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As a Canadian company we can appreciate the equally rugged appeal of Norway. It’s the land of striking Vikings, sweet cheese, and fjords galore. The country has the fourth-highest income per capita, one of the lowest crime rates, and is as gay as it gets…in the gleeful, old-school sense of the word. Norway ranked first on the World Happiness Report in 2017. What’s not to love!?
Like most of Scandinavia, Norway is assuredly gay welcoming. Same sex marriage and adoption are legal and it’s home to some of the world’s oldest anti-discrimination laws for our community. Citizens can apply to change their gender without any kind of medical intervention or diagnosis, and the country was even the first in the world to offer PrEP for free as part of their national healthcare strategy.
Gay Activity: Legal
Lesbian Activity: Legal
Gay Marriage: Legal
Right to Change Gender: Legal, surgery not required
Same-Sex Adoption: Legal
LGBT Discrimination: Illegal
As is the case across Scandinavia, gay travellers are completely welcome in Norway. The country celebrates the LGBT community with annual prides in its largest cities. Being a relatively small country, gay tourists will find the majority of gay nightlife in the country’s capital, Oslo.
Gay Villages
Oslo: While the city doesn’t have a gay village per se, the central city of Oslo is where you’ll find the majority of gay bars, clubs and saunas.
Pride and Gay Events
Oslo Pride: Annually in July
Scandinavian Ski Pride: Annually in March
Bergen Pride: Annually in June
Best Gay Bars
Oslo: London Pub (Bar)
Oslo: Bob’s Pub (Bar & Restaurant)
Oslo: Elsker (Bar with dancing)
Oslo: Fire (Summer dance party)
Oslo: Indieseksuell (Indie dance party)
Bergen: Fincken (Bar with dancing)
Best Lesbian Bars
There are no lesbian-exclusive bars in Norway. The LGBT scene is very mixed and all gay bars mentioned above are also considered lesbian bars.
5. Lofoten Islands
Monstrous mountains erupting from the sea form Norway’s imposing and unmissable Lofoten Islands.
4. Oslo
As the official European Green Capital, 2019, Oslo is a naturally beautiful city despite its booming size. Dive into its counter-culture, ogle at the Scandinavian architecture, appreciate the contemporary art scene and drink in one of the world’s best coffee revolutions.
3. Jotunjeimen National Park
Norway is a gay adventure travellers dream. It is home to otherworldly fjords, ancient glaciers, infinite forests and ravishing ravines. All of which you’ll find at their largest and most brilliant in Jotunjeimen National Park.
2. Bergen
Dwarfed by its surrounding seven hills and seven fjords, Bergen is a pulsing UNESCO World Heritage city in the middle of what can only be described as Eden.
1. Geirangerfjord
Cascading waterfalls, fathoms of royal blue water, soaring snow-capped peaks and endless forests that cling to the rugged cliffs. Geirangerfjord is the world’s most famous fjord, and Norway’s most visited.
Best Time to Visit: Summer (July & August) is a great time to visit Norway. You can take advantage of the extra-long days but beware that the temperatures can still be crisp and cool. Be sure to pack accordingly.
Electricity: F-type sockets.
Time Zone: Central European Time (UTC +1)
Vaccinations: The WHO suggests immunization against Hepatitis A and B, rabies, and influenza before visiting Norway. To determine if you should take preventative measures, talk to your doctor or a travel medical clinic.
Visas: If your passport is from the USA, Canada, or Europe you can stay up to 90 days without a visa. There may be exceptions. Click here for more info.
LGBT Rights in Norway
Like most of Scandinavia, Norway is assuredly gay welcoming. Same sex marriage and adoption are legal and it’s home to some of the world’s oldest anti-discrimination laws for our community. Citizens can apply to change their gender without any kind of medical intervention or diagnosis, and the country was even the first in the world to offer PrEP for free as part of their national healthcare strategy.
Gay Activity: Legal
Lesbian Activity: Legal
Gay Marriage: Legal
Right to Change Gender: Legal, surgery not required
Same-Sex Adoption: Legal
LGBT Discrimination: Illegal
Gay Norway Travel
As is the case across Scandinavia, gay travellers are completely welcome in Norway. The country celebrates the LGBT community with annual prides in its largest cities. Being a relatively small country, gay tourists will find the majority of gay nightlife in the country’s capital, Oslo.
Gay Villages
Oslo: While the city doesn’t have a gay village per se, the central city of Oslo is where you’ll find the majority of gay bars, clubs and saunas.
Pride and Gay Events
Oslo Pride: Annually in July
Scandinavian Ski Pride: Annually in March
Bergen Pride: Annually in June
Best Gay Bars
Oslo: London Pub (Bar)
Oslo: Bob’s Pub (Bar & Restaurant)
Oslo: Elsker (Bar with dancing)
Oslo: Fire (Summer dance party)
Oslo: Indieseksuell (Indie dance party)
Bergen: Fincken (Bar with dancing)
Best Lesbian Bars
There are no lesbian-exclusive bars in Norway. The LGBT scene is very mixed and all gay bars mentioned above are also considered lesbian bars.
Best Places to Visit in Norway
5. Lofoten Islands
Monstrous mountains erupting from the sea form Norway’s imposing and unmissable Lofoten Islands.
4. Oslo
As the official European Green Capital, 2019, Oslo is a naturally beautiful city despite its booming size. Dive into its counter-culture, ogle at the Scandinavian architecture, appreciate the contemporary art scene and drink in one of the world’s best coffee revolutions.
3. Jotunjeimen National Park
Norway is a gay adventure travellers dream. It is home to otherworldly fjords, ancient glaciers, infinite forests and ravishing ravines. All of which you’ll find at their largest and most brilliant in Jotunjeimen National Park.
2. Bergen
Dwarfed by its surrounding seven hills and seven fjords, Bergen is a pulsing UNESCO World Heritage city in the middle of what can only be described as Eden.
1. Geirangerfjord
Cascading waterfalls, fathoms of royal blue water, soaring snow-capped peaks and endless forests that cling to the rugged cliffs. Geirangerfjord is the world’s most famous fjord, and Norway’s most visited.
More Info
Best Time to Visit: Summer (July & August) is a great time to visit Norway. You can take advantage of the extra-long days but beware that the temperatures can still be crisp and cool. Be sure to pack accordingly.
Electricity: F-type sockets.
Time Zone: Central European Time (UTC +1)
Vaccinations: The WHO suggests immunization against Hepatitis A and B, rabies, and influenza before visiting Norway. To determine if you should take preventative measures, talk to your doctor or a travel medical clinic.
Visas: If your passport is from the USA, Canada, or Europe you can stay up to 90 days without a visa. There may be exceptions. Click here for more info.
Throw caution to the wind and bid the itinerary adieu. Let our brand new Norway: Gay Mystery Expedition be your North Star. Read on for all the details.
Read MoreOslo is the compact and cosmopolitan capital of Norway. Read Out Adventures’ gay guide to navigate this popular destination.
Read MoreSpoiler alert: Bjørn means bear in Norwegian, and that’s literally our local guide’s name. Given his beard, it feels appropriate. He’s a certified kayaking, climbing and skiing instructor. He’s also a striking landscape photographer who channels the rugged spirit of Norway onto his Instagram feed. Since we’re keeping our gay Norway trip’s itinerary top-secret, we […]
Read MoreThe adorable gay travel bloggers behind Couple of Men join Peter and Rob in the studio to count down our 10 favourite gay Scandinavia experiences.
Read MorePacking for Norway is difficult enough. Never mind packing for a Norwegian gay escape where the operators refuse to tell you what you’ll be doing or where you’ll be going. #sorrynotsorry To help prepare for the world’s first gay mystery expedition, please find a thorough packing list below with some helpful tips and tricks.
Read More
