Kongsvinger is a small, quaint town in Eastern Norway, close to the Swedish border. Here, beautiful Kongsvinger Fortress commands the Glomma river, stand watch over plenty of exciting history.
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Kongsvinger and Elverum
Walk on the fortresses star-shaped ramparts, before exploring the charming traditional wooden houses in Øvrebyen, just below.
Here, you will find unique museums, cosy niche shops, and welcoming restaurants and cafés.
Stay at the venerable Festningen Hotel and Resort, where you can enjoy fine dining in historic surroundings.
Food and drink
Taste delicious local food and book a table at a fine restaurant.
ElverumElgstua cafè
Norway's most famous elk restaurant! A charming café that has been serving delicious homemade food since 1959. Wonderful open-faced sandwiches, scrumptious cakes, famous jumbo-sized waffle hearts, tasty lunch dishes and memorable dinners. Always loyal to our traditions, 'flesk og duppe' (fried bacon and potatoes) is still on the menu, just as it was back in 1959. The menu also offers a range of dishes featuring elk – our trademark. Our famous elk stew is just as popular among far-away visitors as among locals. Young and old climb up on the elk outside every day to immortalize their visit with a photo from Elgstua.
ElverumForstmann Restaurant and Catering AS
Forstmann – properly home-made! By home-made food it means that actually EVERYTHING is made from scratch, whether you're eating ham, pickle, smoked salmon or marinated whitefish, to mention a few. In the restaurant, you can enjoy a daily varied lunch selection, a la carte and celebration menus – prepared from scratch in the kitchen. Unbeatable!
Just half an hour's drive away you'll find the Magnor Glassverk, one of the most famous glassworks in Norway. Close to the Swedish border, it's well worth a visit.
Secure a bargain at its factory outlet store, witness the craft up close in Glasshytta, and try your hand as a glassblower!
Here, you can also visit The Plus, the world's most environmentally friendly furniture factory.
The Danish star architects in BIG Bjarke Ingels Group designed these spectacular glulam structures.
The factory also has a visitor centre and a 74 acre park.
Top things to do
Don't miss these highlights.
Våler I SolørVåler church in Hedmark
New Våler church was inaugurated in May 2015 and it is the largest wooden church in Europe. This is a remarkable building, which has won a number of awards. The church seats 350 people and the church organ was built by Richard Rensch Orgelbau in Germany and is considered one of the best organs in Norway. The building has two towers, one of which contains the church room. Groups can be guided if you call in advance. The telephone number is +47 62 42 40 92 / +47 95 11 97 95. Welcome to Våler Church!
GravbergetGravberget church
A great architectonic achievement, designed by Magnus Poulsson. Its form is slender and streamlined, but the purity of style also shows an affinity with the old stave churches. The church is beautifully decorated by renowned artist, and among the stunning interior is a free-standing sculpture; "Mary and her child". The church is open all days in July (except for Mondays) and the two first weekends i August. Price for guiding is NOK 30,- per person.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
You don't have to venture far from Magnor or Kongsvinger to enjoy Finnskogen's deep tranquillity.
Spend some quality time with good friends.
Check in to the Finnskogtoppen Spa and Wellness Hotel, explore the regions small museums, and relax on small lakeside beaches in the mystical realm of the Forest Finns.
Why not embark on a guided walk, a moose safari, or a canoe trip?
Snuggle up under a warm duvet eight metres above the ground in one of the stylish PAN tree top cabins.
Join a wolf safari, relax at a yoga retreat, or try a swamp safari on a SUP.
Where to stay
Book comfy hotels or cosy cabins. Find your home away from home.
Book nowElverumThon Partner Elgstua
Elgstua Hotel – hotel in the middle of Hedmark. Elgstua Hotel opened June 1st, 2013. It is situated next to the Elgstua kro and restaurant that has long traditions in Elverum. The hotel is the newest and the most modern conference hotel in the area with main focus on the good food experience. The design and the interior of the hotel are inspired by the Norwegian nature. Functionality, universal design and environmental views have been very important factors during the design process. In the hotel there are 110 rooms, including 250 beds and modern conference facilities for 200 guests. In addition to the new hotel there is the old and well known landmark restaurant Elgstua with excellent meals and cosy facilities, that makes it a natural place to take a break. Experiences and activities Elverum has a beautiful location at the shores of the river Glomma, the longest river in Norway. During your stay at the hotel you can combine the conference with exciting local experiences. We will make individual plans to satisfy our conference guests to the utmost. We can offer you f.ex. wine - or cognac tasting, sleigh rides, dog sledging, go-cart and speedy experiences at the car racing track at Våler, cooking lesson or –competitions, golf, fishing and various team building activities. The closest neighbor to the hotel is Terningen Arena which is a multipurpose arena for sports, fairs, cultural activities and big conferences.
ElverumAccommodation at Elverum Folkehøgskole
Find accommodation throughout the year, for short or longer stays. We provide accommodation in bright and cosy rooms in our dormitories. In true folk high school style, towels and bed linen are placed on an unmade bed. Our rooms are double rooms with two single beds. The school is idyllically located between Sagtjernet and the Glomma river, centrally in Elverum. There is easy access to beautiful natural areas, most of Elverum’s attractions, and convenient transport connections. You can choose to purchase a breakfast buffet, hot lunch, dinner, and evening buffet. Meals are served in the dining hall together with the students. Accommodation during Birkebeinerrennet? Are you cycling Birken or skiing the Birkebeinerrennet? Then you can stay with us. You can prepare a large and healthy packed lunch and fill your thermos with a hot drink. We offer minibus rental and can provide transport to the start at Tingstadjordet in Rena. Accommodation during the Elverum tournament Is your football team taking part in the Elverum tournament? Then you can stay at the folk high school. Your team can enjoy a nutritious breakfast and prepare packed lunches, and be well prepared for all the matches during a busy weekend. You are on historic ground at Elverum folk high school, and much of the buildings and interior are original from the year of construction in 1928. Our newest dormitory was built in 2007, while the other dormitories were fully renovated in the period 2013–2018, with a focus on preserving the original charm. After the end of the school year in mid-May and until the start of the new school year in late August, we rent out rooms in all six of our dormitories. Single and double rooms, triple rooms, as well as apartments accommodating three to four people. Elverum folk high school also offers accommodation in connection with the rental of function rooms. For example, if you wish to celebrate your wedding with us, your guests can stay in our dormitories. Our wedding season runs from mid-May to mid-August, with the exception of three weeks in July, when we are closed for the summer. Booking and price enquiries: Please contact our rental manager, Solrunn Irene Nordlien, for available dates and price quotes. • Email: [email protected] Are you planning a party or event? Elverum folk high school offers both function rooms and catering. We have long and solid experience in delivering catering for all of life’s occasions, kick-offs, summer parties, and other types of events. Bread and cakes are always home-baked with us, and as far as possible we prepare our food from scratch. Feel free to get in touch if you would like something different, and in consultation with the head chef you can put together a customised menu based on the season and availability of ingredients. We have extensive experience in accommodating various allergies.
Kongsvinger offers many enjoyable outdoor activities.
Try out the course at Kongsvinger Golf Club, which has been named Norway's best course several years running, explore cycling routes through the lush forests, fish the Glomma river, or ski the many cross-country trails in winter.
Visit Anno Norwegian Forest Museum, which often hosts family activities during school holidays, and enjoy something to eat at one of the many cafés and restaurants in the city.
Get ready for a fun holiday in Kongsvinger and Elverum!
The Elverum region, including Våler and Elverum, has achieved the certification Sustainable Destination. While this doesn't mean that the destination is completely sustainable, it does mean that it has made a commitment to reducing the negative effects of tourism, while strengthening its positive ripple effects.
Getting here and around
Plan your trip to Elverum and Kongsvinger with Entur, Norway's official travel planner.
By plane
The nearest airport in Oslo Airport, from which there are train and bus connections to Elverum and Kongsvinger.
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By bus and car
There are several daily buses between Oslo and Elverum, and Oslo and Kongsvinger. The journey takes about 2 hours to each.
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By car: From Oslo, take the E6 or E16 motorway and the Fv24 to the Elverum region. From Sweden and Kongsvinger, take the Rv2 through Solør and Finnskogen.
If you are coming from the north, the Rv3 motorway runs through Østerdalen to Åmot municipality and further on to Elverum. From the west, the Rv25 takes you to the Elverum region.
By train
There are frequent trains from Oslo to Kongsvinger, and from Oslo to Hamar, where the Rørosbanen Railway runs to Elverum and Rena.
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