Growing up with a Norwegian mother and American father, I often alternated Christmases in the US and Norway. And every year that my family would stay in the US for Christmas I would be so bummed, because it was never quite as magical as Christmas in Norway. In fact now as an adult I’ve spent... Read More The post 7 Best & Worst Places to Spend Christmas in Norway appeared first on Heart My Backpack ..read more

During my nine years living in Norway I’ve traveled all over to find my favorite places to see the northern lights. Of course having lived in Tromsø I often recommend staying there as a base for your northern lights trip. But if you want something a bit more adventurous and a totally spectacular northern lights... Read More The post 21 Magical Glass Igloos in Norway appeared first on Heart My Backpack ..read more

Ida and I chose the Vega archipelago for our final stop on our summer Helgeland road trip. I had only visited Vega in the winter, so I was excited to see the island in its summer glory! You can read my full guide to Helgeland here. Vega is one of Helgeland’s most popular islands, largely... Read More The post Visiting Vega, Norway’s World Heritage Island appeared first on Heart My Backpack ..read more

When my friend Ida agreed to join me on a road trip to Northern Norway I was so excited to show her my favorite spots around Helgeland, including Mosjøen, Herøy, Dønna, Træna and Vega. But I also wanted to take the opportunity to visit a little island that I have wanted to see for years:... Read More The post Visiting Myken, Norway’s Friendliest Island appeared first on Heart My Backpack ..read more

Since moving to Bergen I’ve made many trips to visit my friend Vanessa in Stavanger. Stavanger is about five hours from Bergen, or longer depend on how you choose to get there. You can travel from Bergen to Stavanger by express boat, bus, or rental car. And if you choose to drive, there are a... Read More The post The Best Way to Get from Bergen to Stavanger appeared first on Heart My Backpack ..read more

By far one of my favorite things about living in Bergen is how close I am to some of Norway’s most beautiful fjords. I’ve already written about visiting Hardangerfjord from Bergen here, but today I’m focusing on an even bigger fjord: Sognefjord! In fact Sognefjord is Norway’s longest and deepest fjord, and it offers visitors... Read More The post Visiting Balestrand, Norway appeared first on Heart My Backpack ..read more

When people tell me they’re planning a trip to Norway, I always recommend flying into Bergen instead of Oslo. Yes, I’m probably biased because I live in Bergen, but I think all Norwegians will agree that Bergen is a lot more beautiful than Oslo. But more importantly for you, visiting Bergen also gives you access... Read More The post Bergen to Flåm by Train, Boat, Bus Or Car appeared first on Heart My Backpack ..read more

Before I moved to Bergen I lived for several years in Telemark, halfway between Bergen and Oslo. And while sometimes it was a pain to live so far from an airport, I did really love getting to choose between flying in and out of Bergen and Oslo. This also meant that I made the trip... Read More The post The Prettiest, Easiest & Cheapest Ways To Get From Bergen to Oslo appeared first on Heart My Backpack ..read more

One of my favorite things about Corsica is how diverse of an island it is. This isn’t only a beach holiday destination (though you can definitely have an amazing beach holiday here). Corsica also has incredible hikes, a lively capital city, and stunning old villages and towns perched on steep cliffs and pinnacles. And you... Read More The post Where to Stay in Corsica appeared first on Heart My Backpack ..read more

I’ve always loved France, but when my parents moved to Strasbourg in 2019 I became even more eager to explore the country. And one French destination that had been on my bucket list for years was Corsica. A few of my Norwegian friends had visited Corsica on day trips from Italy, but otherwise I only... Read More The post How To Have The Most Amazing Trip To Corsica appeared first on Heart My Backpack ..read more