Weekend in Norway

I have already been to Norway. I visited my friends in February last year and I have fallen in love with the sights. BUT visiting this Nordic country in the summer makes you feel like you are in a completely different place.

The reasons to visit Norway are many, but there is no doubt the magnificent views are the main one. To me, it was another opportunity to see and spend some time with my close friends. They both are wanderlust explorers, which I am so thankful for. They introduced me to some lovely sights, which I am going to share within my next two posts.

AetConcept and I have prepared a ‘Destination Wedding’ post which we are to publish next week. She has such a great sense of places!

Hytte or fritidsbolig is definitely one of the most recognizable feature of the Nordic countries, especially the brown ones in this part of Scandinavia. In Norway, the Hytte is used as a shed or a cabin house/holiday house. Did you know according to the statistics about 50% of the population in Sweden and Norway has an access to hyttes? The holiday house can be found along the coasts and around the major cities, such as Kristiansand. Prices vary a lot depending on location. A modern seaside house near Stockholm or Oslo may cost 100 times as much as a simple cottage in the inner regions of northern Sweden and Norway!

In 2018 everyone can easily rent such hytte. I found quite a lot of them on AirBnb and Booking. I will definitely convince my friends and fiance to rent fritidsbolig for our upcoming trip to Kjerag this fall! The price of an average hytte in Kristiansand is 1,170 Kr for 1 night. Would you not love to experience Norway in a proper way?

Dress is from NA-KD – get a similar one HERE with – 20% with the code : carmelatte20 

Fishing in Norway* is a way to embrace the local lifestyle for sure. This is the way people from Kristiansand love to spend their weekends. Countless lakes and rivers and an extensive coastline means outstanding opportunities to catch a mackerel, a codfish or a crab. The fish meat as well as the sea food is very popular in Norway (did I actually have to add this sentence?) #fisheater.

There are several travel agencies, such as Pukka Travels, organising ‘fishing holidays’ every day. I think it is a great idea to join the group of professionals if you are not sure about the rules and permissions.

*Fishing permits or other licences are not required either for deep sea fishing or fishing from the shore (although you do need a license for freshwater fishing), provided that you follow a set of simple rules.

The North Sea and the numerous lakes are what makes me really envious of Aetconcept’s lifestyle. I was dreaming of living by the sea! How on Earth have I end up living in the city/in the mountains instead?

The city is located in the South, on the so-called Skagerrak. The temperatures hit even up to 30 degrees in the summer, which makes Kristiansand the warmest and the sunniest city in Norway. Although the North Sea is considered cold, there are many people enjoying their spare time on the beach. The ‘sand’ in the name of the city means… sand, as it was named after its sandy beaches! The majority of the Norwegian coastline is rather rocky, which makes Kristiansand a very attractive destination for a weekend gateaway for people from this part of the world.

There are also beautiful lakes in the area! My friends used to live in between the lake and the North Sea – quite a choice, isn’t it? The fjords are literally ‘just around the corner’ and the forests are so beautiful that it is hard to say ‘no’ to a little wander or a morning run.

I have fallen in love with Banaheia, a recreational area in…the middle of a city! It is a lake with some entertainment facitilies and the beaches. Very charming place indeed.

Do you consider exploring Norway by car? There is no other option if you ask me.

I landed in Torp and went to Oslo in order to explore the capital. I had a quick carmel latte but decided to leave sightseeing in Oslo for the fall, as the weather was simply perfect for exploring the beauty of Norwegian nature (25 degrees at 10am!).

If you think of renting something extraordinary, such as Mercedes G-Class, Sunndal Bilutleie is the only option.

Sunndal Bilutleie AS was established in 2002 and it is run by a passionate people. It is a private car rental company offering extraordinary cars. You can rent a luxurious Mercedes G-Class, Golf GTI, pick-up cars and even a van if you travel in a group.

• The price of a Mercedes G-Class is 3000, -Kr (around 300 €) for 1 day with a limit of 100km per day (4Kr for every 1km excess).
• You should also be considerate of the toll roads as there is quite a lot of them in Norway.
• The fees outside rush hours in Oslo are 40-50 Kr and 49-60 Kr during the rush hours (6:30-9:00 and 15:00-17:00).
• Every Sunndal Bilutleie case is equipped with an Auto-Pass (lower fees)
  
• The cost of 1l diesel is 15-16 Kr (around 1,9€).

Click HERE to rent it.

The price of a van rental is 1500, -Kr with a limit of 100km a day and 2250, -Kr without a limit. The cars are perfect for travelling in a group!

This particular car is registered for two passengers.

Kristiansand is a gateway to and from the continent, with ferry service to Denmark and a terminus of the railway line along the southern edge of South Norway. It is a small city with a population of 89 268. The main features of this charming town are its lovely architecture, wooden buildings and the second largest harbor in the country.I personally love the lively market square with the colorful flower ornaments and a large fountain. The coffee shops and restaurants are located on the broadwalk, which also remains the main part of the city. I also like the fact that Kristiansand is ‘walkable’ and you are probably able to see the main sights of the city without using your car.

For the next trip to Norway, we have planned to visit Kjerag, which is a worldfamus mountain in Lysefjord area. It’s where Kjeragbolten, the biggest and definitely the most famou rock stone in Norway, is clogged between two stone walls. Scarry! Read my bestie’s story about here trip to this magnificent place HERE.

Also – make sure to check on my winter post from Kristiansand HERE <3