Lærdal
The fjord village in the heart of the Sognefjord
Experience Vindhellavegen, an incredible road full of history.
Vindhellavegen is a part of The king's road on Filefjell Mountain. The historical hiking route guides you through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Norway, and takes you past a wide variety of historical and cultural sites.
In fact, the 100 km-long route was once the busiest mountain pass between Eastern and Western Norway. The route contributed to the development of the Lærdal valley and Lærdalsøyri, a village that dates back to the Middle Ages that was once the biggest marketplace outside Bergen as a result of its strategic location on the route.
Today, the quaint wooden houses in the village of Gamle Lærdalsøyri are home to shops that sell antiques and interior design, and places that serve locally sourced food. It also has two cosy wooden hotels: the historic Lindstrøm Hotel and the lovely old Sanden Pensjonat.
The Borgund Stave Church is located 28 kilometers outside the town center. Borgund is a national treasure, and the best preserved stave church in Norway. The impressive building dates back to 1180 is often used as a model when other stave churches are to be restored.
The visitor center includes exciting exhibitions and a café serving local food.
Grab a basket of delicious cherries or sweet, crunchy carrots! Lærdal offers lots of fresh goodies.
Its unique microclimate makes Lærdal one of the country's leading producers of fruit, berries, and vegetables.
The Norwegian Wild Salmon Centre is situated on the bank of the Lærdalselva river.
In the salmon observatory, you can get an up-close view of Atlantic salmon and learn more about salmon fishing traditions.
That was just a sample of what you can experience in Lærdal!
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