Round trips in Southern Norway
Take a drive along the North Sea Road, go through Setesdal, explore the Lysefjord and Pulpit Rock, and enjoy southern culture in the many villages along the coast.
The North Sea Road - Drive the Viking path
Kristiansand - Haugesund
Follow the North Sea Road along the coast of Norway between Kristiansand in the south to Stavanger in the west, for the chance to experience skerries and fjords, and both villages and cities. A tour along the North Sea Road can be done in a day, a week or a month.
There are activities available along the way, like deep-sea fishing, rafting, hiking and swimming. And why not stop somewhere when there's a festival going on or indulge in a bit of shopping?
The culinary adventures are part of the experience, whether you eat in high-quality restaurants or eat fresh shrimp sitting on a rock or a pier overlooking the sea.
The Suleskar Road - mountain and fjord
Setesdal - Sirdal
The Suleskarvegen road in Southern Norway is your chance to see the mountains and the fjords all in one trip. The Suleskarvegen road runs from Telemark in the east, across the mountain of Setesdal and Sirdal, to Rogaland and Stavanger in the west.
Suleskarvegen is known as the highest road connection in the south west of Norway. Suleskarvegen is closed for the winter from 1. November to around 20. May.
BTW: It is as if the the Suleskarvegen road was made for motorbikes!
Telemarksvegen
Kristiansand - Morgedal, Telemark
The Telemark Route "Telemarksvegen", Major Road 41, winds its way through the beautiful scenery of six municipalities from the southernmost Norway to inland Telemark. On its way through the municipalities of Kristiansand, Birkenes, Froland, Åmli, Nissedal and Kviteseid, The Telemark Route offers 180 km of typical Norwegian landscape.
The scenery is abundant and beautiful with its smooth rocks on the salty shores, green moorland, plentiful fishing in its lakes, breathtaking waterfalls and spectacular sheer mountainsides. As a taste of Telemark on route to the fjords, or as part of a round trip, The Telemark Route is an attractive alternative. Ancient cultural heritage sites, and local art and handicrafts play a major part in the experience of traveling along this road.
Southern culture trail - the coastline of Southern Norway
Kristiansand - Risør
The holiday spot for thousands of Norwegians has for decades been "Sørlandet", Southern Norway. Drive through this friendly part and explore the villages, the local cuisine, and enjoy activities along the coastline.
From Kristiansand, going east, follow the road to Oslo, and visit many small villages along the southern coast. Visit Lillesand with white-painted clapboard houses by the water’s edge, atmospheric cafés and restaurants and quaint shops.
Grimstad is the next town along the southern coast, this is where the Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen started writing. Visit the Ibsen Museum, before continuing towards Arendal.
On the way to Tvedestrand stop by Gjeving and take the ferry to Lyngør, a group of islands recognised as one of the best preserved communities in Europe. Lyngør is a car-free environment with scenic harbours, narrow walking paths and charming wooden houses. Next town is Risør, famous their cultural festivals.
Kristiansand
Kristiansand is the southernmost city in Norway. Kristiansand is also declared the children's city, because of all the funny activities for all the family.
Lillesand
The idyllic Blindleia archipelago, a Historic Hotel, and traditional Southern Norway charm await in Lillesand.
Grimstad
Think of Grimstad, and you think of skerries, white-painted wooden houses, festivals, good food, and summer atmosphere. Enjoy lazy days in the sun, a bicycle ride, or a visit to one of the museums in town.
Tvedestrand
In Tvedestrand you can stroll between white wooden houses on narrow cobbled streets with a bookshop on every corner. Sandøya island has been listed it as one of "11 Insanely Beautiful Lesser-Known Islands Around The World".
Island paradise of Lyngør
In 2015, Lyngør was number one on the list "top ten 'lesser known' European islands to visit by British newspaper The Guardian.
Arendal
Hotels, restaurants and things to do in Arendal, Southern Norway.
Risør
Risør is a small town along the coastline of Southern Norway, 1,5 hours east of Kristiansand. Risør is known as "the wooden house town" and has a rich coastal culture heritage.
Kristiansand - Flekkefjord
Going west from Kristiansand towards Stavanger you can follow the North Sea Road towards Flekkefjord and further on to Stavanger.
Visit Mandal, famous for the Sea food festival and make sure you have time to stop at Lindesnes Lighthouse, Norway’s southernmost point. Nearby you will also find Under - the worlds largest underwater restaurant.
Stop in Lyngdal, known for viking history and “mysterious stones”, before going to the Lista region and the small towns of Farsund and Flekkefjord.
The nature in the Lista region varies greatly from the open landscape, mountains and sheltered valleys with dense forest. Farsund has ten kilometres of long sandy beaches perfect for a walk, wind surfing, kite surfing and surfboard riding.
Mandal
Information about Mandal, where to sleep, what to do, what's on. Accomodation, beaches and live music.
Lindesnes
The official webpage for the southern most part of Norway, the Lindesnes region. Find out what to do, what to see, where to stay, what's on, shopping and restaurants in Mandal, Lindesnes and Marnardal.
Under is the world’s largest underwater restaurant
Are you ready for a wUNDERful gourmet marathon – five meters below sea level? Check out the first underwater restaurant in Northern Europe.
Lyngdal
From hiking in the mountains and having fun at the beach to fishing and Viking history – get ready for an outdoor adventure in Lyngdal.
Farsund and Lista
An old pirate town, thousands of birds, miles of beaches, and a little piece of America – discover Farsund and Lista.
Flekkefjord
Street art, the Dutch Quarter, rail biking, and idyllic nature await in Flekkefjord, the westernmost city in Southern Norway.
Southern Norway round trip map
Read more about Southern Norway
Alpine skiing in Setesdal
Choose between numerous pistes of varying difficulty, check out the terrain parks and the floodlit pistes. There are also great opportunities for free boarding, some through the forest.
Hovden Alpine Centre
With its 34 pistes, eight lifts and a total of 42,5 kilometres of groomed descent, Hovden Alpine Centre offers a large variety of slopes.
Fishing in the river Otra in Setesdal
The river Otra is one of the largest waterways in Southern Norway and has a large stock of trout. One fishing licence covers 150 kilometres.
Explore the archipelago
Raet National Park. Take the ferry to popular Merdø island, or the sightseeing boat trip around the island of Hisøy.
Winter in Arendal
During cold snowy winters you can enjoy cross country skiing or ice skating in Arendal.
Ski reports and web camera in Setesdal
In the southern part of the Setesdal valley, in Evje and Hornnes, the local sports club has an elaborate network of ski trails, mainly in the forest. Further north are the three ski resorts Ljosland, Eikerapen and Bortelid in Åseral, and Brokke in Valle. Here, the trails are closer to the mountains, approx. 700 metres a.s.l. Even further north you may enjoy the extensive trail network at Hovden, leading up to mountain plateaus at an elevation of about 1200 metres.
Hiking in Setesdal
Throughout the valley there are excellent opportunities for walking and hiking. From Evje in the south to Hovden in the north, amazing viewpoints await you. In addition to the short round trips, there are several hiking routes connecting the various cabins of the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT).
Nature protection in Setesdal
The vast mountain areas between Setesdal and Ryfylke constitute a part of the Setesdal Vesthei – Ryfylkeheiane. The 6154 km2 area is the second largest wild reindeer habitat in Norway and home to the southernmost population in Europe of these animals.
Explore the skerries in Grimstad
In Grimstad, both locals and visitors enjoy access to an array of islands and islets with small, idyllic beaches and smooth, rocky shores ideal for sunbathing in summer.
Cycling in Setesdal
National cycle route, bike park, trail and downhill cycling Some people choose a bicycle as a means of transportation through Setesdal; others take a shorter ride just for fun. In any case, nature is their closest companion.
Beaches in Setesdal
The river Otra starts flowing in the mountains around Hovden. With no pollution sources, neither from industry nor farming, it offers good water quality all the way to its outlet in Kristiansand. On warm summer days the water temperatures are quite pleasant, even at a high elevation. And there are absolutely no stinging jellyfish!
Attractions in Setesdal
The Setesdal valley has century-long traditions in the silversmith's craft and folk music. The beautiful minerals are of course, even older. Iron production from the Viking age, local building styles, art and handicraft are exhibited in the valley's museums.
Activities in nature in Kristiansand
Experience the Kristiansand archipelago, ferry trips, secluded beaches, outdoor museums and biking.
Explore the archipelago in Southern Norway
Explore the coastline in Southern Norway by boat, car or bike. Visit the outports by a local ferry and explore the secluded beaches and archipelago.
Cross country skiing in Setesdal
Hovden, located 850 metres above sea level at the top of the Setesdal valley, guarantees a long snow season. Also in Brokke, Evje and Åseral offers excellent cross-country trails, including floodlit trails.
Winter in Setesdal
Thanks to its location and climate, the entire Setesdal Valley enjoys long and stable winters. From wide, open country to floodlit trails through the forest, you are guaranteed to find your own skiing paradise. If you prefer hitting the slopes, Hovden is the largest alpine centre in the region.
Adventure Guide to Southern Norway
Southernmost Norway offer action-packed river rafting, climbing and skiing in the Setesdal mountains, experiences in Raet national park, fishing, diving and surfing at Lista beaches.
Activities in Evje
The Evje area offers activities like rafting, climbing, safaris and trekking, and also attractions like a mineral park with child-friendly activities.
Climbing in Setesdal
With more than 500 climbing routes this area is an eldorado for climbers. Solid granite with excellent friction makes climbing here an unforgettable adventure. Several of the routes have recently been equipped with stainless steel bolts and the belay stances have bolted chain protection. For inexperienced climbers we recommend the new via ferrata.
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