Drive it Yourself: Oslo to Kristiansand on the E18
This drive goes from Oslo to Kristiansand in the south of Norway, following the E18.
The Hidden North
North European travel guide
Population 115,569 / 58.8 degrees north
Kristiansand, Norway
Kristiansand is Norway’s fifth-largest city and styles itself as Norway’s No. 1 Holiday Resort. That can be a bit misleading; sun-starved Norwegians do flock to this charming big town in the summer, and there’s a petite town beach and a flash marina, but it tends to serve as a gateway to the villages of Norway’s southern coast and the inland region of Setesdalen.
Fun Facts About Kristiansand
Latitude: 58.8 degrees north
Population: 115,569
Hottest Month: July
Coldest Month: February
Wettest Month: October
Windiest Month: February
Kristiansand Municipality
In this Travel Guide...
Things to See & Do
Here’s an overview of some of the best things to see and do in Kristiansand
Kristiansand Museum
The museum is located just outside of town and is an open-air museum with around 40 buildings from the region around Kristiansand and surrounding valleys.
Agder Natural History Museum & Botanic Gardens
The beautiful park at the Gimle Estate has trails that lead through a botanic garden with the largest collection of cacti in Norway. The estate house is from the 19th century and is home to the natural history museum.
Christiansholm Fortress
Christiansholm Fortress was built by royal decree between 1662 and 1672 to keep watch over the Skagerrak strait and protect the city from pirates and Swedes.
Kristiansand Guides
Find guides to Kristiansand on our online store.
Hikes, Day Trips & Experiences
Looking to go for a hike or take part in a unique experience? Here are our recommendations!
ODDERØYA
This island is a beautiful place to go for a long walk!
Setedalsbanen
This 78km long narrow-gauge railway between Kristiansand and Byglandsfjord linked the Setesdalen valley with the coast from 1896 to 1962. It was used to transport nickel from the Evje mines. Today it is a scenic trail journey.
Ravnedalen Valley Nature Park
A short hike from the city centre takes you to the Ravnedalen Valley Nature Park.
Road-Trips
Follow our road-trip guides for scenic trips around Kristiansand
Self-Guided Walks
Kristiansand on YouTube
Watch our YouTube videos featuring Kristiansand
Uniquely Kristiansand
Here are some things that you must do and try in Kristiansand
Bystranda Beach
Ever wanted to go swimming in Norway? Kristiansand is probably one of the more comfortable places to go.
Posebyen
Posebyen is the historic part of Kristiansand. When the city was established by Christian IV, he had the city designed in a grid system. The name was given by French soldiers who came to reposer here (it’s French for ‘relax’). Here you’ll find some charming wooden houses.
History of Kristiansand
Kristiansand has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Archaeological excavations near Oddernes Church outside of Kristiansand show that there have been rural settlements here since the BCs, and in 1996 a skeleton of a woman dating back to 6500BC was found in western Kristiansand. One of the largest pre-Christian burial grounds in southern Norway is located by Oddernes Church, and a royal centre is believed to have existed there since before 800.
Kristiansand is named after the Danish-Norwegian King Christian IV, who founded it in 1641. There has been a lively and active settlement since at least the 14th century, though. Shortly after the city’s founding, it became heavily fortified with the construction of a fortress. Christian IV also designed the city in a Renaissance grid plan.
Kristiansand emerged as an important shipbuilding port as well as trading centre. With the development of hydropower in southern Norway, Kristiansand eventually became an industrial base, especially with the establishment in 1910 of the nickel refinery.
During World War II, Kristiansand was attacked by German naval forces and the Luftwaffe on 9 April 1940. Kristiansand was bombed and the church tower was accidentally hit. Kristiansand was occupied by 800 Nazis during the war.
Kristiansand Today
Drøbak is known as a popular summer destination for Norwegians.
Travel Information
Getting Here
Fly: Kristiansand airport has daily flights to Oslo, Bergen, and Stavanger, plus occasional flights to Copenhagen, Trondheim and Amsterdam.
Drive: Kristiansand has the E18 going to Oslo or the E39 going to Stavanger.
Train: Trains connect Kristiansand to Oslo and Stavanger via the Sørlandsbanen railway line.
Ferry:Kristiansand has ferries that leave towards Hirtshals in Denmark.
Getting Around
Kristiansand is compact and everything is within walking distance. Nettbuss Sør operates the city buses.
Shops
Places to Eat
Cafes & Bakeries
Drømmeplassen is a lovely cafe
Quick Bites
Reasonable Restaurants
Pieder Ro has lovely fresh seafood
High End & Unique Eats
Bønder I Byen has lots of fresh, local produce
Places to Stay
Camping
Cabins & B&Bs
Chains & Mid-Range
Sjøgløtt Hotell is a reasonably priced hotel in a historic building.
Scandic Kristiansand Bystranda
Clarion Hotel Ernst
High End & Unique Properties
All Posts About Kristiansand
Sunrise/Sunset & Weather Averages
January
Sunrise: 9:03am
Sunset: 4:11pm
Average Temperature: 0C (32F)
February
Sunrise: 8:01am
Sunset: 5:24pm
Average Temperature: 0C (32F)
March
Sunrise: 6:43am
Sunset: 6:31pm
Average Temperature: 2C (36F)
April
Sunrise: 6:15am
Sunset: 8:41pm
Average Temperature: 6C (43F)
May
Sunrise: 5:02am
Sunset: 9:48pm
Average Temperature: 11C (52F)
June
Sunrise: 4:23am
Sunset: 10:34pm
Average Temperature: 14C (58F)
July
Sunrise: 4:48am
Sunset: 10:18pm
Average Temperature: 17C (62F)
August
Sunrise: 5:51am
Sunset: 9:11pm
Average Temperature: 16C (61F)
September
Sunrise: 6:58am
Sunset: 7:46pm
Average Temperature: 12C (54F)
October
Sunrise: 8:04am
Sunset: 6:22pm
Average Temperature: 8C (46F)
November
Sunrise: 8:16am
Sunset: 4:08pm
Average Temperature: 4C (39F)
December
Sunrise: 9:09am
Sunset: 3:37pm
Average Temperature: 1C (34F)