The best time to visit Norway

Summer is the most popular time to travel in Norway with mostly warm temperatures between June and August though many places experience their highest rainfall at this time of year so cloudy skies are likely. Norway's latitude means that daylight hours during the summer can be as long as 18 hours - perfect for making the most of the great outdoors.

The forests and countryside turns beautiful shades of red and orange when autumn arrives in September with wild fruit at their most ripe and crab at its prime. Not only does this make autumn a fantastic time for keen photographers to visit Norway but foodies will also find plenty of appeal at this time of year. The weather is generally mild and clear though coastal destinations still experience a fair bit of rain.

Temperatures drop considerably in November, which heralds the start of Norway's winter. Snow blankets much of the north between mid-November and March though it rarely settles along the southern coastal towns and cities. In some places, snow can last until May while other places receive no snow at all - it really does vary across the length of the country. At this time of year Norway transforms into a winter wonderland with excellent skiing, dog-sledging, ice fishing and snowmobiling opportunities. Available services is reduced over this time, so extra planning is required if visiting during this period.

The rising temperatures of spring usually grace Norway around April when the snow begins to melt, flowers begin to bloom and the days grow longer. It's a beautiful time to visit with verdant landscapes, swollen waterfalls and flowering orchards. It can still be very cold in parts of the country and at this time of year it's particularly windy.

Embracing its snowy nature, every year Oslo hosts a ski festival at the Holmenkollen arena. The festival consists of a number of exciting events and competitions, including cross-country and jumping. Not only will festival-goers have the chance to marvel at the talent that is being displayed throughout the weekend but they also have the opportunity to camp out in the forest. There are also a range of activities for young children.

This festival is a promotion of Sami culture and encourages Sami people from all over Scandinavia to come together and embrace their roots. The event provides a platform not just for Samis to exchange ideas and intermingle, but also for non-indigenous people to learn about Sami culture. Riddu Riddu encompasses a number of workshops as well as art exhibitions, music performances and film screenings. There is also a youth program and children’s festival.

The Midnight Sun Marathon takes place in Tromso in June, roughly 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, where the sun doesn’t set at all for a stretch of about 9 weeks throughout the summer months. This race is certainly an experience and has, by far, one of the most scenic routes in the world. The night before the race, there is a pasta party where runners can load up on carbs before the event. Kick off is usually around 20:30 and there is also a half marathon and 10km race for those who don’t want to run quite so far.