Christmas in Norway is full of customs and magic.
In homes people gather around the warmth of the fireplace, while the smell of biscuits invades the rooms and snow covers the scenery outside the window.
The Norwegian Christmas holidays are called 'Jul' and the celebrations are very similar to our own.
Everything takes place in a magical setting, full of sounds and lights, and one has the impression of living inside a fairy tale. There are many places to visit at Christmas time, here are some of them.
Christmas in Oslo 
Christmas in Os lo officially opens on 29 November with the switching on of the lights in all the streets of the city and the big Christmas tree in the main square. However, the first decorations appear in the city centre already by mid-month.
Christmas markets are set up everywhere, in neighbourhoods and squares, attracting tourists and locals alike, and the one in Piazza Municipio is not to be missed.
Here, small wooden huts are set up in which you can find fine local handicrafts, jumpers, scarves and fine woollen hats, jewellery, bags, furnishings, decorations and sweets. One can also enjoy glogg, a typical local drink similar to mulled wine.
While visiting the markets and strolling through the streets of the city, one cannot miss a ride on the Ferris wheel or a skate on the ice rink.
Throughout December, open-air concerts by the city's Philharmonic Orchestra, Gosplel Choir and White Voices Choir on sweet Christmas melodies are also held in the streets of Oslo.
On the first two weekends of December, a beautiful Christmas market is also set up at the Norwegian Folklore Museum where you can participate in Christmas decoration workshops, as well as shop and enjoy local delicacies.
For Christmas dinner on the evening of the 24th, many restaurants offer delicious traditional Norwegian Christmas dishes.
Christmas in Lillehammer 
For those who love snowy landscapes to get into the Christmas mood, there is no better place than Lillehammer, a pretty town on the shores of Lake Mjosa.
Here, in the beautiful Maihaugen Open-Air Museum, you can step into the past and see how Christmas was celebrated in various eras. All the streets of the town are festively decorated and the local shops display luxury items and handicrafts for all tastes.
Don't miss a visit to the artists and craftsmen at the Fabrikken creative hub and a stop at the Lillehammer Art Museum.
For sports enthusiasts, it is worth mentioning that Lillehammer is one of Norway's most renowned ski resorts with exceptional cross-country skiing, downhill runs and floodlit slopes for cross-country skiing. There is also a hockey pitch and a bobsleigh run.
On Christmas Eve, hotels and restaurants also open their doors to guests with local culinary delicacies such as ribbie (roast pork belly with potatoes and sauerkraut), meatballs and gravy and the famous Pinnekjott (dried lamb chops steamed on birch branches).
Christmas in Tromsø 
Tromsø is officially Norway's Christmas City because of the magic that can be seen everywhere during this beautiful period.
The city itself is a small wonder where the spectacle of the Northern Lights and the Arctic wilderness come together, but it also has many attractions that make the Christmas period unique and special.
As early as mid-November, the streets are filled with lights and decorations that make Christmas shopping in the exclusive shops in the centre more atmospheric and enjoyable.
In the centre, the Christmas markets offer all kinds of merchandise and the numerous gastronomy stands allow visitors to enjoy typical dishes and sweets.
For those who love adventure, Tromsø is the perfect city. From here, you can take part in snowy excursions on reindeer sleighs or huskies and admire the spectacle of the Northern Lights.
Christmas in Bergen 
Bergen, the capital of the Norwegian fjords, is a jewel of a city that overlooks the icy waters of the Ocean, with a harsh, biting climate and constant twilight that leaves no room for sunshine.
The town becomes particularly beautiful and charming at Christmas, cloaked in a blanket of white that spreads across the narrow streets and climbs illuminated by the bright lights of the illuminations.
The magic of Christmas lends the town a unique and special charm. The small markets, with their illuminated wooden huts decorated with red garlands, start as early as 29 November with the Festival of Lights in the central square.
Berger is also home to the largest Gingerbread town, called the Pepperkakebyen.
This is a miniature reconstruction of a Christmas landscape with reproductions of the city's monuments, churches, trees and houses. If you visit Bergen, you cannot miss the Kode Art Museum and the famous aquarium.
Christmas Cruising the Fjords 
What could be nicer than a small, intense cruise on the Norwegian fjords at Christmas? Simply embark on one of the ships of the Norwegian fjords post Hurtigruten that sail along 2400 kilometres of coastline and visit no less than 34 ports (22 of which are beyond the Arctic Circle).
On each ship there are cabins equipped with every comfort and the panorama that the cruise offers is spectacular: among the snow-capped mountains one can witness directly from the water the phenomenon of the Northern Lights that seem to dance in the sky.
On Christmas Eve, the ships are docked in a harbour and in the late afternoon, in accordance with Norwegian tradition, a Christmas dinner is served on the ship with typical dishes from the places where you sail. In the evening, one can disembark in the docking town to attend Christmas services and festivities.
Norway
