Uncovering Norway’s Best Beaches
Forget what you think you know about beaches. Norway has a different story to tell, and it’s a tale of windswept dunes, Iron Age burial mounds, and reveling under the midnight sun.
With 100,915 km (62,705 miles) of fragmented coastline, Norway harbors hundreds of coves, many of them pristine and remote. These idyllic spots aren’t known for their on-the-sand bars, palm trees, or tropical temperatures, but they each offer a Nordic seaside experience that will challenge your idea of a beach vacation. Here’s our pick of the best beaches in Norway.
1. Skagsanden Beach, Lofoten
Best beach for photographing the northern lights
Often missed by average travelers in favor of better-known Lofoten shores, Skagsanden Beach has not been overlooked by photographers. Though it’s not a true black sand beach, rivulets create meandering dark patterns on the shoreline that make for intriguing shots. Moreover, the weather can play tricks on the eye, creating the illusion of a moody expanse of dark Arctic sand with snowy peaks beyond.
On calm, clear nights during the Arctic winter, photographers flock here for the chance to capture the northern lights. Flickering green and purple, they surge upwards in the vast yawning sky above the serrated mountains, while the flat stretch of glassy sand mirrors the celestial light show.
2. Telegrafbukta, Tromsø
Best city beach
The sun won’t set on your summertime revelry at Telegrafbukta, 350 km (217 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. This petite crescent of blonde sand is embraced by ice-cold water throughout the year. The beach fringes the edge of a forested recreation area and draws city residents to its trails, playground, and beach volleyball court.
In July, join the party-goers for the Bukta Open Air music festival, where the midnight sun promises 24-hour daylight to soak in the mountain views towards Balsfjorden. In winter, the shoreline is illuminated by the swirling celestial light show of the Aurora Borealis.
3. Sjøsanden, Mandal
Best for families
Basking in the (relatively) mild temperatures of the southern coast, Sjøsanden could be the most famous sandy beach in Norway. Its shallow water on the foreshore makes it perfect for families, particularly for those with young children.
When the view becomes tiresome here, locals simply pack up and head to one of the other beaches in the Furulunden nature park or ride along the park’s forested trails.
4. Orrestranda, Jæren
Best for walking
Norway’s longest sandy beach beckons with its 3 km (2-mile) stretch of pale golden sand, backed by grassy dunes that shelter protected birds and plant species. Orrestranda stands out among the renowned cluster of beaches at Jæren for its wild, windswept charm.
The true joy here comes from strolling along the unspoiled shore, with the waves rolling rhythmically on one side while the grasses sway on the other.
5. Munkholmen, Trondheim
Best beach near Trondheim
The tiniest beach on this list is also the quirkiest. Munkholmen offers a unique location for a patch of sand in Norway, where you can claim to have sunbathed on a Viking-era execution site.
A 15-minute boat ride from Trondheim, this islet attracts summertime day-trippers who enjoy its museum before heading down to the petite sandy area for a dip in Trondheimsfjorden.
6. Hoddevik, Stad
Best beach for surfers
Competition is stiff for the title of Norway’s best beach for surfing. While the waves of Lofoten and Jæren have mighty credentials, Hoddevik, on the westernmost tip of the country, takes precedence. This adventure begins as you navigate the hairpin bends leading into the bay.
The mountains provide some protection against the wind, though the waves rolling into Hoddevik from the Norwegian Sea can be powerful. In summer, beginners try their luck, while by autumn, seasoned adventurers clad in full wetsuits conquer the biting waves.
7. Mølen, Larvik
Best for history
Revealed over 10,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age, Mølen is part earth-science time capsule and part archaeological treasure trove. This vast pebble beach features some 230 mysterious cairns, some as large as 25 m (115 ft) in diameter.
The glacier that created this moraine dragged around 100 different rock types from miles away, making Mølen a unique geological area now protected as a UNESCO Global Geopark.
City Beaches near Oslo and Bergen
Tjuvholmen City Beach, Oslo: On a warm summer’s day, cool your feet in the Oslofjord at this petite artificial city beach, which lies beside the modern art gallery Astrup Fearnley Museet.
Kyrkjetangen, near Bergen: A true beach in Bergen is hard to find due to the region’s rocky geography, but Kyrkjetangen offers small stretches of sand, fjord swimming, and a diving board for the adventurous.
This article was first published Sep 30, 2021, and updated Aug 16, 2022.
