Horten

Port town in historical surroundings

The charming seaports of Horten and Åsgårdstrand are rich in history and culture and offer a variety of nature experiences both along the coast and inland.

Horten is a small city located on the western shore of the Oslofjord in Vestfold county – “the sunny part” of Eastern Norway. This seaside town has many blooming gardens and several small trade areas, as well as a rich cultural life and many traces of settlements from the Stone Age and the Viking Period.

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The close proximity to Oslo ensures that it is easy to get to Horten and around. The hotels in Horten and Åsgårdstrand are centrally located within walking distance to shops and attractions.

Find more inspiration on Vestfold’s official website.

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visitvestfold.com/horten

The girls on the pier, Åsgårdstrand.
Photo: Sven Erik Knoff / Visitvestfold.com

Midgard Viking Centre, Horten.
Photo: Visitvestfold.com

The Navy Museum at Karljohansvern, Horten.
Photo: Visitvestfold.com

Preus museum at Karljhohansvern, Horten.
Photo: Visitvestfold.com

Animals and theatre at Buggegården farm, Horten.
Photo: Buggegården

Activities and attractions

In Horten, a rich heritage dating back to the Viking period awaits you. In Åsgårdstrand, you can visit the legendary artist Edvard Munch’s house.

If you’re interested in Norway’s Viking heritage, you should definitely visit The Borre Mounds. The park has the largest collection of burial mounds from the time before and during the Viking Period in Scandinavia. In addition, Midgard Viking Centre has permanent exhibitions showing Viking finds from Borre and daily Viking life, and they regularly put on special exhibitions, seminars, and lectures.

In Åsgårdstrand you can visit the painter Edvard Munch’s house, now a museum, preserved just as it was when Munch lived and worked here. The town also has an aquapark in with a sandy beach and a volleyball court.

For the children, the Buggegården farm with its theater, animals, and toys is a favourite, whilst Tufte farm offers activities for larger groups.

Other museums with exciting exhibitions include Norway’s national museum of photography the Preus museum, and Marinemuseet which is one of the oldest navy museums in the world and has a submarine open for visitors. The museums are both situated on Karljohansvern, a national fortification by the Oslofjord that is surrounded by scenic nature.

Go hiking or cycling along the coastal path in Horten through lush forests and along beaches with gravel boulder and white sand, or take a swim in Borrevannet lake. If you want to see if one of the nine species in the lake is biting, you need a fishing licence. Fishing in the sea is free for all, though.

Horten

Port town in historical surroundings

Activities and attractions

Where to stay in Horten

Get inspired

See it for yourself

Åsgårdstrand by the Oslofjord

A summer day in Horten

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