Get creative
Organize your art supplies and get painting! Pick a particular location you’ll visit on your trip, and compare your artwork to photos of the location when you return. Consider painting one of Norway’s famous fjords, the bustling trading hub and capital city of Oslo, Nigardsbreen Ice Cave, or Galdhøpiggen, the highest peak in Scandinavia and Northern Europe.
Not a painter? Check out these online art collections from famous Norwegian museums.
Pick a film
Watch a movie that relates to your destination. Some ideas for Norway include:
- Ragnarok (2013)
- Operation Arctic (2014)
- The King’s Choice (2016)
Study some history
Dive deep into the history of specific sites you’ll visit on tour. Study the Viking Age, Norway’s independence from bordering Denmark and Sweden, German occupation of the country during World War II, and the Oil Boom. Then, check out some of Norway’s geographical history with this Geography Now Video.
Choose a book
Read and discuss a book that takes place in your destination or describes the local culture. Pick from titles like:
- Fellowship of Ghosts: A Journey Through the Mountains of Norway by Paul Watkins
- Summer Light: A Walk Across Norway by Andrew Stevenson
- Growth of the Soil by Knut Hamsun
- Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
Fill up your plate
Arrange a potluck and encourage your friends to bring a traditional dish from your destination. Know a chef? Hold a cooking class with your travel group, or consider a group outing to a restaurant that offers your destination’s cuisine. Try lefse (sweet flatbreads), brunost (brown cheese), kumla (potato dumplings), or kjøttkaker (meatballs in gravy).
Learn the language
Call up a friend and practice your language skills. It helps to make flashcards with common sayings to use on the phone or throughout your travels (think about ordering at restaurants, buying souvenirs, and chatting with locals).
Did you know?
The world’s most remote island, Bouvet Island, is a Norwegian territory. Located in the southern Atlantic Ocean, this island is a designated nature reserve and at least 2,000 km away from any inhabited land!