The capital
Most trips begin in Oslo, a green, relaxed capital on a fjord, with the marble Opera House you can walk on, the new National Museum, the Munch museum and the Viking and folk museums on the Bygdøy peninsula. Give it two or three nights. Forest trails and lakes start at the end of the metro lines, and in summer island ferries run across the inner fjord.
The west coast and the fjords
Bergen is the gateway to fjord Norway: a rainy, cheerful harbour city of wooden wharf houses, a fish market and seven mountains. It sits at the end of the famous Bergen Railway from Oslo, and most people ride part of that line, then detour down the Flåm Railway and sail the Nærøyfjord on the way.
North of Bergen, the western fjords hold the Sognefjord, the longest fjord in Norway, the Geirangerfjord with its waterfalls, the Trollstigen mountain road and the Art Nouveau town of Ålesund. This is the region of scenic ferries, glaciers and farm stays, and it rewards slow travel by bus, boat and ferry.
Central Norway
Trondheim was the first capital of Norway and is home to Nidaros Cathedral, the end point of the old pilgrim routes. It has colourful wharf houses along the river, a big student population and some of the best food in the country, and it sits on the line north towards the Arctic.
The Arctic north
Tromsø is the biggest city in northern Norway and the easiest base for northern lights tours in winter and the midnight sun in summer. Whale watching, dog sledding, Sami culture and fjord trips all start here. Further south, Lofoten is a chain of islands with sharp peaks rising straight from the sea, red fishing cabins, white beaches and drying racks for stockfish. It is one of the most beautiful places in Europe, in any season.
How to combine them
For a first week, pair Oslo with the Bergen Railway, a fjord day and Bergen. With ten to fourteen days, add the Geirangerfjord and Ålesund, or fly north from Oslo or Bergen to Tromsø or Lofoten. Domestic flights save days on such a long country, while trains, express boats and the coastal ferries are the scenic way to travel. The Hurtigruten coastal route links Bergen to the far north over several days for travellers with time.
When you have a shortlist, use the places to visit list and the free trip planner to shape the route.