Norwegian fjords are the soul of Norway. At least, experts say so. Perhaps it is, in any case, they are the main attraction of this beautiful country.
World famous
A few years ago, an article was published in one of the most popular magazines, National Geographic Travel, in which the Norwegian Fjords were called a landmark that is best preserved among all other natural and cultural monuments included in the UNESCO list. Such a title is a great honor. And an American newspaper called the Chicago Tribune listed the fjords on the list of 21 wonders of the world. And frankly, many people want to visit the Norwegian fjords. Most travelers buy tours to this country in order to see this attraction. After all, this is really a completely unique phenomenon - the valleys that were filled with water due to the retreat of the glaciers.
List of fjords and their features
The Norwegian fjords are numerous - there are several dozen of them, and they are all unique in their own way. Geirangerfjord, for example, is the most picturesque and, accordingly, the most visited. The Neryufjord is considered the narrowest of all, the Sognefjord extends along the whole of Norway, the Lucefjord crowns the top of Prekestulen, and the Hardangerfjord is famous for its stunning fruit orchards. This is just a small list of interesting facts about these places. And take, for example, the Oslo Fjord. From a geographical point of view, he is not considered a fjord at all. It is a bay extending over 102 kilometers. But these are not just endless expanses of water. About 1000 small islands can be seen on its surface, and each of them is interesting in its own way. Anyone can be reached by boat, by the way, most tourists do so. And another place, Luce Fjord, is interesting for its complex landscape. Because of this feature, only two small villages were built here. And the Varangerfjord would be interesting to lovers of the rich underwater world and clean air.
Manifestation of the elements
Perhaps the most incredible thing you can see in these places are mountains and water. After all, the Norwegian fjords appeared due to the impact of a huge glacier, which in ancient times covered Northern Europe. If you look at this magnificence for a long time, you can appreciate the incredible power of nature. Travelers crossing the Norwegian fjords also enjoy views of merchant ships and fishing boats. This is not enough for many, and therefore they decide to look at these colossal works of natural art from a bird's eye view. By the way, these places have not changed much since the time when the Norwegian Viking rooks sailed on campaigns. And the fact that the fjords retained their original beauty only fuels the interest of tourists and scientists in these attractions.
Waterfalls
Few people know that the highest waterfalls in the world are located in Norway. Such beauty, which can be seen here, is unlikely to be seen in any other place. Wherever a person is located - on the shores of the fjord or somewhere deep in the Norwegian expanses - almost always near you can hear the sound of falling water. This hum will not go unnoticed, and if you approach the sounds, you will be able to see streams of water that fly just from an incredible height. This is a fantastic sight. The most famous waterfalls are those that bear the following names - Groom, Bridal Veil and Seven Sisters. These names lie well by ear and are quickly remembered, however, each of them has its own story. For example, the Seven Sisters are 7 streams flowing down the mountain slopes. The Groom waterfall is an allegedly frozen warrior who was unable to choose the only one among the seven brides. But the third of these just looks like a veil. No less surprising is the picture of snowy mountain peaks, which even in summer shine with their whiteness. And if suddenly in the midst of the swimming season you want to go skiing, then it will be quite real. Even on the hottest day, this desire will come true.
The magnitude of Norwegian magnificence
Words cannot convey how amazing these natural monuments are in their beauty and scale. Hardangerfjord, for example, extends into the coast for 113 kilometers! At the same time, it is divided into several smaller bays. Nurfjord is somewhat inferior to him - its length is about 106 kilometers. Lucefjord is not so long - only 42 km. However, this cannot be said about the depth - it reaches 422 meters! However, if we talk about these indicators, the attention should be noted Tronheimsfjord. Its deepest point reaches 617 meters. In addition, the bay has several large islands, and the largest are Toutra (1.5 kilometers) and Ytteroi (28 km). Sognefjord is one of the oldest. It began to form over 2.5 million years ago. And its maximum deepening is about 2850 meters!
Journey to a fairy tale
All this inspires tourists to look at the Norwegian fjords. When is it best to go to these places, which season to choose? Of course, the most comfortable time is the summer season. It lasts from May to September - during this time period, about two million people come to Norway. It is not cold here at this time, the climate is favorable, therefore it is a pleasure to admire the fjords, just like walking along their expanses. In addition, having come here in the summer, you can also swim. The swimming season opens around July - then the water warms up to about 18 degrees, but there is nothing stopping hardened people from enjoying beach pleasures from the end of spring. The Norwegian Fjords cruise, by the way, is as popular as sea trips. Tourists, inspired by the beauties seen in the photographs, strive to cover all local attractions during their journey. It is most convenient to go to look at the Norwegian fjords from St. Petersburg - these are the most popular and bought tours.