<p>Couple in 60s planning 2 week+ trip to Norway in late-May/early-June 2011. Looking for opinions regarding tours versus independent and for recommendations for tours or travel agents. Trip suggestions welcome, especially for including Stavanger on itinerary because we plan to visit friends on Kvitsoy.
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Help Us Plan A Trip To Norway
Message Submitted by novatravel on Mon, 09/13/2010 - 15:01
Loved Oslo - give it a good bit of time and soak up its riches. Use their public transportation system to get around. The time of your visit is perfect - everything is green and gorgeous.
If you don't want to restrict yourself to southern Norway, consider taking one of the coastal ships between Bergen and Kirkenes. I think one way is enough.
We just left an Oceania cruise (Dover to Copenhagen but mostly Norway) and in 1975 we did the coastal cruise from Bergen-North Cape and back. I agree that the coastal cruise is worth doing but we enjoyed doing it in both directions as well.
On the Oceania cruise we had a day in Stavanger which was just delightful ... we could have used more time! But cruises don't allow you that time, just a taste.
Other than that we've spent time in Oslo, Bergen, etc., but have never done a real land tour ... so I can't advise about that.
But the scenery is spectacular.
Aside from Stavanger, you might also want to try to get to Geiranger. It's a very small town but the fjord is most beautiful, and if you are interested in hiking this is a great place for that.
The Hurtigruten coastal cruise between Bergen and Kirkenes is round trip but you can do parts of it if you wish. The most economical is doing either a full one way Bergen-Kirkenes or v.v. Or the round trip, as your meals are included in the rates.