Rent a boat, coast by coast

The Oslofjord is Norway's most densely boated waters — an archipelago of bathing coves and hundreds of islands a short cruise from the capital. Renting a boat in the Oslofjord opens up everything from slow days on a classic snekke to long hours on the water, without owning one.

From Oslo's quays you're on the fjord within minutes — Hovedøya, Gressholmen and the bathing islands sit just off the city centre. Renting a boat in Oslo is the easiest way onto the water on a summer day without your own berth.

Drøbak sits where the Oslofjord narrows at Oscarsborg — a charming wooden town minutes from some of the fjord's finest swimming spots. Renting a boat in Drøbak gives you a southern-coast feel under an hour from Oslo.

Hvaler is an island group at the mouth of the Oslofjord — 800 islands, islets and skerries, a national park and some of the country's best swimming. Renting a boat in Hvaler is the only way to experience the archipelago as it's meant to be.

Tønsberg and Tjøme are the heart of the Vestfold archipelago — Verdens Ende, smooth granite rocks and narrow sounds between the islands. Renting a boat in Tønsberg puts you in the middle of one of Norway's most popular summer waters.

Sandefjord blends whaling-town heritage with open archipelago — from the inner harbour you're quickly out among the islands and beaches along the Vestfold coast. Renting a boat in Sandefjord is perfect for a day between granite and sand.

Larvik sits at the gateway to the Vestfold archipelago, with Stavern and Nevlunghavn as classic summer destinations. Renting a boat in Larvik gives you south-facing coast, long beaches and quiet coves within reach.

Kristiansand is the capital of the southern coast and the gateway to an archipelago of white granite and sheltered coves. Renting a boat in Kristiansand means summer warmth, mild bathing water and some of the country's most popular natural harbours.

Lillesand is the white wooden town between Kristiansand and Arendal, with Blindleia — Norway's most famous sheltered boat channel — just outside. Renting a boat in Lillesand offers the most idyllic day trip the southern coast can give you.

Arendal is one of the south coast's most beautiful maritime towns, with Tromøy, Merdø and Hisøy right off the quay. Renting a boat in Arendal gives you historic harbours, granite and narrow sounds in one of the country's finest coastal landscapes.

Stavanger sits at the entrance to Ryfylke and the Lysefjord, with Pulpit Rock and dramatic fjord scenery within reach. Renting a boat in Stavanger gives you everything from the Hafrsfjord archipelago to long fjord cruises toward the Lysefjord.

Bergen is surrounded by fjords and islands — from the city fjord you're quickly out into a western landscape of steep mountains and narrow sounds. Renting a boat in Bergen gives you world-class fjord nature right outside the city core.

Ålesund is the art nouveau town between the Sunnmøre Alps and the sea, with Giske, Godøy and the Hjørundfjord within reach. Renting a boat in Ålesund offers some of Norway's most dramatic meetings of mountain and fjord.

Tromsø lies in the middle of an Arctic realm of sounds, fjords and snow-capped peaks — midnight sun in summer, northern lights in winter. Renting a boat in Tromsø gives you Arctic nature, whale-watching waters and fjord trips beyond the ordinary.

Lofoten rises straight out of the sea — jagged peaks, white beaches and fishing villages like Henningsvær and Reine. Renting a boat in Lofoten is the finest way to get close to one of the world's most photographed coastlines.

Bohuslän is the coast north of Gothenburg, running all the way to the Norwegian border: bare granite worn smooth by the ice, thousands of islets and skerries, and water shallow enough to be worth swimming in by August. Renting a boat is the only way to reach the islands the passenger ferries do not serve.

The Stockholm archipelago fans east from the capital into the Baltic, with Vaxholm in the inner islands and Sandhamn close to the open sea. Between them lies a web of narrow sounds, wooded islands and bare skerries that grows steadily more exposed towards the outer edge.

Gothenburg's archipelago sits in the Kattegat at the city's seaward approach, with Brännö, Styrsö and Vrångö to the south and Vinga on the western edge. Tight passages thread between the inhabited islands before giving way to more open, wind-exposed water around the outer skerries.

Kalmar Strait separates Öland from mainland Småland, with the Öland Bridge crossing its central section at Kalmar. The strait opens into the Baltic at both ends, while Öland's eastern shore faces the open sea directly.

The Øresund separates Zealand from Scania, with Copenhagen and Malmö facing each other across the strait. Off Copenhagen, the city waterfront, Amager's low coast and Saltholm meet a busy shipping route between the Baltic and the Kattegat.

The South Funen Archipelago is a drowned Ice Age landscape of shallow bays, narrow sounds and low islands south of Funen. Ærø, Lyø and Avernakø sit between the waters off Faaborg and Svendborg and the open Baltic farther south.

The Limfjord cuts across northern Jutland from Thyborøn on the North Sea to Hals on the Kattegat. Along the way, the water shifts between broad basins and narrow sounds around islands including Mors and Fur.