A landscape polished smooth by the sea. Charming towns and friendly people. Wild mountains and green valleys. Deep fjords binding the sea and mountains together. The less sporty among us can enjoy the sea from the islands. The easiest thing to do is to drive along the Atlantic Ocean Road (Atlanterhavsveien) out towards Hustadvika from Averøya to Vevang. Grip island, 14 kilometres off the coast of Kristiansund, was at one time a busy fishing community with 400 inhabitants. Today, the island is a summer paradise, a reminder of how the world once was. The island of Runde, with its bird colony, offers another type of adventure. The Geirangerfjord is perhaps the world´s most famous fjord; whether or not it is the most beautiful is something you must decide for yourself. Trollveggen and Romsdalshorn attract climbers from all over the world. Molde - the Town of Roses» a town of wooden houses and large gardens full of flowers. Kristiansund lies on three islands in the mouth of the fjord and, although the town is only 250 years old, people have been living here for at least 10,000 years. Ålesund is a perfect town for anyone who loves old buildings. After the great fire of 1904, the town was rebuilt in the Art Nouveau style. SOGN and FJORDANE The Flåm railway winds its away through a narrow valley with steep mountainsides and ends in Flåm beside the Sognefjord. The fjords, the glaciers, the mountains and the coastal landscape; Sogn og Fjordane is a unique source for really discovering the rich contrasts in nature, a «cornucopia» that never runs empty! Northern Europe´s largest glacier, the Jostedalsbre glacier is located here. HORDALAND Bergen is a natural starting point for your holiday. The inhabitants of Bergen are proud of Grieg and Troldhaugen, of Fløien (funicular railway) and Maria-kirken, Håkonshallen, the tower of Rosenkrantz, Bryggen wharf area (which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List), the fish market and Fjellveien and Nordnes - in short, they are proud of their city! A pink and white symphony of apple blossom contrasting sharply with green hills and snow capped mountains, the fjord acting as a back drop. Hardangerfjord is commonly known as «the fertile fjord». On a spring day, with hundreds of thousands of apple kees in full bloom on the Hardanger hillsides, it is easy to see why. Agricultural Voss has cultural traditions stretching back centuries and continues, today, to be an important centre for folk music. Visit the Møstertunet folk museum and don´t miss out on Finnesloftet, a wooden banqueting hall which dates from around 1250. If you are travelling by car, take the Stalheimskleivene road down to Sognefjord. ROGALAND Stavanger is a wide-awake town, with an impressive list of places to go to and things to see. «There is everything in this town», we keep hearing visitors say. We have festivals and «weeks» for every taste. Choose between open skies bathed in a wonderful light, and improbable valleys flanked by steep naked cliffs. Stand by still waters where you have to look twice to see where the vegetation ends and the reflection begins. Lysefjord is an unforgettable choice: long and with the Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen ) over 1980 feet above you. At the head of the fjord the Lysevegen road transports you through 27 hairpins to Øygardstøl, the base point for walks to Kjerag with its suspended stone, offering a 3280 foot vertical drop into the blue fjord far below. |
MØRE and ROMSDAL Township in Møre and Romsdal Ålesund, Aukra, Aure, Averøy, Eide, Fræna, Frei, Giske, Gjemnes, Halsa, Haram, Hareid, Herøy, Kristiansund, Midsund, Molde, Nesset, Norddal, Rauma, Rindal, Sande, Sandøy, Skodje, Smøla, Stordal, Stranda, Sula, Sunndal, Surnadal, Sykkulven, Tingvoll, Tustna, Ulstein, Vanylven, Vestnes, Volda, Ørskog and Ørsta SOGN and FJORDANE Township in Sogn and Fjordane Askvoll, Aurland, Balestrand, Bremanger, Eid, Fjaler, Florø, Førde, Gaular, Gloppen, Gulen, Høyanger, Hornindal, Hyllestad, Jølster, Lærdal, Leikanger, Luster, Naustdal, Selje, Sogndal, Solund, Stryn, Vågsøy, Vik and Årdal HORDALAND Township in Hordaland Askøy, Austevoll, Austrheim, Bergen, Bømlo, Eidfjord, Etne, Fedje, Fitjar, Fjell, Fusa, Granvin, Jondal, Kvam, Kvinnherad, Lindås, Masfjorden, Meland, Modalen, Odda, Os, Osterøy, Radøy, Samnanger, Stord, Sund, Sveio, Tysnes, Ullensvang, Ulvik, Vaksdal, Voss, Ølen and Øygarden ROGALAND Township in Rogaland Bjerkreim, Bokn, Eigersund, Finnøy, Forsand, Gjesdal, Haa, Haugesund, Hjelmeland, Karmøy, Klepp, Kvitsøy, Lund, Randaberg, Rennesøy, Sandnes, Sauda, Sokndal, Sola, Stavanger, Strand, Suldal, Time, Tysvær, Utsira and Vindafjord |