Our Southern Norway area covers the the regions of Telemark, Sorlandet and Stavanger that combine to serve as a transition between Oslo in the east, the rugged North Sea coast and the fjords in the west and combine both the mountain plateau of the Hardangervidda in the north with its rich variety of wildlife including the country’s largest herd of wild reindeer, and the southern coastline of Sorlandet, composed of pretty villages, harbours, quaysides and a haven for fishing and swimming. Between valleys and lakes, the landscape is home to ancient fairy tales and folklore, historic buildings and well-trodden pathways dating back centuries. Kristiansand in the south is an attractive town and former stronghold on the coast, there is a particularly striking stave church at Heddal, dating from the 12th Century, and along the coast are charming towns such as Risor, Grimstad and Mandal, each with clapboard houses, narrow streets and secluded beaches. At Norway’s most southerly point is Lindesnes lighthouse, and where the Skaggerak and the North Sea meet, often with great force. Stavanger itself is a vibrant university town with street art and great food. Two highlights in the Stavanger region are Sola beach and the Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) which towers 604 metres above Lysefjord.
Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be
● Single centre or multi-centre● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Fly to Oslo and then use a mixture of transport
● Rail to Oslo via Copenhagen possible ● Mixture of transport includes flights, hire-car, trains, ferries
Our special interest holidays to Norway
● Cultural tours for individuals● Walking holidays
● Private guided sightseeing
● City breaks
● Ski breaks - downhill and cross-country
● Family holidays
● Hiking
● Biking
● Activities on water such as kayaking, fishing
● Northern Lights hunting
● Sami culture experiences ● Stay in snow hotels
Included in all our holidays
● Concierge service● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday
Call us on 01392 441245
Highlights of Southern Norway – Sorlandet, Stavanger and Telemark
Sola beach near Stavanger is renowned as one of the most beautiful beaches in Norway with five kilometres of sand and coastline for hiking. It's also good for kiters and surfers on windy days. The Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) towers 604 metres about the Lysefjord and the trek to the rock is one of Norway's most famous mountain hikes (guided hikes also possible). Sandnes has the Kjeragbolten and the Dalsnuten mountain. Lunar landscapes of the Magma UNESCO Global Geopark. Islands of Finnoy, Rennesoy and Kvitsoy. Architectural gems of Arendal, Grimstad, Lillesand and Mandal. Small fishing villages such as Ny-Hellesund. Car-free outport of Lyngor that spans over several small islands all reached by ferry. Lindesnes lighthouse. Horizontal potholes at Brufjell created during the Ice Age. White beaches of Lista. The Telemark Canal.
Cultural highlights of Southern Norway – Sorlandet, Stavanger and Telemark
Stavanger art museum. Stavanger cathedral and the Fargegaten (the street of colours). Artisands in Risor. Flekkefjord with its street art painted on to the traditional white wooden houses. Coolart street art project in Kristiansand has converted the city into a giant outdoor gallery. Lista museum in Vanse. Knut Hamsun house in Grimstad with exhibition in summer. Maritime museum in Grimstad. Gimmle Gard manor house at Kristiansand.
Festivals of Southern Norway – Sorlandet, Stavanger and Telemark
Music festivals in Kristiansand in July, Winter festival in Arendal in February, Film festival in Grimstad in June, Salmon festival at Flekkefjord in July, Wooden boat festival in Risor in August, Farsund folk festival in August.
Gastronomy of Southern Norway – Sorlandet, Stavanger and Telemark
The food of southern Norway features both seafood and produce from the local farms. Artisan sausages and breads. Fish and chips. Flavoured marzipan sold in chunks. Under, an underwater restaurant, 5.5 metres below sea level with views into the ocean. Traditional farm restaurant Boen Gard. Arendal is home to a variety of restaurants, many specialising in seafood, and with outdoor summer seating.
Southern Norway travel information
You’ll probably arrive at Oslo if flying from the UK, although there are some direct flights to Stavanger. There is also a ferry service from Kristiansand to Hirtshals in Denmark if you are thinking of taking your own car to Norway.By air
Oslo and Stavanger have international airports. There are some international flights arriving at Kristiansand but there are also domestic connections from Kristiansand to Bergen, Oslo, Stavanger and Trondheim for example.By rail
There is a direct train from Oslo to Stavanger that stops in Drammen, Kongsberg, Kristiansand and Egersund. There are also indirect trains with a change in Kongsberg. You can use this route to break the journey for a night or two along the way.By hire-car
To explore within an area or to cover parts of the country, it’s recommended to have the use of a hire-car. Roads in Norway are good, and you will need to board ferries for many routes. In fact, over 100 public roadways require cars to board a ferry. You don’t book ahead for these but you need to allow for extra time but this is part of the charm of driving yourself around Norway.Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be
● Single centre or multi-centre● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Fly to Oslo and then use a mixture of transport
● Rail to Oslo via Copenhagen possible ● Mixture of transport includes flights, hire-car, trains, ferries
Our special interest holidays to Norway
● Cultural tours for individuals● Walking holidays
● Private guided sightseeing
● City breaks
● Ski breaks - downhill and cross-country
● Family holidays
● Hiking
● Biking
● Activities on water such as kayaking, fishing
● Northern Lights hunting
● Sami culture experiences ● Stay in snow hotels
Included in all our holidays
● Concierge service● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday
Call us on 01392 441245
Our bespoke, luxury hotel holidays can be
● Single centre or multi-centre● Long or short stays
● Combine a number of different hotels in different regions
● Fly to Oslo and then use a mixture of transport
● Rail to Oslo via Copenhagen possible ● Mixture of transport includes flights, hire-car, trains, ferries
Our special interest holidays to Norway
● Cultural tours for individuals● Walking holidays
● Private guided sightseeing
● City breaks
● Ski breaks - downhill and cross-country
● Family holidays
● Hiking
● Biking
● Activities on water such as kayaking, fishing
● Northern Lights hunting
● Sami culture experiences ● Stay in snow hotels
Included in all our holidays
● Concierge service● Handcrafted helpful hints and local information provided with all our holidays
● Personal service by your sales consultant who looks after all aspects of your holiday
