Five reasons why 2024 will be a good time to visit Norway
Amazing cultural events in northern Norway, the weak krone making trips more affordable, new ways to get to Norway, and spectacular scenery like the Northern Lights mean you should consider a trip in 2024.
Norway remains a bucket-list destination for millions, and those who have had one eye on the country for a long time should consider next year a particularly advantageous time to visit the Scandinavian country.
Whether you like active adventure holidays, long scenic road trips, or trendy city breaks, Norway has something to appeal to everyone, and in 2024, those pull factors will only get stronger.
The weak Norwegian krone will make it cheaper to visit Norway
This year has seen the Norwegian krone struggle against pretty much every other major currency.
This means that even with inflation, many tourists actually get better value than before when visiting Norway due to the foreign exchange rate, making things quite a bit cheaper.
Currency analyst Dane Cekov from Nordea bank has previously told The Local that the krone’s fortunes next year hang in the balance.
The krone could continue to weaken but is mostly expected to strengthen. Despite the krone stabilizing, it isn’t likely to return to previous levels soon, meaning visitors to Norway will still enjoy a favourable exchange rate in 2024.
READ MORE: Will the weak Norwegian krone recover in 2024?
Bodø 2024
Bodø is the European Capital of Culture for 2024. It is the first time a city within the Arctic Circle has been selected for the honour.
The entire Nordland region will experience a massive celebration of culture next year as a result, with more than 1,000 different events planned. The festivities will be northern Norway’s largest-ever cultural project.
Arctic culture is at the forefront of the program, including a particular focus on the Sámi way of life and the vital relationship between the land and the sea in northern Norway.
The opening ceremony is being held on February 3rd. The 2024 European Capital of Culture could serve as a fantastic reason to discover a new region of Norway.
Northern Lights to be stronger than normal
The Northern Lights are famously elusive as the natural phenomena can be difficult to predict in the short term. In the long term, things become easier due to a solar cycle, which sees the solar activity that causes the lights to rise and fall over an 11-year period.
Norway will approach the peak of solar activity in 2024, according to Northern Lights experts.
Therefore, if you’ve always wanted to see the Northern Lights, 2024 could be your best opportunity for a decade.
Access to the Norwegian fjords may become more restricted in future years
From one bucket list sight to another, the Norwegian fjords peaked in popularity this year thanks to a record number of visitors.
New government regulations may mean that access to some of Norway’s most picturesque and scenic fjords may be heavily restricted and that cruise ships in the waters of fjords may be a thing of the past as soon as 2026.
Environmental legislation means that any cruise ships and ferries would need to be emission-free to sail in the UNESCO World Heritage fjords, the Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, from 2026.
Large parts of the Aurlandfjord are also considered part of the Nærøyfjord section of the world heritage site.
Thankfully, for some of those who won’t be able to make it in 2024 but don’t want to miss out, many smaller ferries and sightseeing boats can run on electric power to meet the requirements.
More ways to get to Norway
As the travel industry recovers after a turbulent few years, visitors to Norway can enjoy new ways to arrive in and out of the country – making their trips easier.
Norwegian Air has announced nine new routes from Oslo, Sandefjord and Sola to destinations in Spain, Switzerland, France, Italy, Poland, Turkey and Croatia.
Several new routes will also take flight from Tromsø to Berlin, Paris and Milan/Bergamo, making getting to a key travel hub for Northern Lights spotting much easier.
Norse Atlantic will also reopen several of its flights from Norway to the USA in May 2024 after announcing that they will be put on pause for winter.
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Norway remains a bucket-list destination for millions, and those who have had one eye on the country for a long time should consider next year a particularly advantageous time to visit the Scandinavian country.
Whether you like active adventure holidays, long scenic road trips, or trendy city breaks, Norway has something to appeal to everyone, and in 2024, those pull factors will only get stronger.
The weak Norwegian krone will make it cheaper to visit Norway
This year has seen the Norwegian krone struggle against pretty much every other major currency.
This means that even with inflation, many tourists actually get better value than before when visiting Norway due to the foreign exchange rate, making things quite a bit cheaper.
Currency analyst Dane Cekov from Nordea bank has previously told The Local that the krone’s fortunes next year hang in the balance.
The krone could continue to weaken but is mostly expected to strengthen. Despite the krone stabilizing, it isn’t likely to return to previous levels soon, meaning visitors to Norway will still enjoy a favourable exchange rate in 2024.
READ MORE: Will the weak Norwegian krone recover in 2024?
Bodø 2024
Bodø is the European Capital of Culture for 2024. It is the first time a city within the Arctic Circle has been selected for the honour.
The entire Nordland region will experience a massive celebration of culture next year as a result, with more than 1,000 different events planned. The festivities will be northern Norway’s largest-ever cultural project.
Arctic culture is at the forefront of the program, including a particular focus on the Sámi way of life and the vital relationship between the land and the sea in northern Norway.
The opening ceremony is being held on February 3rd. The 2024 European Capital of Culture could serve as a fantastic reason to discover a new region of Norway.
Northern Lights to be stronger than normal
The Northern Lights are famously elusive as the natural phenomena can be difficult to predict in the short term. In the long term, things become easier due to a solar cycle, which sees the solar activity that causes the lights to rise and fall over an 11-year period.
Norway will approach the peak of solar activity in 2024, according to Northern Lights experts.
Therefore, if you’ve always wanted to see the Northern Lights, 2024 could be your best opportunity for a decade.
Access to the Norwegian fjords may become more restricted in future years
From one bucket list sight to another, the Norwegian fjords peaked in popularity this year thanks to a record number of visitors.
New government regulations may mean that access to some of Norway’s most picturesque and scenic fjords may be heavily restricted and that cruise ships in the waters of fjords may be a thing of the past as soon as 2026.
Environmental legislation means that any cruise ships and ferries would need to be emission-free to sail in the UNESCO World Heritage fjords, the Geirangerfjord and Nærøyfjord, from 2026.
Large parts of the Aurlandfjord are also considered part of the Nærøyfjord section of the world heritage site.
Thankfully, for some of those who won’t be able to make it in 2024 but don’t want to miss out, many smaller ferries and sightseeing boats can run on electric power to meet the requirements.
More ways to get to Norway
As the travel industry recovers after a turbulent few years, visitors to Norway can enjoy new ways to arrive in and out of the country – making their trips easier.
Norwegian Air has announced nine new routes from Oslo, Sandefjord and Sola to destinations in Spain, Switzerland, France, Italy, Poland, Turkey and Croatia.
Several new routes will also take flight from Tromsø to Berlin, Paris and Milan/Bergamo, making getting to a key travel hub for Northern Lights spotting much easier.
Norse Atlantic will also reopen several of its flights from Norway to the USA in May 2024 after announcing that they will be put on pause for winter.
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