14 Best Sights in The Western Fjords, Norway

Home to Norway's third-largest glacier, Folgefonna National Park is popular for its kayaking and, of course, hiking on the glacier. From the top of the glacier there are beautiful valleys stretching all the way down to the fjord, and visiting Folgefonna is something you will remember. The National Park has several places of entry, with Odda and Rosendal (with the visitor center) being two popular ones, and several hikes and glacier arms you can explore, in addition to beautiful valleys with waterfalls of melting water from the glacier.

One of the most beautiful hikes in the area and in Norway, Husedalen takes you past four spectacular waterfalls: Tveitafossen, Nykkjesøyfossen, Nyastølsfossen, and Søtefossen. The hike takes about five or six hours if you aim to see all of the waterfalls, but you can also opt to visit just the first one and be finished in 90 minutes. From Kinsarvik, follow the river up the valley and then follow signs marking the hike, or drive to the power station to park there. The full hike is best for those who consider themselves to be of a moderate hiking level, but the first waterfall is hikeable for most people.

For thousands of years, this 600-foot waterfall has cut like a knife through the Hardangervidda Plateau, every year adding another fraction of an inch to the Måbødalen Valley. There are a number of ways to take in the waterfall and the valley beneath it, the most accessible being the cliff-top lookout points along Route 7 between Eidfjord and Fossli. For a dazzling and damp view from beneath the waterfall, take a half-hour hike from the road to the bottom of the waterfall. The trail is slippery, even in dry weather, but is well worth it. Visit Eidfjord can help plan your trip.

This hike leads you to a peak nearly 3,000 feet above sea level. The hike itself is clearly marked with red T's along the trail, and you can enjoy some spectacular views over Sandvinsvatnet and the Sørfjord. There are some steep parts, so for this hike you should be in relatively good shape. The hike takes around three to four hours round-trip. The address takes you to a small parking lot (near a playground), close to the start of the trail.

Playwright Henrik Ibsen is said to have been inspired by the natural beauty around Hellesylt, and the main exhibit in this gallery contains wooden carvings inspired by his play Peer Gynt. It's also a visitor center, with information about the nature in the area.

This rock formation about 3,600 feet above sea level is one of the most breathtaking sights in Norway. From the tip of a huge sliver of stone jutting out from the mountain you can gaze down at the valley and fjord below. The hike itself takes around 10 to 12 hours, and many people find that they underestimated the level of fitness and endurance needed to make the trip. Always check weather conditions a few days ahead of time, then again the morning of the hike. The main starting point is at P2 in Skjeggedal, but it is also possible to start from P3 Mågelitopp (saving two or three hours). From Odda there are shuttle buses to P2, and between P2 and P3 there is a smaller shuttle operating in the summer season. There is parking at both P2 and P3, the latter with more limited spaces that should be booked in advance.

Dating back to 1859, this cross-shape house of worship is worth seeing for its architecture alone. It was designed by Danish-Norwegian architect Hans Ditlev Franciscus von Linstow, who is most famous for being the man behind the Norwegian Royal Palace in Oslo.