Preparing for a Norwegian Coast Cruise With Hurtigruten

As travelers prepare for future vacations, they often scour the internet for tips, recommendations and facts regarding the destination they plan to visit.

When traveling with Hurtigruten, this isn't always necessary, as the cruise line has a team of experts in every destination ready to assist travelers along the journey. But it's still fun to inquire while preparing for an epic trip.

For any travelers headed to Norway in the coming year, Hurtigruten has provided several interesting facts on the country that many people may not have heard of.

For example, Kirkenes, a small town in far northeastern Norway, is as far east as Cairo and only nine miles from the Russian border.

Another fact of note is that the Hardangervidda Plateau is the largest mountain plateau in Europe, and it houses the largest herd of wild reindeer on the continent.

As most know, Norway has a history of winter sports, and it's where skiing was invented. But what some may not know is that the country has the most gold, silver and bronze medals for Winter Olympic performances, making it the most accomplished country in the winter games.

In addition to being accomplished in sports, the people here are also extremely gifted when it comes to academics. Thirty-seven percent of Norwegians have finished a postsecondary degree, making the country the best-educated in Europe.

The Norwegian people are also very well-read, as each person spends an average of $76 on books each year. The country sees 2,000 new books come out annually.

Click here to learn more about Norway.