We're home in Oregon after a super action-packed 3 weeks in Norway, and I don't even know where to start.

This was truly a dream trip, and I'm still kind of in disbelief that it actually happened.

If you're curious about where we went and what we did in Norway, keep reading for a more detailed update!

In today's email:

• Norway trip update
• European Christmas Market tips

Norway trip update (+mini guide)

We have lots of Norway content in the pipeline (so excited about it!), but for now, I'll give you a quick rundown of our trip and some of our favorite things we did:

Norway highlights:

a) We did a TON of hiking!

We hiked 14 out of the 18 (non-travel) days we were there. One thing to know about hiking in Norway is that many of the hikes involve a lot of elevation gain and are pretty darn steep.

Since I am 5-months+ pregnant and we were traveling with a toddler, we had to be mindful about which hikes we chose. But even with those "restrictions" we still completed some epic hikes. It seemed like each one was better than the last and blew our expectations away.

Here are just a handful of our favorites:

• Rui Farm: the hike to these farm ruins was incredible and we were the only ones there.
• Reinebringen: this popular viewpoint in Reine (Lofoten Islands) is straight up – you basically climb steep stairs for about 0.75 miles, but the reward is a breathtaking view over the iconic fishing village.
• Litlefjellet: steep but relatively short, this hike led to some of the most incredible scenery we saw in all of Norway. It helped that we were the only ones on the trail!
• Bondhusvatnet: perhaps one of the easiest hikes we did on our trip, this trail leads to a stunning glacial lake. We went early in the morning and were some of the only ones there, but on our hike out lots more people were starting to make the journey.
• Hesten: if we had to choose a favorite hike in Norway, we both agree this was probably it. It was also probably the most challenging, so it was good we saved it for last and had lots of "training" leading up to it!

b) Exploring Norway by campervan!

It is (in our opinion) the best way to explore this country. Here's why:

• You can see more of the country this way, changing where you stay each night. If you stay in hotels, checking in and out each day would be exhausting, but not in a campervan!
• You can sleep in incredible places, like the edge of a fjord (we did this multiple times!) or next to a waterfall.
• It can save a ton of money. Not only are you saving money on accommodation, but you have the ability to cook as many meals as you'd like. Eating out in Norway adds up quickly, so this helped us save a lot of money overall.
• Norway is well set-up for camping. There are plenty of wonderful campgrounds, but another huge perk is that Norway has the "right to roam", meaning that you can wild camp on almost all public land.

We'll have tons more tips about camping in Norway coming soon (including a video tour of our van!).

But until then, this is the site we booked our campervan through. We liked that you can compare all sorts of styles, based on your personal needs, budget, and preferences.

c) Eating our way through some INCREDIBLE bakeries

Norway is known for bakeries and you can't go very far without running into one (or 5!).

I'll be honest and say that in general, the pastries in Norway tended to be "breadier" than what I personally prefer. I'm totally an ooey-gooey-pastry girl. Anyone else? Just me?

That said, we found a handful of bakeries with truly yummy cinnamon buns and other goodies. And there were a couple that were just the coolest experiences.

• Mjonøy AS: this was like something out of a fairytale! You walk into the tiny self-service bakery and can enjoy your goodies next to an idyllic river. Need I say more?! Also, the cinnamon bun was one of our favorites we had in all of Norway (and we sampled a lot!).
• Unstad Arctic Surf: this bakery/surf camp is located on a remote beach in the Lofoten Islands and claims to have the "world's best" cinnamon bun. I personally wouldn't call it the best in the world, but it was in the top 2 we had in Norway. At almost $10 per cinnamon bun, it better be good!
• Innerdalen: this bakery requires a 2-mile hike in to reach it, but holy moly, it is like something out of a dream. Grass-roof buildings, a cozy indoor area, and tons of tables in the sunshine, it was pure magic! Most other people there seemed to be Norwegians on a weekend getaway, so we felt like we found a gem! The cinnamon rolls here were only okay (in our opinion), but the waffles were really good!
• Hønse-Lovisas house: located in Oslo, this sweet bakery feels like you'd been transported out of the city. Perched at the top of a waterfall, walking along the river to reach this cozy spot is well worth a spot on your Oslo itinerary. The waffles here are great, as is the rhubarb crumble.

And there's so much more that I just can't squeeze into a bulleted list!

If you follow us on Instagram, you can see all our videos and pictures that will bring these experiences to life! (Check out our Norway story highlights.)

👉🏼 Psst! If you're excited for Norway content, please let us know! We'd love to hear from you about what types of tips and content you are looking for.

Christmas in Europe?

If you’ve got an upcoming trip to Europe this winter I have just the thing for you…

I’ve done 4 different European Christmas Market trips (& there are definitely more in our future!). I think it’s one of the most magical types of trips you can take, and it’s perfect for any age or budget.

Here's what I mean:

• Ben and I explored Christmas Markets as broke college students.
• I went to markets on a solo trip in Germany and Switzerland.
• I took my mom on a mother/daughter Christmas Market trip (it was THE best!).
• We took Juniper on a family Christmas Market trip when she was 1 year old and it was pure magic!

Truly so much fun for many stages of life.

Christmas Market resources (to help you plan the perfect trip!):

• ​Best Christmas Markets in Europe: this is a list of our very favorite European Christmas markets
• ​Essential tips for planning a perfect trip and avoiding some common mistakes!
• ​Guide to Christmas Market foods: check out this list of foods you have to try (including some that sound weird but are so good!).
• ​Winter in Europe packing list: tips on what to wear to Christmas markets and what to leave home

But for real, if you're planning to be in Europe around the holidays, I'd love to hear your plans! Where are you going?!

And if you don't have a Christmas market trip in the books for this year, this is *your sign* to start thinking about next year! We have so many resources to get you started!

Wander on,