8 Great Reasons to Experience Friluftsliv in Norway
What’s so good and not so great about living in Norway? Is this country best for traveling, hiking, or other activities? Have you ever heard of the Nordic lifestyle trend of “Friluftsliv”? This article will tell you about all these questions. Many people are asking if they should move to Norway. It is a decision that you can make only for you. However, we can guide you. This involves weighing up the positives and negatives, and how they’ll apply to you.
The weather (neutral)
Depending on where you live, the weather in Norway may be quite extreme. Parts of the country are cold in the winter with heavy snowfall, especially northern towns as well as cities and inland. Even in the summer duration, temperatures exceed 20 degrees in a few places such as Tromsø and Bodø. Rain is common in the west, particularly in Bergen, Haugesund, and Stavanger. The rain on the west coast can be relentless, or it can rain much non-stop for days on end, In autumn and winter. However, one bonus of living in this part is of Norway is that temperatures are mild all year round, compared to other places in the country. Oslo is likely the most diverse in terms of its weather variation. During the summer months, it isn’t uncommon to see temperatures in the upper 20s or sometimes hitting 30C. In the winter months, the city may be a cold place to live, frequently with heavy snowfall. During this time, the authorities do a very job of keeping the roads clear as well as the city functioning as normal.
The outdoor environment (positive)
One favorite thing about living in Norway is the outdoors. The country is fresh and easily accessible for hiking in the summer months or winter sports in the dark months. The fjord landscape is perfect and there’s something new to explore. Even if you live in one of the major cities, nature is within touching distance. As a keen runner, Norway is the best place to live. There are various routes that can give you a workout while at the same time let you enjoy the wild outdoors. You will feel that this country has some type of magnetism that seems to draw people outdoors. A favorite thing you can do in the summer is to visit Stavanger and take a swim in the fjords. The water is so clean or inviting and you can find a quiet place to relax in serene surroundings. People say that the outdoors, combined with the summer days is the finest time of the year. Most Norwegians are happy at this time of the year. You will feel lucky in Oslo in the summers.
Friluftsliv
Friluftsliv is a Norwegian livestyle that mainly means to live close to nature, to have the ability to develop with the natural work and to work together with nature and to enjoy the experience of living in nature. Especially in pandemic times we face at the time of writing this article there are advantages to be considered. There is an excellent article on this topic in the National Geographic (“What is ‘friluftsliv’? How an idea of outdoor living could help us this winter”).
A New Lifestyle as well as a fine Taste for the World
Traveling is a passion for Norwegians. During vacations, mostly it’s famous to travel to European cities, but today the popularity of journeys, as well as trips to Asia, are increasing, particularly among young people. Norway can provide a wide range of restaurants, with a good variety of cuisines. There they have each type of national food culture. The cuisine of Norway got its status from Maeemo in Oslo to Lysverket in Bergen. In Norway seafood delicacies are acknowledged as local ingredients, therefore local cuisine is frequently described as Neo-Nordic. and even Neo-fjordic. Moreover, Norwegians are called coffee lovers. Still, it’s worth noting, that for Norwegians the meaning of coffee drinking is different than for some of the Europeans. In Norway, if somebody invites you for a cup of coffee, it has a meaning of letting us sit down and talk over coffee. Coffee drinking means time for colleagues, family, and friends. Before, the quality of the coffee was not so essential as it’s now, and Oslo became one of the great specialty coffee cities in the world. Therefore, it’s the best destination for coffee lovers.
The scenery is beautiful
Whether you’re driving and taking a rail trip, the stunning scenery which stretches for miles, as well as miles, is breathtaking. You have everything from majestic mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, and green hillsides not to mention the perfect fjords. The Oslo to Bergen rail trip takes seven hours but for some of the time, you’ll be admiring the marvelous scenery. Driving on the national tourist routes will provide you with several memorable moments. Getting off the beaten track is so simple.
You can camp anywhere
Norway has a law known as allemannsrett which gives you the right to put up a tent anywhere you like in Norway. There are most exceptions, like private property and a national park! Now, if you’re into hiking or camping, this makes Norway a paradise. It makes things cheaper as hostels or hotels can be expensive.
Norway isn’t overcrowded
The population of Norway is five million. This works out at 14 people per square kilometer which means lots of space for everyone. Compare that with Macau with 20,500 as well as Hong Kong with 6,480 per square kilometer to put things into perspective.
Enjoy pleasant urban surroundings
If you live in Oslo, you’ll notice some skyscrapers or shopping malls. There’s a magnificent opera home and the new Munch Museum will open in 2018.
Visit Oslo
If you can visit Oslo which is the capital of Norway, then you’ll enjoy the exciting mixture of modern and historic furniture. Norway is undeniably one of some lovely places on this planet. It has a fascinating history, rich culture, stunning cities, and perfect people. It has a high standard of living with higher levels of human development. If you visit Oslo, you’ll enjoy the exciting modern urban hustle or bustle.
Local Culture, Etiquette, and Customs
Norway has an egalitarian culture in which Jante Law is a pillar. As per Jante Law, values of humility, respect, simplicity, or equality are a priority. Norwegian people are not vocal about their achievements or successes and are unimpressed by those people who show off about these things. People are valued for their goodness, honesty, and respect without any requirement to judge others on their professional standing. It is different from British culture, whereby a person’s professional role is frequently used to determine opinions and make judgments.
For further reading, we recommend the following excellent books. You can click on them to check the actual price at amazon.
These are all excellent travel guides for Norway:
A comprehensive description of Friluftsliv (by Sofie Bakken):
