# What to See in Norway: Fjords and Routes > What to see in Norway in 2026: Geiranger, Preikestolen, Trolltunga, Bergen and the Lofoten Islands, when to go, how much a trip costs, and whether Ukrainians need a visa. - URL: https://langandtrip.com.ua/en/article/shcho-podyvytysia-v-norvehiyi/ - Language: en - Published: 2026-08-23 - Categories: Travel, Mountains, Tours, Norway, Seas & Oceans --- The main thing to know when you are deciding **what to see in Norway**: almost everything people come here for lies along the west coast, and the distances between the highlights are long. Geiranger, Preikestolen and Trolltunga are hundreds of kilometres apart, so trying to cover it all in a week turns into a road trip rather than a holiday. It is more honest to pick two or three anchors and build the route around them. You do not need a visa for this: Ukrainian citizens with a biometric passport enter visa-free and can stay in the country for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. ## Do Ukrainian citizens need a visa for Norway in 2026 No, a tourist visa is not required. All you need is a biometric passport valid for at least a few months after your departure, plus travel medical insurance. Norway is not in the European Union, but it is part of the Schengen Area, so the rules are the same as for France or Germany. Visa-free travel covers tourism, not work or long-term residence, which require a separate permit. There is one change worth watching. The **ETIAS** system (an online entry authorisation for visa-free countries) is planned to launch at the end of 2026, though the EU has still not confirmed an exact date. It is not a visa but a short online form with a small fee that you fill in before your trip; until the official rollout it is not mandatory. The EES entry-exit system with biometrics is already in place, so your fingerprints and photo may be taken at the border. Double-check the current requirements before you travel on the official portal and on the website of Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ## What classic fjord Norway is made of A fjord is a bay carved into rock by a glacier, with almost vertical walls and water hundreds of metres deep. These are what make the Norwegian landscape instantly recognisable. Below are the main highlights people choose between when planning **what to see in Norway** for the first time. PlaceWhy it is worth itHow much time to allowGeirangerfjordThe most famous narrow fjord with cascading waterfalls, a UNESCO site1 full day, ideally with a night nearbyPreikestolenA flat rock ledge 600 m above the Lysefjord, the most accessible hikeA round-trip hike of about 4 hoursTrolltungaA stone "tongue" above a lake, a postcard-worthy shot but a hard oneA 7 to 12 hour hike, a full day with no spare timeBergenThe Hanseatic Bryggen waterfront, the gateway to the Sognefjord1 to 2 days as a route baseLofoten IslandsFishing villages, sharp peaks above the sea, northern lights in winter3 to 4 days, a trip in its own right![What classic fjord Norway is made of](/storage/image/new/shcho-podyvytysia-v-norvehiyi-1.jpg) ## Geirangerfjord: why people often start here Geiranger is the very picture you see on Norway's covers: a narrow ribbon of water between sheer walls, with the "Seven Sisters" waterfalls tumbling down them. It is on the UNESCO list and it is convenient because you do not have to earn the view with a multi-hour hike. The easiest way to see the fjord is from the water. The Hellesylt to Geiranger car ferry takes around 65 minutes through its most spectacular stretch and costs roughly from 280 kroner per person (check before you travel). If you want the view from above, drive the switchbacks up to the Dalsnibba viewpoint. The downside is its popularity: at the height of summer cruise ships come in, and the fjord is quiet only in the early morning, if at all. ## Preikestolen: the easiest way to see a fjord from above If you have neither the time nor the training for a serious hike, your option is Preikestolen, the "Pulpit Rock". This flat rock ledge juts out 600 metres above the Lysefjord and gives the best view for the least effort among Norway's big trails. The path from the car park at Preikestolen Basecamp is about 4 kilometres each way, and you should allow around 4 hours for the whole route. It is well marked but has steep, rocky sections, so you need footwear with a grippy sole rather than city trainers. Set off early: the ledge is narrow and has no railing, and a crowd on the edge of the cliff ruins both the shot and the feeling. ## Trolltunga is worth a hike, but not for everyone Trolltunga is the most dramatic shot on the list and, at the same time, the hardest to reach. A thin stone ledge sticks out into the void above Lake Ringedalsvatnet, with about 700 metres of drop to the water below. The problem is that the walk to it is long and exhausting. Depending on the car park, the round trip runs from 20 to 27 kilometres and takes 7 to 12 hours, with about a kilometre of elevation gain. This is a "very difficult" hike that honestly fills an entire day. The trail is free of snow from roughly late June to early October; outside that window it is under snow and needs gear and a guide. Who should skip it. If you do not do long mountain hikes, have knee trouble or are travelling with small children, Trolltunga is more likely to ruin your day than make it. This is not a viewpoint, it is a full-on ascent. ![Trolltunga is worth a hike, but not for everyone](/storage/image/new/shcho-podyvytysia-v-norvehiyi-2.jpg) ## Bergen as a base, not just a box to tick Bergen is the country's second-largest city and the most convenient jumping-off point for the western fjords. You will recognise it by Bryggen, a row of colourful wooden houses on the old Hanseatic waterfront, a UNESCO site. The current buildings are reconstructions, since the originals burned down more than once, but the quarter has kept its atmosphere. The city is worth a day or two in itself: the fish market, the Floibanen funicular up the mountain above the rooftops, lanes full of local workshops. But the main reason to come is practical. This is where the railway to Flam begins, one of the most beautiful routes in Northern Europe, along with boat trips towards the Sognefjord, the longest and deepest in the country. ## The Lofoten Islands: when to go for a different Norway The Lofoten Islands are no longer about fjords but a world of their own above the Arctic Circle: sharp peaks rise straight from the sea, with white beaches beneath them and red fishermen's cabins in the villages of Reine and Henningsvaer. You should plan them as a separate trip rather than an add-on to a fjord route, because the drive there is long. The key decision is the season. In summer the islands are lit by the midnight sun, when it never sets, and this is the best time for hiking, kayaking and slow drives between villages. In winter people come here for the northern lights, visible roughly from September to March. In summer there are no northern lights at all, because the sky never darkens, and this is the mix-up that wrecks plenty of plans. ## When to go to Norway For fjords and hiking the working window is narrow: the high trails are reliably snow-free only in summer, and out of season half the routes are closed. Below is a month-by-month guide; mountain weather is changeable, so the figures are approximate. PeriodWeather and what is openPrices and crowdsLate May, June10-15°C, waterfalls at their fullest, still snow on the summits; some high trails are only just openingCheaper accommodation, fewer peopleJuly, August17-22°C, all trails open, frequent ferries, long daysPeak prices and queues, cruise shipsSeptember12-16°C, autumn light, trails still passable until early OctoberSharply fewer tourists, prices dropOctober to AprilCold, high trails under snow and closed; in the north, northern lights seasonCheap, but the fjords are not for hiking![When to go to Norway](/storage/image/new/shcho-podyvytysia-v-norvehiyi-3.jpg) For weather the most reliable months are July and August, but those are also the priciest and most crowded. September and late May give you almost the same thing for noticeably less money, the trade-off being a higher chance of rain and a colder evening. ## How much a trip to Norway costs Norway is one of the most expensive countries in Europe, and here the budget, not the logistics, is the main constraint. A traveller staying in a hostel, eating supermarket food and doing free hikes spends roughly 900-1200 kroner a day, which is about 80-110 euros at the rate as of August 2026 (around 11 kroner to the euro; check before you travel). - A bed in a hostel dorm: about 270-700 kroner a night, more in Bergen and at peak season. - A hotel in Flam or Geiranger in summer: 2500-4000 kroner, half that in May and September. - A day's groceries from the supermarket: 250-400 kroner, this is the main way to save. - Dinner at a restaurant with a drink: 350-550 kroner; a glass of beer at a bar 100-130 kroner. - The Hellesylt to Geiranger ferry: from 280 kroner per person. Two things shift the total noticeably. Cook some of your own meals, because the gap between the supermarket and the restaurant here is a multiple. And book trains and ferries two or three months ahead: early bookings are cheaper, and at peak season the popular routes sell out. ## Where to start planning If it is your first trip and you want fjords without mountaineering feats, take Bergen as a base, add Geiranger and Preikestolen, and that is enough for a full week. If you are after a shot on the level of Trolltunga, set aside a separate day for the hike and honestly assess your fitness in advance. And if the northern lights are calling, that is a different trip with a different season, and the Lofoten Islands are worth keeping separate from a fjord route.