The best time to travel to Norway are the summer months May to September . During this time it is warmer and brighter on average across the country. The Kingdom of Norway is located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe, near the Arctic Circle. The country enjoys worldwide fame because its location and climate mean that it can be light all day in midsummer and dark all day in winter. Norway consists in the west of an extensive coastal strip with several fjords along the Atlantic and the North Sea. Inland it is rather mountainous. The Scandinavian Mountains (Skanden) runs through the entire country and divides the climate into two zones: east and west. Therefore, the climate in the east is different from that on the west coast. Nevertheless, summer time is considered the best time to travel to Norway for the regions in both directions . The difference is that you have to expect different weather conditions in the east and in the west. Find out below what the climate is like in Norway’s east and west . Using climate tables for the capital Oslo in the east and Norway’s second largest city, Bergen in the west, I will show you what temperatures and what weather you can expect on your vacation and when you should best travel to Norway. First, I’ll show you a brief overview when is the best time to travel to Norway depending on places and preferences. One of Norway’s main attractions, for example, is the northern lights . Fall and winter are much better than summer to see them. Find out more about the best time to visit Norway below !
Best time to travel to Norway by location and preference
| Best travel time to Norway | |
| Oslo | May to September |
| Mountains | June to September |
| Bodø | June to September |
| Vardø | June to September |
| Northern lights | February to March & October |
| Winter sports | November to February |
Climate in Norway
According to sourcemakeup, there are two climatic zones in Norway that are influenced by the Scandinavian mountain range. There is a humid climate to the west of the Scandinavia . Here it is mild and humid all year round. East of the Scandinavia the climate is continental with warm summer months and cold winter months. On the west coast of Norway, the North Atlantic Current brings warm water from lower latitudes to the north. Therefore, the average temperatures are higher here than in the east of the country. As the climatic values of mountains show, the amount of precipitation in the west is much higher than, for example, in Oslo, east of the Scandinavia. In addition, the temperatures are milder with 19 degrees Celsius in the warmest months of July and August and 3 degrees Celsius in the coldest month of January. In the east of Norway, however, the daytime temperatures in the coldest month of January are -2 degrees Celsius. In summer, on the other hand, it gets warmer than in the west. Highs of around 22 degrees Celsius are reached in the warmest month of July.
Climate table for Oslo in eastern Norway
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Max. Temperature in ° C | -2 | -0.7 | 3.7 | 9.5 | 16.1 | 20 | 22.3 | 20.8 | 15.6 | 9.2 | 3.4 | 0.2 |
| Min. Temperature in ° C | -7.4 | -7.2 | -4.3 | 0.7 | 5.7 | 10 | 12.8 | 11.8 | 7.7 | 2.9 | -1 | -4.4 |
| Hours of sunshine per day | 1.3 | 2.7 | 4.1 | 5.9 | 7.1 | 8.3 | 7.9 | 7 | 4.8 | 2.8 | 1.7 | 1.1 |
| Water temperature in ° C | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 5 |
| Rainy days per month | 10 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
Climate table for Bergen in western Norway
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Max. Temperature in ° C | 3 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 5 |
| Min. Temperature in ° C | -1 | -1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
| Hours of sunshine per day | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Rainy days per month | 20 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 |
Norway at different times of the year – weather and activities
Summer, autumn or winter – a trip to Norway is worthwhile every month of the year. Find out why below! I’ll show you what weather you can expect in the different seasons and when you can best pursue which activities!
Summer in Norway as the best time to travel
In general, summer is considered the best time to travel to Norway . The reason: In the summer months the climate is warmest and the days are longer. If it is twilight to dark all day in winter, the sun doesn’t want to go down in May, June, July, August and September. From the early hours of the morning, around 3 a.m. until late in the evening, around 11 p.m. it is bright as day in the Norwegian summer. North of the Arctic Circle, it doesn’t get dark for 24 hours due to the midnight sun. Thanks to the blazing solar energy, nature is in full bloom in Norway’s summer. The climate is dry and warm with average temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius in Oslo and 19 degrees in Bergen. The humidity is low, so the weather conditions are perfect are given to visit the impressive landscape of Norway. The most popular months to travel to Norway are July and August . For this reason, holidays are the most expensive during this main travel season.
Autumn and winter are the best times to visit the Northern Lights in Norway
The northern lights in Scandinavia have always fascinated mankind. They are one of the most important attractions for Norway, Finland, Iceland and Co. You have good chances to see the Northern Lights in Norway, especially in the months of October, February and March . In the more northerly areas, the chances of seeing northern lights are also high in November, December and January. In October it is warmer than in the winter months. Here you still have the opportunity to experience autumn in Norway and see the northern lights at the same time . Occasionally it can even be as early as September there is a good chance of seeing the northern lights. Then it is completely dark for a few hours a day and the sky shows its magical side. It is important that you do not look for the northern lights anywhere in Norway, but specifically go to the area of the northern lights oval. You should also give the chance to see the Northern Lights several days. It can occasionally happen that the northern lights remain hidden and are not visible due to the gathering clouds in the sky.
Winter in Norway as the best travel time
If you want to experience an adventure like no other, you should fly to Norway in winter . Here you can experience how it is twilight to dark all day long. East of the Scandinavia, winters in Norway are dry and cold . The weather conditions are perfect for a winter sports holiday . Despite the twilight, you can ski north of the Arctic Circle at any time. The first snow after summer falls in some parts of Norway as early as the end of September. It is not uncommon for the ski season to extend into April. For active vacationers , these conditions represent a dream. The best travel time for a ski vacation is between November and February .
The months of May, June, July, August and September are considered the best time to travel to Norway . They represent the warmer and bright summer time. Depending on your preferences for your Norway vacation, however, a completely different season of the year can also be well suited for a trip. If you want to explore the country in all its diversity, the bright summer months are actually better because you get more to see then. The climate is mild to warm both in the east and in the west and the humidity is pleasant. If you want to visit the famous northern lights in Norway, the autumn months are October and partly September as well as the winter months February and March best suited for this. For a skiing holiday in Norway, it is best to travel to the Scandinavian country in the twilight winter. North of the Arctic Circle you can ski 24 hours a day until you are tired. You can find more inspiration and information about Norway in my travel magazine. I have linked a few related articles below. If you are in my magazine, then feel free to continue browsing the pages! You will make interesting discoveries about the best places in Norway!