Norway

Norway’s architecture has always been shaped by an extraordinary landscape. Mountains, fjords, forests and an immense coastline created a tradition of timber building that stretches from medieval stave churches and remote farmhouses to the country’s distinctive painted wooden towns. Norwegian Modernism introduced a more restrained architectural language, while contemporary architects such as Snøhetta have taken that relationship with nature in radical new directions. Scenic-route installations, mountain cabins, underwater restaurants and buildings embedded into forests and coastlines have turned architecture itself into a reason to travel through the country.

Food and drink are equally connected to geography and season. Norway’s cold waters provide exceptional cod, halibut, crab and shellfish, while salmon needs little introduction. Inland, lamb, reindeer, game, berries, mushrooms and preserved ingredients reflect traditions developed around long winters and short growing seasons. New Nordic cooking has encouraged chefs to look again at these ingredients, creating ambitious restaurants alongside simpler kitchens deeply rooted in regional traditions. Oslo has developed an increasingly adventurous food, natural wine and coffee culture, while some of the country’s most interesting dining experiences now appear in remarkably remote locations.

Norway’s most interesting hotels make the journey part of the stay. Historic wooden hotels, converted farmhouses, Modernist landmarks and extraordinary contemporary retreats sit beside fjords, above the Arctic Circle or deep within mountain landscapes. At DNA Hotels, we curate the places where architecture, food and wilderness come together—hotels that understand Norwegian luxury isn’t necessarily about excess, but waking beside a fjord, breathing ridiculously fresh air and having an entire landscape waiting outside the door.