Customer Reviews

Norway/Sweden Hammond Intl (Hammond International (Folded Maps))

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We just came back from driving around Norway and Sweden for 10 days. This map was excellent--better than most that we saw there. We even helped a few other travelers find roads on our map that they couldn't find on the ones they had. However, it lacks any sort of distance reference--which will drive you crazy. No box for driving times city to city, and would you believe no scale! I ripped it off of the hard cover because it was too hard to fold up to drive with otherwise. This map is HUGE! But because it is so big it is easy to find everything. However, the scale will throw you off--it doesn't look like it will take so long to get everywhere. It is great for showing the roads well though--right down to the curves and corners--easy to find where you are on the map at nearly any given time.

Advice: Expect it to take longer than it looks on the map. The old roads are very narrow and often one lane, so you are pulling over to fit on-coming traffic which really slows down the time it takes to get places. Plus all of those photo stops! The new roads are good but not that fast most of the time because they often just end at car ferries. Allow about 45 min to 75 min for each ferry crossing, because you will usually have to wait 10 min to 30 min. to board and for it to shove off, and then the crossing and unloading time. They are very efficient but not at quick as a bridge. Don't skip all of the old roads for tunnels--you will miss all of the best scenery! And don't feel you have to take a cruise ship to see the fjords--we think we had a better view from the roads because we kept going up and down all of the hillsides in and out of the fjords. You can always take a boat excursion on individual fjords if you want to get out on the water. If you are going in the summer don't skip your shorts and sunblock because you just checked the average temps. on the computer. Even though it is usually chilly, it was over 80 degrees F the whole time we were there and we mostly had pants and jackets in our cases because the average was supposed to be about 60 degrees. Look at YHA Hostels for sleeping--they were fantastic in Scandinavia and great for families and couples, but buy a YHA membership and book early.

This map is a must if you are driving around Norway and Sweden, but you should buy another general map so you can check driving times and distance.

We spent ten days touring around Norway as part of our summer vacation. We also brought along a "Michelin" brand map of Norway. The Michelin was almost useless and we quickly put it away and used the Hammond exclusively. It is highly detailed and shows the smaller roads as well as the highways. The road "numbers" were easy to find on the map. Tips for renting/driving a car in Norway: rent the car in Hamburg, Germany and take a beautiful 2-day drive through Denmark and Sweden before heading on to Norway. We were in Europe for 28 days; rental car cost in Norway was almost $5,000. Cost by renting in Germany; $1,200. Also, expect to take car ferries to cross fjords ($$), pay for toll roads (in both directions!), and wait at tunnels up to an hour while they are CLEANING them! It was well worth it! An absolutely stunningly beautiful country!