Gluten-Free Travel in Norway: Tips and Dining Recommendations

This summer I spent a week in Norway. It is somewhere that has been on my bucket list for a long while, and it was certainly worth the wait.

On our visit we mainly focused on the fjords, staying in Bergen, Odda, and then Vik.

The scenery was magnificent, and we were surprised by how few people we saw at times, even in August. If you’re after rugged landscapes, beautiful scenery and a place to escape from the noise, I would 100% recommend Norway…just make sure to bring some waterproof clothes!

When is the best time to travel to Norway?

We went to Norway in August as we felt we’d have the best chance of some decent weather for hiking and enjoying the views. It rained! If you’re considering a holiday in Norway, be prepared for all weathers whatever the time of year. Whilst it rained most days of the week we were there, there were plenty of dry spells which gave us opportunity to get out and enjoy some hiking. The temperature was fairly mild, around 16 degrees celsius, but as you might expect in the great outdoors, the weather can be extremely changeable, so we made use of wooly hats, waterproofs and suncream in any given day.

When speaking to the locals, they said that the rain was slightly unusual for that time of year, however not completely out of the ordinary. Our hiking guide also recommended coming in the winter when you can hike in the snow.

Do I need to hire a car in Norway?

We decided to hire a car for our multi-stop trip. We flew from Manchester in the UK directly to Bergen, before hiring a car with Sixt at the airport. We opted for a 4×4 and we were very glad of it on some of the rural roads we were taking.

That said, if you want to just focus on visiting the main cites and towns in Norway, such as Bergen, Stavanger and Oslo, Norway can be done without a car. You can also get to the fjords on public transport from Bergen, however you wouldn’t have the opportunity to venture out too much unless you opt onto organised trips and tours.

What to pack for Norway

Whether you’re visiting Norway for adventure and want to get involved in the hiking, kayaking and climbing scene, or you simply want to take in the views. I’d recommend packing an assortment of clothing for all weathers – layers is certainly the way to go. Here’s what I packed:

Waterproof clothes – trousers, coat and cap
Quick dry sportswear – including tshirts, mid-layers and leggings
Hiking boots – even if you’re not planning on hiking, some hiking boots or good trainers will serve you well to explore a little. If you are planning on hiking, make sure you’ve worn your boots in before attempting a long hike (or have some blister plasters at the ready).
Backpack and waterproof backpack cover – a backpack is handy when going out for walks to pack with plenty of snacks, water and extra layers or waterproofs. The waterproof backpack cover came in extremely handy too – if you’re backpack isn’t waterproof, I’d recommend investing in one to avoid some very soggy sandwiches!

Norway 1-week itinerary

Day one: Fly UK to Bergen

We had an evening flight, getting into Bergen at 11:30pm so we opted to call it a night and rest at the hotel Scandic.

Day two: Drive Bergen > Odda

Rested and raring to go, we collected our hire car from the airport and headed to Odda for our first stop. The drive from Bergen to Odda took around 3 hours. Odda is a small town, but an ideal location if you are planning on hiking the Trolltunga. We stayed in an apartment overlooking the fjord, and took some time to relax before the Trolltunga hike the following day.

Day three: Trolltunga Hike

Bright and early at 07:30am we joined our hiking guide and group from Trolltunga Active. We met at the P2 car park before getting the shuttle to P3. I would strongly recommend getting the shuttle to P3. The climb up from P2 to P3 is steep, and is not a particularly beautiful hike as it is along the windy road up the mountain. We past many weary-looking hikers in the shuttle.

Thankfully we were blessed with beautiful sunshine all day on our Trolltunga hike, and didn’t get a spot of ran throughout the day. As a result we were rewarded with fantastic views and had a really pleasant day. The first part of the hike is uphill, but after this it is fairly flat and any uphill climbs are much shorter.

The hike took around 9 hours to complete with plenty of stops for food and photos. If you were hiking without a group and have fewer stops this could definitely be done quicker.

Day four: Drive Odda > Vik

After a well earned rest, we were up and back on the road, this time to the Sognefjord town of Vik i Sogn. The scenic drive took around 3 hours and once we arrived we enjoyed soaking up the unspoilt view of the fjord directly from our Airbnb.

Day five: Kvitenjuk hike

We were the only ones on the trail up to see the panoramic view of the fjord. It was an uphill climb, but worth the effort as we sat and enjoyed soaking up the view and silence at the summit. The Kvitenjuk hike was a much shorter hike following the Trolltunga, and took us around 1.5hours with a break at the top.

Day six: Bordalsgjelet Gorge and Voss

We travelled to Voss which is a lovely little town 1.5hours away from Vik i Sogn. Whilst we were travelling through a heavy downpour, the skies cleared and the sun came out for our arrival in Voss. We parked up and started the Bordalsgjelet Gorge hike, a short hike to a tucked away gorge amongst the local residents’ homes.

The great thing about hiking in Voss was that the town offers plenty of cafes and restaurants to refuel afterwards.

We ate at Vangen Cafe which offered a number of gluten-free options. I went for the vegetable curry with gluten free bread.

Day seven: Huldafossen Hike

On our last full day we went to another remote hike where we were the only people there. The Huldafossen hike was fairly flat which was a well-received treat after some of the uphill climbs on previous hikes. We saw the gorgeous waterfalls and glacier.

Day eight: Fly Bergen > UK

Before we travelled back home we had some time to explore Bergen. This was the most touristy area of all three stops, with lots of tourists coming from cruise ships. It is a lovely city and very walkable. We enjoyed a lunch and a wander around the shops before heading to the airport to travel home.

Eating gluten-free in Norway

The nature of our trip in the Fjords meant that we were self-catering most of the time, taking food to eat whilst out hiking and then cooking in our accommodation afterwards.

Hotels

Scandic

Scandic offered a separate section on the breakfast buffet for gluten-free and dairy free, offering gluten-free cookies, gluten-free bread and vegan raspberry energy balls which were delicious! This was in addition to a great selection of fruit.

Supermarkets

Extra

I took a few gluten-free basics with me not knowing how easy it would be to find gluten-free food in the local supermarkets. I needn’t have done so as there were Extra supermarkets in both Odda and Vik, both of which offered lots of gluten-free foods including breads, pastas, biscuits, cakes and beers. They also had lots of lactose-free products too, with lots of lactose-free yoghurts and cheeses.

Gluten-free Bergen

Whilst I was mainly self-catering for this trip I did eat out in Bergen and Voss. I would recommend taking a look on the Norwegian Coeliac Society’s handy map of accredited restaurants to help guide your restaurant choices.

Olivia’s

Bergen being a city meant that I had more gluten-free options than other towns and villages I visited. We opted for lunch at Olivia’s – an Italian restaurant which was well-reviewed by fellow coeliacs. Most dishes can be done gluten-free, and I went for a gluten-free margarita pizza with vegan cheese and a chilli dip.

Baker Brun

In the hunt for something sweet after lunch, I found Baker Brun which had gluten-free and dairy-free options. I went for a gluten-free cinnamon bun.

gluten-free cinnamon roll from Baker Brun in Bergen, Norway

Amigos Bar and Restaurant

I didn’t get chance to eat here, but this Mexican restaurant was an option on my list offering plenty of gluten-free corn tacos and fajitas.

Holy Cow

Another find from FindMeGlutenFree with lots of positive reviews from coeliacs.

Hot Wok City

A Chinese with positive reviews from gluten-free eaters. Their menu is clearly labelled with allergens and offers vegan options too.

Gluten-Free Travel in Norway: Tips and Dining Recommendations