One of the countries that has always been on my list of places to travel to is Norway. I’ve so far only been to Sweden, which I really enjoyed, but I had heard such nice things about Norway that I was very eager to find out how it is. So when my travel buddy Katja from Travelettes invited me to join her on a trip to Geilo in Norway I was more than happy to say yes. (Btw. it’s pronounced Yeay-low.)
With our bags packed with snow suits and thick sweaters we fly to Oslo a few weeks ago to start our trip with some nice city impressions. Oslo is a really charming city, even though it’s not that big, it seems very modern and young and has a wonderfully welcoming vibe and lots of interesting people to meet. After explosing the city for about a day we took the train to Geilo, which is pretty central in the country. Of course the journey through the landscapes of Norway was already a highlight. But of course Geilo had plenty of things to discover for us including amazing slopes, countless hiking opportunities, ice fishing, relaxing spas and much more. Enjoy my my impressions of the trip.
The Highland Lodge
The Highland Lodge was the first hotel we stayed at in Geilo. It has a very great looking, modern and welcoming lobby, a nice restaurant with amazing food and a large Spa area. The starting prices for their simple and comfortable rooms are quite low for Norwegian standards which is nice.
Snowboarding Lessons at Slaatta Skisenter
I always said that I didn’t want to try out any kind of ski sports in fear of literally breaking a leg (my family has a history of doing so…). But when Katja caught a sneeze on the day of her snowboarding lesson at the Slaatta Skisenter I decided to take her place. And I don’t regret that I did. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I left more marks with my butt than with my snowboard in the snow. But it was interesting to experience the feeling on the board, feel all those muscles that you need for certain movements that you normally never use. And it’s quite the reward to finally slide down the hill after falling and failing to even stand still for a second after almost an hour.
Dinner at Dr. Holms
Dr. Holms is one of the biggest and most renowned ski resorts, spas and hotels in Geilo. The Slaatta Skisenter ist right next to it. It used to be a rehabilitation center for Asthma patients but was transformed into a luxury resort over time. We didn’t actually stay there but had some time to check out the Apres Ski, the cafe and had a lovely dinner there. The house and the interior is beautiful, right up the hill with an amazing view. Nice!
Snow Shoe Hiking in Geilo
Snow shoe hiking was one of the things we already tried out in Tyrol back in December and we really enjoyed it, even though it pretty much took our breath away, in a more physical sense. Of course we wanted to also explore our neighborhood and surrounding landscapes in Geilo, so we opted for another snow shoe hike. There are actually lots of nice tracks and national parks close by where you will be able to wander through the most magical snow landscapes and even see some animal tracks. Also watch out for the big troll sculptures in the woods. They have quite a few legends and stories involving trolls.
Vestlia Ski Resort & Spa
The Vestlia Resort was the second place we stayed at in Geilo and it was definately my highlight of the whole trip. The suites are amazing, both traditional and modern in style, very comfortable. I wanted to move right in there. Of course also amazing views from our balconies, you don’t even need to leave the house. They also have a wonderful spa with great treatments including all different types of massages and beauty treatments. There is also a steam bath and a sauna, a jacoozi and a big pool. The restaurant was also amazing, great breakfast and dinner, really handsome waiters… And one of the best slopes right in front of the house. Loved it!
Ice Fishing in Geilo
It sounds a bit like something only tough guys would do, but when you are wrapped up in warm clothes it’s actually really fun. We were a big group of 6 people and no-one actually caught anything. But the whole process of walking onto a frozen lake, drill a whole in the ice and dip some maggots into the depth of the lake is already worth it!
Dinner at Hallingstuene
The Hallingstuene must be one of the cutest and most charming restaurants that I’ve been to. I tried elk filet for the first time and loved it!
Overall we had a lovely trip to Geilo with amazing places to stay in, even better food and the best snow landscapes you can imagine. Definately worth a visit!
