By Lorraine Quinn, Managing Director, The Travel Suite

One of the great privileges of working in travel is that there is always somewhere new to discover — and always something new to learn.

As Managing Director of The Travel Suite, I feel incredibly fortunate to work alongside a fantastic team, creating holidays and experiences for our customers every day. We spend so much of our time talking about destinations, hotels, cruises and experiences, but there really is no substitute for experiencing a destination first-hand.

Earlier this week, I was delighted to be invited by Aer Lingus to Norway for three nights, travelling from Lillehammer to Hamar and finishing in Oslo.

Three cities in three nights — and by the time we flew home, I felt we had only scratched the surface of this fascinating country.

First Impressions of Norway

Norway is, of course, famous for its dramatic landscapes and fjords, but what struck me throughout our visit was that there is so much more to it.

The people we met were incredibly proud of their country, their communities and their history — and everyone seemed to have a story to tell.

Stories of Vikings and medieval Norway, farmers and fishermen, sailors and shipbuilders, explorers and expeditions. We heard about Norway’s sporting heritage, its food, its traditions and the historic pilgrim trail to Trondheim.

The Norwegian landscape is certainly beautiful, but it was the combination of the scenery, history, culture, food and people that really brought the country to life for me.

And one of the biggest surprises was just how accessible it is from Ireland.

The direct flight from Dublin to Oslo takes a little over two hours, and once you arrive, Norway’s rail connections make it surprisingly easy to start exploring beyond the capital.

Lillehammer – So Much More Than a Winter Destination

Our first stop was Lillehammer, probably best known internationally as the host city of the 1994 Winter Olympics.

From Oslo Airport, Lillehammer can be reached directly by train in around 90–100 minutes, making it very easy to incorporate into a wider Norway itinerary.

We visited the Olympic Park and travelled up by chairlift, taking in the wonderful views over Lillehammer and the surrounding countryside.

While its winter and Olympic heritage is understandably a huge part of Lillehammer’s identity, what I hadn’t appreciated before visiting was how much there is to experience outside the ski season.

During the warmer months, the region lends itself to hiking, cycling, kayaking, rafting and days spent outdoors amongst its lakes, forests and mountains.

For me, however, one of the most interesting experiences was Maihaugen.

Describing it simply as an open-air museum doesn’t really do it justice. It’s almost like walking through Norwegian life over the centuries.

Historic homes, farms and buildings tell the story of how generations of Norwegians lived and worked, and the experience continues right through the 20th century. It’s a wonderfully engaging way to understand the country’s rural traditions and social history.

It was here that we started to understand just how important storytelling is to the Norwegian experience.

And Then There Was the Food…

Food became another real highlight of our few days in Norway.

Our first evening brought us to a restaurant housed in an old bank in Lillehammer — certainly not your everyday dinner setting!

The historic Hvelvet Restaurant has an impressive wine cellar and provided a wonderful introduction to Norwegian flavours, including local produce and venison.

Over the following days, we ate in some really memorable locations — from the old bank to a working distillery and eventually aboard a boat sailing through Oslo Fjord.

The quality of the food throughout the trip was exceptional and was one of the aspects of Norway that genuinely surprised me.

For customers who love incorporating great dining and local produce into their travels, Norway has plenty to discover.

Hamar – Lakes, History and a Taste of Norwegian Life

Day two took us from Lillehammer to Hamar, a smaller destination sitting on the shores of beautiful Lake Mjøsa — Norway’s largest lake.

Hamar is approximately an hour by train north of Oslo, so it can work beautifully as part of a touring itinerary rather than necessarily requiring a long stay.

The setting is lovely.

Life here revolves around the lake, particularly during the summer months, with walking, watersports and outdoor activities all easily accessible.

But again, there was another layer of history waiting for us.

Hamar combines its lakeside lifestyle with fascinating medieval heritage and stories of Norway’s past, demonstrating again how easily you can combine scenery and outdoor experiences with culture and history on the same holiday.

And then came another very Norwegian experience — learning about aquavit, the traditional Scandinavian spirit.

Visiting a distillery and hearing the stories behind its production was another example of what made this trip so enjoyable. It wasn’t simply about seeing places; we were meeting people who were passionate about what they did and about sharing a little part of Norwegian culture with us.

Onwards to Oslo

Our final destination was Oslo, and I loved the contrast between the countryside we had experienced over the previous couple of days and Norway’s vibrant capital.

Oslo feels modern, clean and contemporary, but history and nature are never very far away.

One of the city’s most striking landmarks is its magnificent Opera House, rising from the waterfront. We were lucky enough to explore it and get a closer look at this incredible building.

We also discovered more about Norway’s remarkable history of exploration.

From the Vikings to polar expeditions and legendary adventurers, exploration seems to be woven into the Norwegian story. It is fascinating to discover just how much this relatively small country has contributed to our understanding of the wider world.

A Very Poignant Moment in Oslo

Our visit also happened to fall during an incredibly poignant time for Norway.

King Harald V had passed away on 28 August, just days before our arrival.

While in Oslo, we saw the extraordinary outpouring of affection and respect outside the Royal Palace.

Flowers and tributes reflected just how deeply the King was loved by the Norwegian people. Being there at such a significant moment in the country’s history was incredibly moving and something I will remember from this trip for a very long time.

Dinner on Oslo Fjord

One of my favourite experiences came on our final evening.

We boarded a boat for dinner while sailing through Oslo Fjord.

It was simply beautiful.

Watching Oslo and the surrounding scenery from the water while enjoying dinner was a wonderful way to see another side of the city.

It’s exactly the sort of experience we love incorporating into an itinerary at The Travel Suite — something that takes you beyond simply visiting the main sights and gives you a memory associated with a destination.

Sometimes the moments you remember most aren’t necessarily the biggest attractions. They’re a dinner overlooking the water, a conversation with a local guide or simply seeing a destination from a completely different perspective.

A Sauna, a Sunrise…and a Swim in the Fjord!

There was still one very Norwegian experience waiting for us before we left.

An early morning sauna in Oslo followed by a swim in the fjord.

Yes, I did it!

There is something wonderfully invigorating about stepping from the warmth of a sauna into the cold Norwegian water — although I’m not sure I’ll be recreating it every morning back in Dublin!

It was certainly a memorable way to start our final day and one of those travel experiences that I’ll be talking about for a long time.

What Kind of Holiday Can You Have in Norway?

Perhaps my biggest takeaway from the trip was the sheer variety Norway can offer.

Before visiting, many of us probably immediately think of fjords, Northern Lights and winter scenery.

They’re undoubtedly a huge part of Norway’s appeal, but there is much more.

You could enjoy a long weekend discovering Oslo’s restaurants, museums and waterfront. Combine the capital with Lillehammer and Hamar for a journey through the Norwegian countryside. Build an itinerary around spectacular rail journeys and fjords. Walk sections of historic pilgrimage routes. Enjoy hiking, cycling, kayaking and outdoor adventures. Or travel north to Tromsø for an entirely different Arctic experience.

For families, couples, honeymooners, active travellers and customers simply looking for somewhere a little different, there are so many ways we could create a Norway itinerary.

And I think that is where good travel planning really makes a difference.

Rather than simply booking a flight and hotel, Norway is a destination where you can create a journey around what genuinely interests you — whether that’s scenery, history, food, adventure, rail travel or simply slowing down and experiencing somewhere new.

Why First-Hand Travel Still Matters

Trips like this are also an important reminder of why we value first-hand destination experience so highly at The Travel Suite.

You can read about a destination, look at photographs and research hotels online, but actually being there gives you a completely different understanding.

You discover how long transfers really take. You understand which destinations work well together. You find the restaurant you would happily recommend to a customer, the experience worth adding to an itinerary, and sometimes the attraction that you hadn’t considered before arriving.

Most importantly, you meet the people.

And for me, Norway was very much about its people and their stories.

Norway – We Will Be Back

Three nights. Three very different cities. An Olympic Park, centuries of history, lakes and fjords, wonderful food, explorers, farmers and storytellers, a distillery, a dinner cruise, a sauna and one rather chilly swim.

We certainly packed a lot in.

But I came home thinking about everything we hadn’t seen.

There are the great fjords still to explore, spectacular rail journeys to experience, coastal communities to visit, walking trails to follow and the Arctic north still waiting.

So Norway, I definitely feel there is a lot more of you still to discover.

A huge thank you to Jenny Rafter and Aer Lingus, Sten Harald Norund Hansson and Into Norway, VisitOSLO, and all of the wonderful guides, hotels, restaurants and hosts who welcomed us and so generously shared their country — and their stories — with us.

And, of course, thank you to a great group of travel colleagues who made the trip so much fun.

Let The Travel Suite Create Your Norway Journey

If you’re looking for something a little different for your next holiday, Norway is absolutely worth considering.

Whether it’s an Oslo city break, a scenic rail journey, a summer adventure through the countryside and fjords, a winter journey north or a completely bespoke itinerary combining several different parts of Norway, our experienced team at The Travel Suite can help create a trip that’s personal to you.

Because some of the best holidays aren’t simply about where you stay — they’re about what you experience, who you meet and the stories you bring home.

Talk to The Travel Suite team and let us help you start planning your Norway adventure.