Traces of our time

The National Tourist Routes are eighteen beautiful stretches of road through the best Norwegian nature has to offer. Courageous architecture at specially designed stops afford travel a new dimension. From the Arctic Sea in the North to the lush landscape of Jæren in the south. A trip along National Tourist Routes in Norway is a trip where landscape and road history meet the traces of our time.

Architecture with exciting shapes and startling solutions continue to appear along the National Tourist Routes. Exclusively designed picnic spots, lay-bys and parking areas. In quiet harmony or in sharp contrast to the landscapes and surroundings, the architecture contributes towards giving each stretch of road a special identity. The effort has already attracted domestic and international attention and recognition.

Beautiful, spectacular and varied natural surroundings are the cornerstone of the National Tourist Route attraction. With mountains, fjords, waterfalls and the coast in supporting roles. A trip that offers tourists world-class experiences of nature. The architecture is not intended to compete with nature, but to reinforce the experience of Norway outdoors.

The drive should exceed expectations. The actual drive and view from the car window, with breaks at specially designed picnic spots and lookout points, is a goal unto itself. The National Tourist Routes offer a quiet trip along by-roads, far from the hustle and bustle of the main roads.

Internationally renowned art will also find its place along the National Tourist Routes. World-renowned artist Louise Bourgeois’ and architect Peter Zumthor's witch monument in Vardø bears witness to inhumanity during the 1600s. Knut Wold's rock sculpture has become the symbol of the Sognefjell Tourist Route. Several other artists have also been hired.

Resonating history, the Tourist Routes meander through ages and epochs. In the interface between old cultural landscapes, modern art and architecture, the National Tourist Route attraction communicates new stories and traces of our times.

So far, six stretches are fully-fledged National Tourist Routes: Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, Hardanger, Sognefjellsvegen, Lofoten, Rondane and Helgelandskysten nord. Next year the Geiranger-Trollstigen Tourist Route will be opened. In 2012 all 18 will be signposted and marketed as National Tourist Routes. In 2015 they shall all be fully operational as Tourist Routes.

For more information; www.turistveg.no

Far to the north and furthest to the east in Norway, where the sky meets the sea, the road follows the coast towards the ice cold Barents Sea. The road along the Varanger peninsula begins among the sheltered birch forests and bogs of Varangerbotn and ends in a lunar landscape of jagged cliffs at the world’s end.

In the Arctic there is no space between the sea and the mountains. During the short summer Siberian heat can suddenly replace freezing sea fog and the days never end. Raging storms ravage the winter nights. Fishing, migrations and trade have made Varanger an Arctic melting pot of peoples and cultures. The proximity to Russia with the Pomor trade, Finnish immigration and Sami traditions are evident in contrasting expressions and an exciting cultural history.

In the 17th century, witches were being brought to trial all over Europe and Vardø was the part of Norway where most condemned witches were burned. A memorial will be built here by 2010 in which Louise Bourgeois’ art and Peter Zumthor’s architecture will convey the history of the 91 victims and their gruesome death.

The road along the outer coast of the island winds up and downhill through striking scenery and between fingers of mountain that reach out into the mighty Norwegian Sea.

The rich fishing in the sea provides the basis for existence. In the fjords there are characteristic examples of coastal culture with strong vitality. Small, dispersed fishing hamlets and villages claw onto thin strips of land between the mountains and the sea.

Here you will find the beautiful Husøya with a population of less than 250 and a five minute walk to anywhere.

Senja is hospitable all year round, in summer with its constant light, but also in winter with its short days and changeable weather. Just like the weather and the sea, the nature on the island is an exciting encounter. Senja and Andøya offer a more coastal alternative to the E6 and Hurtigruten. You can reach the island from the E6 via Finnsnes or by ferry from the north and south.

The road follows the seaward side of the island, beside the open sea and long, white beaches. The people here have been characterised by the rough Norwegian Sea. The fishing hamlets of Bleik and Nordmela reflect the interplay between people and the harshness of nature over the course of millennia. On Andøya there are traces of stone age human settlement.

Also on Andøya are some of Norway´s biggest marshes, where peat is cut. The island is also known for its cloudberries. From the flat expanse of bog and marshland, steep cliffs rise up more than 700 metres above the sea. In summer, the island is turned golden by the midnight sun.

Together with Senja, Andøya offers a more coastal alternative to the E6 and Hurtigruten. The island`s undisturbed location beside the open sea and the presence of the Gulf Stream make it possible to see both whales and seals. The bird rocks on Bleiksøya, where sea eagles circle above the puffins, and sea fishing trips offer other possibilities.

The road follows the Lofoten archipelago out into the Norwegian Sea, in a magnificent contrast of craggy peaks, white beaches and emerald green sea to Å at the end of the road. The tidal currents between the islands and the sea around them were the origins of Lofoten’s important fishery and its rich cultural traditions.

Along the inshore side of Lofoten are fishing hamlets with their characteristic rorbu cabins. Henningsvær and Nusfjord can be reached via some amazing side roads from the tourist route. These side roads to the seaward and northern side of the archipelago provide access to Eggum and other idyllic spots, bathed in the golden light of the midnight sun.

Every year the wonders of nature and the living coastal culture attract thousands of visitors, filling the brief weeks of summer in the rorbus, art galleries and seafood restaurants with life and sound. There are many opportunities for activities at sea and in the mountains, but Lofoten is also a place of peace and quiet. Winter is the time of the Lofoten fishery, for the skrei - the winter cod - that still means so much for settlement in Lofoten.

Getting around Lofoten by car or cycle is easy. From Bodø and Moskenes there are boats out to the island communities of Værøy and Røst, the last settlements before the open sea. The bird rocks south of Røst are the nesting site for millions of seabirds. Whales, seals and killer whales are also to be seen in the area and organised boat trips give you the chance to experience the bird cliffs and sea animals at close range.

Helgelandskysten Nord Tourist Route winds along coast and sea, mountain and glacier and crosses the Arctic Circle towards the midnight sun of summer and the-round-the clock darkness of winter. This route provides an alternative to the E6 to the west of the Svartisen glacier, with a magnificent view of ocean and islands.

Thanks to the Gulf Stream, Helgeland’s nature is rich and fertile. This north country coast is also home to many sagas and myths. The sea lanes along this coast were once the country’s main thoroughfare for north-south travel. People have lived here since the stone age, making a living from fishing and small farms.

The Svartisen glacier is easily seen from the road, a 350 square kilometre demonstration of frozen power. An arm of the glacier, Engabre, reaches down from 1,200 metres almost to the fjord itself.

Beyond the tourist route, more than 14,000 islands stretch out into the ocean, offering a wealth of activity and experience. There are car ferries and express boats to many of the largest islands.

Salstraumen, just north of the tourist route, is one of the world’s most powerful tidal currents and, together with three other tidal currents in the area, presents an eldorado for anglers.

The Southern Helgeland coast is a journey through a lush nature, with the ocean, sheltered bays and beaches on the seaward side of the road and mountains and peaks on the other. This coast is rich in tradition, legends and stories.

The Vega Islands are on Unesco’s World Heritage List. Over the last 1,500 years, generations of fishermen and farmers have sustained a living in this weatherbitten area with the eider duck as a vital source of livelihood.

The Seven Sisters north of Alstahaug and Torghatten south of Brønnøysund are well known natural attractions along this stretch of road. The Sisters are a range of seven mountains, all more than 1,000 metres above sea level. The 160 metre long hole through Torghatten mountain was created by the ice age. The path through the cave and up to the view out towards islands and sea is a rewarding walk.

The islands and skerries of the Helgeland coast have been made accessible to travellers by ferries and express boats. This stretch of coast is known as the thousand island realm and there are perhaps as many opportunities for activities and experiences there.

The famous Atlantic Road with its eight bridges winds like a sea serpent through the forceful ocean, over islets scoured smooth by the elements, from Kårvåg on Averøya to Vevang on the mainland. Wind and weather make for a great variety of experience, from howling storms sending breakers crashing over the road to a calm and peaceful sea.

The road was acclaimed as the construction of the twentieth century. The British newspaper ”The Guardian” has called this the finest tourist road in the world.

The tourist route also includes the road onward to Bud, through the landscape of fishermen and farmers along Hustadvika. The road and the landscape offer wonderful cycling and walking opportunities.

The ”road in the sea” offers many spots for angling. The area is also rich in seabirds and seals. Out here by the open sea, nature’s challenges include wind and wave surfing, diving in the ships’ graveyard of Hustadvika and other exciting prospects.

Geiranger - Trollstigen is a road through west Norwegian nature at its most powerful, with a dizzying view of sheer mountainsides, deep fjords and fertile valleys. Since the childhood of tourism, Geiranger and Trollstigen have been visited by tourists from all over the world.

The road called Trollstigen has been a magnet for tourists since opening in 1936. Being able to drive up this steep mountainsides is thanks to the skills of engineers and road builders. In Geiranger, Ørnevegen and the road to Dalsnibba offer some elevating drives to unique viewpoints. At the top of Trollstigen, bold new architecture will leave a mark of our own times in the building of viewing ramps spanning thin air above the road. Elsewhere on the tourist route, Gudbrandsjuvet, Ørnesvingen and Flydalsjuvet are stopping points offering an exciting interplay between unique nature and creativ architecture.

Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord represent the fjord landscape of west Norway on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The ancient nature and the paths up to the area's high pastures and mountains bring peace to those who keep their feet on the ground.

Gamle Strynefjellsvegen is a piece of cultural heritage more than 100 years old. Between the mountain village of Skjåk and the fjord village of Stryn there were several ancient routes for the transport of people and essential goods. It was a strenuous and slow journey. In 1881 the decision to build a road between Grotli and Hjelle was made. Swedish navvies and local people from both sides of the mountains took part in the hard work of construction. In 1894 the road was ready for use, a masterpiece of road building and engineering.

In 1978 the old Strynefjellsvegen was replaced by a new 12-kilometre long road with three tunnels that remained open all year. However, it is still the old road that provides a view and perspective. Nature displays its contrasts along this stretch of road, with the rounded, glacier-scoured forms to the east and a steeper, more precipitous topography to the west.

Gamle Strynefjellsvegen is closed during winter and opens in June. Right up until the 1950s, snowploughing the road was manual labour. Two hundred men with spades dug their way through miles of several metre high snow banks, but that is history now. These days the snowploughs clear the road in a matter of days.

At Tystigen it is still possible to ski far into the summer. Otherwise, high summer and autumn is the time for walking in the mountains. The road is also excellent for cycling. 

The road makes its way between fjord and valley, over a high mountain pass between blue ice, jagged peaks and emerald green mountain lakes. At Fantesteinen, 1,434 metres above sea level, the road marks the highest mountain pass in northern Europe.

This mountain pass has long been an important trading route. From the coast and fjords in the west, salt and fish were carried across the mountains. Leather, butter and tar made their way in the opposite direction from the valleys to the east. In former times, travelling over these mountains was far from safe. The law didn’t reach up here and tradesmen and farmers would travel in groups as protection against robbers.

The road over the high mountains between the Sognefjord and Bøverdalen opened to motor vehicles in 1938. The pass is closed in winter, but is snowploughed ready for opening around 1 May. Driving the newly opened road, between banks of snow up to ten metres high, is a wonderful experience.

The rest area at Mefjellet is in the form of an amphitheatre of natural stone, with a panoramic view across mountain and moorland where Knut Wold’s stone sculpture stands commandingly. The glass map at Nedre Oscarshaug helps identify the Hurrungane, Skagastølstindane and other mountains.

Sognefjell provides access to the Jotunheimen National Park, which contains 27 of Norway’s highest peaks, with Galdhøpiggen the highest. A detour from Gaupne will take you into Jostedalsbreen National Park and Norway’s largest glacier, at almost 500 square kilometres.

The road over Gaularfjell takes the traveller into Fosseheimen from the mighty Sognefjord, which is the world’s longest and Norway’s deepest fjord. The protected Gaular waterway, with its many lively rapids and waterfalls and shining lakes, is like a row of pearls along the road. The drive is exciting and varied, along narrow fjords, on twisting roads up steep mountainsides, over high mountains to sheltered valleys.

The route offers a peaceful alternative to the main roads between Sogn and Sunnfjord. Here children and adults can experience trout fishing at its best and wander on good paths beside waterfalls and rapids. It is also possible to rent a boat or take a walk in the mountains. In Balestrand there are museums and galleries and a wide selection of services.

The road over Aurlandsfjell is a journey across a barren plateau of desolate landscape of snow and rocks with the occasional sprig of grass. A thousand metres down inside the mountain, motorists are passing through the blue and green light of the three mountain halls of the Lærdal Tunnel, at 24.5 kilometres the worlds longest. Both roads connect the pulsating tourist villages of Aurland and Lærdal in the heart of Sogn. Together, they make up a round trip of contrasts and an experience of the mountain from both inside and outside.

Travelling from Lærdal, the view that opens up on the descent towards the dramatic fjord landscape in and around Aurland is astounding, with the award-winning Stegastein viewpoint as the pièce de résistance. Made of laminated timber and steel, this platform sticking 30 metres out into thin air, 600 metres above the fjord gives the landscape a whole new dimension.

The old buildings at Lærdalsøyri, Flåmsbanen, Aurlandsdalen and Nærøyfjord, which like Geirangerfjord is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, are all attractions in the area that are well worth a visit. The salmon centre in Lærdal offers cultural history and a taste of salmon.

The landscape along the Hardanger National Tourist Route is for many the very essence of the national romantic nature of the west country, where the lush green, the waterfalls, the mountains and the glaciers have been attracting tourists for more than a hundred years. Hardanger is also home to a very rich arts and handicraft tradition, where boat building and textiles are at the forefront.

The people of Hardanger have grown fruit since the 1300s. The special soil by the fjords gives the fruit a particularly fresh, crisp taste. During the season you can buy fruit at small roadside stalls and eat your fill of apples, pears, plums and sweet cherries.

The drive alternates between the dramatic and the gentle: the moorland landscape, the steep mountainsides where the 145 metre Vøringsfossen and other thundering waterfalls show their muscles, the fjords, still as a mirror, with peaceful harmony and space for contemplation.

The area also offers many opportunities for walking, fishing and bathing. The Hardanger National Tourist Route includes the Steinsdalsfossen – Halne and Jondal – Utne stretches, as well as the future Tourist Route section from Tyssedal to Kinsarvik.

Ryfylke offers the traveller a varied, beautiful and fertile landscape, where green idyllic skerries and well-kept cultural landscapes are suddenly replaced by rockslides, polished cliffs, mountains and fjords.

Along the way you pass villages, towns and cultural attractions like old industrial buildings and the abandoned 19th century zinc mines at Allmannajuvet. The smelting plants of the town of Sauda, deep in the mountains and waterfalls of Ryfylke, offer a good starting point for a trip through Norwegian industrial history.

A network of paths with modern architecture has been established beside Svandalsfossen waterfall. Ropeid ferry quay now has a waiting room of daring design and work started in Allmanajuvet in 2009 on building an attraction of high international quality and design. A detour south from the road brings the traveller to Preikestolhytta, from which a prepared path goes up to the famous Pulpit Rock, with its magnificent but dizzying view over Lysefjord.

Jæren with open skies, wide horizons and endless ocean. Constantly changing weather and light. Mile upon mile of sandy beaches and sand dunes, only broken by boulders and salmon rivers. This is Norway's food basket with intensive agriculture in a flat, vast and well-kept cultural landscape, in an area with a mild climate the year round.

The Jæren coast is open to the sea and has always been regarded as one of the most dangerous stretches of the entire Norwegian coastline. Work on constructing lighthouses began in the mid 19th century. The aim was to lead North Sea shipping safely along the Jæren coast in bad weather, darkness and fog. Over the years a number of new lighthouses were built, with the Kvassheim Light, completed in 1912, the last of them.

Side roads down to the Kvassheim Light and other cultural heritage sites, boulders and sand dunes give an exciting glimpse of ocean and history. Jæren's thousand square kilometres or more represent the biggest lowland area in Norway and the long sandy beaches towards journey's end can offer the motorist some relaxation.

The road across Valdresflye provides endless vistas as it hovers free and light above the mountain plateau, with excellent views towards Jotunheimen National Park. The road’s highest point is 1,389 metres above sea level. The journey also passes through an old cultivated landscape with summer farms in the mountain pastures and traditional tourist attractions.

The area around Gjende is an important gateway to Jotunheimen. The lodge at Gjendesheim is the point of departure for the Norwegian Trekking Association’s largest network of paths. Outdoor enthusiasts young and old can put in their walking boots and enjoy the clear lakes, stony screes and pleasant paths, with challenging peaks offering a tempting goal. Balancing along Besseggen ridge and Bukkelegeret, you follow in the footsteps of Peer Gynt.

The areas on the way to Valdresflye - Heidal, Sjodalen and Valdres - offer a traditional and well-kept cultural landscape. Rafting on the Sjoa waterway really gets your adrenaline going.

The Rondane National Tourist Route follows the border between the Rondane massif and a well-preserved cultural landscape. Rondane’s mighty mountain massif lies as a backdrop along the route, changing with the weather and seasons, but always rewarding us when we stop and wonder.

From the lookout point at Sohlbergplassen, you can see Rondane as the painter Harald Sohlberg portrayed it in "Winter Night in the Mountains". What these mountains meant to the artist cannot be understated. "This one painting would have been enough to make me satisfied with my entire lifes work" wrote Sohlberg in his diary in 1914. The original hangs in the National Gallery in Oslo.

Rondane National Park was established in 1962 as Norway’s first national park. Rondane displays unmistakeable and characteristic traces from the ice age. A dry climate and firm terrain make the area well suited for mountain hiking and summit tours, with many marked paths and tourist cabins. One of Norway’s last remaining wild reindeer herds inhabits Rondane.

The area has a rich cultural history. The old buildings at Folldal mines, dating from the mid 18th century, show the life and the class distinctions of the old time mining community. At Strømbu, Henrik Ibsen’s Peer Gynt met the invisible serpent. Today Strømbu is a rest area of modern architecture and a popular starting point for mountain walks in Rondane.