'Hei Norge!': Aer Lingus FAM to Norway: Day 1

A group of nine met at Dublin airport yesterday to join a three-city Familiarisation Trip to Norway. Meeting in the Aer Lingus Lounge for a pre flight coffee and breakfast, the group was in high spirits.

With just a short flight duration of 2.10 hours, it wasn’t long before we touched down in Oslo. Aer Lingus has a new food menu - with Milanos pizza now being served onboard! A welcome addition to its famous and already fabulous Bia menu. 

Our first stop was to be Lillehammer and the ease of access is a major part of the appeal for me and cannot be ignored. Direct trains from Oslo Airport bring visitors to Lillehammer in around 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, with advance tickets access cares from approximately €20–€30 one way. 

Forget the snow — Lillehammer has a summer story to tell too. Best known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics, this picturesque mountain town transforms in the warmer months into outdoor living of hiking, cycling, kayaking and rafting, framed by spectacular lakes and forests. And our group of 9 got to visit some of the highlights on the first day of our whistle stop tour of 3 of Norway's cities. 

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And there is plenty to fill those long, not too hot, not too cold, Nordic summer days (expect approximately 20 hours of daylight during the summer months). 

To start we got to visit the Olympic park, where many of us jumped on a chair lift for the very first time - check out the videos on social of some dodgy landings! Here, we got to experience the stunning views of Lillehammer from a height. This park is a must for anyone coming to the region.

A return ticket on the panoramic chairlift is priced at NOK 80 for adults, NOK 50 for children, and NOK 210 for a family pass, make sure not to miss the Sliding Centre and definitely get a Wheelbob experience running at NOK 1,350 per bobsleigh trip, it’s well worth this once in a lifetime laugh. The pricing is valid per vehicle of two with a maximum of three passengers alongside an official pilot. This qis so worth the experience and the fun! 

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Maihaugen, one of Norway’s largest open-air museums, which we were told brings the country’s history and rural traditions to life, but this museum does way more than that. In fact the word museum doesn’t accurately describe this experience. The best way I can describe it is that it is journey of living, particularly home living, through the centuries and each area brings you down the centuries and decades right through to the modern day, but the real change is seen through the 20th century with the group getting to jive to Elvis in a 50’s style houses right through to singing along to A HA in the 80’s. A definite one to visit for a fun day out for couples and families. 

While Lillehammer’s Olympic heritage is something the villagers hang on to with pride. Beyond the town, the landscape is the real draw: hiking trails, mountain biking, paddling, fishing and white-water adventures put the emphasis firmly on the outdoors. 

Food lovers can discover local produce and Norwegian specialities along the main street restaurants and outside farm-based experiences. And like all tourist towns, you’ve anything from local food to tapas to Italian to Indian, so there’s something for everyone.  

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Make sure you don’t miss out on the local cheese - it’s a sweet taste and definitely coming home with me in the suitcase. Think cheddar and chutney in one. 

Deer, Moose and of course fish is the staple of most meals in Lillehammer, and for our first night we dined in ‘Hvelvet Restaurant’ an old bank with a seriously famous history and an impressive wine cellar of over 600 different wines. 

Most of the group opted for a Cauliflower Soup to start followed by Venison, and the entire meal was served perfectly and every one of us complemented and absolutely devoured every piece of the meal and commented on the delicious flavours. A win all round. 

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For the trade, Lillehammer offers something increasingly valuable: a destination that feels genuinely Norwegian, delivers a broad range of experiences and is easy to combine with the country’s better-known highlights. It can be sold as a summer escape in its own right or woven into a longer Norway adventure — giving clients a chance to swap the crowds for mountain air, active days and a more authentic taste of Norway.

Follow along as we make our way to Hamar for city number 2!