The 18 Most Stunning Drives in Norway That Will Leave You Speechless!
Norway has 18 carefully selected scenic drives both in terms of nature/panorama and in terms of road construction itself, showcasing the country's best scenery. They have been designated National Tourist Routes. These routes are unique drives through the most spectacular countryside Norway has to offer.
These roads are part of the national road system and will take you through the most beautiful scenery in Norway, going through some of the wildest and most beautiful scenery. Ten of them are located in Western Norway. By car or motorbike, a tour of Norway's most attractive tourist roads will take you across fjords and to views of breath-taking scenery as you drive for miles and miles through unspoiled countryside. Discover modern architecture and experience inspiring fjord, mountain and coastal scenery by driving one of Norway's 18 National Tourist Routes.
Varanger National Tourist Route
Get a taste of the far north in this less travelled corner of Norway. Rich birdlife, history and long summer nights lit by the midnight sun all await. Varanger National Tourist Route is a 160-kilometre-long stretch of road between Varangerbotn and Hamningberg in the county of Finnmark in Arctic Norway.
Roads: Road 75/341
Length: 160km
Highest elevation: 123m asl
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: Hamningbergveien between Smelror and Hamningberg is closed during the winter.
Havøysund National Tourist Route
The road to Havøysund follows the ocean’s edge in wild and barren terrain towards the far north of Norway and its enticing Arctic light. Havøysund National Tourist Route is a 85-kilometre-long stretch of road between Kokelv and Havøysund in the county of Finnmark in Northern Norway.
Roads: Road 889
Length: 67km
Highest elevation: 233m asl
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: Open to traffic throughout the year. May be closed for short periods in winter when the weather is bad.
Senja National Tourist Route
Discover the striking scenery of the outer coast of the Island of Senja in Northern Norway, which reaches out into the mighty Norwegian Sea. Senja National Tourist Route is a 90-kilometre-long stretch of road between Gryllefjord and Botnhamn on the island Senja in the county of Troms in Northern Norway. In addition, the official route includes detours to Mefjordvær and Husøya, for an additional 12 kilometres of road.
Roads: Road 86/862
Length: 102km
Highest elevation: 287m asl
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: Open to traffic throughout the year. May be closed for short periods in winter when the weather is bad.
Andøya National Tourist Route
Enjoy a scenic drive on Vesterålen in Northern Norway. This coastal road on AndøyaIsland is characterised by the open sea and long, white beaches. Andøya National Tourist Route is a 58-kilometre-long stretch of road between Andenes and Bjørnskinn in the Vesterålen Archipelago in the county of Nordland in Northern Norway.
Roads: Road 974/976/82
Length: 58km
Highest elevation: 65m asl
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: Open to traffic throughout the year. May be closed for short periods in winter when the weather is bad.
Lofoten National Tourist Route
Discover the beauty of the LofotenIslands, anchored above the Arctic Circle, by driving from Raftsundet to Å - one of Norway's most scenic routes. The Lofoten National Tourist Route in the county of Nordland is a 230-kilometre-long stretch of road between the bridge across Raftsundet in the north of the islands and Å in the south. Svolvær and Leknes are the two urban centres in the area.
Roads: Euroroute 10, Road 807, Road 811, Road 825, Road 992, Road 994, Road 807
Length: 230km
Highest elevation: 59m asl
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: Open to traffic throughout the year. May be closed for short periods in winter when the weather is bad.
Helgeland Coast National Tourist Route
Experience the cultural heritage of Northern Norway and its many natural wonders, from the majestic Svartisen Glacier to the VegaIslands. Helgeland Coast National Tourist Route in the county of Nordland runs between Holm and Godøystraumen and is 433 kilometres long, including the detour to Torghatten which is also part of the route. The main urban centres are Brønnøysund and Sandnessjøen in the south, and Ørnes in the north.
Roads: Road 17, Road 76, Road 54
Length: 433km
Highest elevation: 346m asl
Ferries: 6
Winter notice: Open to traffic throughout the year. May be closed for short periods in winter when the weather is bad.
The Atlantic Road
Sharp turns and wild nature have put the Atlantic Road at the top of the British newspaper The Guardian's list of the world's best road trips. The Atlantic Road is a 8-kilometre long stretch of road between the towns of Kristiansund and Molde, the two main population centres in the county of Møre og Romsdal in Fjord Norway. The road starts approximately 30 kilometres southwest of Kristiansund and ends 47 kilometres north of Molde.
Roads: Roads 64/242/663/238/235
Length: 36km
Highest elevation: 30m asl
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: Open to traffic throughout the year. May be closed for short periods in winter when the weather is bad.
Geiranger - Trollstigen National Tourist Route
Experience the UNESCO-protected Geirangerfjord and the Trollstigen Mountain Road, two of Norway's most dramatic and most visited attractions. Geiranger - Trollstigen National Tourist Route is a 104-kilometre-long stretch of road between Lake Langvatnet on Strynefjell and the Sogge Bridge in Romsdal in Fjord Norway.
Roads: Road 63
Length: 104km
Highest elevation: 1.038m asl
Ferries: 1
Winter notice: From Langvatnet to Geiranger is usually closed in November and reopens in May. Trollstigen is usually closed in October and reopens in May.
Other: The maximum length is 13.1 metres
Rondane National Tourist Route
A peaceful drive on Fv27 between Sollia Church and Folldal is an excellent alternative to the main routes through Gudbrandsdalen and Østerdalen. Rondane National Tourist Route is a 75-kilometre-long stretch of road running from Muen and Sollia Church to Folldal in the county of Hedmark. The area is part of Scandinavia’s southernmost wilderness.
Roads: Road 27/219
Length: 75km
Highest elevation: 1.060m asl
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: Open to traffic throughout the year. May be closed for short periods in winter when the weather is bad.
The Old Strynefjell National Tourist Route
Completed in 1894, the Old Strynefjell mountain road was a masterpiece of road-building and engineering. Today it is a national tourist route. The Old Strynefjell Mountain Road (Gamle Strynefjellsveien) is a 27-kilometre long stretch of road between Videseter in the municipality of Stryn and Grotli in the municipality of Skjåk. Stryn (7,000 inhabitants) is the region centre in Nordfjord in the county of Sogn og Fjordane in Fjord Norway. Skjåk (2,300 inhabitants) is a small mountain village in the county of Oppland.
Roads: Road 258
Length: 27km
Highest elevation: 1.139m
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: It is normally closed in October and reopens in June.
Other: Vehicles that are more than 8 metres long and have an axle load of more than 8 tonnes will be banned from driving on Gamle Strynefjellsvegen from Grotli to the Sogn og Fjordane county boundary.
Sognefjellet National Tourist Route
High in the Jotunheimen mountains, the Sognefjellet Mountain Road runs between the Sognefjord and the Gudbrandsdalen Valley. The Sognefjellet National Tourist Route is the highest mountain pass in Northern Europe (highest point 1,434 metres above sea level). Along its 108 kilometres you will find more records: The Sognefjord, the second longest fjord in the world with its 204 kilometres. Mainland Norway's largest glacier,the Jostedalsbreen Glacier, and Galdhøpiggen, Norway's highest mountain. It has been awarded the status national tourist route because of the spectacular and wild mountain scenery it passes through. In January 2007, the British newspaper The Guardian named the Sognefjellet National Tourist Route one of the top 10 bike rides in the world. According to the paper "the high mountain road is enveloped in an icy beauty that is out of this world".
Roads: Road 55
Length: 108km
Highest elevation: 1.434m asl
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: From Liasanden to Turtagrø is normally closed in November and reopens in May.
Gaularfjellet National Tourist Route
The road over Gaularfjellet takes travellers past many waterfalls along the mighty Sognefjord, Norway's longest and deepest fjord. Gaularfjellet National Tourist Route is a 114-kilometre-long stretch of road between Balestrand in Sogn and Moskog and Sande in Sunnfjord in the county of Sogn og Fjordane in Fjord Norway.
Roads: Road 55/13/610
Length: 114km
Highest elevation: 784m asl
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: The road over Gaularfjellet is closed during winter from Mel to Mjell.
Aurlandsfjellet National Tourist Route
The road over Aurlandsfjellet is a journey across a barren plateau through a desolate landscape of snow and rocks with the occasional sprig of grass. Aurlandsfjellet National Tourist Route is a 49-kilometre-long stretch of road between Aurlandsvangen by the Aurlandsfjord and Lærdal by the Sognefjord in the county of Sogn og Fjordane in Fjord Norway.
Roads: Road 243
Length: 47km
Highest elevation: 1.306m
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: Closed over the mountain during the winter season between the Aurland/Lærdal municipal boundary and Nalfarbakkane above Aurlandsvangen.
Other: The maximum length is 12,4 metres
Valdresflye National Tourist Route
The road across Valdresflye provides endless vistas of rolling hills and steep mountains, including an excellent view of JotunheimenNational Park. Valdresflye National Tourist Route is a 49-kilometre-long stretch of road between Garli and Hindsæter, with a small scenic detour to Lake Gjende in the county of Oppland in Eastern Norway.
Roads: Road 51
Length: 49km
Highest elevation: 1.389m
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: Parts of the route are closed during the winter between Garli and Maurvangen but the stretch between Hindsæter and Gjendesheim is open.
Other: Keep an eye open for domestic reindeer
Hardangervidda National Tourist Route
Drive through Hardangervidda National Park in Eastern Norway and over Northern Europe's largest mountain plateau, where wild reindeer still roam free. Hardangervidda National Tourist Route is a 67-kilometre-long stretch of road between Eidfjord in the county of Hordaland in Fjord Norway and Haugastøl in the county of Buskerud in Eastern Norway.
Roads: Road 7
Length: 67km
Highest elevation: 1.250m
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: Open to traffic throughout the year. May be closed for short periods in winter when the weather is bad.
Hardanger National Tourist Route
Follow the scenic Hardangerfjord in Fjord Norway, where for over a century travellers have come to see mountains, fjords, waterfalls and glaciers. The Hardanger National Tourist Route is a 158-kilometre-long stretch of road east of Bergen, in the county of Hordaland in Fjord Norway. Norheimsund, Kinsarvik, Jondal, Granvin and Odda are the five regional centres in the area.
Roads: Road 7, Road 49, Road 550, Road 13
Length: 158km
Highest elevation: 275m asl
Ferries: 2
Winter notice: Open to traffic throughout the year. May be closed for short periods in winter when the weather is bad.
Other: Restrictions on the length of buses on County Road 550 between Alsaker and Herand and the maximum length is 12.4 metres.
Ryfylke National Tourist Route
In Ryfylke, Fjord Norway, green skerries and cultural landscapes are suddenly replaced by mountains, rockslides, polished cliffs and fjords. Ryfylke is a sheltered fjord region, located northeast of Stavanger and east ofHaugesund. Ryfylke National Tourist Route is a 260-kilometre-long stretch of road between Oanes by the Lysefjord to Hordalia in Røldal, in the county of Rogaland in Fjord Norway.
Roads: Road 520, Road 13
Length: 260km
Highest elevation: 972m asl
Ferries: 2
Winter notice: From Helandsbygd to Røldal is normally closed in the winter in November and reopens in June.
Other: Use of shorter buses is advisable.
Jæren National Tourist Route
Jæren offers open skies, wide horizons and endless ocean. Mile upon mile of sandy beaches and sand dunes, only broken by boulders and salmon rivers. Jæren National Tourist Route is a 41-kilometre-long stretch of road between Ogna and Bore in the county of Rogaland in Fjord Norway.
Roads: Road 44/507
Length: 41km
Highest elevation: 35m asl
Ferries: 0
Winter notice: Open to traffic throughout the year. May be closed for short periods in winter when the weather is bad.
More info: http://www.visitnorway.com/en/what-to-do/tours-safaris/tour-suggestions/follow-a-national-tourist-route/