The Hidden North
North European travel guide
self-guided road-trips
Norway's Coastal Road (Fv17)
Take Norway’s longest tourist road along the picturesque Helgeland coast.
What you get
Free interactive Google Map (with every place mentioned in the guide marked with an address) that can be loaded into your GPS, making finding that stave church or petrol station much easier.
Detailed overviews of all the major points of interest on the road.
Practical information (cafes, dining, museums, toilets, petrol, road-side rest areas, detours, alternate routes)
Historic, modern and practical information for every city, town, village, and farm you pass through
Modern and historic images of all the major points of interests
Distance between points (in kilometres and miles)
QR code & interactive links to museum websites, relevant pages on our website, ferry timetables, and more!
This guide is 22 pages and comes in a PDF format.
Why drive on this highway?
The Fv17 – also known as Norway’s Coastal Road or the Helgeland Coastal Road – is the longest of the 18 tourist roads in the country. Hugging the coastline from just north of Trondheim to the city of Bodø in the Arctic, the road passes by some of the most spectacular mountains and scenery Norway has to offer. The region is called Hålogaland in old times, and was a mainstay of the Vikings. Break up the drive over several days, enjoy all the ferry rides and explore the islands and various historic sites!
Trip Highlights
- Explore the Viking region of Hålogaland
- Visit 12th century churches and historic villages
- See Saltstraumen, the world's strongest tidal current
- Ride the local ferries
- Explore Norway off the beaten path
Distance
746km / 463 miles
Start Location
Steinkjer (just north of Trondheim)
End Location
Bodø
This drive can easily be done in either direction.
This guide will:
- Answer the question “How do people live here?”
- Provide you with historic images and stories relevant to where you are
- Give you practical tips such as – where’s the nearest toilet? When can I get a hot dog? You know, the important stuff.
- Show you interesting points where you can stop to stretch your legs or get beautiful photos of Norway
- Give you information about museums (including opening hours), attractions, and major points of interests that you can visit
This guide won’t:
- Drive for you (Sorry, we aren’t that advanced yet)
- Give you accommodation tips (this guide assumes you know where you are staying already). If you want accommodation tips, visit our (free) online travel guide https://thehiddennorth.com/norway
Example of what the guide looks like.