When is the best time to visit Norway

If you want to know the best time to travel to Norway, you first have to know about its climatic conditions. The Kingdom of Norway has a third of its territory in glacial areas. In addition to this, its geographical location means that in general it has a very cold climate.

When to travel to Norway

To know when to travel to Norway, the first thing to keep in mind is that this country has two climatic zones: west of the Scandinavian Alps, the climate is humid and temperate all year. In the east, however, the climate is considered continental, being warm in summer and cold in winter.

On the other hand, the location of Norway near the Arctic Circle means the Sun shines all day in the middle of summer, while the days are extremely dark throughout the winter. It is during these dark months that the phenomenon of the Northern Lights takes place.

This climatic peculiarity of Norway is due to the fact that from the end of May until the end of July, the sun never goes down fully in the areas north of the Arctic circle. Hence the famous name “Land of the Midnight Sun”, as there are up to 20 hours of light per day. On the contrary, from the end of November until the end of January, the sun never rises, and the daylight hours per day are drastically reduced.

In general, we can conclude that the best time to travel to Norway is from May to September. During these months the temperatures are warmer and there are more hours of sunlight, so you will make better use of your trip. July and August have the best temperatures.

Now we will see when to travel to Norway according to the region or area of this country which we plan to visit.

Best time to travel to Norway and visit Oslo

Best time to travel to Norway

If you don’t know when to travel to Norway to visit Oslo, we will clarify that the best time is between May and September. The average temperature you will find during these months is between the maximum of 21ºC in May and the maximum of 17ºC in September. July is the hottest month with an average temperature of 26 ºC.

In turn, rainfall is frequent in June, July and August, as well as in October and November. During the winter, if you don’t want to be cold, it is better not to visit Oslo, as the temperature will be zero degrees at best, and well below zero on many occasions.

Best time to travel to Norway and visit Bergen

The best time to travel to Bergen is between May and August, as this is when the temperatures are the most pleasant and warm. Bergen has an average annual temperature of about 5ºC, the warmest month being July. The maximums between May and August range from 15ºC in May to 19ºC in July.

Bergen, due to its geographical location, is colder than Oslo, and also records a greater amount of rainfall, especially between September and March, the rainiest month being October, and the coldest January. Therefore, if your trip includes a tour of the famous Norwegian fjords of Stavanger, Haugesund, Bergen, Álesund, Kristiansund or Trondheim, it is best to travel to this country during the summer.

Best time to travel to Norway and visit Bodø

To visit Bodø, north of Norway, you should know that the summers are short, fresh and almost always cloudy. The winters, on the other hand, are long, icy, windy and very cloudy. The average annual temperature ranges from -4°C to 16°C, and rarely falls below -10°C or rises above 22°C.

Given these climatic characteristics, the best time to visit Bodø is from mid-July to mid-August. The hottest month is July, with a maximum temperature of 16ºC and a minimum of 11ºC on average. The rest of the year, it is not the most suitable time to travel to the north of this country.

Best time to travel to Norway and visit Vardø

If your trip heads as far as the northern reaches of the country to visit Reinøya, you can do it between June and September. The average temperature of this region is between 1ºC in January, the coldest month, and 14ºC in July, the warmest month.

The good thing about this area is that there is hardly any rainfall throughout the year, and even less in summer. In June and September, the thermometer will reach a maximum temperature of 11ºC, and 14ºC in July and August, so these months are ideal for visiting the Varangerhalvøya National Park.

Pack your bags and choose the best time to travel to Norway, it will be a trip you will surely never regret.