briant13

Hi everyone,

I am currently planning for 5 days in Norway during my 13 day trip to Scandinavia this May.

Right now I am planning on 3 days in Bergen (with one of these days for the Norway in a Nutshell from Bergen), and 2 days in Oslo.

Is this a good split of time? I've read Oslo is a city easily covered in 2 days which is why I wanted to give more time to Bergen, which I understand is a beautiful area.

Thanks in advance for any advice!
Brian

Surfergirl

In essence, then, you are really spending two days in Bergen and two days in Oslo, since Norway in a Nutshell takes a full day and goes from Bergen to Oslo. I disagree that Oslo is easily covered in 2 days, but with the train, boat, and funicular rides (all amazing, by the way), the 2 + 2 with 5th day as the Nutshell travel day is exactly what I would do.

briant13

Surfergirl,

Thanks for the input. Actually I am going to do the entire Nutshell trip from Bergen, returning to Bergen, since I've read a lot of the train ride from Oslo is nothing special until you get closer to Bergen and the mountains anyways.

I know Oslo can keep me busy enough for two days, what about Bergen?

bratsandbeer

I would spend more time in Oslo than Bergen. There is more to see and do. I liked the shopping in Bergen and the funnicular to the top of the mountain.
http://www.visitnorway.com/en/Stories/Norway/East/Oslo/

Just walking down Karl Johans gate on a Saturday night is a fun thing to do.

bratsandbeer

Will you arrive in Oslo first or Bergen?

If you arrive in Oslo how do you plan to get to Bergen?

Of if you arrive in Bergen and do the Norway in a Nutshell how do you plan to get to Oslo?

We went from Oslo to Bergen on the Norway in a Nutshell tour. Stayed in Bergen 2 nights and then took the train back to Oslo.

Surfergirl

We did the same thing brats did and I completely agree with him (or her, I guess!). You don't need more than 2 days in Bergen, but Oslo, geez, especially in summer, there is so much to do and see, and it is such a great and beautiful city! I can give you a run down, if you want.

As Brat asked, how are you planning on getting from point a to point b? Most people who do the Nutshell start in Bergen and end in Oslo or start in Oslo and end in Bergen. Otherwise, you're totally backtracking, and all you do is gain a couple of hours, which you end up losing (and more) by traveling from Bergen to Oslo!

bratsandbeer

Brats is a she. We actually did another trip which I loved. We started in Oslo, took the train to Stavanger. Stayed there for 2 nights (went on a fjord boat ride from Stavanger), took the ferry to Bergen - a really neat ferry ride. Stayed in Bergen 2 nights, went on the Norway in a Nutshell staying overnight on the fjord. Then the next day back to Oslo. Spent a few days in Oslo.

We did backtrack to Oslo from Bergen and we didn't mind the train ride. From Oslo we took the train to Copenhagen and Brussels.

Surfergirl

We were in Trondheim and took the night train to Oslo. We separated our suitcases for our journey to Bergen, leaving the bulk of our luggage at the Oslo train station, and taking with us only 2 days worth of clothing. We did the nutshell tour on route to Bergen, which had us arriving in Bergen around 8:30 p.m. I recall it being about 12 hours journey in all from Oslo to Bergen, with the drop down to travel by boat on the fjord. After two days in Bergen, we took the "fast" (straight route) by train back to Oslo (various train mishaps caused substantial delays). I think it should have been a 7 or 8 hour trip and it was much longer. Then 3 or 4 days in Oslo, way too short imo, before taking a night ferry from Oslo to Copenhagen.

Excellent trip, really, and we did this with our son, who was 13 at the time!