| The North Sea Road, which follows the coast of South Western Norway from Kristiansand to Haugesund, has many fantastic experiences to offer. You will be impressed by the contrasts – from the skerries and picturesque white wooden houses of Southern Norway to the at landscape and open sea of Jæren and the dramatic fjord landscape further north. The North Sea Road does not allow for break-neck speeds, even though you can manage the whole tour in less than a day. The road is above all a holiday route for those looking for something other than speed and big trucks roaring past. The North Sea Road has many facets. On the southern coast, there is sun and sea along beaches and bare rock faces. A little further west Fedafjorden and Jøssingfjord will give you a foretaste of the steep landscapes of the fjord country. Then the landscape softens again. Below the wide skies of Jæren, green meadows undulate between mile upon mile of stone fences and white sandy beaches. Lysefjorden with its amazingly steep rock sides cuts into the land east of Stavanger, and north of Bokna orden you will come upon an open coastal landscape with outcrops and gentle grassy slopes. |
The coast of the Southern Norway region (Sørlandet) is unique for several reasons...
Few places in Norway can compete with the South Coast archipelago during summer, and the South Coast is therefore one of Norway’s most popular holiday areas. Idyllic white wooden houses, a multitude of islets and reefs and beautiful beaches with the sea glittering in the sun are the ultimate summer dream for many people. If we also mention the region’s attractions such as the Kristiansand Zoo, the Captain Sabeltann amusement park, Kardemommeby theme park, the southernmost point of Norway, Lindesnes, and several large festivals, it’s easy to understand why many people choose to holiday in this part of the country. Both in poetry, painting and sculpture, the South Coast boasts many prestigious names: Vilhelm Krag, Henrik Wergeland, Gabriel Scott, Adolph Tidemand, Amaldus Nielsen, Gustav Vigeland and Kjell Nupen. | | | | | | | | |  | | | | | |
Drive the Viking Path
The Vikings raided and pillaged between 800 and 1050 AD. They would appear suddenly and, with violence, strike terror into well-established societies that, while probably used to war, were unused to surprise tactics that were the Vikings’ trademark. The Vikings’ conquests were often carried out in stages; they would often settle somewhere and stay a few years, or for a generation, before continuing their conquests. It is widely believed that this was a result of a lack of arable land at home. In Norway, it was the Vikings from Western Norway who raided most frequently. Many Vikings became really rich as a result of their pillaging. Daring battles against other Vikings or the armies of other countries brought great honour at home in Norway, which was considered just as valuable as worldly goods or gold. The Vikings possessed great physical and mental strength. They had an indomitable spirit, a hunger for victory, were technically accomplished and they demonstrated great organisational skills wherever they settled. But there was a dark side to the picture. ere was bloodshed everywhere they went. The thirst for blood took hold of them when they jumped ashore from their dragonheaded ships. Part of their history is told by Nordsjøvegen, both online and in the travel brochure. Traces can be found all along the route - make sure to visit Spangereid Vikingland. The viking king Olaf Trygvason’s birthplace, Lalandsholmen. Hafrsfjord the place where the crucial battles in Harald Fairhair’s unification of Norway into one kingdom took place. The Vikingfarm and Olav’s church at Avaldsnes and Haraldshaugen in Haugesund. |
