Emma

Hey! My name is Emma. I'm from Australia but have lived in Bergen, Norway, for the last eight years. I work as a local guide and tour leader for all over Northern Europe. The Hidden North is an online travel guide I have made to help you plan your own visit here.

  • European Highways, Honningsvag, Road-trips, Sami

    Drive it Yourself: Honningsvåg to North Cape via the Fishing Villages

    Drive it Yourself: Olderfjord to North Cape on the E69 via Honningsvåg

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via our online store. 

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

    View on Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.
    • Interactive Google Map for easier navigation

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The drive: Olderfjord to North Cape on the E69

    Olderfjord

    Settlement

    Olderfjord is a small village with a population of around 74. The village is located at an important road junction between the E69 and the E6 highway, so all traffic going to North Cape passes through here.

    Smørfjord

    Settlement

    Smørfjord is a small settlement with around 50 permanent residents, some of them being of Sea Sami (Sjø Sami) descent. There has been a Sami settlement here for thousands of years, with cultural relics from as far back from the Neolithic Age. In the summer months, around 50 reindeer herders have their reindeer grazing area.

    In the village is the Sea Sami Museum (Sjøsamisk tun), which is a reconstruction of a Sea Sami settlement from the early 20th century. There is also a kiosk selling local products and some souvenirs. You can follow a cultural heritage walking trail through the village and surrounding landscape.

    Skarvbergtunnelen

    Tunnel

    The Skarvberg Tunnel is 3.5km long and opened in May 2023, making it one of the newest tunnels in Norway. The old tunnel was too low and narrow, and the supply roads were in an area prone to landslides, so it was decided to build a new tunnel.

    The tunnel is somewhat cursed. During the development, a sacred Sami sacrificial stone (called a siedi) was blown up. After this, the road project experienced a series of inexplicable incidents and accidents, such as a fire, an avalanche, and a coronavirus outbreak. The local Sami population linked the problems to the destruction of the siedi. The contractor apologised by laying flowers at another sacrificial stone.

    Nordkapp Municipality

    Nordkapp municipality has a population of around 3000 people and the administrative centre is Honningsvåg, the northernmost city in Norway.

    Fishing is an important industry here, with around 167 vessels registered as fishing boats. The municipality is state subsidised for the fishing industry. Fish farming is a growing industry here. Tourism is also a major industry, with North Cape being one of the most important tourist destinations in Norway. Around 110 cruise ships come here every year, but many more vehicles come.

    Repvåg

    Settlement

    Repvåg is a small village that has a large Sea Sami population. The village has several settlements from the Old Stone Age, but the village’s modern history goes back to the late 18th century, when a trading post was established here. In 1832, the trading post was bought by the Scottish immigrant Charles Robertson from Hammerfest. Repvåg was an important trading post for the Pomor Trade. The site was burned down in 1944 by retreating Nazi soldiers.

    There is a large beach outside the village called Stranda, which used to have a large coastal Sami population and is the last area in the municipality that is still characterised by some coastal Sami culture. Today only some of the residents speak a Sami language. The beach has a number of important cultural monuments, hunting pits, graves and tufts.

    Today Repvåg has a guesthouse but also excursions to do a King Crab Safari.

    Nordkapptunnelen

    Tunnel

    The North Cape tunnel is an undersea road tunnel that passes under the Magerøy Strait, linking the mainland to the island Magerøya. The tunnel is 6.8km long and reaches a depth of 212 metres below sea level. The maximum gradient is 10%. The tunnel opened in 1999.

    The tunnel has cold doors at each end that keep the cold our in the winter, to avoid ice forming in the rock walls. The gates open automatically when a car approaches.

    Magerøya

    Island

    Magerøya means “steep, barren cliff”, though a direct translation would be “the meagre isalnd” which is what it is. In spite of looking barren it has in the summer a surprisingly varied plant life with over 200 registered species. Some of them you know, such as dandelions and daises, bluebells, violets and wild chives.

    There’s also a selection of alpine plants, which in Switzerland and Austria grow on a 3-4000ft altitude, here they grow all the way down to the sea. There are no trees here – the tree line is a hundred miles further south. There are trees in Honningsvåg, planted in peoples gardens, but they rarely get taller than 3 feet. The owners protect them in the winter, covering them and then in summer they needed to be protected from the reindeer.

    No farming is carried out on Magerøya, but each year six Sami families from Karasjok drive their reindeer flocks to graze here on the North Cape plateau in the summer. The plateau appears bleak and barren but around 200 different plants have been discovered here. Along the cliffs, there are millions of nesting birds and the sea around the island is teeming with life. Marine species include Killer Whales, Minke Whales, Dolphins, Porpoises and various species of seals.

    The orange poles along the road are snow poles, Sometimes in the winter there is so much snow that you can barely see the tops of poles. The first snow arrives in November and lasts until April. They can easily have 5-6 feet of snow. The problem is that there are no trees on the island, so the snow drifts.

    There are no reindeer here in winter. The first ones arrive by truck or boat in April. Then they are too weak after the long winter with sparse food to get over the island. In October they are all brought back to the mainland, after the summer grazing of the 5-6000 animals there isn’t enough food left. They are strong enough to swim back and then be herded for three weeks back to he Finnmark plateau. This is a safe place for the reindeer – there’s no predators on the island.

    Honningsvåg

    This drive begins in Honningsvåg, the northernmost city in the world. You can find a detailed overview to Honningsvåg via the link below. 

    Honningsvåg Travel Guide

    Skipsfjorden

    Fjord/Scenic Spot

    This is a small fjord located by the airport. It has a maximum depth of 101m. Close to the fjord is the Copacabana Beach, where the locals go swimming in the summer. 

    Kamøyvær

    Village

    Kamøyvær is a small town with a population of around 70. The town is predominantly a fishing village. It’s believed the first peoples here were the Sami and Kven people, with Norwegians settling later. A Sami family owns the Arran hotel, which are the three blue buildings in the town. Here you’ll find the Gallery – East of the Sun, a small harbourside gallery where resident German artist Eva Scmutterer exhibits a collection of intriguing, Arctic-inspired paintings.

    Gjesvær

    Village

    Gjesvær is located 14km outside of Honningsvåg and truly feels isolated. Located 14km In fact, until the road was completed in the 1970s, this was one of the most isolated villages in the area. Gjesvaer has a recorded history that dates to the Viking times. The Vikings came here for fishing and to harvest sea birds, especially puffins and kittiwakes, who congregate on the offshore islets that are now protected as the Gjesværstappan Nature Reserve.

    In Gjesvaer you can do bird safaris to Gjesvaerstappen.

    Skarsvåg

    Detour

    Skarsvåg is the world’s northernmost fishing village, located just south of North Cape. Around 60 people live in the village and most of them work in the fishing industry. In the village you’ll also find a well-known Christmas shop.

    Knivskjellodden

    Hike

    Knviskjellodden is a peninsula and the true northernmost point on the island. It is sometimes considered the northernmost point of the entire continent of Europe. Knivskjellodden can only be reached on foot, and it is 9km (5.6 mi) one way. This is where you park the car to start the hike.

    North Cape

    You can find our detailed overview of North Cape via the link below. 

    Honningsvåg Travel Guide

    Where to Go From Here

    After our visit to Honningsvåg and North Cape, we continue to Hammerfest – the northernmost city in the world (with a population over 10,000 people). 

    Honningsvåg to Hammerfest

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “From Tromsø to North Cape and back again”. You can view the entire drive via the link below. 

    From Tromsø to North Cape & Back Again Multi-Day Series

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Alta, Havøysund, Kautokeino, National Tourist Roads, Road-trips, Sami

    Drive it Yourself: Kautokeino to Havøysund via the Alta Canyon & Havøysund Tourist Road

    Drive it Yourself: Kautokeino to Havøysund via the Alta Canyon & Havøysund Tourist Road

    In this article...

    Downloadable Version of This Guide

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.
    • Interactive Google Map for easier directions

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The drive: Kilpisjärvi to Kautokeino

    Kautokeino

    This drive begins in Kautokeino, one of the largest Sami communities in the world. You can learn more about Kautokeino via the travel guide below. 

    Kautokeino Travel Guide

    Karasjok

    Village

    The first major intersection you’ll come to is what you take to get to Karasjok. Karasjok is another major Sami community and is also home to the Sami Parliament. It takes 1 hour and 10 minutes to get to Karasjok from here. 

    Pikefossen

    Waterfall

    Pikefossen is a waterfall in the Kautokeino River. The name comes from a legend of a maid who was looking after a herd of reindeer. During a storm, the herd began to cross the river on the bad ice above the waterfall. The maid tried to stop them, but the ice broke and the whole herd drowned. When the reindeer owner heard about this, he got so angry he put the girl in a barrel and threw it in the waterfall. She somehow survived and the barrel floated down to Alta where she was found.

    The waterfall is 8m (26ft) high and has a nice picnic area next to it. It’s a little tricky to park there in winter due to the snow (and you can’t really see the waterfall), but in summer it is a lovely spot to stop, have a bite to eat and admire the views.

    Máze

    Village

    Masi (or Máze in Northern Sami) is a small village located along the Kautokeino River. The village is made up predominantly of Sami people – around 98% of the population are Sami.

    The village is very old. It’s mentioned as far back as the 12th century when the area was used by the Sami who were hunting and trapping. The area was called “Finnmork” and there are many archaeological cultural monuments around Masi. There are traces of settlement from the Sami Iron Age (0AD – 1500AD). The nature around the village is protected and has an important ecosystem.

    Masi Church has been here since the 17th century, though the church had to be rebuilt after World War II because the previous church was destroyed by retreating Nazi soldiers. The original church was built by Thomas von Westen to serve and convert the local Sami people.

    Masi was the centre of the Alta Controversy of the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Norwegian government considered building a dam on the local river for the proposed Alta Hydroelectric Power Station, which would’ve flooded the village.

    The village is home to one little shop where you can buy groceries and supplies.

    Suolovuopmi Fjellstue

    Accommodation

    Suolovuopmi Fjellstue is a place to stay up on the Finnmark Plateau. The lodgings have been here since 1843, when they were established by the state because the priests, sheriffs, doctors, and clerks needed accommodation in their errands across the plateau. The mountain lodges were also used by the Sami travelling across the plateau. Today it’s an excellent place to stay to observe the northern lights as well as go fishing or hiking on the plateau.

    Click here to visit their website (in Norwegian only). 

    Alta Municipality

    Alta is the most populated municipality in Finnmark county, and its population has increased by 11.3% over the last decade. The coat-of-arms represent a white arrow point on a blue background, and it is derived from the findings of quartzite arrow points dating back to the late Stone Age found in the area. The quartzite was mined in the area and tools were made from it all over Northern Norway.

    Alta is most famous for its rock carvings, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The carvings date from 4,200 BC to 500BC and were likely made by the Komsa culture, an early people in Northern Norway. These are Northern Europe’s largest number of petroglyphs and rock paintings made by a hunter-gatherer population.

    Alta is first mentioned in written sources around 1500, when it was inhabited by a couple hundred Sami people. The area was a common tax country for Denmark-Norway, Sweden, and Russia. Towards the end of the 16th century there were conflicts between Sweden and Denmark over the right to tax salmon fishing in the river. In 1613, it was decided that the area of Alta belonged to Denmark-Norway, and by this time Norwegians were settling along the Altafjord.

    Around 1700, the Kven population began to settle in the area. The Kven people came from Finland and were escaping war and famine. The Kvens brought with them grain cultivation and improved the river fishing methods. In 1826, copper mines were established, and miners came from Finland, Sweden and southern Norway to take part. Several of the miners later travelled onto the United States, but many stayed and combined farming with mining.

    During World War II, the German battleship Tirpitz was kept hidden in the Altafjord for 18 months. It was so badly damaged that it had to leave the fjord. It was towed to Tromsø, where it was eventually sunk by Allied forces. The town of Alta was destroyed by the Germans in 1944 and the only building that was not burned was Alta church.

    The main industries in Alta include trading, education, and public service. The town of Alta is known for its slate industry. Alta is also the starting point for the Finnmarksløpet, the longest dog sled race in Europe.

    Alta is the second northernmost city in the world and a good place to spend some time. I’ve written a detailed travel guide to Alta, which you’ll see below.

    Alta Canyon

    Scenic Area

    Shortly after passing the municipality sign for Alta, you begin your descent through the Alta Canyon. This canyon is Northern Europe’s largest canyon and extends over 400 metres up from the riverbed. The total length is 12km (7 mi). The canyon begins just downstream from the Alta Power Station. It is possible to visit the dam and power plant, but only with a guided tour. The Sami name for the canyon is Sautso.

    Alta Municipality

    Alta is one of the largest cities in Northern Norway. You can find a detailed travel guide to Alta below. 

    Alta Travel Guide

    The Altafjord

    Fjord

    The Altafjord is a 38km (24 mi) long fjord near Alta. The deepest part of the fjord is around 488m. There are several different fish species in the fjord, including salmon, trout and char – this is because of the rivers flowing into the fjord. There is also some fish farming in the fjord. Several rock carvings have been found along the fjord and are now on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

    Rafsbotn

    Village

    Rafsbotn is a small village located just outside Alta. The population is around 408 and Rafsbotn is home to a ski slope and a chapel. The name comes from the Sami name Ráššvuotna, which means ‘clay seabed’.

    Sarvesalta

    Alpine Ski Resort

    Sarvesalta is an alpine ski resort overlooking the Altafjord and it is the major ski resort in the area. One of the popular places to stay is the Bjørnfjell Mountain Lodge, which focuses a lot on Norwegian farming and cabin culture.

    Hammerfest Municipality

    Hammerfest is a large municipality in Northern Norway. The main town is Hammerfest, which is located off the mainland on the island Kvaløya. The coat-of-arms depicts a polar bear, which was chosen as the symbol for fishing in the polar seas in Northern Norway.

    Skaidi

    Village

    Skaidi is a small village and major traffic hub in Northern Norway. In the 1940s, the Skaidi Mountain Lodge and Station was built. Today it’s an important point to stop if you need a rest on the long road journeys.

    Here you’ll find a petrol station, various electric car charging stations, a cafe and a hotel. 

    Porsanger Municipality

    Porsanger is the third largest municipality in Norway, yet it only has a population of 3,998, making it one of the lowest population densities in the country. The main town is Lakselv, which has an airport. The area has been settled by Sami people for a long time. In the 18th century, people from Finland, escaping famine and war, settled here. They are known as the Kven people. Porsanger is known as the only trilingual municipality in Norway with Norwegian, Sami and Kven as the official languages.

    The Norwegian Army has a garrison at Porsangermoen and the military presence in Porsanger is quite heavy. The military is one of the largest employers in the area and contributes a lot financially. The Stabbursdalen National Park is located in the municipality and is home to the world’s northernmost pine forest.

    Archaeological finds show the Sami have lived here for a long time. Porsanger is rich in resources, and there are rich pastures for reindeer. On the islands are large quantities of cloudberries and down, while in the rivers there are salmon, trout and char. Until 1750, the area was almost exclusively a Sami area and then it was a Kven area. The Norwegians didn’t begin to settle until the 20th century, though the main reason for this is because the Kven and Sami people began to describe themselves as Norwegian. The area also needed officials, teachers, priests, doctors, merchants, etc and many were Norwegian.

    Porsangerfjord

    Fjord

    The Porsangerfjord is Norway’s fourth-longest fjord, reaching 123km (76 mi) inland. The village of Lakselv sits at the innermost part of the fjord, while the large island of Magerøya (home to North Cape) sits on the western shore of the fjord.

    Olderfjord

    Village

    Olderfjord is a small village located at the junction between the roads. Here you’ll find a petrol station and a few homes.

    Havøysund Tourist Road

    Tourist Road

    The Havøysund Tourist Road is one of the lesser-known tourist roads, but is probably one of my favourites. The landscape is so barren and remote, creating a unique experience as you drive along the rocky landscape along the Arctic Ocean.

    As soon as you make the left-turn, you are on the tourist road.

    Lillefjord

    Rest Area

    The Lillefjord rest area is located at the halfway point on the tourist road. Here you’ll find restrooms in the summer as well as an interesting bridge that crosses the Fosseelva River.

    Måsøy Municipality

    Måsøy is a municipality located across several islands. Havøysund is the main centre for the municipality. The coat-of-arms depicts a weapon called a fishing gaff. It has been used in fishing for centuries to haul large fish into the boat, hence the choice. Fruholmen Lighthouse, the northernmost lighthouse in Norway, is located here.

    The road we are driving on provides access for Havøysund to the mainland, but it can close in winter due to snow.

    Selvika

    Alpine Ski Resort

    This is a rest stop and concrete sculpture that sits at the end of the Selvika Bay. The sculpture was completed in 2012 and was supposed to magnify the experience of walking from the road down to the seaside. In this area many remains of settlements from Neolithic times as well as Sami culture have been found.

    Havøysund

    Havøysund is the municipal centre for the Måsøy municipality. The population is 976 and most people work in the fishing industry. There are fish processing factories, a boat yard, a petrol station, doctors, and a church. Havøysund is home to Måsøy Museum, which consists of tools and technical equipment used by fishermen.

    Havøysund Travel Guide

    Where to Go From Here

    After visiting Havøysund, we continued our drive to Honningsvåg, the northernmost city in the world. From there, we visited North Cape. 

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

    Downloadable Version of This Guide

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

    View at the Store
  • Bergen, Eidfjord, Hardangerfjord, National Highways, Road-trips, Voss

    Drive it Yourself: Voss to Eidfjord

    Drive it Yourself: Voss to Eidfjord

    The drive between Voss and Eidfjord may be short, but it is definitely beautiful. The drive takes you from central Voss down along the old Hardanger Train Line, through a few tunnels, and then into Eidfjord. Eidfjord is located at the end of the Hardangerfjord, and is a popular place to visit for those heading up to Hardangervidda. Along the way you’ll also cross the famous Hardanger Bridge. 

    In this article...

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The drive: E6 between Voss and Eidfjord

    Voss

    This drive begins in Voss. You can find a detailed guide to Voss below. 

    Voss Travel Guide

    Skjervsfossen

    Waterfall

    If you’re doing this drive in summer, the detour via Skjervsfossen is very nice. You can stop by the waterfall for some photos. This road is actually the old highway down to Hardanger – if you don’t take the detour, you go through a very long tunnel instead!

    We didn’t go past the waterfall on this trip, but we have been there before. The first stop on the road is at the top of the waterfall (middle photo), and you can see the hairpin road and the road across the waterfall (right photo). Once you drive down the road you can stop for a photo of the lower part of the waterfall (left photo). 

    Granvin Lake

    Natural Attraction

    We are now driving along Granvin Lake. The lake is 4 sq km (1.56 sq mi) and has tunnels on both sides of it. The old Hardanger Line used to run along the west side of the lake.

    Granvin Church

    Historic Site

    Granvin Church sits on the eastern shore of the lake in a small farm area known as ‘Granvin’. The church was built in 1726 and seats about 300 people. The earliest church was mentioned in 1306, but it was not built in that year. It was likely a wooden stave church. The church was expanded in the 17th century. In 1726, the church was sold to private landowners, who tore it down and replaced it with the current church. The church was sold to the parish in 1857.

    Granvin

    Village

    On this drive we don’t go into Granvin, but if you want a short detour then Granvin is a lovely town. Kjerland Gardsbutikk is located just off Highway 13 and is a great place to buy Hardanger apples, Hardanger cider, or fresh produce.

    Hardanger Bridge

    Bridge

    The Hardanger Bridge is a suspension bridge across the Eidfjorden branch of the Hardangerfjord. It used to be a ferry connection, but this bridge has replaced that and significantly improved the driving time between Bergen and Oslo. It is the longest suspension bridge in Norway.

    Construction began on the bridge in 2009 and it officially opened in 2013. The bridge had a budget of 2.3 billion kr (312 million USD) and more than half was to be paid with tolls and saved ferry subsidies.

    The bridge is 1,380m (4,530 ft) long with a main span of 1,310m (4,300 ft). The maximum dock height is 55m (180ft) and the towers reach 200m (660ft) above sea level. The largest cruise ships can’t go under the bridge, but smaller ones can. It is one of the longest suspension bridge spans in the world, and it is the longest tunnel-to-tunnel bridge.

    When you cross the bridge, you’ll pay a very expensive toll. That’s for paying off the bridge!

    Eidfjord Municipality

    Eidfjord municipality is located at the end of the Eid Fjord, which is a branch of the Hardangerfjord. The Eid Fjord is 29km (18 mi) long and is the fjord you’re driving along now. 90% of Eidfjord municipality is 900m above sea level; mostly in Hardangervidda. The nature provides the basis for power production, agriculture, hunting, fishing and tourism. 

    Eidfjord

    We have now arrived in Eidfjord! If it’s a summer day, it may be very busy. I’ve had luck parking outside the Joker supermarket, but you can also park a little ways out of the town and walk in.

    All the information you need for Eidfjord can be found on the travel guide section of the Hidden North. 

    Eidfjord Travel Guide

    Where to Go From Here

    Eidfjord to Flåm via Vøringsfossen and Hardangervidda on the Hardangervidda Tourist Road

    Cross the Hardangervidda Plateau from Eidfjord and end up in Flåm. 

    Hardangervidda Tourist Road

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • European Highways, Kautokeino, Kilpisjärvi, Road-trips, Sami

    Drive it Yourself: Kilpisjärvi to Kautokeino in Finnish Lapland & Finnmark

    Drive it Yourself: Kilpisjärvi to Kautokeino in Finnish Lapland & Finnmark

    In this article...

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The drive: Kilpisjärvi to Kautokeino

    Kilpisjärvi

    This drive begins in Kilpisjärvi just south of the Finnish/Norwegian border. We had left from Tromso early in the morning. You can read more about Kilpisjärvi via the travel guide below.      

    Kilpisjärvi Travel Guide

    Enontekiö Municipality

    The municipality of Enontekiö has a population of approximately 1,800 people. It is in the outermost northwest part of the country and is between Norway and Sweden. Finland’s highest point, the Halti fell, with a height of 1,324m (4,344ft) is in the municipality. This is the only municipality in Finland that includes part of the Scandinavian mountains.

    The first human settlement dates to after the last Ice Age. The oldest traces of settlement can be found along the Ounasjärvi Lake and are dated to around 6,000BC. The Sami population used this area as part of their reindeer migration, but there were no permanent settlements until Christianity came to the region. The first church was built here by the Swedes in the 16th century. It was a small wooden building in the village of Rounala and it became a central meeting point where the Sami people gathered for religious ceremonies, where travelling merchants sold their wares, and where the Swedish officials held judicial courts.

    Since the end of the 17th century, the reindeer Sami culture spread from Norwegian and Swedish Lapland to Enontekiö. The reindeer Sami had a nomadic way of life and moved with their animals. Enontekiö’s last nomads didn’t settle down until the 1960s. The culture of the reindeer is still preserved, though. The first Finnish people settled in the area in the 17th century, and due to Finnish immigration and assimilation, a Finnish majority developed in the area.

    During the Continuation War, where Finland allied with Germany in fighting against the Soviet Union, Enontekiö was part of the operational part of the region Wehrmacht. When Finland concluded the Moscow Armistice with the Soviet Union on 4 September 1944, the German troops were expelled. The Finnish-German Lapland War broke out. As the Germans left, they enacted the scorched earth tactic and devastated Enontekiö. The last Wehrmact soldiers left on 27 April.

    The vegetation is very meagre, due to the extreme northern latitude. The northern border of the natural geographic range of spruce matches the southern border of the municipality. The range of pine ends 20km (12 mi) north of the main village Hetta. Birch trees do grow in the municipality. About 70% of the municipality is under conservation protection.

    Due to the harsh climate conditions, there are many animals unknown to the south of Finland. This includes the Norwegian lemming, Arctic fox, snowy owl, Eurasian dotterel, ptarmigan, and ring ouzel. There are lots of small mammals and bird species.

    Enontekiö is part of the native settlement area for the Sami, but only 9.2% of the population speak Sami.

    The main industries here are tourism and reindeer husbandry.

    Järämä Fortification Area

    Historic Fortress

    Järämä is a restored section of the Sturmbock-Stellung fortification that was built by the Nazis between 1942 and 1944 with the purpose of protecting the Arctic Ocean. You can see restored bunkers, trenches and an exhibition about the history of the building.

    In the summer, the museum is open from 11am to 6pm. Click here to visit their website. 

    Karesuvanto

    Village

    Karesuvanto is a small village across from the Swedish border along the Muonio River. The neighbouring village Karesuando is located on the other side of the river in Sweden. According to Finnish tradition they are both considered parts of the same locality, although officially a national border bisects them. The sides are linked by a road bridge built in 1980. The area is traditionally Finnish and Sami speaking. After the Finnish War in 1809, the border was drawn for politically reasons, not for cultural ones. The first buildings were built here in 1670 and were primarily religious buildings to try and convert the Sami people to Christianity.

    In the village you’ll find a petrol station with cafe, souvenir shop, and some hotels. 

    Palojoensuu

    Village

    Palojoensuu is a small village located on the Muonio River. It has a population of around 100 people.

    Enontekiö

    Village

    Enontekiö is a village where we turn off to Kautokeino. Enontekiö is the name of the municipality, while Hetta is the technical name of this town. However, you will often see this town using the municipality name instead. Enontekiö Airport is located just outside the town but doesn’t have regularly scheduled flights. The village is a popular place for cross country skiers, ice fishing, snowmobiling, and husky sledding. The local company, Hetta Huskies, won a Gold Award in the World Responsible Tourism Awards in 2015. It is also possible to visit traditional reindeer farms here.

    Crossing the Norwegian Border

    Border

    Crossing into Norway is very easy – you basically just drive right on over. Sometimes you may be stopped for a random customs check, but it doesn’t happen very often.

    Kautokeino Municipality

    Kautokeino (North Sami name: Guovdageaidnu) is one of the two cultural centres of the Northern Sapmi people (the other is Karasjok). The coat-of-arms represents a lavvu, which is still in use by the reindeer herders who follow their herds according to the season. 90% of the population are Sami speaking.

    In 1852 Kautokeino was the site of a Sami uprising against representatives of the Norwegian authorities. This was one of few violent reactions by the Sami against the exploitation policies of the Norwegian government and is the only known confrontation between Samis and Norwegians with loss of human lives.

    Kautokeino is different from other municipalities in Finnmark because more than 50% of the population is younger than 30 years old. This is due to the number of schools in the area. For example, the Sámi Joatkkaskuvla ja Boazodoalloskuvla is the Sami High School and Reindeer Herding School. Most teachers speak Sami and allow for classes to be taught in Sami. In addition to regular classes, students can study duodji (Sami handicrafts) and reindeer herding. It is the only school in the world that offers a reindeer herding class. Sámi allaskuvla is the Sami University College that has national responsibility for Sami higher education. The Nordic Sami Institute is a Sami research institution that focuses on the Sami language, culture, reindeer husbandry and legal research.

    The main industries are reindeer herding, the theatre/film industry, and the public education system. The Beaivváš Sámi Theatre is the national Sami theatre and plays a role in making Sami history and culture visible. One of the most famous people from Kautokeino is Nils Gaup, a film director known for Pathfinder and The Kautokeino Rebellion.

    Kautokeino is known as one of the coldest places in the Nordics. It has a subarctic climate, and the all-time low was -50C (-59F) and was recorded in 1999. The all-time high was 30C (86F) and was recorded in July 2018. This is because Kautokeino is in the Arctic highlands of the Finmarksvidda Plateau. Kautokeino has some of the lowest rainfall averages in all of Norway. During summer, the daytime temperatures average between 10C (50F) and 20C (68F). The temperature and 10,000 lakes make it a haven for mosquitos, so humans and reindeer tend to flee to the coast for the summer.

    Kautokeino

    Here we are in Kautokeino. You can find a detailed overview of Kautokeino over on the travel guide page. 

    Kautokeino Travel Guide

    Where to Go From Here

    After a stay in Kautokeino, we continued our drive north through the Alta canyon and down to Alta before heading onto the Havøysund Tourist Road. 

    Kautokeino to Havøysund

    This drive is part of the multi-day series “From Tromsø to North Cape and back again”. You can view the entire drive via the link below. 

    From Tromsø to North Cape & Back Again Multi-Day Series

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Bergen, European Highways, Flåm, Road-trips, Voss

    Drive it Yourself: Flåm to Bergen on the E16

    Drive it Yourself: Flåm to Bergen on the E16

    The E16 (European Highway 16) is the main highway that runs between Bergen and Oslo. The stretch of the E16 that you are likely to do is the part between Bergen and Flåm. It’s a fairly easy drive – just 2.5 hours – and you pass through some incredible scenery (and lots of tunnels).

    While there aren’t too many places to stop at, it is likely you are doing this drive to get from A to B. Here’s an overview of what you see along the way. 

    In this article...

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via our online store. 

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

     

    View on Store

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The drive: Flåm to Bergen

    Flåm

    This drive begins in Flåm. You can find a detailed guide to Flåm below. 

    Flåm Travel Guide

    Undredal

    Village

    Undredal is a small village located along the Aurlandsfjord. It is famous for its goats cheese production and tiny stave church. It is about a 20 minute drive from the E16. 

    Gudvangen

    Village

    Gudvangen is a small village with a population of around 120. It is a popular tourist destination due to its proximity at the end of the Nærøyfjord. The popular Gudvangen – Flåm cruise stops here, and many people also come to visit the Viking Village in Gudvangen.

    Nærøydalen

    Natural Attraction

    The Nærøydalen is a valley that runs from Stalheim near Voss down to Gudvangen. The Nærøydalen River runs through the valley and empties into the Nærøyfjord. The entire area is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List because it is one of the best examples of a fjord system in the world.

    The valley is rich in a mineral called anorthosite, which is mined in the area. Because it is reflective, it is primarily used on the roads.

    Stalheim Hotel

    Hotel

    Straight ahead we can see the Stalheim Hotel (red building on the hill). The hotel first opened in 1885 on the historic postal route between Oslo and Bergen. A lodging had been here long before then, and it was a place where the travellers could get food and supplies for themselves and their horses.

    The hotel has been rebuilt a couple times due to fire. The current building is from 1960 and has 124 rooms for 218 guests. It is a lovely hotel to stay at and provides the best views over the valley. Across the street from the hotel is an open-air museum that explains the history of farming and life high in the mountains.

    You pass the turn-off to the hotel after going through two tunnels. 

    Tvindefossen

    Natural Attraction

    Tvindefossen is a popular waterfall in Norway. It is 116m (381ft) high and is famous for its beauty – it was painted in 1830 by Johan Christian Dahl. In the late 1990s, the waterfall got a reputation for rejuvenation and revival of sexual potency, and that made it one of the most visited waterfalls in Norway. Over 200,000 people visit the waterfall every year.

    Voss

    Voss has a population of around 15,000 people and is a key town between the fjords of Norway. The town is known today for its wide variety of adventure sports, and many come here to hike, kayak, paraglide, and ski. The E16 doesn’t run through Voss, but rather cuts through via a tunnel.

    Voss Travel Guide

    Evanger

    Village

    Evanger is a small village that has some well-preserved wooden houses and a classic 19th century church. There is also a sausage factory and some other small industries in the village.

    Dale

    Village

    Dale is a small town with a population of around 1,139. The town is a well-known industrial site that was built around the Dale Power Plant. The factory for Dale of Norway, a famous knitwear brand, is located here. Dale of Norway was founded by Peter Jebsen in 1879 when he discovered the rivers large source of power. The machines for the knitwear came from England.

    When the factory was built, there was one farm here, but within 20 years the population grew to 1000 employees. Most people in the village still work at Dale of Norway. The factory has an outlet store that you can visit.

    Osterøy

    Island

    We are driving along the 27km (17 mi) long Osterfjord. On the other side of the fjord is the island of Osterøy. The island is 328km (127 sq mi), making it the largest inland island in Norway.

    Vaksdal

    Town

    Vaksdal is a small town loaded along the Osterfjord. The main building in the town is the Vaksdal Mill, a historic mill used to make flour. 20% of the population work in the local industry, while 26% of the population commute to Bergen.

    Bergen

    You have made it to Bergen! You can read about Bergen in detail on the Bergen Travel Guide page. 

    Bergen Travel Guide

    Previous Drive

    The Hardangervidda Tourist Road

    Take the very scenic drive from Eidfjord to Flåm via the Hardangervidda Plateau and Aurlandsdalen valley. 

    Hardangervidda Tourist Road

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Bergen, Eidfjord, Flåm, Geilo, Hardangerfjord, National Tourist Roads, Road-trips, Voss

    Drive it Yourself: the Hardangervidda Tourist Road

    Drive it Yourself: Hardangervidda Tourist Road

    In this article...

    Watch on Youtube

    All of our roadtrips are available on YouTube to watch. They include information about the area provided in text and voiceover form, plus they show the drive in full (sped up in some spots!) so you can get an idea what the drive is like. 

    Visit Our YouTube Channel

    The drive: Hardangervidda Tourist Road

    Eidfjord

    This drive begins in Eidfjord. You can find a detailed guide to Eidford below. 

    Eidfjord Travel Guide

    Eio River & Eidfjord Lake

    Natural Attraction

    The river is 2.1km (1.3 mi) long and runs from lake Eidfjord down into the Eid Fjord. We’ll see the Eidfjord Lake soon; it’s a moraine-dammed lake located just outside the village of Eidfjord.

    Øvre Eidfjord

    Village

    Øvre Eidfjord is a small village on the southern end of the Eidfjord Lake. The town has a population of around 200 and it serves as the last major stop before crossing the Hardangervidda Plateau.

    Norsk Natursenter

    Museum

    Øvre Eidfjord is home to the Norsk Natursenter, which is where you can learn about the nature in the area. Technology is used to allow for interactive experiences and learn about the flora and fauna of the area. There’s also a lovely film about the plateau made by Ivo Caprino. If you have the time, I recommend stopping here to learn a little more about Hardangervidda.

    Måbødalen

    Natural Attraction

    Måbødalen is a unique and narrow valley that will take you from Øvre Eidfjord to Hardangervidda. The deep and steep valley is the result of ice and water having cut into the slacker and more open valleys. The valley is studied with regards to its geological process and the interaction between ice and rivers.

    The valley was almost impassable before 1790, when bridges were built, and a stairway was completed. The first road was built here in the early 20th century; it opened in 1916 and included three bridges. The road is known for its hairpin turns, and today is only for cyclists and pedestrians. The original road through the valley was the first road between east and west Norway over Hardangervidda.

    Luckily for us there is now a new road; the new road is from 1986 and is wider and has many more tunnels.

    Johan Christian Dahl painted Måbødalen, a landscape painting that is on display at the KODE art museum in Bergen. It’s pictured above. 

    Before you get to the more dramatic part of the valley, you’ll pass a small museum about the cultural landscape of Måbødalen.

    Vøringsfossen

    Natural Attraction

    Vøringsfossen is the 83rd highest waterfall in Norway, which itself isn’t an impressive statistic. Rather, it is the setting that makes Vøringsfossen worth seeing. The waterfall has a total drop of 182m (597ft) and is perhaps the most famous waterfall in the country.

    The waterfall was hardly known to anyone besides the locals until 1821, when professor Christopher Hansteen estimated the height of the waterfall. He was on his way to Hardangervidda to make astronomical observations at the time. The way he estimated the height was by throwing stones down the edge and measuring the time they took to fall with his pocket watch. He estimated the height to be 280m (920ft); in 1893 the real height was realised by using string.

    In 2020, a new pedestrian bridge opened across Vøringsfossen; it was placed in sections by helicopter. The pedestrian bridge has received a lot of criticism, which many describing it as quite ugly.

    Fossli Hotel

    Hotel

    Fossli Hotel is a historic hotel overlooking the Måbø Valley and Vøringsfossen waterfall. The hotel was built by Ola L. Garen (1857 – 1915), who saw the potential of the area and the slow introduction of tourists. Before the hotel, there was only a walking path up the valley with 1,500 stairs. Thanks to the hotel, a new road was built through the valley instead. All the materials to build the hotel had to be carried on horseback from Eidfjord up to the top of the hill. Today the hotel is run by Erik Garen, the great grandson of Ola Garen.

    Fossli Hotel is built in the art nouveau style.

    The hotel owns a Zimmerman piano where Edvard Grieg composed Norwegian Folk Songs, Opus 66.

    Room rates

    Hardangervidda Plateau

    Scenic Area

    Hardangervidda is a well-known mountain plateau that spreads across parts of western, central, eastern, and southern Norway. It is the largest plateau of its kind (peneplain, or eroded plain) in Europe, and it has a cold year-round alpine climate. The highest point is the Sandfloegga, which reaches a height of 1,721m (5,646ft).

    The landscape is characterised by barren, treeless, moorland with lakes, rivers, and streams. The western side is rockier, while the eastern side is flatter and more heavily vegetated. The geology is extremely ancient; the rolling fells are remnants of mountains that were worn down by glaciers during the ice ages.

    Settlements from the Stone Age have been found in the area. The people who lived here were likely linked to the reindeer migration. Additionally, there are ancient trails across the plateau. Hardangervidda is still a key route between east and west; highway 7 being the way across.

    The Hardangervidda Plateau is above the tree line. The alpine climate means that there are arctic animals and plants here further south than anywhere else in Europe. There is a large wild reindeer herd here; it is believed to be the largest in the world with up to 10,000 reindeer.

    In 1981 much of Hardangervidda was designated a national park. The Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT) has a network of huts and paths across the plateau. There are two visitor centres: the Norsk Natursenter in Øvre Eidfjord and the Hardanger Nasjonalparksenter, close to Rjukan.

    The Star Wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back, was shot on Hardangervidda; the plateau provided the basis for the Hoth sequences.

    Sysendammen

    Dam

    Sysendammen (Sysen Dam) is a rock-filled embankment dam. It holds back Lake Sysen, which is the main reservoir for the Sy-Sima Hydroelectric Power Station. The water supply to Vøringsfossen is regulated by the dam, and there is a requirement for a minimum water supply during the summer.

    The dam is 81m (266 ft) high, 1,157m (3,796ft) long and 248m (814ft) wide.

    Buskerud (Formerly known as Viken) County

    We have crossed into the county that from 2020 – 2022 was known as Viken. At time of writing, the Viken sign was still by the road. This sign may not be up when you drive through; the county was established in 2020 with the merging of three separate counties. However, the three counties were not happy with the decision and in 2021 a parliamentary election saw the parties wanting to dissolve Viken win. On the 23rd of February 2022, a vote of 49 against 38 saw the decision to split Viken finalised. So, in the near future, Viken will be split up again. For purposes of this video, I’ll talk about the county that used to be here and will likely come back: Buskerud.

    Buskerud county is a historically important county in Norway. The area around Ringerike was likely a small kingdom and Norway’s kings Olav Tryggvason and Olav Haraldsson grew up in Ringerike.

    The first element of the name, buske, refers to ‘bishop’, while the last element means ‘clearing, farm’. Historically, the bishop’s farm was one of the largest in Buskerud and was important during the Reformation. The farm became property of the Danish Crown and served as the residence for the king’s bailiffs until 1668.

    Agriculture, lumber, wood-pulp mills, and other related industries are the county’s main economic activities. There is a lot of hydropower thanks to the rivers Begna and Rands. Buskerud also has a large, forested area.

    Hol Municipality

    Hol is a mountainous municipality that sees 90% of the area over 900m above sea level. The coat-of-arms depicts three silver anvils on a blue background. The anvil was chosen to symbolise the former smithies in the municipality. The municipality was famous for the production of axes, blades and knives, and iron mining took place here in the Viking Age.

    Samegammene

    Souvenir Shop

    Samegammene is a small shop and fur company that began sixty years ago, when Amund Johansen from Northern Norway was forced to sell his reindeer herd after World War II and move south. He took his family with him and settled in Hardangervidda, where he was given the job as a reindeer herder. However, he sustained an injury from that work and decided to focus on tourism instead.

    Several ‘gamme’ have been bult around Hardangervidda. A ‘gamme’ is an ancient form of an earth hut, and from these they sell Sami products and souvenirs. Here you will find souvenirs but also handmade fur mittens and hats. The building was owned by the daughter of Amund Johansen until 2017, when she sold it out of the family. The current owners keep the gamme in memory of Amund Johansen.  

    Haugastøl

    Ski Town

    Haugastøl is the first town you’ll visit after a while. It is primarily a ski resort with various hotels and cabins. There is also a train station here, Haugastøl station, which is on the Bergen – Oslo Railway.

    Haugastøl is one end of the popular Rallarvegen cycling route – it’s an 83km track from Haugastøl to Finse (a town not accessible by road, just train). The road was originally a service road used by workers building the Flåm Railway, but now it is one of the most famous cycling tracks in the country. 

    Ustaoset

    Ski Town

    Ustaoset is a small village located on the Bergen to Oslo Railway. The village came to prominence when the railway opened in 1909 as it was a good spot for people to visit to go skiing. Families from Bergen and Oslo built cabins in Ustaoset and used the train as a way to get there. Due to Norway’s strict laws, it is now very difficult to build a new cabin in Ustaoset. Whenever one is up for sale, it is very popular and is often sold very quickly and for a high price.

    Ustaoset is mentioned in Jo Nesbø’s book The Leopard; the mountain resort cabins play a key role in the murder mystery.

    Geilo

    Ski Town

    Geilo is the main town in Hol municipality and is one of the most well-known ski resorts in the country. The town is in the Hallingdal valley at roughly the halfway point on the Bergen to Oslo railway.

    Geilo is noted for being the first ski resort in Norway and it was built up after the opening of the railway in 1909. The ski season lasts from late October until late April, and there are numerous small ski centres that make up one resort: Geilo Skiheiser. In addition to 39 downhill slopes, there are 220km of cross-country ski tracks.

    In the town centre you’ll find some shops, a supermarket, and a few restaurants. Around 2,500 people live in Geilo all year round, so there is a school, cinema, library and police station.

    Hagafoss

    Village

    Hagafoss is a small village in the upper part of the Hallingdal valley. It is located on the main highway between Bergen and Oslo, but here we take the Fv50 (Norwegian county road 50) towards Aurland.

    Hol Gamle Kyrkje

    Historic Site

    Hol Gamle Kyrkje is a 13th century church in Hol municipality. The church was originally a small stave church but has been rebuilt multiple times. The last time it was rebuilt was in 1939, and today it doesn’t have the design that makes it a stave church. It’s believed the floors of the church are the original staves from the stave church. The church is also known for the fact that it has a gutter in the apse.

    Vestland County

    We have crossed back into Western Norway!

    Aurland Municipality

    Aurland is a municipality in Western Norway that includes the popular villages of Aurland, Flåm, Undredal and Gudvangen. It is also home to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Naerøyfjord.

    People settled here around 2,000 years ago to farm the area, and agriculture is still important in Aurland. Tourism began coming here in the mid-19th century, primarily from England. They took part in sport fishing and hunting.

    The coat-of-arms depict a goat’s head; a goat is a symbol of the municipality because of their historic production and importance of goats cheese and goat farming.

    Aurland Valley

    Natural Attraction

    Aurlandsdalen is a 40km (25 mi) long valley that was carved out by glaciers.

    Aurlandsdalen represents some of the most beautiful and magnificent in Norwegian nature. The valley has been an important trade and traffic road from the ancient times and was probably in use from the early Viking Age. The route was the shortest route between western and eastern Norway in pre-historic times. There are a number of very old farms in the valley that were permanently inhabited until the turn of the 20th century. There are also mountain dairy farms here (called ‘støls’) that can be spotted high on the mountains.

    The rare mountain flower “mountain queen” can be found in the valley. There are almost 500 plant varieties here. The soil is very rich in minerals formed from phyllitt in the rocks.

    Today many use Aurlandsdalen as a popular day hike (6-7 hours), or you can hike all the way to Finse in 3-4 days. It is one of the best-known tourist tracks in Norway

    As we went down, you saw the huge powerlines. The Aurland river system was developed in the 1970s for power production. The environmental impacts of hydroelectric development are notable; the great waterfalls have been substantially reduced. With the introduction of the tunnels, the water level in the river gorges has been drastically reduced. The Aurlands River is now no longer one of the finest salmon rivers in Norway. Farmers no longer drive cattle, pigs and goats to spend the summer at the old farms. The valley has been characterised, like many other valleys, by gradual urbanisation.

    Aurland

    Village

    Aurland is a small village with a population of around 800. The village is the location of the Aurland Shoe Factory, where the famous penny loafers were first made. Another interesting place to visit in Aurland is the Vangen Church, a historic stone church from 1202.

    Aurlandsfjord

    Fjord

    The Aurlandsfjord is a 29km (18 mi) long fjord and is a branch of the Sognefjord, the longest fjord in Norway. The fjord is deep and narrow, generally reaching less than 2km (1.2 mi) wide. Most of the mountains are up to 1800m (5,900ft) tall.

    Flåm

    We have arrived at Flåm, our final destination for this drive. Flåm is a small population with around 300 people, but is one of the most visited places in Norway thanks to the Flåm Railway. 

    You can read the Flåm travel guide below. 

    Flåm Travel Guide

    Next Drive

    Flåm to Bergen

    Flåm to Bergen on the E16

    Follow the next drive as we make our way back to Bergen on the E16. 

    Flåm to Bergen

    Previous Drive

    Voss to Eidfjord

    Making a day trip out of Hardanger? Read about the stretch of road between Voss and Eidfjord. 

    Voss to Eidfjord

    If you liked this drive, or if you have any travel tips, please leave a comment in the section below!

  • Stockholm, Sweden, Walking Guides

    A Historic Walk around Gamla Stan in Stockholm

    A Historic Walk around Gamla Stan in Stockholm

    Welcome to my Gamla Stan self-guided walking tour. Gamla Stan is one of the best-preserved old towns in Europe. Located on a small island, the town grew in the 12th century as the earliest form of Stockholm. The architecture here is distinctly North German; after all, the German Hanseatic League played an important role in the development of Gamla Stan. 

    Life here must’ve been interesting. The island was very densely populated, which is why the streets are so narrow. Waste and garbage was poured into the alleys, and there aren’t many traces left of sophisticated sewers that have been found in other old towns like Bergen. Most likely the slopes in Gamla Stan did the job. 

    The island was suited for a settlement because it was easy to defend. The island is also at the inlet of Lake Malaren, a lake important for trade in the Baltic. 

    The name Gamla Stan is from the 20th century when Stockholm had expanded away from the island. Before then, it was simply called ‘sjalva staden’ (the city itself). 

    From the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century, Gamla Stan was considered a slum and the buildings were in disrepair. 

    In the last fifty years interest in Gamla Stan has renewed. Archaeological excavations show that the oldest streets are three metres below the present ones. The oldest streets are covered with wood; stone paving didn’t come until the 14th century. 

    This self-guided walk will take you into the historic alleys and past some of the oldest buildings in the city. This is a history walk with a focus on what Gamla Stan would’ve been like in its heyday. 

    Downloadable Version of This Guide

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided walks on our online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the city
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos

    In this article...

    Stockholm Travel Guide
    Sweden Travel Guide

    The Walking Route

    Riddarholmskyrkan

    The church dates back to the 13th century and is today one of the oldest buildings in Stockholm. It was originally built as a grey-friars monastery but after the Reformation it was converted into a church. 

    Riddarholmen Church has been used as a funeral and memorial church since 1807 and is known for being the final resting place of many Swedish Royal Family members. Several chapels here are dedicated to various Swedish kings. 

    Bondeska Palatset

    This is the most prominent building from the Swedish Empire (1611-1718). It was built in 1662 as a private residence for the Lord Treasurer, Gustaf Bonde. In the 18th century it accommodated the Stockholm Court house, and since 1949 it has had the Swedish Supreme Court.

    The style is based on the French Baroque and Renaissance prototypes common in the 17th century. 

    Vasterlånggatan

    This is the main thoroughfare and tourist street in Gamla Stan, and as such it is the main tourist street in Gamla Stan. I find that it lacks a lot of the charm of the area, so we’ll try and avoid it. 

    Prastgatan

    The name, “Priest Street”, comes from the fact that it was the residences of three chaplains and a bell ringer during the 16th century. The residences were demolished in 1708 to make room for the parsonage that is still there today.

    The northern part of the street was known as Helvetesgränd, or the “Alley of Hell”, just like the surrounding area north and west of the cathedral Storkyrkan was referred to as Helvetet (Hell). The areas north of the church were often referred to as ‘the northern side of the damned’ and therefore a place of disgrace suitable for suicides and criminals.

    Those who committed suicide as well as criminals were buried in this area. The towns executioner also lived here. The executioner was usually a person sentenced to death who was allowed to live in return for acting as an executioner. He also had the towns badge burned on him and his ears were cut off so he couldn’t evade his duties.

    The street has been featured in an Ingmar Bergman film. 

    Kakbrinken

    Here we will see a runestone built into the wall of a shop. The stone dates from the Iron Age but historians don’t know exactly how old it is or why it is in a wall in Stockholm. Runestones were usually made to memorialise the dead, and this one says “Torsten and Frogunn had this stone erected after their son”

    The stone was probably brought to Stockholm to be used as a building material, from where it is not known. As the female name Frogunn is known as a pagan name, the stone is believed to be from around 1000, the stone thus 200 years older than the city.

    A laser range scanner in 2002 showed variations in stroke patterns in the grooves of the stone, and that the stone was probably carved by a master builder and apprentice.

    Tyska Brinken

    The name means ‘German Slope’ but is not the original name of the area. The street is first mentioned in history as the ‘water slope’ and later was the ‘shoemakers slope’.

    The current form of the name refers to the German church and German parish who lived in the area. The German influence on Stockholm was considerable during the Middle Ages – half of the population and the members of the City Council were German, the Hanseatic League dominated trade, the wealthiest burghers were Germans, and the German language and culture was everywhere.

    Archaeological excavations in the area in 1993 exposed the remains of the old city wall and traces of what looks like a defensive tower from the 14th century.

    Number 20-22 is a rococo building called “Building of the German Church”. It was created in 1869 when three medieval buildings were merged

    Tyska Kyrkan

    The name means ‘The German Church’ and refers to the German congregation. 

    Back in the Middle Ages it served the local German community and was built in honour of Saint Gertrude, the patron saint of travellers. The German guild of St. Gertrude was founded on the location for the present church in the 14th century. The guild was created by German merchants. They were permitted to build their own church under King Gustav Vasa in 1558. During the 17th century, the church became a major epicentre for church music in Swedish. 

    By 1800 the German congregation had dwindled to 113 people. Today it is under the Church of Sweden as a non-territorial parish. There are 2000 members of the church and Services are held every Sunday at 11am.

    The church is built in a baroque style brick structure with a copper covered spire and neo-gothic gargoyles perched from the top. The brick steeple and copper spire was completed in 1878 after a fire destroyed the previous tower. There are neogothic gargoyles featuring grotesque animals, a very unusual feature in Swedish architectural history. Gargoyles are uncommon in Scandinavia. 

    On the Northern Gate is a gilded image of a patron saint and the exhortation “fear god! Honour the King!”

    Tyska Brunnsplan

    Tyska Brunnsplan (literally ‘German Well Square’) is another name that related to the importance of the Germans in Gamla Stan. The well used to be much larger, but during the latter part of the 18th century, the city’s fire department changed the square so it would be a turning space for horse-drawn vehicles. The goal was to prevent people causing accidents that would result in fire. Architect Erik Palmstedt was given the job of redoing the square, and he was inspired by Neoclassical architecture. However, he was restricted by the Medieval landscape, and this resulted in the present very small little well.

    The first synagogue in Stockholm was founded on the square’s eastern side in the 19th century and is today a Jewish Museum.

    The current location of the well is flanked by two chestnut trees. The location was once the site of a pharmacy called Apotheket Svan, or the Swan Pharmacy. Svartmangatan number 18 still has a sign for the pharmacy.

    Tyska Stallplan

    Yes, another reference to the Germans! The name directly means “German Stable Square”, referring to the stables that were here in the 18th and 19th centuries. However, the square used to be the site of the Blackfriars Monastery and excavation have unveiled the remains of the monastery walls under the present street. You’ll see cobblestone on the ground shaped differently; this is supposed to show where the monastery was.

    Here we’ll see a granite sculpture by Ivar Johnsson from 1956 of a young man mounting a horse.

    Marten Trotzigs Gard

    This is the narrowest street in Stockholm. It’s 90cm (36 inches) wide at its narrowest point and as the buildings tilt with age, it’s getting incrementally narrower each year. It’s also the only place in Stockholm’s old town where you will see graffiti.

    Mårten Trotzigs gränd, or Mårten Trotzigs Alley, is the only preserved staircase alley in Gamla Stan.

    The name isn’t very old; it was named in 1949 after Marten Traubtzig (Swedishised to Mårten Trotzig), who was born in Germany in 1559. It’s not known why he came to Stockholm, but it was likely for trading. He traded in iron and copper and eventually became a Swedish citizen. In 1597 he bought a small house on the eastern part of the alley and then in 1599 he bought another house in the alley. During his life, he became perhaps the richest merchant and citizen in Stockholm and had many children.

    On 21 March 1617, while visiting his mine, he died. He was likely robbed and murdered, but it has not been confirmed. His oldest son, Johan, takes over the properties and business and became known as Johan the Rich. His children sold the properties in 1679.

    The alley had various names after the Trotzigs, but all the names referred back to them (for example, Trotz gränd). When it got its current name in 1949 it is the first time the word ‘Mårten’ is used on the street name. it was never known if ‘Trotzig’ was referring to Mårten or Johan.

    The narrowest point is 90cm / 35 inches.

    Järntorget

    Järntorget (literally “Iron Square”) is a historic square in Stockholm. The square is the second-oldest square in Stockholm after Gamla Stan. The square was established around 1300 and was the city’s most important trading centre for centuries. The square was originally called Korntorget (Grain Squre) but got the name Järntorget in 1489.

    Iron trade surpassed corn trade in terms of importance. Controlling and putting a control on trade was an important income for the city and the king, and the city’s official scales were located here on the square. Besides iron, Sweden exported copper, silver, hide, fur, salmon and butter. Sweden imported salt, broadcloth, beer, wine, and luxury items such as spice, glass, and ceramics.

    During the Middle Ages, the area was dominated by German merchants, though there were also people from the British Isles, France and the Netherlands trading here.

    In the 17th century the square underwent a major transformation. Numerous taverns were in the square and the official scales were moved to Sodermalm. Wealthy people began to move in and built taller and more prestigious buildings. Having a property here was the best you could have as a merchant. The development was further promoted by the construction of Södra Bankohuset, the national bank building on number 84 in 1680. This was Sweden’s and the world’s first national bank.

    Sundbergs Konditori, the oldest confectioners shop in town, on number 83, was founded in 1785.   

    You will see a pump in the middle of the square. There has never been a functional pump here; this pump was gifted to the city from the Riksbank (which is in the square) in 1827. During the first 100 years the pump worked, but today it is just a work of art.

    The statue by the bank building is Evert Taube standing waiting for his ordered taxi, which is why he has pushed his glasses up on his forehead.

    Österlånggatan

    Österlånggatan (literally “Eastern Long Street”) is similar to Västerlånggatan, which we passed earlier in our walk. The street used to pass by the city walls on the eastern side of the island. However, it is much quieter than Västerlånggatan because it was not considered as important as Västerlånggatan. Compared to all the tourist shops you see on the west, Österlånggatan has boutique shops and nice restaurants.

    Archaeological excavations have unveiled the original land around three metres below the pavement. The shoreline has been gradually pushed east by land fillings of gravel and rubbish. Some noble families lived here, but Österlånggatan was rather associated with taverns. Of all these taverns, only Den Gyldene Freden (The Golden Peace) remains. However, the filth, stench, fights and misery are gone.

    For many centuries this was one of the main thoroughfares through Stockholm. Back in the 1300s the street used to reach outside the city walls and was filled with woodwork and blacksmith workshops supporting the local shipping industry. The shoreline was eventually pushed eastward by land fillings of gravel and rubbish, so by the 14th century the street had become the long street east of the wall (Swedish name), far from the water.

    The shipping trade gradually disappeared and by the early 20th century virtually everything was gone.

    St. George and the Dragon

    This statue depicts Saint George slaying a dragon. The legend of Saint George dates to the crusades. Saint George is said to have saved an entire village in Libya from a dragon. Provided they converted to Christianity first, of course. The statue is a replica – the original wooden version is in Storkyrkan church.

    Kopmangatan

    Historic street comprised of two slipes. Back in the Middle Ages, up to 1520, the area used to be a fish market – hence the name. One of the city’s medieval gates, The Merchants Gate, was found on the eastern end of this street until it was demolished in 1685.

    Stortorget

    This is the main square in Gamla Stan. The medieval square is 0.5m below the present cobbles. Traces of poles indicate that the area had simple sheds in the 13th century. Traces of an older building are believed to date to 1024

    The square started as a junction in which the tracks that cross-crossed the island converged. By 1400 the city had 6,000 inhabitants and stone buildings were built around the square.

    Stortorget 3-5

    Number 3 (the blue-ish one) was built by merchant Hans Bremer in the 1640s. Still features the original cross vaults and German inscription on the entrance hall. Today the building is known as the “Grill House” after the goldsmith Antoni Grill, who immigrated from Amsterdam to Sweden in 1659. He bought the building in 1681 and it remained in the family for over 100 years. The clove-shaped gables were added in 1718 together with the blue colour and rococo portal

    Number 5 (the yellow one) is a second hand shop. There are painted joists from the 1640s displaying animals, flowers and fruits. The ceiling inside is one of the few accessible to the public.

    Stortorget 18-20

    These are the most famous ones on Stortorget. They merged in the 17th century. Named after Johan Eberhard Schantz, the secretary of Charles X Gustavus who added the stepped gable and grand portal on the left building.

    The 82 white stones on number 20 are said to symbolise the heads decapitated by the Danish king in 1520.

    The house was built no later than 1479, when it appears in historic records

    Stortorget 14-16

    Named after Aesculapius, the son of Apollo and the demigod of medicine, which is reflected in the presence of the “Raven Pharmacy” at this address for more 300 years. The pharmacy is now still active a block away.

    Nobel Prize Museum

    The museum opened in the spring of 2001, marking the centenary of the Noble Prize. Its permanent display includes many artefacts donated by the laureates, presented together with their personal life stories, with the Nobel Laureates of 1901 and continuing to the present day, including prominent individuals such as Marie Curie, Nelson Mandela and Winston Churchill.

    Stockholm Travel Guide
    Sweden Travel Guide
  • Copenhagen, Denmark, Walking Guides

    A Self-Guided Walk Between Rosenborg Castle and the Round Tower

    A Self-Guided Walk Between Rosenborg Castle and the Round Tower

    The walk between Rosenborg Castle and the Round Tower is very short – it’ll take you about 15 minutes – but I think the walk is lovely. You get to pass through the King’s Garden, see some old 18th century merchant houses, and pass the Trinity Church. This is also a route you’ll likely do when you’re in Copenhagen; both points are major attractions in the city.

    In the future I’ll write detailed overviews of both Rosenborg and the Round Tower, but for now here is a nice walk between the two main points. 

    In this article...

    Copenhagen Travel Guide
    Denmark Travel Guide

    Download this Guide

    All of our guides can be downloaded via our online store. 

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided drives on our online store. 

    View at the Store

    Walking Route

    Rosenborg Castle

    Rosenborg Castle was constructed in 1606 as a summer house for King Christian IV. It served as a royal residence until 1710. Since then it has been home to the royal collection, which has allowed for the interiors to be well-preserved. 

    Layout

    On the third floor is the long hall, which was originally intended as a ballroom but was eventually converted into the Royal Reception Rooms. From the 19th century it was known as the “Knights Hall”. Inside you can see the coronation chair of the kings.

    Architecture

    The castle is designed in a Dutch Renaissance style in red brick, which is common for Danish architecture of the time. 

    Visiting Rosenborg

    Rosenborg is open throughout the year.

    Virtual Tour of Rosenborg Castle

    If you can’t visit the castle, it is possible to do a virtual tour of the castle online. Click here to view it. 

    The King's Garden

    The King’s Garden is the country’s oldest royal garden. It is built in the Renaissance style and was designed shortly after Rosenborg was completed. 

    This was also where herbs and vegetables were grown for the royal kitchen. You can visit the royal herb garden to see the apples, pears, cherries, plums and other foods such as almonds and figs. The garden is much smaller than it used to be – when it was built it had 1,400 different plants. 

    The park has become one of the most popular places to spend time in the summer, and you’ll often see picnics in the park. 

    The royal family lost interest in the garden in the 18th century. It was open to the public in the 1770s under King Christian VII’s doctor, J.F. Struensee. Their relationship is featured in a Danish movie called A Royal Affair. 

    Most of the trees you are passing are lime trees. 

    The Pavilions

    As you exit the park, you’ll pass some lovely pavilions on either side of the gate. These were designed by city architect Petery Meyn, who had just returned from Paris. He was inspired by the Pont Neuf with its iron fence and small shops.

    With this inspiration, he had 14 small shop pavilions built around The King’s Garden. They were completed in 1806 and sold everything from cakes to stockings. All of them are in a matching Neoclassical style.

    Today they are still little shops. They are rented out by the Palaces and Properties Agency on two-year leases with the possibility of extension. To be granted a lease, you have to have the shop open for a minimum of 20 hours a week and the shop has to be somewhat relevant to the areas history – many of them are cafes. 

    Gothersgade

    The name Gothersgade comes from the royal title “de gothers” (and gade means street). 

    The street runs along where the eastern rampart of Copenhagen’s former fortifications was. The street was laid out in 1647 after the Eastern Rampart had been moved north to expand the city. 

     

    Landemærket

    The name directly translates to “The Landmark”. Historically, the street was where the transition from the built-up area of the city and the last undeveloped lots within the city walls were. 

    The street can be seen on maps from the 16th century. From the late 18th century, this is where some small shops were established. They sold various goods such as tea and coffee, porcelain, stockings and bread. 

    The houses from numbers 43 to 55 are all from 1730 and are listed for protection. 

     

    Trinity Church

    The church was constructed between 1637 and 1651 and includes the former University of Copenhagen library. It was constructed to be the student church for the nearby University of Copenhagen, and the decision was to include the church in the same complex as the astronomical observatory. 

    The current exterior dates to 1870 from the renovation work. 

    Round Tower

    You’ve made it to the Round Tower! I cover the Round Tower in a separate article (including what you can see inside), but here’s a short overview:

    The Round Tower is an astronomical observatory constructed in the mid-17th century. At the time, astronomy was growing in importance around Europe, and countries were competing with each other in establishing colonies around the world. This created the need for accurate navigation across the ocean, of which astronomy played a vital role. 

    The tower was built for Christian Longomontanus, King Christian IV’s new astronomer and the first professor of astronomy at the University of Copenhagen. 

    The Round Tower is a cylindrical tower of masonry. On the upper part of the facade is a gilded rebus inscription, which includes four Hebrew consonants of the Tetragrammaton as well as Christian IV’s monogram. 

    By the 19th century the tower was considered out of date due to the light pollution from the city and it was closed.

    We’ll cover going up the Round Tower in a separate article. 

    Copenhagen Travel Guide
    Denmark Travel Guide
  • Oslo, Walking Guides

    Castle, Fortress, Palace, Prison: A Self-Guided Walk Around Akershus Fortress

    Castle, Fortress, Palace, Prison: A Self-Guided Walk Around Akershus Fortress

    Dominating the Oslofjord skyline, Akershus Fortress is a mixture of medieval castle, military fortress, Renaissance palace, and prison. The fortress, as you can see, has had many different purposes over the years. Today it is still an active military base but is commonly used as a park and museum site. 

    The castle was completed some time around 1300 by King Haakon V of Norway, who moved the capital from Bergen to Oslo and built himself a castle. He used the castle as a residential palace and it was significant in establishing Oslo as the capital.

    After Norway became part of Denmark, the castle became more of a military fortification. 

    Following the Great Fire of 1624, King Christian IV made the decision to move the entire city. He ordered the city be moved closer to Akershus Fortress, and the fortress was remodelled to look like a Renaissance Castle.

    Akershus has successfully survived all sieges, mostly done by the Swedes. 

    For a few hundred years, Akershus was also the site of the prison that became known as The Slavery as you could rent out prisoners for the day.

    This walk will take you through the history of Akershus Fortress and show you all the different purposes the fortress has had. 

    In this article...

    Oslo Travel Guide

    You can find a detailed overview of Oslo, including practical, historic and travel information on our dedicated travel guide page. 

    Oslo Travel Guide

    Downloadable Version of This Guide

    We offer downloadable versions of our self-guided walks on our online store. 

    View at the Store

    Online Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the neighbourhood
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Information about facilities along the way

    Downloadable Guide

    • Information about points of interest
    • Images of each point of interest
    • Historic overview of the region & towns
    • Directions between points
    • Historic photos
    • Facilities including supermarkets, toilets, petrol, hotels, cafes, restaurants with addresses.

    The online guide is a summarised version of the downloadable guide. Some points of interest are only included in the downloadable guide. 

    The walk: Akershus Fortress

    Information Centre

    This walk begins at the visitor centre, which is located just within the fortress walls. The building is from 1774 and was the old artillery building.

    Inside you can buy books, get a map, and purchase tickets for the museums. 

    The Carp Pond

    Located across from the Visitor Centre

    This small pond that we have today is from a much larger pond that used to be here. The stream came from Christiania Square and ran through this pond and down to Munk’s pond. It was divided into two when the foundations of the northern curtain wall were laid out in 1592. The other part served as a moat outside the wall.

    The fortress guide says that carp are kept there in the summer, but when I visited in November 2020 the pond looked completely filled in, and a stage was built in front. 

    Akershus National Penitentiary, or "The Slavery"

    Multiple buildings in this courtyard are from the prison. 

    When Oslo (then called Christiania) got renewed status as the capital in 1814, the fortress function changed. The outer parts were released as building plots for the public. The ramparts became a place for recreation.

    The prison has been here since the 17th century, when King Frederik III said that all convicted of “petty larceny” should work on a chain group in Akershus, and eventually the prison got the nickname ‘The Slavery’ as prisoners could be rented out for the day. They were set to all kinds of public works and some were even hired out to private parties.

    In 1842 there were as many as 530 prisoners here, all male. Amongst the inmates were the famous individuals such as Gjest Baardsen and Ole Hoiland. The world ‘slavery’ was abolished in 1850. 

    The Institution was converted into a National Penitentiary in 1902 and from 1937 it was a detention facility. During World War II, it was a German military prison. Briefly after the war the building was a prison for traitors, and it finally closed in 1950. 

    Today the buildings are used as office buildings for the military and fortress staff. 

    In the second photo you can see the prison chapel (behind the yellow buildings). It was built in 1896 and had tuition rooms and a library inside for the prisoners. 

    Drawbridge & Moat, Cannons

    This bridge and gate is from 1653, though there has been an opening here since 1620. The drawbridge was rebuilt in the mid-19th century and a winch system was added (one of the winches is preserved in the northern part), but in 1920 the moat was filled in when the road below was completed. You can walk out onto the bridge today and pretend the road is the old moat!

    In this large courtyard you’ll see some cannons. These cannons were to keep the prisoners in line, and they were loaded with grapeshot.

    The Guardhouse

    The guardhouse is from 1724 and has the Norwegian coat-of-arms above the front door. The building was used as prison facilities. Today the building is used as a guardhouse and museum for His Majesty the King’s Guard.

    The Guardhouse has been used by the state in a modern context since 1947, when King Haakon VII used Akershus as a banquet hall in celebration of his birthday. 

    The Barracks

    This area was originally a herb garden – it is shown as such in the oldest image of Akershus Fortress from the 1580s. The area eventually got a bathhouse, rabbit cage, and enclosure for deer. The barracks were built in 1778 and weren’t barracks for the military long; in 1787 the first prisoners moved into the northern wing. 

    Prince Carl's Bastion

    We are moving back in time – here is Prince Carl’s Bastion, which was completed in the 17th century. There was a drawbridge and moat here; today it can only be seen from the outside of the fortress walls. 

    The Virgin's Tower

    The Virgin’s Tower is one of the few original elements left – it was constructed around 1300 and is one of the many strong towers that used to surround the fortress. The tower used to be deeper and higher, but has changed over the years. 

    Munk's Tower

    Munk’s Tower is from 1559. It is believed that the water tower used to be here, and it provided drinking water to those at the castle. 

    The name comes from Christian Munk, who had the tower built into its present form. Christian Munk was a Danish sheriff and governor who settled in Norway and saw major renovations of Norway’s fortifications. Throughout the 1560s he ruled over the regions Hamar and Akerhus while residing at Akershus. 

    For a while, in the 19th century, the royal regalia was kept in the tower’s top floor. 

    Castle Contrasts & the Southern Wing

    The Southern Wing (to the right of the image) is one of the oldest parts of the castle. It dates from 1300 and was the original main entrance of the castle, nicknamed ‘the dark passage’. In the passage are remains of four fortified gates. 

    The area was renovated in the 16th century when a chapel was built in the area, and an extra floor (see the large building to the left) was added to make room for the chancery of the Akershus governorship. 

    When Christian IV ruled over Denmark and Norway, the area was converted into opulent apartments for the royal couple. The top floor is now a large room called Christian IV’s hall, and it functions as the castle’s reception room. 

    The Chancery Wing

    Looking at the walls, you can see all the different periods of construction of the fortress. The bottom, grey part is the original castle and has been broken out of the bedrock. The big medieval bricks come next; they are known as the monks tiles. At the top, you see the parts from the 17th century that were added during Christian IV’s building operations. 

    The bit that sticks out was the lavatory facilities. 

    The Romerike Wing

    The Romerike Wing is the building sticking out to the left. The lower part of the building was the storeroom with two fortified gates for taking in supplies. It was rebuilt in 1633 as the royal kitchen, while the second floor was used as living quarters for the viceroy. Between 1841 and 1845 the poet Henrik Wergeland had an office on the ground floor. At the time he was working as the national archivist. 

    Knut's Tower

    You’ll now go through two stone archways. It’s a bit of an up-hill climb. 

    The tower you’ll pass as you go along the path is Knut’s Tower, one of the original parts of the medieval fortress. The tower used to be called the Canons Tower as it was constructed as a crossfire tower. For a long time, however, it was used to keep prisoners. 

    In 1641 the tower underwent changes as it was built into a horse-powered mill.

    The name is a reference to the knight Knut Alvssøn, who was said to have lain unburied in the tower for 12 years after being killed by Henrik Krummerdike in 1502.

    Execution Ground

    This ground is the site used for the execution of members of Norway’s resistance movement. On the 9th and 10th of February, and the 17th of March, 1945, Norwegians were executed here by the Nazis.

    A memorial was unveiled by Haakon VII on 8 May 1949. 

    Norwegian Resistance Museum

    The building was originally the Double Battery and is from the late 17th century. It has housed Norway’s Resistance Museum since 1967. The museum is a fantastic insight into what the war was like in Norway, and the collection was arranged by ex-military and members of the Norwegian resistance. 

    Skarpenord's Powder Magazine

    This huge building was built to be bomb-proof in the late 17th century. it has three ornamental sandstones from the viceroy Hannibal Sehested’s never completed fortress gave. The sandstone comes from a nearby quarry. 

    Visitor Centre

    You have arrived back at the visitor centre! I hope you enjoyed this walk around Akershus Fortress. 

    Oslo Travel Guide

    You can find a detailed overview of Oslo, including practical, historic and travel information on our dedicated travel guide page. 

    Oslo Travel Guide

    My Akershus walk begins close to the end point for the Oslo City Centre self-guided walking tour, so you can consider doing that walk first. 

    Oslo City Centre Self-Guided Walk

    My Akershus walk begins close to the end point for the Oslo City Centre self-guided walking tour, so you can consider doing that walk first. 

    Oslo City Centre Self-Guided Walk
  • Ålesund, Hurtigruten

    Top Things to do in Ålesund, including with Hurtigruten and Havila

    Top Things to do in Ålesund, including with Hurtigruten and Havila

    Ålesund’s beautiful architecture stands out, making it feel much more like being in Prague or central Europe over being in Norway. In 1904 a fire destroyed practically the entire city centre, and the city was rebuilt in a uniform style mostly thanks to funding from Kaiser Wilhelm, who loved vacationing in the region.

    Ålesund has been voted one of the most beautiful cities in Norway. While I must admit Bergen is a little more beautiful (I do live there, after all!), there’s no denying that Ålesund is probably a close second.

    Norway's Coastal Ferry

    Kirkenes is a port of call of Norway’s coastal ferry. Find my guide for the coastal ferry by clicking the link below. 

    Norway's Coastal Ferry
    Ålesund Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    In this article...

    Things to do in Ålesund

    The best things to do in Ålesund depends on how much time you have. If you are taking the Hurtigruten or Havila in winter and spring, it spends 10 hours in Ålesund, giving you a chance to enjoy a lot the city has to offer. Otherwise, you can spend a couple nights here and venture out into the magnificent fjord region.

    This guide is written for people coming both on the coastal ferry and coming independently.

    Join a walking tour

    I always recommend walking tours in Norwegian cities. There is so much history and so many stories in each place that you need a local telling you all about it. Ålesund has famous Art Nouveau buildings that you don’t want to miss, so get a local expert to show you around.

    Link: Ålesund City Walk

    Hurtigruten Excursion

    Havila Excursion

    See Ålesund by kayak

    The waterfront warehouses make them perfect for some kayaking. You can do an architecture-themed kayaking tour or go out to an archipelago near the island of Ellingsøya. The first is offered as a Hurtigruten/Havila excursion.

    Ålesund’s Kayak More Tomorrow rents out kayaks and organises day trips around the archipelago.

    Havila Excursion

    Hurtigruten Excursion

    Hike up Mt. Aksla

    No trip to Ålesund is complete without a visit to the top of Mount Aksla. It’s not a long hike – there’s 418 steps to the top – and from the top you’ll get an incredible view out to the city. The mountain is only 130m (426ft) high, and it should take you around 30 minutes to get to the top. Typically, if you see one photo of Ålesund it’s generally the photo from the top of Mt. Askla. If you are unable to go up the 418 steps, you can get a taxi to take you to the top – it has road access! Many bus tours of Ålesund will take you to the top. Once at the top, reward yourself with a stop at the restaurant Fjellstue.

    The hiking path begins at the city park (Byparken) and is clearly marked on Google Maps.

    Hike up Sukkertoppen

    See that mountain in the background of the above photo? Why not hike that one too! That’s Sukkertoppen (Sugar Loaf Top), a 314m (1030ft) mountain that isn’t too tricky. The hike begins in the parking lot of the Hessa School.

    Click here for more information

    Havila Excursion

    Visit the Museums

    Art Nouveau Centre & KUBE Gallery

    The main museum to visit in Ålesund is called the Art Nouveau Centre (Jugendstil Senteret, Apotekergata 16). The museum is located inside the old pharmacy building and is well preserved from when it was built in the early 20th century. The museum chronicles the famous fire of Ålesund in 1904 and subsequent rebuilding process.

    Next door is KUBE, a former bank building that now has an art gallery with temporary exhibitions.

    If you are interested in the early history of Ålesund, visit the Aalesund Museum. It has photographs, artefacts and paintings of Ålesund from before and after the reconstruction. It explains what life was like in Ålesund before the fire, and there is information about Ålesund’s critical importance as a Norwegian resistance base during World War II.

    To learn about Ålesund’s fishing heritage, visit the Fishing Museum (Fiskerimuseet, Molovegen 10) next door. It’s in a warehouse from 1861 (one of the few buildings to survive the fire) and has exhibitions on the development of fishing across the centuries and special sections on the klippfisk production.

    Visit the Marine Life at the Atlantic Sea Park

    Many people head straight to the Atlanterhavsparken, or the Atlantic Sea Peak, which is a huge aquarium famous in the country. Hurtigruten offers an excursion to the aquarium as well. It is a large-scale recreation of the Atlantic marine environment, including several enormous fish tanks; there’s also an outside area with walking trails and a place to go for a walk.

    Hurtigruten Excursion

    Havila Excursion

    Sunnmøre Museum

    4km outside the city centre is the Sunnmøre Museum. The buildings, which date from the Middle Ages, are arranged to display various aspects of local life. The buildings include cow sheds, shore-houses, stables, and dwellings. Outside are many ships – both original and replica – representing traditional 17th century vessels. The museum is home to the Kvalsund ship – the oldest complete boat ever found in Norway, dating back to 690 AD. It is believed the 18m (60ft) oak and pine warship had been buried in sacrifice to the gods before it was discovered in 1920.

    Hurtigruten Excursion

    Visit the Vikings at Giske

    Located just outside the city, Giske is a historic island known from the Viking Age. On the island you can do a 3km long ‘culture trail’. On Giske, the 12th century church is worth stopping by. The church is built of white marble and is Norway’s only marble church. There’s a small graveyard with a lot of graves with the surname Giske, indicating the importance of the island in Norway. Inside is a family tree showing the Giske family all the way back to the famous Viking Rollo. At Godøya, which resembles a giant piece of rock, you can do a nature walk of Valderøya to the grassy residential paradise of Giske itself. There are Roman and Iron Age finds on Valderøya, while the Mjelthaugen burial ground on Giske dates back to the Bronze Age.

    Try the Local Delicacies

    Bacalao is made from klippfisk from Norway

    Due to Ålesund’s importance as a fishing port, fish products are one of the most common menu items. They are also some of the best! Ålesund is a great place to try klippfisk, which is the salted and dried cod used to make bacalao. The downtown XL Diner specialises in klippfisk. Maki (Apotekergata) is a four or five course tasing menu with coastal flavours.

    Invit (Apotekergata 9b) is a café with perfect views to watch the yachts sail by, or you can head to Lyspunket (Kipervikgata 1) for a quiet lunch with Mexican-inspired dishes made with Norwegian lefse instead of corn tortillas. They also have lovely soup dishes.

    Shop Like a Local

    In Ålesund you can find some excellent places to go shopping. Artifex Kunst & Antikk sells second-hand goods and local art, while Jukebox sells records. If you want a big shopping mall, head to Ålesund Storesenter.

    Take a Day Cruise

    Ålesund is perfectly situated close to the popular Geirangerfjord and Hjørundfjord. In summer, it is possible to take a day ferry out to the Geirangerfjord, and it is highly recommended. If you are travelling with Hurtigruten or Havila, they go inside the Geirangerfjord from June to September, and then the Hjørundfjord during September and October.

    Havila Excursion

    Take a Day Trip

    Take a Day Trip by Car

    Ålesund is a short drive from one of Norway’s 18 national tourist roads, Trollstigen. It is a great way to get to the town Åndalsnes, where you can take the Romsdal Gondola to the top of the mountain for an impressive view over the city. If you’re taking the Hurtigruten or Havila, they have a day trip by bus to Åndalsnes and the Romsdal Gondola.

    Hurtigruten Excursion

    Another great place to go for the day is the Atlantic Road, which is between Kristiansund and Molde.

    If you want to stay a little closer, drive out to the island of Godøy and visit Alnes Lighthouse. This is also an excursion offered by Hurtigruten and Havila in the winter months. You can combine it with a trip to Giske if you want to learn about the Vikings. Alnes Lighthouse was built in 1876 and is still in operation, though today it is automated. The tower is open for visitors between May and October, and the old keeper’s house is now a café and exhibition hall. It’s only 30 minutes from Ålesund, so why not head out there?

    Hurtigruten Excursion

    Norway's Coastal Ferry

    Kirkenes is a port of call of Norway’s coastal ferry. Find my guide for the coastal ferry by clicking the link below. 

    Norway's Coastal Ferry
    Ålesund Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide