Cities and places

The largest city in Southern Norway is Kristiansand. Outside of Kristiansand you will find the idyllic islands of Flekkerøy, Oksøy and Grønningen Light House. These islands teem with life in summertime. Other main cities are Mandal, Arendal and Skien. Lindesnes is the southernmost point in Norway. With their white-painted houses nestled between flowering gardens and sun-bleached rocks, the little white southern towns of Lillesand, Tvedestrand, Risør, Brekkestø, Gamle- and Ny Hellesund are like pearls strung together on a necklace. And then there is Lyngør, which has been designated Europe’s best-preserved village. Morgedal is known as the cradle of skiing. To the west you find Sirdal and Vrådal.

Landscape

The rocky coast with skerries and islands is where many Norwegians have their summer cabins. The inland offers agricultural areas with old farms and mountain regions around Gaustatoppen and Rjukan. The Telemark canal stretches 105 km from Skien to Dalen offers a changing landscape from the open coast, through forests to the mountains.

What to do

The coast is a good place for recreation and boat trips in the summer. The inland area is good for hiking, canoeing, and there are mountains offering good climbing. The inland districts offer stave churches, farm yards and folk museums exhibiting some of the best within Norwegian architecture, arts and crafts, music and dance. The Telemark canal offers boat trips.