“For Christmas in Norway. How to make a trip to one of the most expensive countries economically
“For Christmas in Norway. How to make a trip to one of the most expensive countries economical? ” or “How to make a trip cheaply from Kyiv”.
Why can every reader ask himself this question at Christmas and not at New Year! ? If we are planning an economical trip, then it is better to choose the Orthodox Christmas period. Well, more on that later.
Winter in Norway. Winter brings a special atmosphere to Norwegian homes. In anticipation of the first snow, Norwegians put more firewood in the fireplace and put candles in the dark corners of the rooms. When soft, white snow covers the frozen ground in November, Norwegians take out their skis and sleds. Snow-covered fir trees and intertwining ski tracks on white snow fill the heart with joy, energy, and a thirst for new experiences. If in many parts of Europe winter is associated with slush and mud, then in Norway there is enough snow from November to April.
First, about the skis. "Norwegian, born with skis on his feet!
"- says a Norwegian proverb. It is interesting that in train cars and buses making domestic flights around the country there are special places for skis - according to the number of passenger seats. Oslo, like other cities in Norway, is empty in the winter on weekends: dads and moms with children, grandparents with little grandchildren get on skis and go away from the city. On Holmenkollen and in the hilly and wooded recreation area, north of Oslo, the snowy slopes are full of tens of thousands of skiers. The whole nation is on skis! No Norwegians in everyday life more common than skiing.
Norway is a real paradise for those who love skiing and snow. The cradle of skiing is the Morgedal area in Telemark, and Norwegians are rightfully considered natural skiers. Almost the entire country is dotted along and across with ski tracks, and many of them even have night lights installed.
On numerous ski slopes you will find a variety of slopes and ski jumps, as well as ski rental services. There are many other entertainments - dog sledding, sledding, sledding, snow scooters, kite flying and much more. Norwegians have been skiing for 4.000 years or more! No wonder they say that “Norwegians are born with skis on their feet : )
If you want to leave your skis for a while, then you will find a lot of interesting activities for yourself: fishing for king crab, spending the night in a magical igloo hotel, dog sledding and snow scootering. The northern coast of Norway is at the same latitude as Siberia, Greenland and Alaska, but compared to them, the Norwegian climate is much milder due to the Gulf Stream, and the average temperature in winter is about 0 degrees.
Oslo is the capital of Norway.
If you are not interested in skiing or you do not want to go far for skiing, then there are plenty of skis, slides, jumps and other things in the capital of Norway - Oslo.
Don't take a book with you when you travel. Is that a guide to Oslo and Norway. Forget books and magazines at home, you don't have to read in Oslo! In Oslo, you don’t have to do anything at all, except how to walk around the city and take pictures against the backdrop of the architectural fantasies of the ancient masters.
What you should really see in Oslo is the Arceshus Fortress, a medieval fortress and castle built around 1300. Arcechus Castle is especially striking. It has dungeons with small dark cells where medieval nobles were kept under lock and key; luxurious upper floors with spacious halls and rooms; a chapel containing the relics of Kings Hakon VII and Olaf V, which is still used for events involving kings.
During the Second World War, the Nazis used Arcechus as a prison and execution site, but now it is the site of the Norwegian Resistance Museum, which gives a vivid picture of the German occupation and the struggle of the Norwegians against it. Don't forget the Vigeland Park, Shady Tree Alleys. For a more detailed view of the Vigeland, visit the Vigeland Museum, which is located near the park. Other attractions include: the National Theatre, with a Rococo-style hall built a century ago specifically to play Ibsen's plays; The Munch Museum, which houses more than 5.000 paintings and drawings bequeathed to the city by various celebrities. Munch's most famous painting, The Scream, has been moved to the National Gallery, where it was taken for a short, unexpected holiday in 1994. A ten-minute ferry ride across the harbor will take you to Bigdoy.
On this peninsula you can see: amazing rides; the largest Norwegian open museum of national art; maritime museums with Viking ships found in excavations; Thor Heyerdahl's raft "Kon-Tiki"; restored wooden churches; a couple of good beaches. Public transport makes it easy to get to the Nordmarka, a "wild" place along the Oslo border crossed by hiking trails and ski tracks.
Rizor. It is the center of historic white houses built around a small fishing bay - one of the most picturesque villages in Norway. You can visit the nearby islands with an inexpensive water taxi. One of these islands - Stangholmen - is famous for its old lighthouse, which houses a restaurant and a bar.
Don't forget to visit Frogner Park in Oslo, which houses an amazing world of sculptures created by the famous Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland.
The centerpiece of this open-air museum is the monolithic column, which has become one of Oslo's most famous landmarks.
The most notable building on the embankment, and in Oslo, is the city hall building. It was built between 1933 and 1950. Looking at this gloomy brown brick building, it's hard to believe that beautiful, bright frescoes adorn its walls inside. The business center of Oslo occupied a modest space between the port and Karl Johansgate.
Of the sights, it is also worth noting: the Royal Palace, as well as over a hundred museums and art galleries in the capital. The most interesting of them are the Kon-Tiki Museum, the Vigeland Museum, the Viking Ship Museum, the Holmenkollen Ski Museum, the H. Ibsen and E. Munch Museums. Not far from Oslo in Drö bak is the Santa Claus House.
Norwegian cuisine. What is Norwegian Cuisine?
After all, even potatoes, which are considered a real Norwegian dish, were actually brought to Norway only 250 years ago. When a survey was conducted in Norway in 1994 regarding favorite dishes, it turned out that in all regions, kvitsoyballs (fish meatballs) ranked first, lefs came second, and the specialty of the Norwegian capital Oslo, lutefisk (dried cod soaked in lye). There is one long line in the history of Norwegian cuisine. It is closely connected with the gifts of nature: lake and sea fish, forest and mountain game, cereals, milk and meat. And despite the influence of "West and East", the cuisine has managed to maintain the dominance of traditional products and customs associated with their preparation. The Norwegian table is a wonderful sight: the food is served not "packed" in sauces and jellies, but in such a way that the natural taste of the products is emphasized as much as possible.
In addition, ONLY Norwegian-made products are sold in the country, with the exception, of course, of exotic fruits.
And now about the most important thing! How to make a trip to one of the most expensive countries economical? Those who follow the press and news, I think, are already aware that the first low-cost airline in Ukraine, WizzAir, opens flights to the capital of Norway, Oslo Torp Airport, from January 5 (it is worth noting that this airport is remote from the city, there are 2 airports in Oslo). Therefore, you can safely go to the celebration of Orthodox Christmas in Norway. Already on January 5, you can fly on the first flight from Kyiv to Oslo. The cost of a round-trip flight with all fees and taxes will cost you only 650 hryvnia! Yes Yes! If you don't believe me, check www. wizzair. com on the same site you can also book a ticket by paying for it with a credit card or bank transfer.
You can order a ticket through the call-center of the airline, but then the ticket will cost you 100 UAH more. Of course tickets for 650 UAH. not a large number, but if you hurry and buy a ticket in advance, you can catch it. Otherwise, a round-trip ticket will cost you about 1000 UAH, which is also not so expensive. Yes, indeed WizzAir has made a revolution in the Ukrainian aviation market.
Let's say we flew to Oslo. Where do we stay and how to deal with the currency? In the capital of Norway, as in any other corner of Norway, you can pay everywhere with a credit card, for a subway ticket, for a hot dog on the street, for a taxi, and finally for a toilet, if it is paid. Therefore, taking packs of dollars with you, which is customary for Ukrainian, Russian tourists, is not worth it.
There is no need to create a problem for yourself by running to banks, when in what currency you would not have opened a card, any transaction is easily converted from Norwegian krone to hryvnia, dollar, euro or Russian ruble. Everything is very simple. We figured out the finances, now where do we stay? I also recommend that you take care of this in advance and book a hotel via the Internet, pay for your stay at the hotel you will burn both upon arrival at the hotel or in advance via the Internet using a credit card. If you pay in advance, the hotel will give you a discount, but if you arrive at the place, you will pay the standard price. The choice of hotels in Oslo is huge. I recommend the chain of 4 and 5 star hotels Scandic or a similar chain of hotels Rica or any other hotel you like. The prices don't bite. On average, a double room per day will cost you from 60 to 110 euros. Depending on the location, the level of the hotel, and various New Year's discounts.
If you want to relax only in Oslo, then 3-4 days will be enough for you to see the sights, go skiing or snowboarding, taste Norwegian cuisine, and enjoy the Scandinavian nature. If you wish, then you can go further on your journey around Norway, plan your route, see the timetable and find out the prices on the Norwegian Railway website: http://www. nsb. no/
It's so easy and simple to plan your own trip. The question is why overpay a travel agency when you can easily and simply plan your own individual tour. And what about the visa you ask me? Yes, very easy! Do not be afraid of embassies, no one bites there! If everything is really fine with your documents, there can be no problems!
Fill out the questionnaire carefully without corrections, stick a photo, provide insurance, a certificate from the place of work, a certificate from the bank about a sufficient amount in the account (100 euros per day of stay) - this proves your ability to pay. And if you have already paid for a hotel and air travel, then this amount may be 2 times less. But do not forget to document this by showing printouts of the hotel's advance payment, providing a copy of the ticket (in our case, WizzAir online reservations). A detailed list of documents can be found on the website of the Norwegian Embassy in Ukraine: http://www. Norway. com. ua/ All these documents prove your real purpose of the trip. And you do not need to turn to outsiders for help, as you will only aggravate the situation. With all questions, you can contact an employee of the consular department of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Norway in Ukraine.
WELCOME TO SCANDINAVIA!
Author: Andrushchak Denis
