Norway

The Kingdom of Norway is a long, narrow country on the west coast of Scandinavia. Truly the Land of the Midnight Sun, much of the country lies inside the Arctic Circle, where the sun is visible 24-hours a day from mid-May through the end of July in the northern-most regions. While the best times to visit are generally late spring through early fall, there's much to do in winter as well. Norway is an excellent spot for skiing and snowboarding vacations, but also for hiking, fishing, biking and golf. With a history and culture dating back to the Vikings, there are many museums, stave churches, fortresses and art exhibits to see, including the Fantaft Stave Church in Bergen, the Nasjonalgalleriet and the Vikingskipshuset in Oslo. And don't forget the food – Norway is a seafood lover's paradise, with fresh crab, shrimp and smoked salmon, but for the meat-eaters, here's your chance to experience reindeer, moose, red deer or grouse. But, above all, there are incredible sights to see in this land of fjords, islands, mountains and glaciers. Nature abounds, with some of the most breath-taking views anywhere of long sandy beaches, powerful waterfalls, vast forests, rugged mountains, awe-inspiring fjords, white-capped glaciers and 21 national parks. Of course, Norway is also the perfect viewing center for one of nature's most incredible shows – the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights. And like the other sights of this ancient land, they'll take your breath away.