Southern Norway

We’ve compiled the best of the best in Southern Norway - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

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  • 1. Dyreparken i Kristiansand

    One of Norway's most popular attractions, Dyreparken Kristiansand is actually five separate parks, including a water park (bring bathing suits and towels), a forested park, an entertainment park, a theme park, and a zoo, which contains an enclosure for Scandinavian animals such as wolves, snow foxes, lynxes, and elks. The theme park, Kardemomme By (Cardamom Town), is named for a book by the Norwegian illustrator and writer Thorbjørn Egner. In the zoo, the "My Africa" exhibition allows you to move along a bridge observing native savanna animals such as giraffes and lions. The park is 11 km (6 miles) east of town.

    Kristiansand, Vest-Agder, 4609, Norway
    97--05--97--00

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: NKr 649, Price for 1 adult
    View Tours and Activities
  • 2. Gamle Stavanger

    The charm of the city's past is on view in Old Stavanger, northern Europe's largest and best-preserved wooden house settlement. The 150 houses here were built in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Wind down the narrow cobblestone streets past small white houses and craft shops with many-paned windows and terra-cotta roof tiles.

    Øvre Strandgate, Stavanger, Rogaland, 4005, Norway
  • 3. Gimle Gård

    A wealthy merchant-shipowner built handsome Gimle Manor around 1800 in the Empire style. Inside are furnishings from that period, along with moody portraits, glittering chandeliers, and hand-printed wallpaper. It is said to be the most beautiful manor house in the region, and if you enjoy picturesque buildings with a history, you'll enjoy visiting Gimle.

    Gimleveien 23, Lillesand, Aust-Agder, 4630, Norway
    38--12--03--50

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: NKr 110, Closed Sept.--May
  • 4. Jomfruland Nasjonalpark

    Easily reached by ferry from Kragerø, Jomfruland National Park is a great way to see the archipelago and the animals that inhabit the area. Established in 2016, the 117-square-km (45-square-mile) protected area includes the islands of Jomfruland and Stråholmen. About 98% of the park area is ocean. Watch where you step, as tiny creatures inhabit the sand dunes.

    Kragerø, Telemark, Norway
  • 5. Kuben Arendal

    Established in 1832, this museum displays a fascinating array of artifacts pertaining to coastal life, from toys to farm tools. Find out about the 1767 slave ship Fredensborg and learn more about the region’s folk art traditions.

    Parkveien 16, Arendal, Aust-Agder, 4838, Norway
    37--01--79--00

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: NKr 90, Closed Mon.
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  • 6. Lindesnes Fyr

    Norway’s first lighthouse was illuminated in 1656 on this spot near the country's southernmost point. It was closed the same year by the Danish king because its light was not considered strong enough, and it didn’t reopen for 69 years. Many lighting methods have been used since, including coal in the early 1800s. An exhibition in the museum traces the changing methods.

    Lindesnesveien 1139, Mandal, Vest-Agder, 4521, Norway
    38--25--54--20

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: NKr 80, Closed weekdays Nov.--Mar.
  • 7. Nordvegen Historiesenter

    Outside of Haugesund, Avaldsnes is the seat of Norway's first kings and thus considered the "birthplace of Norway," an important status for the city. For a rich overview—from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages—of this historically significant region, the Norwegian History Center is a must. In the center, Norway's story is laid out through timelines, life-size costumed figures, and multimedia exhibits. The grounds include a fascinating outdoor Viking farm re-creating life in the 7th and 8th centuries, and 13th-century St. Olav's church, the last vestige of the kings' royal manor.

    Kong Augvalds veg 103, Avaldsnes, Rogaland, 4262, Norway
    52--81--24--00

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: NKr 130, Closed late Sept.–late Apr., Guided tours outside the season on request
  • 8. Preikestolen

    A huge cube with a vertical drop of 2,000 feet, Pulpit Rock is not a good destination if you suffer from vertigo—it has a heart-stopping view. The clifflike rock sits on the banks of the finger-shape Lysefjord. You can join a boat tour from Stavanger to see the rock from below, or you can hike for about two hours to the top on a marked trail. The track goes from Preikestolhytta, where there is a big parking lot.

    Rogaland, 4105, Norway
    View Tours and Activities
  • 9. Solastranden

    Sola's beach has 2⅓ km (1½ mile) of sandy beach ideal for windsurfing and beach volleyball. Other prime beach spots, with sandy beaches, some that are even longer, just go farther south. You will find Bore, Hellestø, Refsnes, Orre, Ogna, and several more. They are all called Jærstrendene, named after the region. For families, Ølberg, Vigdel, Vaulen, Godalen, and Viste Stranden in the region are great spots. But you will need a car to most of these beaches, as public transport isn't that good. On the plus side, to Ogna and Brusand you can take the train from Stavanger. Highly recommended. The distance from Stavanger to Ogna is about 60 km (37 miles).

    Axel Lunds Veg 23, Stavanger, Rogaland, 4050, Norway
  • 10. Utstein Kloster

    Founded in the late 1200s, Utstein is the best preserved medieval monastery in Norway. Public transport to the abbey isn't that good, so it's best to rent a car. By bus or car it's about a half-hour trip north of Stavanger on a coastal highway. If you rent a car to get to Utstein, you can also take in the medieval ruins and Stone Age rock carvings on nearby Åmøy Island as well as Fjøløy Fyr, a lighthouse.

    Mosterøyveien 801, Stavanger, Rogaland, 4156, Norway
    51--84--27--00

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: NKr 100, Closed Nov.--Feb. Closed Mon.--Sat. Sept., Oct., Mar., and Apr.
  • 11. Agder Naturmuseum og Botanisk Hage

    The area's natural history from the Ice Age to the present is on display at this museum, starting with the coast and moving on to the mountains. There's a rainbow of minerals on display, as well as a rose garden with varieties from 1850. There's even the country's largest collection of cacti. The main building was slated to reopen in late 2023 after renovations. 

    Gimleveien 23, Kristiansand, Vest-Agder, 4630, Norway
    38--05--86--20

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: NKr 80, Closed Mon. mid-Aug.–mid-June
  • 12. Arkeologisk Museum i Stavanger

    Designed to help children understand the prehistoric past, the Museum of Archaeology has changing exhibits, instructive models, and movies designed to make learning history fun. Children can research their ancestors with computer games, go on treasure hunts, and look through stones in search of fossils and other signs of life. There are also old-fashioned games and toys, which have become popular attractions.

    Peder Klows gt. 30A, Stavanger, Rogaland, 4010, Norway
    51--83--26--00

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: NKr 100, Closed Mon. Sept.--Apr.
  • 13. Berg – Kragerø Museum

    This charming manor house in Louis XVI style was built by the Homann family in 1803, and it was used by them until 1943. Here you can learn about the history of the family and the "cabin life" that has become so popular in Norway. It also has an interesting exhibit on artist Edvard Munch, who spent time in Kragerø. Also open some days off-season with concerts and guided tours, and possible for groups and individuals to see the house off-season.

    Lovisenbergveien 45, Kragerø, Telemark, 3770, Norway
    35--54--45--00

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sept.--mid-June
  • 14. Bomuldsfabriken

    An unusual gallery space, the restored Bomuldsfabriken (Cotton Factory) operated from 1898 to 1960, producing cotton flannel clothing. Today it has frequently changing art exhibits and a permanent collection of 35 works by some of Norway’s foremost painters.

    Oddenveien 5, Arendal, Aust-Agder, 4847, Norway
    37--01--30--60

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: NKr 100, Closed Mon.
  • 15. Breidablikk

    With a perfectly preserved interior, this 19th-century manor house feels as if the owner has only momentarily slipped away. The building is an outstanding example of what the Norwegians call “Swiss-style” architecture, and also has some elements of the Norwegian National Romantic style. It was built in 1882 by the Norwegian merchant and shipowner Lars Berentsen.

    Eiganesveien 40A, Stavanger, Rogaland, 4009, Norway
    51--84--27--00

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: NKr 100, Closed mid-Aug.--mid-June
  • 16. Bryggekapellet

    Europe's only floating church, the little chapel of Bryggekapellet invites you in to light a candle or just contemplate the sound of the waves below. Open six weeks each summer. 

    Brygga 1, Sandefjord, Vestfold, 3210, Norway
    33--47--62--52

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sept.--May
  • 17. Christiansholm Festning

    This circular fortress with 16-foot-thick walls, on a promontory opposite Festningsgata, was completed in 1672. Its role has been much more decorative than defensive; it was used once, in 1807, during the Napoleonic Wars, to defend the city against British invasion. You can only visit around the grounds. For the moment the fortress is not available for the public. 

    Østre Strandgate 52B, Kristiansand, Vest-Agder, 4610, Norway

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Closed mid-Sept.--mid-May
  • 18. Hvalfangstmonumentet

    Surrounded by graceful plumes of water, this handsome sculpture by Knut Steen has become a symbol of Sandefjord. The monument itself rotates continuously, which is quite impressive.

    Indre havn, Vestfold, 3208, Norway
  • 19. Hvalfangstmuseet

    The only museum of its kind in Europe, this gem specializes in the history of whaling and whales. The main attraction----one that the kids will find fascinating---is a life-size model of a blue whale. The building itself has a long history, dating back to 1917.

    Museumsgt. 39, Sandefjord, Vestfold, 3237, Norway
    94--79--33--41

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: NKr 100, Closed Mon. Oct.--Apr. except for Easter.
  • 20. Høvåg Kirke

    Dating from AD 1000, the 33-foot-long Høvåg Church was expanded in 1768 and again in 1828. Construction wasn’t completed until 1966, when the beautiful stone structure finally looked as it does today.

    Bliksundveien 64, Lillesand, Aust-Agder, 4770, Norway
    489--55--788

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