🇳🇴Roads in Norway
6 roads found in Norway, Europe
Atlantic Ocean Road
🇳🇴 Norway
The Atlantic Ocean Road (Atlanterhavsveien) is an 8.3-kilometer stretch of highway that connects the island of Averoy with the mainland in More og Romsdal county, Norway. Built on several small islands and skerries connected by eight bridges, causeways, and viaducts, the road is widely considered one of the most beautiful drives in the world. It was completed in 1989 after six years of construction during which builders endured twelve hurricanes. The most famous section is the Storseisundet Bridge, a dramatic cantilevered structure that appears to launch cars into the sky when viewed from certain angles. This optical illusion has made the bridge one of the most photographed road structures in the world. The road hugs the edge of the Norwegian Sea, and during storms, waves crash spectacularly over the bridges and barriers, giving drivers a thrilling experience of nature's raw power. The Atlantic Ocean Road is part of Norwegian County Road 64 and was designated a Norwegian Cultural Heritage Site in 2005. Beyond its engineering marvel, the route offers exceptional opportunities for whale watching, seal spotting, and sea bird observation. Fishing from the bridges is also popular, and several rest stops along the way provide panoramic views of the open ocean and the surrounding archipelago.
E10 Lofoten Islands Road
🇳🇴 Norway
The E10 through the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway is a 170-kilometer road connecting the mainland at Bjerkvik with the fishing village of A at the southwestern tip of the archipelago. The road crosses the dramatic island chain via a series of bridges, tunnels, and causeways, passing through a landscape of jagged granite peaks rising directly from the Norwegian Sea, sheltered fishing harbors, and white sand beaches. The Lofoten Islands sit above the Arctic Circle yet enjoy a relatively mild climate thanks to the Gulf Stream. The E10 threads through villages where traditional red wooden fishing cabins (rorbuer) line the harbors, and where fish-drying racks (hjell) are loaded with cod in the spring. The road passes through several undersea tunnels, and the bridges spanning the narrow channels between islands offer spectacular views. In summer, the midnight sun bathes the mountains in golden light around the clock, while winter brings the northern lights. The final stretch to the village of A, with its preserved cod-liver oil factory and stockfish museum, is particularly atmospheric.
Lysebotn Road
🇳🇴 Norway
The Lysebotn Road (Lysevegen) is a dramatic mountain road in Rogaland county, Norway, connecting the tiny village of Lysebotn at the head of the Lysefjord with the highland plateau above. The road climbs approximately 900 meters over just 8 kilometers, featuring 27 hairpin bends and a 1.1-kilometer-long tunnel with a complete spiral turn inside the mountain. This engineering marvel allows the road to gain elevation within the mountain itself before emerging at a higher point on the cliff face. The road descends to Lysebotn, a remote settlement accessible only by this road or by ferry through the spectacular Lysefjord. The village sits at the innermost point of the fjord, surrounded by near-vertical cliff walls rising over 1,000 meters. The area is best known as the location of Kjeragbolten, a boulder wedged between two cliff faces 984 meters above the fjord, and Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), one of Norway's most famous natural landmarks, though the latter is accessed from the opposite end of the fjord. The road is only open from June to September due to extreme winter conditions, and its narrow width and steep gradient make it unsuitable for large vehicles. The combination of the spiral tunnel, tight switchbacks, and the stunning fjord scenery below makes Lysebotn Road one of the most unique driving experiences in Scandinavia. The final descent offers extraordinary views of the fjord and the surrounding mountains.
Lysevegen (Road 500)
🇳🇴 Norway
Lysevegen (Road 500) is a 30-kilometer mountain road in Rogaland county, Norway, connecting the Lysefjord with the Sirdal valley. The road climbs from sea level at the Lysebotn ferry terminal to 920 meters in altitude through 27 hairpin bends, including a dramatic section where the road passes through a tunnel that spirals 360 degrees inside the mountain to gain elevation. The spiral tunnel is unique in Norway and adds an element of engineering wonder to an already dramatic drive. At the top of the climb, the road emerges onto a high plateau of lakes, bogs, and open heathland, a stark contrast to the deep, narrow fjord below. The Lysefjord itself is famous for the Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), a flat-topped cliff 604 meters above the water, and Kjeragbolten, a boulder wedged in a mountain crevice. Lysevegen provides the most dramatic road access to this landscape, though the Lysefjord can also be reached by boat.
Stalheimskleiva
🇳🇴 Norway
Stalheimskleiva is one of northern Europe's steepest roads, descending 400 meters over just 1.5 kilometers with a gradient of up to 20 percent. Located in Voss municipality in western Norway, the old road drops from the Stalheim Hotel into the Naerodal valley through 13 hairpin bends, offering dramatic views of the Stalheimsfossen and Sivlefossen waterfalls cascading down the valley walls on either side. The road was originally built in 1846 as part of the main route between Oslo and Bergen and served as the primary highway until a modern tunnel bypassed it in 1980. Today it functions as a one-way tourist road (downhill only) during the summer months. The hairpins are extremely tight with retaining walls of mortared stone, and the road surface is a mix of old cobblestones and worn asphalt. The views into the narrow Naerodal valley, a branch of the Sognefjord system, are vertigo-inducing. It is considered a living monument to 19th-century Norwegian road engineering.
Trollstigen
🇳🇴 Norway
Trollstigen, meaning "The Troll's Path," is one of Norway's most iconic and dramatic mountain roads. Located in Rauma Municipality in More og Romsdal county, this serpentine road climbs 858 meters through eleven hairpin bends carved into the mountainside. The road was completed in 1936 after eight years of construction and has since become one of Norway's top tourist attractions, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The road ascends alongside the spectacular Stigfossen waterfall, which plunges 320 meters down the rock face. At the summit, a viewing platform designed by Reiulf Ramstad Architects juts out over the valley, offering breathtaking views of the zigzagging road below and the surrounding peaks of Bispen, Kongen, and Dronningen. The gradient reaches 9% in places, and the road is narrow enough that large vehicles must take extreme care navigating the hairpin turns. Trollstigen is only open during the summer months, typically from late May to October, as heavy snowfall makes the route impassable in winter. Due to the steep grade and tight switchbacks, vehicles over 12.4 meters in length are prohibited. The road forms part of the Norwegian Scenic Route Geiranger-Trollstigen, one of eighteen designated scenic routes in Norway that showcase the country's most extraordinary natural landscapes.