Norway is a wildly beautiful country of snow-capped mountains and deep glacier-carved fjords. The astounding scenery of the southwestern fjordland is the main drawcard for tourists, but there are many incentives to visit this sparsely inhabited country. The Kingdom of Norway is a Nordic country on the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, bordering Sweden , Finland and Russia , with territorial waters bordering Danish and British waters. It has a very elongated form and has an extensive coastline along the North Atlantic Ocean, where Norway 's famous fjords are found. Almost 22,000 kilometers of dramatic coastline, glacial melting waters plunging down cliffs into fjords more than 100 kilometers long, tens of thousands of islands and skerries, and none of it is off limits. If the outdoors is where you feel comfortable, and if you would rather not stand in line to look at nature, welcome to Norway !

Most tourists visit in summer, when the days are long, or even never-ending as the midnight sun appears in much of the northern parts of the country. Popular destinations such as boating towns in the South, the big fjords on the West Coast, and the Lofoten islands in the North see their fair share of tourists, especially in June, July and August, but crowds are never much of a problem. In the winter months, travelers can enjoy winter-sports in the mountains across most of the country. Norway 's reputation as a pricey destination stems from high prices on dining and other tourist necessities. However, with some planning it is quite possible to experience this country on a budget.

'The Land of the Midnight Sun', with its long summer days, is not only for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, but offers a rich cultural heritage from the Vikings, the traditional nomadic Sami people of the remote northern regions, and world-renowned artists such as Edvard Munch. Principle cities of interest are Oslo , the prettily sited capital; the historic trading port of Bergen , situated on the fjords and gateway to the Fjordlands; and hilly Tromsø within the Arctic Circle , the centre of the Northern Lights activity. They are pleasant, low-key cities that offer a good range of museums, historical sights and unique architecture.