Fjords, skiing and gravlax – Nordic adventures from Manchester Airport
This Saturday evening, the eyes of the world will be on England and Norway as the two countries go head-to-head for a place in the World Cup semi-finals – with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland providing the main threat to the Three Lions’ hopes.
Links between our region and Norway go back more than 1,000 years, when Vikings settled the North West coast. They left their mark in place names like Formby, Crosby and Ormskirk, in the architecture of some of our region’s oldest churches, and in our genes – with a study showing that up to 50% of the DNA of long-established families living in the Wirral is Scandinavian.
Manchester Airport continues those traditions of connections between our region and Norway, hosting the country’s flag carrier airline, Norwegian, and offering flights to no fewer than five destinations across the length of the country.
If this weekend’s game has piqued your interest in paying a visit to Norway – or even if you want to make a short-notice trip to watch the game there - the UK’s global gateway in the North has you covered.
Here we take a look at what you might experience when you get there, from winter sports and famous art to mouthwatering food and epic scenery.
Oslo
Fly to Oslo with easyJet from £56pp return*. Norwegian also serves Oslo from Manchester.
There are a huge range of experiences you can have in Norway’s capital, which come together to make it an appealing option for a city break. Explore its thriving harbour, warm up in a floating sauna on Oslofjord, enjoy a performance at the Oslo Opera House – an iconic piece of modern architecture – and take in the stunning views from its rooftop. Perhaps the most memorable thing to see here though is Edvard Munch’s The Scream, a globally renowned painting set on the city’s waterfront and displayed in the Munch Museum.
Sandefjord
Fly to Sandefjord with Ryanair from £30pp return*
Ryanair offers a direct service from Manchester to Sandefjord, about an hour south of Oslo. Many use this airport as a means of getting to the capital but it also gives you the opportunity to explore a stunning stretch of rural coastline and traditional fishing villages on the Oslofjord, as well as the Skrim-Sauheradfjella nature reserve, with jaw-dropping hiking trails through mountains and coniferous forests which are dusted with snow in winter.
Bergen
Fly to Bergen with Norwegian from £118pp return*.
Bergen, on the west coast of Norway, makes a great base to explore the country’s famous fjords. You can book a half-day boat tour or a more extensive package, and take in natural wonders like the 600ft-high Vøringsfossen waterfall. Bergen itself has plenty to keep you entertained, including colourful wooden houses along the harbourfront - where restaurants serve up gravlax (cured salmon), one of the country's culinary highlights - and a funicular railway ascending Fløyen Mountain, offering panoramic vistas and walking trails.
Tromso
Fly to Tromso with Norwegian from £127pp return*. easyJet also serves Tromso from Manchester.
Tromso is the most northerly major city in the world and is a fantastic place to explore the great outdoors year-round, whether you’re taking in the Northern Lights in winter, or the Midnight Sun in the summer. Whale watching tours give you the chance to spot humpback whales and orcas, while reindeer-drawn sleigh rides let you take in the scenery up close. It's also a very popular destination for cross-country skiing.
Stavanger
Fly to Stavanger with Norwegian from £110pp return*.
This city in the south west of the country is one of Norway’s cultural highlights. Gamle Stavanger, the historic city centre, is lined with timber-framed buildings dating from the 18th and 19th centuries, while Fargegaten (the ‘Colourful Street’) boasts specialty coffee shops, boutiques, and galleries. The ‘pulpit rock’, a 2,000ft-high cliff overlooking the Lysefjord, is a noteworthy Instagram spot.
*Prices quoted are the cheapest available between now and 31 December 2026 when booking directly through the relevant airline’s website from Manchester to the destination specified, and are accurate at the time of publication. Optional extras like hold luggage and seat selection may not be included.