It’s time to explore your senses again this spring after a long and challenging pandemic. A world of smells, sounds and signs of spring will open up over the course of just a few short weeks in Fjord Norway, creating the ultimate sense of happiness. We call it Springfulness.
Everything happens in the space of just a few short weeks. Nature explodes into colour, smells and tastes when the snow melts, the waterfalls swell, the trees flower and the hillsides are covered by a green veil. This is also the season when our senses are reawakened.
Springfulness is how Fjord Norway reawakens the senses after a long period of hibernation. But the timing is crucial, you only have a few weeks to take full advantage of it. Springfulness can best be experienced from mid-April to early June. The spring months of March, April and May is perhaps when the weather is at its most unpredictable – and most exciting! This time of year, an enormous change takes place as the snow melting in the mountains turns into rivers and roaring waterfalls. The serene winter landscape awakens, with birds chirping over the sound of a running stream. You can sometimes experience all four seasons in a single day, with rain, sun or even a rapid-fire hailstorm.
We have made it easier for you by drawing up a list of seven good reasons to visit Fjord Norway this spring:
1 The fruit trees are in bloom
Hundreds of thousands of trees and billions of flowers. The trees normally blossom in May, a time which is particularly beautiful by the Hardangerfjord and the Sognefjord. The fruit trees in Hardanger blossom along steep mountainsides, traditionally cultivated by generation after generation. On the tops of the mountains, the snow still shines white in the sun, which rises higher and higher in the sky. A drive in this landscape is an incredibly beautiful experience, perhaps particularly in spring when it is full of contrasts.
2 The waterfalls have their biggest flow
Many of Norway’s most impressive waterfalls are found in Fjord Norway. The melting snow makes them even more impressive in spring.
Special tip: Vøringsfossen close to Eidfjord in Hardanger is one of the most magnificent waterfalls in Norway. From the new, impressive viewing platforms (a must-see for architecture buffs), you get a breathtaking view of the roaring water and the deep canyons.
3 You can relax besides solveggen
Nothing is better than relaxing in a sheltered spot with your favourite drink as the sun caresses your face.
In Norway, every cabin has a wall for lounging in the sun, called solveggen (the “sun wall”).
Just follow the locals. Spring is also when the gateway cities to the fjords, like Bergen, Ålesund and Stavanger, come alive again.
4
A glacier hike is an absolute non-negotiable activity for any true adventurer that visits Norway in late spring. Venture across ice that might be more than a thousand years old, be encapsulated in shades of turquoise and marvel at sculpture-like formations where nature itself is the artist. Skiing or hiking the Jostedalsbreen glacier lengthwise (37 miles, and always in the company of a guide) is a particular favorite for the fit. But fear not – not all glacier walks are as demanding as that one.
Special tip: Glacier adventures for everyone are available several of the glacier branches of Jostedalsbreen, like the Nigardsbreen glacier in Sogn og Fjordane, the Folgefonna glacier in Hardanger, and the Svartisen glacier in Nordland, amongst others. Most regular tours on the glaciers start in May or the beginning of June.
Snowcapped mountains
Be sure to charge your phone, so you can snap pictures of the view of the snowcapped mountains, towering over the fjords. Hike, bike, or kayak, or catch a ride to the top of a mountain with the Loen Skylift or Romsdal Gondola.
5 Spring skiing
Spring offers the most enjoyable skiing, and early spring is the main season for ski touring. Experience some delightful late-season runs at popular ski resorts like Strandafjellet, Myrkdalen, Voss or Folgefonna.
“Vårskiturer”, or spring skiing, is very popular in Norway. In certain mountain areas and up north, there is usually plenty of soft and untouched snow as late as in April and May. The days are warmer (you might be able to ski in your woolen T-shirt), and they get longer and longer. In Northern Norway, you even get midnight sun in late spring. Several ski resorts don’t close until the end of April, and in many areas, spring is the perfect season for ski touring. With a special thanks to the sun reflecting snow, you might even get a spring tan. Just don’t forget your sunscreen or sunglasses, or you’ll get a bad sunburn.
Special tip: Try out Narvikfjellet, a ski resort in the north where you can ski from the top of the mountain and down to the fjord, often until June. Or take the train to Finse between Oslo and Bergen for kiting (courses available) and cross-country skiing at the Hardangervidda mountain plateau.
6 Springtime swimming
Rejuvenate your senses with the first refreshing dip of the year! Hot tip: try swimming by a steaming fjord sauna, such as Heit.
Special tip: You can find some very special saunas in Norway, like The Arctic spa boat Vulkana in Tromsø, or the saunas hidden in a drying rack for fish at Salt in Oslo. There are also a lot of floating saunas on the Norwegian fjords and lakes, like the fairytalelike, gold shimmering Soria Moria sauna in Dalen in Telemark.
7 Less tourists
Escape the crowds. In spring, the fjords are all yours. It’s the perfect time to ride the famous Flåm Railway down to the fjord village of Flåm for a fjord cruise, and experience Norway in a nutshell. Visit popular sites such as Geiranger, Preikestolen, and explore the Northwest.
Spring in Fjord Norway can best be experienced from mid-April to early June.
