Weekend escapes
east of Oslo
Just an hour and a half east of Oslo by car, the deep forest and lake country is full of surprises!
Explore world class Norwegian architecture and design, historic hotels and spa resorts, and walk with cute alpacas!
Feel like royalty at the grand Festningen Hotel and Resort, where modern comfort meets centuries of Norwegian history.
Wander around the old Commander's residence from 1683, and enjoy food inspired by the days of old in the same place as many kings before you.
Explore the majestic buildings and architecture and take in panoramic views of Kongsvinger and the Glomma river.
Kongsvinger became a natural place for the royals to stop when travelling during the union between Norway and Sweden from 1814-1905.
Go for a stroll in the old town of Kongsvinger, Øvrebyen, where you'll find two separate houses where kings and queens onces stayed with their courts.
Øvrebyen expanded outside the fortress walls and housed soldiers and officers. In 1975, this his part of Kongsvinger became a conservation area due its historical value.
Learn more about the area's fascinating history at Kongsvinger Museum, which also offers guided walking tours.
Right next to Øvrebyen you can visit Norway's only Women's Museum – Kvinnemuseet, which opened in 1995. The museum focuses on researching, documenting, and disseminating women's history.
Explore exhibitions on gender, sexuality, the Norwegian women's liberation movement, reproductive rights, and female pioneers.
The museum is located in a Swiss villa named Rolighed, a house which has seen much history.
Throughout its history it has been a mansion, a home for a doctor and his family, a parsonage, German military housing during the war, communal housing for eight families, a woodworking factory and was almost demolished before eventually becoming home to the Women's Museum.
Speaking of greens, just 15 minutes further south on our route, you'll find a place that has several times been named Norway's best golf course.
Whether you're a beginner or a pro, you're welcome to experience Kongsvinger Golf Club's 18 holes set in a beautiful forest landscape, situated around lovely Fløyta lake.
Imagine walking along this spiral and experiencing a rooftop with magical views of a fairytale forest.
Explore the poetry path with poems from one of Norway's famous poets, Hans Børli, who lived in this area his entire life.
The plan is to create even more exciting activities for all ages around the factory in the coming years.
The company believes in inclusion, respect, and connections between people, which they hope can be experienced through their outdoor furniture.
You are cordially invited to actively use and get to know the area around The Plus!
The factory was designed by Danish architectural firm BIG and each wing is colour-coded for the different parts of the production process.
If you buy a ticket, you can enjoy a guided tour of the interior.
There's also one more important thing to mention. You can actually slide off the roof!
Ingelsrud Konditori also has an exciting neighbour, as the Magnor Glassworks is right next door. Watch glassblowers in action and find their beautiful pieces in the main shop at outlet prices.
Glassblowing requires a great deal of skill and can take years to master. It's also a very hot environment in which to work; the glass can be as hot as 1,100 degrees Celsius after being in the flames!
"We like to experiment with the glass on Saturdays, and the pieces that turn out well are sold in the shop," says glassblower Jarle Seterlien.
There's also plenty of other shopping opportunities for clothes, wool, home and interior items, equipment for the great outdoors, and more. All of this is sold at discounted prices. Maybe this is where you'll find your next bargain!
If you want to be even more active and get out on the lake, you can rent paddle boards, canoes and pedal boats with room for four people.
Try one of the floating saunas or the cosy little wood-fired sauna. When you're feeling warm and toasty, have an invigorating dip in the lake.
Round off the weekend with a walk by the water at Fetsund Lenser. This natural heritage monument, timber floating museum and nature centre is the perfect place for a Sunday stroll.
Explore historic floating paths on the river Glomma about an hour away from Rømskog. It's a great place to stop on the way back to Oslo.
If you'd like one more stop on your trip, how about taking another detour to go for a walk with a soft and curious alpaca?
Make some new furry friends at Alpaca Hiking Sørum or Killingmo Farm. They offer fun alpaca experiences where you can spend some quality time with these wonderful animals.
The best bit is that they're both only about a 40-minute drive from Oslo, so it's also great for a day trip.