Up Norway, the leading curator of tailor-made luxury journeys in Norway, now offers a new road trip itinerary that redefines Southern Norway as a world-class culinary and cultural destination. While the journey reinforces the country’s reputation for dramatic fjords and untouched nature, it also highlights Norway’s thriving contemporary art scene and dynamic food culture. Travelers can enjoy a carefully balanced mix of dining experiences, from MICHELIN-starred standouts such as RE-NAA in Stavanger (Three Stars), Lysverket and Gaptrast in Bergen (One Star each), and the architecturally striking Under restaurant (One Star), half-submerged in the North Sea by design firm Snøhetta, to authentic, rustic eateries that showcase local flavors and traditions. Beyond fine dining, the itinerary weaves in opportunities to taste Norway’s growing beverage culture, including craft cider, wine, small-batch gin, and even kveik, the historic Norwegian farmhouse yeast. Available May through October, the self-drive journey takes travelers along UNESCO-recognized Norwegian Scenic Routes, connecting Bergen and Oslo via Stavanger and Kristiansand. The journey, made clockwise or counterclockwise, is customized for individual interests with expert curation and insider access.
Days 1-4: Bergen to Oslo via Voss and Geilo
Saving the city's rich cultural offerings for the journey's end, travelers collect their car in Bergen, known to be the capital of Fjord Norway, before departing for their first destination. The 90-minute drive leads to the quaint village of Voss where functionalist architecture blends with expressive rural design, landscape-based art installations, and farm-to-table experiences. Accommodations in Voss are at a traditional farmstead reimagined as a boutique hotel. Here, guests experience folk culture and local specialties including smalahove and farmhouse beer brewed with ancient kveik cultures. Alternatively, or in addition to, adventure is readily available as the area is the Norwegian capital of extreme sports.
Then, it’s on to Geilo, following Scenic Route Hardangervidda, bypassing spectacular waterfalls and across the Hardangerfjord via Norway's longest suspension bridge. In Geilo, a boutique mountain lodge awaits, where guests will taste the region through locally produced cheeses, hear storytelling around the table, and learn about the traditional støls, summer farms scattered through the mountains, representing a way of life that is now UNESCO-protected.
From Geilo to Oslo, a highlight includes a detour to Kistefos Museum, an outdoor sculpture park featuring works by Anish Kapoor, Tony Cragg, and more. From there the pinnacle of the experience lies within the internationally acclaimed architectural wonder, ‘The Twist’. Designed to astound, ‘The Twist’ serves as both an art gallery and a bridge spanning the Randselva river. Its iconic aluminum structure, characterized by a literal twist, rotates 90 degrees from end to end, a testament to human ingenuity and artistic brilliance.
Days 5-8: Oslo to Kristiansand via Coastal Discoveries
Oslo offers cultural immersion for travelers with many options for personalized experiences. With the National Museum and MUNCH museum, Nobel Peace Centre and emotional force of Vigeland Park’s 200+ human sculptures, Oslo Opera House, and the Astrup Fearnley Museum, Oslo stands apart as a capital city — close to nature, full of cultural energy, and easy to explore. Recognized as one of Europe’s most significant private contemporary collections, the latter showcases contemporary works including pieces by Bjarne Melgaard exploring identity and societal boundaries.
The journey continues along the Oslo fjord with stops in Stavern at Odd Nerdrum's museum for figurative baroque-inspired painting and the coastal village of Nevlunghavn offers a slow travel stop for reflective experiences. Then, it’s on to Kristiansand where detours have travelers visiting a shellfish and textile craft farm, kayaking with a former Olympic champion in Lillesand, and visiting Nobel Prize winning author Knut Hamsun’s former home. It’s here where one can also visit Kunstsilo, a new innovative art museum housed in a converted grain silo, walk along Tømmerrenna, once a gushing timber chute and now a spectacular hiking path, or taste Norwegian wine at a local vineyard. For an extraordinary culinary experience, optional helicopter transfers are available to Under, the MICHELIN-starred restaurant half-submerged in the North Sea.
Days 9-11: Two Routes to Stavanger
Travelers choose between two distinct routes from Kristiansand to Stavanger. The first route leads inland through Setesdal valley to Brokkestøylen mountain retreat, where eco domes provide accommodation among grazing sheep. Hosts offer nature-based wellness experiences including river sauna rituals, yoga, and foraging workshops, alongside meals featuring valley-grown ingredients and award-winning Highland Gin. The alternative coastal route follows Scenic Route Jæren through wide skies and surfing beaches, exploring landscapes that inspired artists like Kitty Kielland. Both routes conclude in Stavanger at the Eilert Smith Hotel, housing RE-NAA, the two-MICHELIN-starred restaurant that anchors the city's culinary reputation.
Days 12-15: Stavanger to Hardanger via Industrial Heritage
Stavanger exploration includes walking tours through preserved Gamle (Old) Stavanger and the colorful Øvre Holmegate street art district. Then, it's on to the Norwegian Petroleum Museum, which reveals the human stories behind Norway's oil boom and its transformation into a modern welfare state, and the Canning Museum, offering insights into the sardine industry that built Stavanger's early prosperity. The city showcases its culinary evolution through two MICHELIN-starred restaurants and celebrated dockside bistros.
The journey continues on Scenic Route Ryfylke with a visit to Allmannajuvet zinc mines, transformed by architect Peter Zumthor into a minimalist meditation on industrial heritage. Accommodation is first at the preserved 1960s Energihotellet in Suldal, then continues to the historic Utne Hotel in Hardanger, which serves as base for exploring the region by foot, kayak, or through visits to local cider producers.
Days 16-17: Return to Bergen
The final stretch follows Scenic Route Hardanger, crossing the fjord by ferry back toward Bergen. This historic city offers rich cultural experiences including the KODE arts complex, one of the Nordic region's largest museums for art, crafts, design and music, housing Edvard Grieg's historic home where the composer created many of his best-known works. Culinary highlights include dining at Gaptrast, Bergen's newest MICHELIN-starred restaurant, or Lysverket, where chef Christopher Haatuft leads a revolution in neo-fjordic cuisine. The journey concludes with exploration of the UNESCO-listed Bryggen wharf, the historic Hanseatic quarter with its iconic colorful wooden buildings, where modern artisans continue the city's creative traditions established by medieval merchants.
The Southern Norway Roadtrip is best suited for adventurous, independent travelers seeking cultural depth alongside natural beauty, offering comprehensive cultural immersion from MICHELIN-starred dining to contemporary art installations. The experience balances reflection and discovery opportunities across Norway's diverse landscapes, with accommodations ranging from boutique design hotels to historic properties and eco-lodges, all selected for their authentic Norwegian hospitality and connection to place. The 17-day itinerary starts at $14,119 USD per person based on two guests traveling together. For more information or to plan a journey, visit upnorway.com.
