When to go · Norway
Norway in December
Good month. Christmas markets in Oslo and Bergen; polar night and auroras in the north; closures 24–26 Dec.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Good
- Crowds
- Medium
- Norway
- Prices
- Medium
- Norway
Verdict
Christmas markets in Oslo and Bergen; polar night and auroras in the north; closures 24–26 Dec.
Weather in December
- Oslo and the east · Oslo, Lillehammer, Røros, Jotunheimencool
Continental: snowy winters of −5 to −10 °C inland, warm summers of 20–25 °C. Ski season December–April.
- Fjord coast · Bergen, Stavanger, Flåm, Geiranger, Ålesundrainy
Mild and very wet: Bergen averages rain on more than 200 days. Mountain roads (Trollstigen, Aurlandsfjellet, Sognefjellet) open late May–June and close in October — check.
- Arctic north · Tromsø, Lofoten, Senja, Alta, North Capecool
Warmer than its latitude thanks to the Gulf Stream. Polar night in Tromsø about 27 Nov – 15 Jan, midnight sun about 20 May – 22 July; North Cape about 14 May – 29 July. Aurora season September–March.
- Svalbard · Longyearbyencool
High Arctic: polar night late October to mid-February (true darkness mid-Nov to end of Jan); midnight sun about 20 April – 23 August. Snowmobile season March–May.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Christmas big impact
24–26 Dec
Christmas Eve afternoon onwards everything closes; restaurants shut 24–25 Dec.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Norway
- Medium
- Prices · Norway
- Medium
What to pack
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast