This is the tenth of a series which takes a look at the cultural differences you may experience when living in Norway.
Most Norwegians love going on holidays. After all, why not, when you get a minimum of 5 weeks vacation time and all that extra money in June, July and December (excess tax, vacation money and half-tax month) to spend?
According to Statistics Norway, Germans and Norwegians go on holiday most frequently, followed by the Dutch and Danish. Women have been found to travel more than men and Spain (Syden aka The South) is definitely the most popular destination abroad, followed by Denmark, Sweden and Greece.
Norwegians can travel at any time of the year however, the majority of them usually travel during the Easter week, public holidays in May, during the common holiday (fellesferie) in July, the autumn holidays and during the Christmas-New Year week (periods which coincide with the school holidays of children).
Norwegians love to explore and travel everywhere they can. No country is too far, no island too exotic. The favourite summer holiday destination of most Norwegians has to be Syden (The South). In the greater sense of the term, every other country south of Norway would be included but here, Syden includes Greece, Spain and Turkey (Correct me if I’m wrong but I posed this question to several Norwegians and got many different 
answers in return. Some claim that Syden refers only to Spain. What are your views on this?). Faraway places like Thailand, Indonesia and Maldives are also popular. Beach holidays are huge and it is really important to get some colour (a tan) when you are away on holiday. It’s like having to show proof that you have been to a place with better weather than Norway.
Besides beach holidays, Norwegians also love travelling to big cities like London, Paris,
Berlin, Prague, New York, etc etc. With everything being so expensive in Norway, Norwegians love the option of shopping and eating in other countries. In addition, there are a myriad of activities that can be carried out in other countries.
During the winter, some Norwegians travel to warmer climates while others go on skiing holidays. See our article on skiing – Where the Slopes Are and information on trip booking:The Price is Right.
At any time of the year, Norwegians also like spending time in their cabins (hytta). They can spend a weekend there or a full 2 weeks. These cabins have standards that span the entire spectrum of creature comforts – from cabins with no running water and an outhouse to cabins with the full works. It is a time of full relaxation or a time of many activities (fishing, hunting, skiing, boating, sailing, biking, hiking, swimming, etc) or a comfortable mix in-between. For a taste of cabin life, check out the Stavanger Turistforening (or your local turistforening) for information on cabin rental.
There is an increasing number of Norwegians who own holiday homes in other parts of the world like Spain, France, Turkey, Thailand, etc.
Other Norwegians love going on boat holidays, mountain trekking journeys or road trips (either in Norway or abroad). Cruises (along the coast of Norway or anywhere in the world) are also popular : Norwegian Cruise Line, Hurtigruten, as are rail holidays. Also, during the summer, there are many festivals going on in Norway as well as all around the world. Some Norwegians love attending these festivals.
So, where do Norwegians go to book their holidays?
Many of them book holidays on their own, through sites like FINN, Expedia, Reisefeber, Supersaver, while others go through travel bureaus like Apollo, Star Tours, etc. Some of these companies offer attractive packages where children travel for free! Check out your local newspapers for offers! Do share in the comments below of other companies and websites which you have used and liked.
All in all, most Norwegians are great travellers and they are generally happy to explore new cultures and places. Alot of Norwegians I’ve met on holiday are also friendly and fun to be with. Some may have a little too much to drink while they are on holiday, but considering how expensive alcohol is in Norway compared to other countries, who can blame them?
Disclaimer: I do not mean to offend anyone with this article and I do realise that everyone is different. The above is just general information and observations gathered from different sources. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
See entire Culture Shock Norway series here.
Related Articles
About Cynthia Myrnes
Cynthia is a Singaporean who has been living in Stavanger since Feb 2008 with her Norwegian husband. She works as a physiotherapist here and also owns her own petsitting service, Stavanger Petsitter, for the residents of Stavanger. In addition, she manages the Stavanger International Moms group. She loves hanging out with friends, spending time with animals, travelling and watersports such as scuba diving and wake boarding. Most of all, she is enjoying the experience of being a first time mom!
- Web |
- More Posts (169)
2 comments
Lani Cantor
Sep 21, 2010
You can find flight deals on norwegian.no (also check, SAS, Lufthansa, and KLM, the airlines that will get you away on holiday). I’ve sometimes had luck booking 2 separate round-trip tickets, for example round trip from SVG to London, and then round trip from London to the states. Its more hassle, but sometimes you can save a lot of money.
From SE FB Group
May 3, 2012
hi guys , anyone know of any good online booking sites for all inclusive holidays ? something for adults and kids ?
Answers:
- Ving, Star Tour and Apollo are pretty good. They offer all inclusive holidays and are specially well-catered for families with kids.
- Finn sometimes has good package holiday deals. Also try solfaktor.no aswell as the previous mentioned ones.
- ticket.notake a look at charters they have the all inclusive option!