Norway in a Nutshell - when?
 

I'm thinking of doing this train/bus/boat trip from Oslo to Bergen and through the fjords some time next year, but I can't decide when would be the best time of year to go. I guess the mountain scenery might be at its best in winter or spring, but of course the weather will be better in summer.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks a lot,
Flicka

To be honest, you don't go to Norway to suntan, but for the scenery...go in the late Spring/early June.

Visit Norway in summer! May to august is the best time. The weather is comfortable..not too hot, not too cold. You will have a great experience seeing the mountains, fjords and cities. Also the norwegians "come out" in summer. The nightlife is better...and you can enjoy parklife in Oslo which is great. Bring a picnic basket and some wine or cold beer and do as the locals do...relax in the park. I recommend Frognerparken...it's the best place in all of Oslo during summer!

Certainly go in the summer and remember to take an umbrella as Bergen has few days without some rain. Norway is beautiful.

End of spring, beginning of summer (May-July). Temperatures are moderate to sometimes high in the summer. All the (moutain)roads are open. There is still a fair amount of snow up on the fjords and mountains (very pretty for the pictures!). But because of the melting of the snow, the waterfalls etc are very 'full' (even prettier for the pcitures).

Have been there in 2005 at the end of June/starting of July. Temperatures mostly in their mid-seventies. Only real rain in......Bergen.....

The coach part of the trip is closed in winter - and it would be a shame to miss it as you get spectacular views all along the snaking mountain roads as you climb higher and higher.

I caught Bergen on a sunny day--actually considered going to the beach. I vote for July. You could check www.weather.com and find out the averages for June, July and August and go the month there is less precipitation. I wouldn't go in May because the water hasn't had a chance to warm up.

Thank you very much for all the replies. It's nice to get a more or less unanimous answer! I think I'll start planning for June 2008....

Flicka

<i>but of course the weather will be better in summer</i>
Will it? Rainfall in Bergen is lowest in May then increases throughout the summer. March is actually drier than June, July and August.

<i>Bergen has few days without some rain</i>
In May and June only about half the days in the month are wet (0.25mm or more). In six trips we've only experienced one really wet day, when it <u>did</u> rain.

<i>The coach part of the trip is closed in winter</i>
The bus runs Voss/Gudvangen throughout the year, in the winter it goes main road and not via Stalheim.

<i>I wouldn't go in May because the water hasn't had a chance to warm up</i>
What's water temperature got to do with Norway in a Nutshell.

Overall best bet? May. Lowest rainfall, good day length, not too busy.

We will be in Amsterdam April 13 and trying to find another country to visit for 9 days. Airfare is reasonable to Olso or Copenhagen.

Is it still late winter weather and road condtions not good on some of the drives I've read about on the Norway board? Haven't decided on bus or rent a car yet.

I guess I'm really asking is it just too cold at that time of the year and maybe we should head south to Spain but we've been there.

I found European Rail &amp; Fjord Tours and there is a package with each one that runs all year. Are these the same trip but European Rail is a broker and Fjord Tours the operator?

May/ june is good. Reason is simple: The Nutshell tour includes som spectacular waterfalls: Where are the water comming from? Yes! Glaciers and lots og snow melting from high mountains - making those waterfalls.