Did you know that the sounds, smells and sights of spring produce serotonin in the brain. It creates a unique kind of happiness. We call it SPRINGFULNESS.
When Fjord Norway is bright and full of life, you get a special feeling of happiness. The fruit trees are in flower, people can enjoy a beer in an outdoor bar and great experiences in nature. Scientists have now found out where this feeling comes from.
We call it springfulness, and it is created when our brains are filled with hormones in step with the growing light of spring. Endorphins, serotonin, tryptophan and dopamine have been proven to increase in our bloodstreams when Fjord Norway is bathed in the bright warm shades of spring.
Since spring in Fjord Norway starts early and lasts for a long time, and because the weather can swing from one extreme to the next, this strong sense of joy is particularly strong here. From early February, perhaps even mid-January, Fjord Norway’s fields are ready to be ploughed, before anywhere else in Norway. A long joyous spring then follows, and a long list of fantastic experiences awaits you across Fjord Norway.
“When spring comes to Fjord Norway, there’s an explosion of light, smells, colours and our brain loves it.”
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When the snow melts in Fjord Norway, billions of litres of water cascade down the mountains to the fjords. The countless waterfalls are never bigger than in May and June. Standing in front of one of these waterfalls in spate gives you a real rush. Check out our customised waterfall safari, a carefully planned route that starts and ends in Bergen and takes you to some of the most spectacular waterfalls in Norway. Experience the majestic Hardangerfjord, and two of Norway’s most famous waterfalls – with Fjord Tours.
Spring is definitely the best season of all for adrenaline-filled activities like rafting, waterfall abseiling or glacier walks in Fjord Norway. Since many people have yet to discover how great Fjord Norway is early in the season, the crowds at tourist attractions are smaller the longer it is to midsummer.
In Loen innermost in the fjord, you can take the Loen Skylift, one of the world’s steepest cable cars, which transports you in a mere five minutes up to the top of Mount Hoven, 1,011 metres above sea level. You can enjoy panoramic views to the south, east and west from Hoven Restaurant on the top.
Climbing one of the lofty Via Ferrata routes in Fjord Norway also makes for an unforgettable experience. Once the snow clears from the mountainsides in April or May, Romsdalsstigen Via Ferrata opens, which offers both half-day trips for people with no climbing experience and the more challenging Vestveggen west face. When you finally, after hours of climbing, reach the top of Nesaksla, your serotonin levels and springfulness will also have reached record highs.
Extreme sports town Voss is the top action destination in Fjord Norway. It is known for its blue crystal-clear rivers, and the melting snow in spring makes the waterfalls cascade in torrents. You can have a go at rafting, which is one of the most popular activities in Voss.
When the fruit trees are in bloom and the snow on the mountain peaks sparkles in the spring sunshine, a special creature appears in the fauna of Fjord Norway. This is the frisky skiing enthusiast, a serotonin-rich species that spreads quickly and is seen until May/June. Either on skis and snowshoes making their way to summits that can’t be reached in winter, and speeding down the mountainsides – which is known as ski touring. Or all smiles in light attire on cross-country skis across mountains and plateaus. When spring comes to an end, the frisky skiing enthusiast disappears and is replaced by the ordinary summer skiing tourist.
You can ski in spring and summer across Fjord Norway, which can now also be combined with sailing, surfing or cycling. Ideal for active people! But also a dream for those who want to explore more sides of Fjord Norway. The most popular skiing destinations in spring are Strandafjellet, Myrkdalen, Voss Ski- og tursenter and Folgefonna.
A stay at a historic hotel is above all a warm, personal, and welcoming experience. Enjoy the atmosphere in historic settings where the hosts' focus is on giving you the best possible stay.
Find out moreEveryone who has lived in one of the towns and cities along the coast such as Bergen, Ålesund and Stavanger knows that spring is more than just dandelions popping up and sitting in a T-shirt in an outdoor bar by the sea. Although that in itself is enough to increase the level of serotonin in our blood in this part of Norway, spring is more than just pleasure and euphoric hormones. A fjord cruise from Vågen in Stavanger to the Lysefjord is particularly lovely in spring. The Lysefjord then opens its treasure trove of hiking routes in the mountains, the fish are ready to bite in lakes and rivers, and the Pulpit Rock is much easier to get to as the snow melts.
The spring sunshine is also the cue for enjoying the many delights of the fjord and archipelago off Ålesund. Feeling the warmth of the sun from the end of April onwards is a real tonic. Nothing beats enjoying a beer in an outdoor bar by the sea surrounded by laughter in the sunshine.
The great local variation in climate and geography means that a lot of the roads in Fjord Norway are closed during winter. From Setesdal and Sirdal in the south to the Hardangervidda mountain plateau, the Sognefjellet, Jotunheimen and Romsdal mountains in the north of the region, the roads are marked by poles sticking up from the snow during winter. In late spring, the snowploughs use these poles to navigate and find the road many metres below.
As soon as these roads have been cleared and open, you can drive on bare asphalt between towering snowbanks while the sun streams in through your windscreen. Cycling between the walls of snow also makes for a magical experience, preferably dressed in shorts and a T-shirt in the spring sunshine.
Regardless of the mountains, fjords and waterfalls, spring in Fjord Norway is about the joy of life. Surrounded by flowers and trees, birds and fauna that awaken to life after the winter and show the true colours of Fjord Norway: A cacophony of life, flowers, colour and joy that can overcome the melancholy and brush away the worries of those lucky enough to be there.