minutes), you’ll get the see the majesty of this part of western Norway’s fjords from above, looking down on countless islands that are stitched together by floating roads and underwater tunnels. It feels cinematic before you’ve even landed.

You could easily spend a week in Ålesund. A town famous for its art-nouveau stylings, typical of early 20th-century Scandinavian architecture, it’s also a place where mountains and fjords meet the ocean, resulting in some of the country’s most dramatic scenery. Tourists flock for the Unesco World Heritage Site of Geirangerfjord (a jewel among Norwegian fjords), the bird sanctuary island of Runde, and the snow-capped mountains of Hjørundfjord and Sunnmørsalpene. Whether you’re up for hiking, kayaking, sea safaris, fjord cruises and deep-sea rafting, 62° Nord is the company to turn to for any outdoor adventures.

Ålesund is home to 62º Nord’s most westerly hotel, Brosundet, set within a collection of former fishery warehouses. At its heart is a soaring fireplace that climbs several storeys, creating a sense of warmth and theatre the moment you step inside. There are 131 rooms spread over two buildings – look out too for Room 47, housed inside the iconic red lighthouse at the port of Ålesund.

Guests can enjoy local seafood and seasonal veg at the hotel’s Apotekergata No5 restaurant or walk a couple of streets away to Sjøbua, the hotel’s high-end seafood restaurant. With the harbour on its doorstep, the menu celebrates Norway’s cold-water bounty. Langoustines from nearby Midsund – impossibly sweet –are served simply with burnt cream, while standout dishes include salted clipfish croquettes, halibut terrine with green peppers and white wine sauce, and a quietly brilliant pudding of bread ice-cream with honey and coffee crumble.

A morning at Brosundet should always begin with a sunrise soak in one of the two outdoor bubble baths overlooking the harbour. After braving a cold plunge in the canal, you can warm up in the outdoor sauna before heading inside for coffee and a warming cinnamon bun.

The hamlet of Øye itself is tiny, and that sense of seclusion defines the experience. Guests can hire e-bikes to make light work of cycling through the neighbouring towering valleys once carved by glaciers. There are also plenty of hiking routes for all weather and all abilities. The highlight, though, is the floating sauna, gently bobbing on the fjord beneath a dramatic waterfall. A pre-sunrise visit is unforgettable. While this would be special in the summer months, the bracingly cold plunge into the fjord is the ultimate wake-up call – and the sauna will soon warm you back up. It will also help to kick-start your appetite for the impressively laden breakfast buffet back at the hotel, which includes everything from traditional smoked fish to waffles with local jam and brown cheese, a Norwegian delicacy where the milk is boiled until it becomes caramelised. Trust us, it’s much lovelier than it sounds. We also need to shout out the hotel's hot chocolates, laced with cognac and topped with mountains of hand-whipped cream. They'll become the incentive for any cold-weather activity you choose to do during the winter months.

Set on a tree-packed hillside next to one of Norway’s most famous fjords and overlooking the Sunnmøre Alps, Storfjord is the kind of place you could happily settle into for days. A 30-minute drive from Ålesund, the hotel was hand-built from forest wood and, in classic Nordic style, every room has views of a fjord, mountain or forest. Bedrooms are chic, with plush furniture, enormous beds, cosy fireplaces and spacious living areas. Some have balconies where you can relax with a coffee in the morning or cocktail in the evening, keeping an eye out for the Northern Lights that can often be seen dancing across the skies.

While the team can help to plan activities and excursions like hikes, fjord tours and sea safaris via kayak, the main reason to book a stay here is relaxation. In the main building, you’ll find two vast drawing rooms with fireplaces, sink-in sofas and stacks of books and magazines that practically invite you to spend a long afternoon indoors. There’s also a sauna, hot tub and two treatment rooms to help you sink even deeper into a stay here.

Dining is another highlight. For an extra-special experience, The Boathouse is a private dining space right on the water. Cooked entirely over an open hearth, meals here are extraordinary: expect the likes of oysters with cream and dill oil; langoustines in the richest bisque imaginable with pickled pine shoots; monkfish with apple beurre blanc; scallops with cucumber and bergamot; and reindeer with Jerusalem artichokes. Back in the main restaurant, the simpler lunches and generous Sunday brunches – serving everything from gravlax to Norwegian-style fish tacos – show the same thoughtfulness and sense of occasion.

The Bergen Line is one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. The route runs between Oslo and Bergen across Hardangervidda, Europe’s highest mountain plateau. It’s one of the steepest railway lines in the world, passing through several popular ski resorts and villages, as well as the beautiful Hallingdal valley and Hardangervidda National Park, which has spectacular views of the mountains and Hardangerjokulen glacier, one of the largest in the country. If you make one stop, alight at Flå Bear Park to get up close with native wild animals, such as moose, lynx and wolves. After six hours, you’ll reach the city of Bergen, the capital of western Norway (and the country’s second-largest citywhere there’s plenty to see and do: the historic port is known as the Gateway to the Fjords and is famous for its Unesco-listed Bryggen wharf, with colourful wooden buildings.

After a long train journey, a night at Opus XVI will be just the tonic. In an impressive 19th-century building, this boutique hotel has 65 individually designed rooms with luxe decorative accents and plush furniture, as well as a great restaurant where you can enjoy long breakfasts, live jazz and afternoon tea, and candlelit dinners. For a special occasion, book a couple of nights in Room 406 which has skylights facing Mount Fløyen.