Thanks to its sparsely populated mountainous landscape, and breathtaking fjorded coastline, Norway remains one of the great natural wonders of the world. Sculpted by the glaciers of the Ice Age, it is a fascinating mixture of modern civilisation and untamed wilderness.
Whatever the season, you will gather a stock of heart-warming memories to last forever - and you are sure to want to return to experience other seasons, as they cast their ever-changing light on this timeless world of natural beauty.
When planning the best time to take your coastal voyage it is important to consider the following :
Spring
As spring brings new flowers and raises the temperatures, the longer warmer days bring a softer landscape bursting with life and colour. On early spring departures you can enjoy the contrasts between spring landscapes in the south, and the north where winter is still reluctant to relinquish its grip.
Summer
Summer is the most popular time and a voyage to the Land of the Midnight Sun gives you maximum time to enjoy the spectacular scenery with 24 hours of daylight north of the Arctic Circle.
Especially in the South the temperatures can be quite hot, but even in the North you can enjoy long, warm summer evenings. The ships are busy and passenger numbers swelled by Norwegian students enjoying their summer vacation.
Land of the Midnight Sun
The Arctic Circle is an invisible line circling the earth at 66° 33' north. It is the southernmost point at which the Midnight Sun shines for 24 hours at least one day of the year, when the sun never rises or sets. This occurs at 23° 27' from the North pole due to the angle between the sun and the earth's orbits at the equator.
The Midnight Sun can be seen at different times on the route to and from the Arctic Circle from Mid May to late July. For the rest of Norway this also means extra daylight hours and long summer evenings.
North Cape................................................14 May - 29 July
Hammerfest..............................................16 May - 27 July
Tromsø.......................................................20 May - 27 July
Boda...........................................................04 June - 08 July
As you cross the circle you will see Hestmannen Island to the west; and the Svartisen Glacier and Melfjord to the east. The landmark of the circle is the specially built globe on Vikingen Island to the west.
Late Summer & Autumn
Autumn arrives early in Norway and from late August you can enjoy the changing colours of the landscape while still experiencing summer temperatures and fewer passengers.
Northern Lights
You are most likely to experience the Northern Lights during the winter months between November and February above the Arctic Circle. However, if conditions are favourable, you may be lucky enough to see the Northern Lights on departures in late September.
Known as the Aurora Borealis (dawn of the North), this natural phenomenon is caused by electrically charged solar particles entering the earth's atmosphere. This creates dramatic arcs across the sky with colours ranging from green and yellow to red and violet. The formations can arise suddenly, filling the sky with incredible speed. This "dance of lights" is linked to many local myths and legends.
Hours of Daylight
| Location | Oslo | Trondheim | Tromsø |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6h 3m | 4h 44m | - |
| February | 7h 58m | 7h 13m | 5h |
| March | 10h 30m | 10h 15m | 9h 36m |
| April | 13h 19m | 13h 32m | 14h 3m |
| May | 16h | 16h 43m | 18h 48m |
| June | 18h 17m | 19h 44m | 24h |
| July | 18h 41m | 20h 21m | 24h |
| August | 16h 49m | 17h 43m | 20h 52m |
| September | 14h 8m | 14h 29m | 15h 23m |
| October | 11h 28m | 11h 22m | 11h 7m |
| November | 8h 42m | 8h 8m | 6h 32m |
| December | 6h 30m | 5h 20m | - |
Average Temperatures (C°)
| Location | Oslo | Bergen | Trondheim | Tromsø |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -2.3 | 2.7 | -1.6 | -3.8 |
| February | -1.3 | 3.0 | -.07 | -3.1 |
| March | 2.4 | 4.9 | 2.1 | -1.0 |
| April | 7.3 | 8.0 | 5.7 | 1.7 |
| May | 14.0 | 12.9 | 10.5 | 6.1 |
| June | 17.6 | 15.1 | 13.2 | 11.0 |
| July | 19.9 | 16.6 | 15.3 | 13.7 |
| August | 18.7 | 16.3 | 14.9 | 12.5 |
| September | 13.7 | 13.3 | 11.3 | 8.4 |
| October | 8.1 | 9.8 | 6.7 | 3.3 |
| November | 2.3 | 5.8 | 1.8 | -1.0 |
| December | -1.4 | 3.3 | -1.1 | -3.0 |
Average temperatures over 24 hour period
