Travel to Norway

Norway, the land of midnight sun always been one of the most fascinating regions on earth that magnetically attracts millions of people to visit Norway every year due to its natural and charismatic appeal. It only takes a quick glance on the map of the Noway to know what are the main attractions of the place. Norway is a place which is breathtakingly beautiful. Nothing can prepare you for the very first moment when you see the overwhelming views of the Norway Locations.

Norwagians call their country "Norge" which means the way to north. A fantastic place to experience the midnight sun is Nothern Norway. The place lies above the arctic circle. It is a noted fact that in Northern Norway between June and July, the sun never disappears from the sky, shines all night long. Days are endless during this time span due to this exceptional natural phenomena. But there would be no daylight from 15 to 29 december. Norway is a brilliant place to found mountain ranges too. Forested or rocky slopes and moutains are being seperated by deep valleys. There are huge icefields and glaciers high in the moutains.

Apart from the midnight sun, Norway is extremely famous for its Fjords. Fjords can be found all over the world. When someone explores the beauty of the Norway even via. online Norway video sources, fjords usually enjoys equal share of popularity on the various websites. Fjords in the Norway are slowly carved by the glaciers due to the hard rock mountains of the coastal regions. Most of the visitors only be able to see the vessels ranging between sightseeing crafts to some of the luxury cruise ships. One of the most popular fjords in the Norway are as follows : -

Songefjord – Most popular among all fjords. It is situation only 70 kms north of Bergen contains awesome fjordscapes. Its the all time tourist favorites due to narrow features.

Geirangerfjord – A minority of Norwagians consider this fjord, the most beautiful and attractive one. It possess many tall cascading and tall waterfalls.

Hardangerfjord – Fjord of grazing slopes, low lying farms and beautiful orchards. It is situated at the south of Bergin.

Living in Norway could be one of the most pleasant experiences of anyone's lifetime. With high level of standards and world class lifestyle. These properties make Norway and beautiful and satisfactory place to live in. Norway's economy is one of the strongest economies in the world. Norwegians are well educated and developed people. "

The land of the midnight sun" offers an elegant and gracefull encounter with the nature. Norway is a true example of natural beauty, bestowed upon us by the "MOTHER NATURE"

Nature lovers always try to visit norway so often. You an check out the various website ove the internet for midnight sun resources. Also http://www.norwaytv.com can be visited to explore the Norway culture more precisely.

Norway is more called as a Scandinavian country due to its position in the northern most part of Europe. It is one of the most beautiful of all the Scandinavian countries. Following are the facts and précis of its background, you need to know before you makeup your mind of going there.

Norway’s official name is the kingdom of Norway and the country covers the mainland area and the associated islands. The overall area of this country is somewhere around 150,000 square miles. In other words, it can be said that the area of Norway is slightly more than the area of New Mexico State of America. The capital of this country is Oslo and this is also the biggest city in entire Norway with population of more than 520,000. Some of the other big cities of Norway are Bergen, Trondheim with population of around 150,000 and Stavanger with population of 110,000.

The topography of Norway is not that much friendly and can be called very intense. It contains some very high plateaus, steep fjords, mountains and some very fertile valleys. The climate is also full of varieties and it can be very pleasant around the coastal areas and surprisingly cooler in the inner part of the country. Because of its northern most position on the globe, it experiences long days during summer season and long nights during winter season. During summer, you can witness sunlight until the midnight and therefore, Norway is also known as the land of midnight sun.

As far as the people of Norway are concerned, they are very friendly. People living there are known as Norwegians. As per the latest population count, which was held in 2006, the population of Norway was 4,593,000. The population is not increasing very fast as the annual growth rate is only .41 percent. A surprising fact is that there is only one person for every 15 square miles of land. Most of the people living in Norway are the blend of people from all the Scandinavian countries. The main majority is the mix of Nordic, Alpine and Baltic people who have intermixed with each other for centuries now. People of Norway do not believe in migrating to some other place hence, the immigration rate is very low. It was registered that there were only 300,000 immigrants in 2006.

From the religion point of view, Norwegians are very particular and finicky. More than 87 percent of total of Norwegian people believe in Christianity as their religion and have very firm faith on the church of Norway. The church of Norway is under the Lutheran concept of preaching. Although, Christianity is the widely spread religion but you can also find some Pentecostal Christians, Roman Catholics and Muslims in very small percentages.

Norwegians basically speak two languages i.e. Bokmal Norwegian and Nynorsk. However Norwegian is widely spoken and is the chief language which is taught in the school system. But still, some Sámi and Finish speaking communities can also be found here but not much in number. The literacy of Norway is very close to 100 percent. Also, the life expectancy is very high as the Norwegian male can live up to 76 years and females there can live up to 81 years.

Norway, a Nordic us of a mendacity on the western element of the Scandinavian Peninsula is situated in Northern Europe. It additionally borders Sweden, Finland and Russia. Norway is an outstandingly stunning u . s . a . with a long coastline, snowy mountains and breathtaking fjords. Oslo is the capital of Norway and also the most important city. Norway is bestowed with a good deal of herbal beauty encompassing wild forests, ancient towns and beautiful fishing villages. 

The country is very hospitable to the vacationers and persons are very pleasant too. Many vacationers are attracted via the famous midnight sun of the Arctic. All three large cities of Norway offer other studies to visitors. Norway is a spot to be for nature fanatics and for cultural enthusiasts. Norway is in reality some of the biggest vacationer locations of Europe.

Inhabitants & Languages

The inhabitants of Norway is only 4.6 million and the reliable languages being spoken are Bokmal Norwegian and Nynorsk Norwegian. Different languages which are additionally spoken in Norway include Sámi and Finnish.

Electrical energy

 
The voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. The kinds of plugs used are Spherical pin attachment plug and "Schuko" plug and receptacle with aspect grounding contacts.

Geographic Region

It is a Nordic united states lying on the western component of the Scandinavian Peninsula and positioned in Northern Europe. It also borders Sweden, Finland and Russia. About two-3rd area of the Norway is mountains, has around fifty thousand small islands along its coast. It additionally has some of the longest coastlines in the world.

Climate

The climate of Norway can additionally be termed as Temperate with scorching summers and chilly overcast winters. The highlands of internal Norway have an arctic like local weather with snow, critical wind chill and frost. Some of the rain is alongside the coastal spaces and is derived down in iciness quite closely and frequently. Winters are delicate too alongside the coastal areas.

Native Customs

Like some other u . s . Norway has its personal customs too. It's commonplace to not drink until the host makes a toast. It is customary for guests to provide items to the host of a meal. Smoking is against the law in most public areas. Casual get dressed is appropriate for everyday wear. Tipping the taxi drivers is not customary. Tipping up to 5 p.c is normal for carrier in restaurants. Porters at railway stations and airports fee in step with piece, while porters at resorts normally rate around NOK5-10 depending on the number of pieces of luggage.

Sightseeing

Bergen - A lot of museums, galleries, aquarium, medieval age homes, cable automobile to the top of Bergen's hills and boat trips to fjords.

Oslo - Antique medieval buildings, churches, brand new structure, museums like Edvard Munch Museum and the Norwegian Folk Museum, art galleries, Vigeland Park, and Akershus Fort

Fjordland - Geirangerfjorden known for tiny S-shaped fjord,Sognefjord - the longest and the deepest fjord, beautiful villages equivalent to Balestrand and Flam, old stave churches, Nærøyfjord - Narrowest branch of the Sognefjord and Palteau of Jostedalsbreen glacier
Tromsø - Arctic cathedral, Polaria and Tromsø Museum
Go again and forth

Through Air - Many airlines perform to Norway like Braathens SAFE (BU) and SAS Scandinavian Airways (SK), a Scandinavian airline, Air France, British Airlines, Finnair, Icelandair, KLM, Lufthansa, Northwest Airways, Norwegian Air Go back and forth, Ryanair and Swiss Airlines. Oslo International Airport (OSL) (Gardermoen) (website online: www.osl.no) is the biggest airport of Norway that is situated 30 mile north of Oslo.

Sea - The important passenger ports are Bergen, Kristiansand, Larvik, Oslo and Stavanger. The main sea routes from the UK, operated by approach of Fjord Line and DFDS Seaways respectively, are from Newcastle to Bergen and to Kristiansand.

By approach of Rail - The country is a component of the in depth network of trains connecting the European cities. If you are coming from UK, the connections are from London via Dover/Ostend (via Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands and Sweden) or Harwich/Hook of Holland, or from Newcastle to Bergen by the use of Stavanger. It is usually connected to Sweden throught two routes, with sunlight hours and overnight trains from Copenhagen, Malm and Stockholm.

Duty Unfastened Items1. 2 hundred cigarettes or 250g of tobacco merchandise and two hundred leaves of cigarette paper for EU countries.2. four hundred cigarettes or 500g of tobacco products and 2 hundred leaves of cigarette paper for Non-EU countries.3. 1liter of spirits and 1liter of wine or 2liter of wine and 2liter of beer for EU countries.4. 1liter of spirits and 1liter of wine or 2liter of wine and 2liter of beer for Non-EU countries.5. 50g fragrance or 500 ml eau de toilette6. Presents , Meals, fruits, drugs and flowers for private use of value as a lot as three,500 k

Prohibited Pieces

Un-canned goods, meat or dairy merchandise, Narcotics, firearms, ammunition, guns, eggs, crops, endangered species, fireworks and alcoholic drinks that include greater than sixty in conserving with cent alcohol.Like this newsletter? Trip the manner to Ecu Nations: Norway

We must acknowledge that studying abroad has its own whims. It should come to us as no surprise that most of the students fancy to study on foreign shores. Among other countries, Norway is fast emerging as the hottest study abroad destination for aspirants. Top universities in Norway proffer high level of flexibility and excellent quality courses for students who yearn to study in Norway. The sheer number of courses proffered at the universities and colleges (more than one hundred and fifty) will surely leave you split on choices.

When it comes to imparting good quality higher education, Norway is one of the best countries in Europe. The degrees conferred here are reckoned worldwide, thus a student passing out from Norwegian university or college can ply the whole globe in search of an appealing vocation. What will come to you as a surprise is the fact that top universities and colleges in Norway do not demand a dime, when it comes to tuition fees for international students. The only expense one will have is the living expenses and that too can be considerable covered by study in Norway scholarships being proffered by many an institution. Students from all around the world will enjoy their stay at Norway because of the appealing climatic condition and the warm heartedness of the local people.

Every year more than a million students come to Norway for their higher studies. There is a plethora of under graduate and post graduate programmes being proffered at the top universities in Norway. The fact that the medium of teaching is English will ease many a students who do not know Norwegian local language. Students are also categorized into three separate divisions. The first segment is the self financing degree students; then is the exchange students and finally students who participate in a variety of fellowship programs. 

Let us discuss some of the eligibility criterion for getting admitted into engineering, MBA and PhD programs in Norway. It should be noted that learning Norwegian language will come handy as proficiency in English and local language is often a constraint for getting into various under graduate programs. An internationally acclaimed bachelor's degree will automatically entitle you to get admission into the master's course being proffered at various Norwegian colleges and universities.

For students who aspire to study in English, apt TOEFL scores and a check on the host University is an obligatory condition. It is highly advisable to do some intricate research on the web about your preferred university before finalizing the eligibility constraints. Intellectuals also require a student residence permit to study in Norwegian universities and colleges. 

The cost of living in Norway is very reasonable and comes down to NOK two thousand to two thousand five hundred per month. The tuition fees (in some universities and colleges) are crazy low and often are in the range of three hundred to six hundred NOK per semester.  Some of the top universities in Norway are: - University of Oslo, University of Agder (UiA), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (UMB), University of Bergen (UiB), etc.

The Kingdom of Norway is a country in the western area of the Scandinavian Peninsula; it is bordered by Russia, Finland and Sweden. The country is well known for its coastline along the North Atlantic Ocean and its awesome fjords. The Kingdom of Norway also includes Artic territories Jan Mayen and Svalbard; these are two islands in the Artic Ocean.

The coastline is broken by fjords and many islands; to the West and the South, the country is bordered by the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, Skagerak and the Barents Sea, on the Northern coasts. The country is dominated by high terrains and mountains; the country is really beautiful due to its large variety of natural features, caused by spectacular glaciers. Deep grooves cut into the coast flooded by the sea following the end of the ice age, the fjords, are a spectacular Norwegian attraction.

The Gulf Stream has a benefic influence on Norway weather; there are warmer temperatures, especially along the coast than expected at northern latitudes. The mainland has four seasons; the winter is cold and less humid than the coast. The northern part has a sub artic climate; Svalbard as an arctic climate. Some people call Norway The Land of Midnight Sun because in the summer the sun may never descend beneath the horizon.

The Norwegian language has two forms: Nynorsk ad Bokmal. 90% of the Norwegian people speak Bokmal. Nynorsk and Bokmal are Germanic; Sami language is Finno-Ugric. Norwegian literature is very old, very rich and its value is huge. Henrik Ibsen who wrote a famous play, Dolls House is famous all over the world.

Norwegian cities are classified as urban and rural; each municipality has a number. Oslo is the capital and was founded in 1000. 90% of people of Norway are part of the state Church of Norway. Religious services, such as baptism, confirmation, marriage and burial, have strong cultural standing in Norway. Somalian, Arab, Turkish and Pakistani communities belong to Islam. The ancestral Norway inhabitants, the Vikings, followed pantheist / polytheist religions many centuries ago.

Norway attracts tourists by virtue of its spectacular landscapes that extend from the Artic Circle. Ski resorts, fjord intended coastline, mountains, woods and lakes are really attractive and picturesque. Oslo with its castles, cathedrals, churches, museums, the awesome landscape and original architecture, is Norways beautiful capital. Norway has a great cultural heritage, the result of its sparse population, climate and relative isolation from Europe. Norway has rich castles and palaces, long fjords, beautiful lakes and huge woods. The architecture is original, unique, based on the Norway ethnological heritage.

The Viking museum in Northern Norway, at Lofotr, the Viking ship Museum in Oslo, are presenting the Vikings way of life; the Norwegian Resistance Museum in Oslo and the Museum of reconstruction in Hammerfest are presenting objects and events related to World War II. The National Gallery in Oslo, the Munch Museum and the Henie Onstad Art Centre are a beautiful expression of the growing cultural public interest in Norway.

We took a Norway fjord drive rather than a fjord cruise. Driving through Norway is easy and beautiful. You can choose your own route depending on what your time frame is and what you want to see.

We drove north from Oslo through the middle of the country. You can go through Lillehammer, a pretty resort town that hosted the Olympics in 1994. If you want to see a bit more of the interior of Norway, there are national parks you can explore, or you can visit the historic mining town of Roros. Its 18th century wooden houses have been preserved... many now give home to restaurants and shops.

We cut over to the coast to see Trondheim. It's a lively and historic university town. There are also some ancient rock carvings in the area just north of town. You can visit its historic Nidarosdomen Cathedral and museums.... or just enjoy the colorful town as a great spot to start your Norway fjord drive down the coast.

Head southwest out of Trondheim on the E39. The road will take you over toll bridges and ferries. Ferries run fairly frequently, so you won't have to wait long. The scenery is great even while you wait.

The ferry from Molde to Vestnes will get you on your way to the very pretty town of Alesund. It has a drop dead gorgeous setting, and the town is a kaleidoscope of colors with its Art Nouveau architecture... all turrets and spires and fancy ornamentation.

It's another great place to spend the night on your drive. The drive to the mountain-top lookout to see the town spread out below is a must. There's a cafeteria on top where you can have a beer and enjoy the view.

Start early and drive along the Storfjorden to Geiranger. The hour ferry ride down the Geirangefjorden is spectacular. This narrow fjord with its waterfalls is visited by cruise ships and photographed often for tourist brochures.... and it's included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

On this Norway fjord drive, you'll encounter lots of winding roads... so wind your way south through spectacular scenery. I know we keep using superlatives, but Norway demands that.

When you get to Sogndal on the Sognefjorden, turn north for a few miles so you can visit the Urnes Stave Church, the oldest wooden church in Norway. It was built in 1150, and is another UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Return to Sogndal and head to Kaupanger where you can catch a really long ferry ride on the Sognefjorden. These ferries don't run quite so often, and because of the long ride, the last ferry is in the afternoon, so check the schedule or be prepared to wait until morning.

This ferry will take you to Gudvangen via the Sonnefjorden, Aurlandsfjorden, and finally the Naeroyfjorden. That last segment is part of the Norway in a Nutshell tour, so you know it's going to be pretty. There is a hotel in Gudvangen, and there are more a few miles further up the road.

Drive the winding road up to Voss. From there you can take the E16 straight to Bergen, or since this is a Norway fjord drive, you can take the scenic route along the Samlafjorden, an arm of the Hardangerfjorden, before you connect back with the highway to get into Bergen.

Make arrangements to drop the car off in Bergen, and visit that historic town. You can fly home from there.

The bridges and ferries are not cheap, so keep your credit card handy. All of Norway does tend to be expensive, so one way to economize is to picnic... and you can't beat the scenery at the road side tables provided. Language is generally not a problem in most of Norway. English is a strong second language, and you will have no problem getting hotels and meals. Buying your tickets on the ferry can almost always be done in English.

A cruise along Norway's Fjords is great, but you really will see a more intimate view of Norway by taking a fjord drive.

I was born in Norway. Left after high school to emigrate to Montreal, Canada. I just got back from a trip with my new French Canadian partner, she's never been there before. We traveled from Vancouver to London and on to Oslo on British Airways. Great flight, great service. And the booze was free. More than I can say for Norway... A pint of everyday lager/pilsner is about 69 NOK = $12 CAN. Here in Vancouver it's $5-6. But that's ok.

Before we left we decided NOT to complain about prices, and just enjoy. Overall, everything is twice as expensive as Canada. A decent hotel is about 1,300 NOK = $223 CAN. But a great breakfast is included. So that's not so bad. Some hotels even have nightly buffets, and finding those and eating two meals in the hotel - takes the bite off. At the Clarion Folketeateret in Oslo we did that, and the room suddenly became quite affordable. And the food was great!

Gas is also twice as expensive, we rented a Peugeot diesel car and got 40 MPG. Put 2,600 KMS on the thing in two weeks. Cruised the fjords and mountains. I love showing off my country's scenery to an appreciative partner. She stated that the Canadian scenery is great, but the Norwegian views are dramatic. We took local ferries, which I used to take often when I grew up. We also went through the longest tunnel in the world - 24 KMS long.

Bergen is the most scenic city in Norway, even the day we were there it poured. We had planned for this and brought our west-coast rain gear. We also went down the Trollstigen, which is spectacular. From there we went up to Sunndalsøra where I have family. We took daytrips every day, especially to Kristiansund - my home town. Kristiansund is a coastal town that have progressed from a fishing town to an oil platform support base. Remembering having great fish and chips we went to the 'old "fishan" booth down by the harbour. It was as good as I remembered, even at $15 for your basic meal it was great.

Driving in Norway can get interesting. Especially on the secondary roads, where often there is no dividing lines and curvy. I was brought up on those roads and it came right back to me. A few scary encounters with big trucks, but we survived. Trick is to keep to the left and not to worry too much about approaching traffic. They will do the same.

Last time I went to Norway was in mid-may. The mountain passes were tricky, some snow and the Trollstigen was closed. This time, beginning of October - the country was absolutely magnificent. Fall colours and for the most part sunny and great. A little cold in the evening, but as I said - we were prepared. Most Norwegians speak good English. More than I thought actually. Even family members!

So - go to Norway. Don't think pricing. Just enjoy.

"Culinary experiences" might not be the first phrase that springs to mind when thinking about what to do in Norway.However, the country has a long tradition of producing high-class chefs as well as high class seafood.This guide is for those thinking about crossing the country to stear them in the right direction for the best possible meal!

OSLO

Oslo rules supreme when it comes to quality dining in Norway. 6 restaurants have a total of 7 stars in the Michelin Guide. Unfortunately the one two-star restaurant, Bagatelle, was abandoned by its founder and chef in 2010. However, a quick trip will not suffice to enjoy all the gourmet highlights in Norway!

1.Restaurant Oscarsgate Pilestredet 63, Oslo

A small setting for a grand meal. Oscarsgate keeps a small menu and a short wine-list. Whats isn't small here is the bill at the end of the evening, but the high-class gourmet food is absolutely worth it!

2.Haga Restaurant, Griniveien 315, Oslo. Genuine French cuisine served in the outskirts of Oslo. Also known for its excellent (French) wine list. Haga is one of the most consistent restaurants in Oslo.

3.Arakataka, Mariboesgate 7 ,Oslo

This Mediterranean style restaurant has had a reputation for two things; the place to get your money's worth, but also rather variable service. These days only the first part holds true. The place is a relaxed, budget-friendly restaurant with a brilliant kitchen - Mediterranean style.

SANDEFJORD

This city is normally a "transit-zone" for visitors arriving at the "Oslo Torp" airport. But, the Solvold restaurant is worth a short detour to Sandefjord before taking the train to Oslo.

Solvold, Thor Dahls gt. 9, Sandefjord

The chef Odd Ivar Solvold is one of Norway's "Bocuse D'Or" medal winners and has ensured his restaurant meets the highest standards for more than 12 years. Especially excellent fish.

VAAGAA

Head for the mountains (Jotunheimen) to experience the most traditional of traditional Norwegian food! This is the "realm" of famous chef Arne Brimi where he has created a culinary based experience center.

Vianvang, Brimi Fjellstugu, N-2680 Vaagaa

This is not so much a restaurant as a gourmet nature resort and culture center. One can book cooking courses, rooms as well as various nature activities. At the basis of the all, though, is Brimi's philosophy of caretaking and expanding upon Norwegian food traditions.

TRONDHEIM

Trondheim is a charming city in the middle of the country, known for its Viking roots and the magnificent gothic cathedral, Nidarosdomen. Trondheim is a cutural city in many ways; theatre, concerts, sports and dining here is more interesting than ever before!

1.Havfruen fiskerestaurant i Trondheim , Kjoepmannsgata 7, Trondheim

This is the place to go for excellent seafood in Trondheim. The season based menu offers the best of marine produce available. Traditional dishes served with imagination. The setting by the Nidelven River in a traditional local adds to the flavors of the meal!

2. Credo, Oerjaveita 4, Trondheim. Credo's (usually) five-course menu has to be one of the best value-for-money deals in Norway! Innovative food prepared with care at a (for Norway) very reasonable price served in unpretentious surroundings.

TROMSOE

The north is not the "culinary wasteland" it used to be. In the past you had to be on good terms with the local fishermen and hunters to get a decent meal in northern Norway! This is, thankfully, not the case anymore, and in places like Bodø, Harstad and the Lofoten Islands there are quality restaurant to be found. The "capital" of the north, however, is Tromsø.

De 4 Roser, Groennegata 38, Tromsoe

French-Italian warmth in the arctic north. The concept is to take advantage of local produce (world-class seafood, for instance) and prepare it in a Mediterranean manner, and the concept works! Very inviting and pleasant interior.

This concludes our culinary journey in Norway, from south (Oslo) to north (Tromsoe). There could easily have been four-five times as many restaurants included in this guide, but half the fun of taking a journey like this is to discover, isn't it?

Geilo in Norway stands 800 metres high, and has one of the highest ski lifts in the world, stretching 3,887 feet. Geilo is positioned three and a half hours from the capital city, whilst having good road and rail links to the village. Set amidst amazing scenery just off the banks of Fjord, Geilo is at the heart of Norway's "Winter Wonderland". Maintaining its reputation as an excellent family resort, Geilo has seen visitors from Europe and beyond since early 1900s. Geilo remains unspoilt, with true Norwegian character firmly intact.

With more than just skiing facilities Geilo is home to the 4 star Highland Hotel, as well as numerous lodging houses, and the famous Holms Ski Bar. Although primarily a ski resort Geilo also offers sleigh rides, wildlife adventure tours, ski orienteering, tobogganing, snow shoe walking, dog-sledging, kite-skiing, night-skiing, snowboarding, freestyle snowboarding and much more.

Geilo's reputation as one the worlds top skiing resorts lies mainly in its ability to cater for family vacations. With over 10,000 families visiting the slopes each year, Geilo also offers excellent tuition in packages it refers to as the "Family Starter Pack". This involves tuition for your entire family for the equivalent of $200 a day. This means, that not only can your whole family learn together, but is also means that families with no skiing experience, can go along and after the first day, they will be able to ski on their own.

Geilo has also increased its reputation amongst Snowboarders in recent years beating off Lillehammer, Voss and Hemsedal in its bid to host the Norwegian Snowboarding Championship. With four sides of mountain each dedicated to snowboarding and skiing, Geilo is now able to call itself Norway's first skiing location to offer 5 runs dedicated to snowboarding. With 110 runs in total, Geilo has 14% expert allowing experienced skiers to enjoy themselves on the slopes, whilst maintaining the rest of its facilities for intermediates and beginners that account for a larger number of their yearly visitors.

Geilo also offers exceptional value for money with weekly family packages starting from $1000 including accommodation, bed and breakfast. The element that stands out the most about Geilo is the way it caters for families, family diners, and especially their Christmas bonanza which includes Santa visiting the slopes with his reindeer on Christmas day, and the time leading up to christmas. Geilo never fails to be fully booked for Christmas, with so many families choosing to bring their children along to experience Christmas within this winter wonderland.

Although Geilo offers amazing family packages, it would be unfair to say that Geilo is limited to family vacations. Geilo has hosted very serious world sporting events, as well as being the training ground of the national snowboarding and skiing teams. Geilo is available from August/September all the way through to late March and is also considering investing in "Avalanche Technology" which generates snow from water to provide 24/365 skiing.

If you have never been to Geilo then I would recommend that you give it a go, although the family image may put certain people off visiting the slope I would suggest that checking it out is the best thing to do. From their website it is clear to see that consistent snowfall, and a good variation in the difficulty of runs, Geilo is a facility that can genuinely cater for everyone; from beginner to professional.

It has many great options for accommodation, and with good travel links as well their really is no excuse for not hoping on a plane and going to Geilo today. With thousands of people on the slopes, from different countries and different backgrounds Geilo is suitable for families and teenagers alike. With individual price plans starting from $350 a week, and well-known DJs playing at local club venues Geilo is also becoming very popular amongst those teenagers who would have previously seen Ibiza as the only place to be seen on holiday.

Skiers looking forward to their annual vacation are probably busy poring over information on the numerous ski resort destinations available to them. Some of them just want confirmation that the resort they loved last year is still the best place to go. Others like to change things up every year, experiencing new ski challenges and collecting new stories to relate to their friends back home. Either way, the choices are abundant and depend mostly on what the skier is comfortable with, whether it is a familiar resort or new ground.

If the annual vacation includes beginners, Andorra, nestled in the Pyrenees, is a great choice. The interconnected resorts of Arinsal, Pal and Arcalis offer something for everyone. All three cater to beginner skiers and provide kindergarten facilities for the youngest family members not quite ready to don skis and take the plunge down the bunny slopes.

Arinsal and Pal are actually now a single resort linked by cable car. One ski pass allows skiers to venture onto either set of slopes. In effect, wherever you are staying at the resort, you can ski from your backyard right onto the slopes. Snowboarders will also feel quite comfortable whether they are beginners or experienced. Arcalis is about 20 kilometers by car from Pal and Arinsal but close enough to be considered part of the three-resort area. A fourth resort, Pas de la Casa, is also close by but tends to be much more crowded. However, it does offer very good value if that is the major criteria in selecting a resort. With its numerous cafes, restaurants, happy hours and discos, Pas de la Casa tends to attract livelier young adult crowd.

For strictly family vacations Kaprun resort in Austria is a good bet. With its beginner to expert slopes, myriad accommodations to fit every budget, restaurants and cafes, checking into Kaprun is the start of a great family holiday. Hotels and restaurants are noted for their child friendliness. Besides the skiing vacationers can snowboard, snowshoe, swim, play tennis and squash, ice skate, bowl and take a sleigh ride. Of the 59 runs, 31 are for beginners, and nine are expert runs.

Shops abound for those who want to take a break from other activities. You can even arrange to tour the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. One of the most welcome features is the short hop from the airport to the resort. Nothing is more tedious for vacationers than to get off a plane and have to face a several hour ride to the resort. Not so in Kaprun. With global warming and the environment a world wide concern, many skiers are beginning to make going green a criteria for their choice of ski vacationers. If that is a concern, Les Arcs in France should be on your list of ski destinations.

Take the Eurostar to Bourg-St-Maurice. From there it is a short hop to Les Arcs. The management is actively committed to maintaining preservation of the environment. At the same time the facilities are first rate, including accommodations for the youngest family members. Les Arcs has been awarded Famille plus Montagne certification. Four star living quarters are the norm, and the restaurants and shops are among the best in the French Alps.

If the apres ski experience is what makes your holiday, then you may want to check out the Italian resort of Livigno or Austria's Bad Gastien. Livigno is just across the border from St. Moritz in the Italian Alps and through some quirk in geography enjoys tax free status. It offers excellent skiing because of its altitude. With 81 bars, restaurants and nightclubs, the apres ski possibilities are almost endless. Restaurants feature French, Italian, U.S. and traditional cuisine as well as the ubiquitous fast food. In other words, something for everyone's taste. Bad Gastien is actually one of the grand spa resorts that just happens to be located in the midst of one of Austria's largest ski areas. The skiing is excellent, and the apres ski scene is more sophisticated than many deluxe resorts with its famous thermal spa and lively nightlife.

If you are looking for the perfect ski weekend, don't overlook Lillehammer in Norway. The site of a Winter Olympic, Lillehammer is a short hop from the airport. The hotel accommodations are first rate and off slope activities include sleigh rides, tobogganing and ice skating. Regardless of where you choose to spend your ski vacation, the choices are as varied as the splendid terrain. Take your family, take your spouse, go with friends. Whatever you do you will have a memorable experience.