3 Best Sights in Central Norway, Norway

About 60,000 people walk the Besseggen Ridge every year, making this one of Norway’s most popular day hikes. In Jotunheimen National Park, the mountain ridge is between Gjende and Bessvatnet, two clear alpine lakes, and the trail offers beautiful views of the landscape. The best time to visit is when the Gjendebåten boat is running from early June to early October. Park at Reinsvangen where the shuttle bus takes you to Gjendeosen and the Gjendebåten boat.

The highest mountain in Norway, Galdhøpiggen is a 2,469-meter (8,100-feet) behemoth that you can hike round-trip in just five to seven hours. The popular 5-km (3-mile) trail starts from Juvasshytta, already 1,850 meters (6,069 feet) above sea level. Guided hikes depart daily in the summer from Juvasshytta.

Europe’s largest open-air museum, Maihaugen was founded in 1887 by Anders Sandvig, an itinerant dentist who accepted odds and ends—and eventually entire buildings—from the people of Gudbrandsdalen in exchange for his services. Eventually he turned the collection over to the city of Lillehammer, which provided land for the museum. The exhibit “We Won the Land” is an inventive meander through Norway’s history. During high season craftspeople show off their skills, and there's a popular Christmas market at the end of the year.