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9 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Norway
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1. Norway is a Scandinavian Country

We Norwegians tend to believe that Norway is the center of the earth and everyone knows who we are. The truth is that Norway isn't as large as we want to believe and everyone doesn't even know that Norway even is a country.

Norway is a Scandinavian country with approximately 5.2 million people and has numerous times been named one of the best places to live and/or visit.

(For those who don't know: Scandinavia consists of Norway, Sweden and Denmark; 3 nordic countries located in Europe)

2. Polar Bears do not Walk in the Streets

A common misconception is that Polar Bears walk the streets in Norway. This is, fortunately, not the case. In fact, there are no wild Polar Bears on mainland Norway.

Norway is actually a really civilized country and you would be surprised to see how modern it is. We even have cars driving in the streets...!

Svalbard, however, is a Norwegian archipelago between mainland Norway and the North Pole where there are more Polar Bears than people. Still, it's rare that there are any incidents between the inhabitants and Polar Bears.

3. The Norwegian currency is NOK (Norwegian Krone)
The currency we use in Norway is the Norwegian Krone. So, if you're traveling with only Euro you won't come far. The Norwegian Krone was recently weakened which means that if you're traveling to Norway in the near future it will be cheaper than what it was only one year ago.

It should be mentioned that Norway is using less and less cash. You can mostly anything with a credit card, even taxis and hot dogs! That means that it's not a crisis if you forgot to bring cash.

4. Most Norwegians Speak English

Don't know Norwegian? No problem! The majority of Norwegians speaks English. Even though some are a bit shy to have a full conversation, they are able to understand most and to help you with any questions you might have.

So, don't be afraid of saying hi to a stranger!

5. Norway is a Safe Country to Visit

Norway is known to be one of the safest countries in the world. Crime rates are extremely low even in major cities such as Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, and Stavanger.

As with any other urban areas, you should take certain precautions but there's not much to be afraid of. Even walking alone during the night is relatively safe and the chances are small that you'll become the victim of a crime.

Most crimes in Norway are related to home and office burglaries. There are some groups of pickpocketers traveling around the most touristic areas during summer so keep an extra eye on your wallet when you're in a crowd (still, the possibilities of anything happening is low).

6. Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

There are 4 seasons in Norway: winter, spring, summer, and fall. Be sure to take this into consideration when you're planning to visit Norway. Some attractions are only open during a specific season and certain hikes are unreachable during winter. If your main purpose is to visit one specific location figure out what season is optimal for that.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the weather changes a lot between seasons. Make sure that you always bring enough clothes when traveling to Norway as it does get cold! Keeping an eye on the weather forecast is always a good idea.

7. Always Bring an Extra Layer of Clothes

The weather, as mentioned above, changes a lot between seasons in Norway so you always want to bring enough clothes. Most importantly, if you're planning to go on some hikes during your visit, you need to bring an extra layer of clothes. Even during summer, it's wise to bring a rain jacket and a fleece in your backpack in case the weather changes or the temperatures drop when you reach a higher altitude.

8. Wild camping is Allowed in Mostly all of Norway

Due to "Allemannsretten" (every man or woman's right of public access), you can pitch a tent wherever you want in Norway (unless anything else is stated at a specific area). The outdoors is very important for us Norwegians and we do our best to maintain the right of using the outdoors freely. So, make sure that you leave no traces behind and don't do any damage to nature.

There are also several campsites all over Norway that are cheap to stay at. At these sites, you often have the possibility to take a warm shower, clean your clothes and charge any batteries.

9. National Parks and Most Outdoor Locations are Free to Use

Also, due to "Allemannsretten", all public lands are free to access. This means that you don't have to pay an entrance fee for a national park and you're free to go mostly wherever you want.