Magical winter experiences

If you visit Southern Norway in winter, you can combine skiing, skating, shopping, good food and culture and the Animal Park in the same holiday.

Enjoy the view in Setesdal .
Photo: Øystein Kvanneid

Alpine

Hovden Alpinsenter is the largest ski resort in Southern Norway with a total of 33 slopes, 2 lifts and 5 ski lifts.

Snowboarding in Hovden Alpine Center .
Photo: Øystein Kvanneid

Fireplace after a day on the slopes?

The newly renovated Hovdestøylen has an atmospheric wine bar with a fireplace lounge where you can relax after a day on the slopes. Enjoy a delicious meal in the restaurant and play shuffleboard.

resepsjon

mennesker som spiser

If you want to stay overnight, the hotel has double rooms, family rooms, suites and apartments.

Hovdestøylen .
Photo:

Ski slopes, slalom and snowboarding at Hovden

Many people from Southern Norway go to the mountains as soon as the opportunity presents itself. Hovden is the largest winter sports resort in Southern Norway with 180 kilometers of cross-country skiing trails that go up into the high mountains around 1,200 meters above sea level. Hovden Alpinsenter has 43 km of pistes, two 4-seater express lifts with a drop height of 420 metres, five ski lifts and a 2-seater lift. Hovden has a small center with shops, cafes and restaurants and popular places for après-ski. There are several hotels and accommodation in Hovden, so there are good opportunities to check into a warm bed.

Other popular winter sports venues

A little further down in Setesdal is Brokke, a popular winter sports resort. Here the trail network is up against the mountain, approx. 700 meters above sea level. There are no hotels on Brokke, here only cabin rentals apply. New this year is the very special dome that is rented out by enthusiasts at Brokkestøylen. Sitting inside it gives a very special experience, this is glamping at its best.

Only two hours from most of the southern villages, in Åseral, you will also find Bortelid, with an alpine resort and 120 km of cross-country trails.

Kvinesdal also offers plenty of opportunities for those who like winter sports. Knaben Alpinsenter has three slopes of between 900 and 1100 metres. Kvinesdal is surrounded by mountains, so it is possible to go cross-country skiing in several places as well.

See an overview of all the ski destinations in Agder.

Bortelid skisenter

Åseral is the mountain area north of the Lindesnes region and west of Evje and Bygland in Setesdal. Here are beautiful mountains with cross-country skiing trails and alpine slopes.

Lift in Bortelid alpine center .
Photo: Odin Rochman

Winter pearls in Southern Norway

Arendal is just one of the towns in Southern Norway that becomes extra beautiful in winter.

Winter in Arendal .
Photo: Eirik Mykland, Arendal Tourist Office

Experience the archipelago in winter

In 1991, Lyngør was named Europe's best-preserved settlement. Both here (Lyngør is just outside Tvedestrand), in Kristiansand and in Arendal you will find boat routes that run all year round. Read more about the idyllic outports in Southern Norway.

På båttur i skjærgården i Lyngør .
Photo: Frame & Work©Visit Sørlandet

Kayak

Experience the coast in winter in a kayak. Read more about paddling experiences in Southern Norway.

Kayaking in the Risør archipelago .
Photo: Maria Aspesæther, InWhite

Aquarama

Enjoy the view of Bystranda in Kristiansand while warming up in the outdoor pool at Aquarama.

Utebassenget ved Aquarama i Kristiansand om vinteren .
Photo: Aquarama

Exotic winter walk in Dyreparken

The Animal Park is always just as magical, and in winter you can join an exotic winter walk in the Nordic wilderness. Join in the feeding of wolves, wolverines, arctic foxes, moose and other Nordic animals. If you visit the campfire, you can take a break and get warm. Here you can grill your own food and rest your legs before the trip continues.

Recharge for winter in Aquarama

In the Aquarama water park, you can book delicious spa treatments, play or exercise in the swimming pool. Here you can lie in the warm pool and enjoy the winter outside. Everything is in order for a couple of delicious thawing and relaxation days in Kristiansand.

Take a fresh boat trip to Ny-Hellesund

One of the best things about Kristiansand is the archipelago. If you take the cruise ship MF Hannibal in Søgne, you will have a refreshing trip in the picturesque port of Ny-Hellesund. You can go ashore on the islands of Monsøya, Helgøya and Kapelløya, and take a later boat back. At the accommodation Verftet in Ny-Hellesund you can walk the coastal path over to Olavsundet. The route boat departs from Høllen brygge in Søgne and has departures all year round.

Winter at Lindesnes

Winter holidays at Sydspissen are about wind in your hair and salt on your lips. Go for walks, maybe take a winter bath, taste freshly caught fish at Lindesnes Havhotell's restaurant, or eat at the Michelin restaurant Under. Experience Lindesnes Lighthouse in the dark or perhaps in a winter storm. It is also possible to spend the night at the lighthouse. At Norway's southern tip, you get real experiences in the sea gap.

Winter fishing

The coast along Sørlandet is perfect for hobby fishermen - also in winter. Blindleia experiences in Lillesand offers fishing trips with a guide in the popular Blindleia. And there are several resorts along the coast that rent stable and good boats that are well suited for a fishing trip.

Magical experiences at Sirdal Huskyfarm

At Sirdal Huskyfarm, you will meet Odd Kvinen, who has been working with polar dogs and dog sledding for over 30 years and is passionate about ensuring that the dogs and guests have wonderful experiences - all year round. If you are ready for magnificent nature together with happy dogs and guides, then this is something for you. The silence in the mountains, the desolate landscape and the sense of mastery a trip with a dog sled gives is fantastic.

On a snowshoe trip in Setesdal

Have you tried walking with snowshoes? What's so fun is that you can go anywhere. At TrollAktiv in Evje, you can join a guided snowshoe trip in Setesdal.

Trugetur på Sørlandet .
Photo: Frame & Work©Visit Sørlandet

How about challenging yourself a little; take a winter night out in nature in a tent.

Winter camp in the mountains of Setesdal .
Photo: Anders Martinsen

Ski slopes in idyllic forest terrain

Only an hour from Kristiansand, close to Evje, are Høgås and Gautestad. Many people think that the ski slopes here are some of the most beautiful that Southern Norway has to offer. The more than 110 km long network of trails runs mostly in forest terrain, but there is an opportunity to take a summit trip to Himmelsyna (649 m) where you get a view of Setesdal and the Sørland coast. Combine the Kristiansand tour with a ski trip at Høgås, and end the day with a visit to a restaurant in the town.

See the ski queen Solveig Pedersen's tips on ski slopes in Southern Norway.

Winter dance on ice skates

Test the ice skating rink! But remember to check with locals if the ice is safe. In the middle of Torvet in Kristiansand you will find an ice rink. The figure skating rink can be used by everyone, is free and open every evening until 10 p.m. You can also find ice rinks in Arendal and Lyngdal.

A refreshing winter bath in Skagerak

When you're in Sørlandet, of course you have to swim, and why not do something you may never have done before, take a winter bath. Did you know that when you take an ice bath or plunge into cold water, a firework of endorphins is released - the body's own happiness hormones. Winter bathing can also have a dampening effect on mild depression and low mood. The body wakes up and you get into a different mode.

Here you see Cecilie Thunem-Saanum enjoying herself in Lillesand.

Isbader Cecilie Thunem-Saanum i Lillesand

ISBADER CECILIE THUNEM-SAANUM I LILLESAND.
FOTO: BETTI BERNTSEN

On a sleigh ride at Eikerapen and Bortelid

Experience nature at a slower pace and from a different perspective. Get into the sled and wrap yourself tightly in warm blankets. Let everyday life rush by, and let the winter atmosphere seep into your soul at the sound of the bells and the smell of steaming horses. You can experience the canoe court at Eikerapen Gjestegard in Åseral.

Kanefart med hest på Eikerapen Gjestegard

Fresh boat trip with Tregde Ferie in Mandal

Tregde Ferie takes you on a refreshing trip by RIB in a winter-beautiful archipelago heading towards Norway's southernmost lighthouse, Ryvingen. It is also possible to rent your own boat and go on a voyage of discovery between islets and reefs. Cast out the line and see if you get today's dinner on the hook.

Fiske på Tregde Ferie .
Photo: Tregde Ferie

See more winter experiences in Southern Norway.

Views of Bortelid alpine center .
Photo: Odin Rochman