VOSS
The adrenalin capital of Norway
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Snow-capped mountain peaks, deep valleys, fast-flowing rivers and thunderous waterfalls.
For almost 200 years, thrill-seekers have flocked to wild and beautiful Voss, located in Fjord Norway between Bergen, the Sognefjord and the Hardangerfjord.
The village is known as Norway’s extreme sports capital and has also achieved the certification Sustainable Destination. Although this does not mean that the destination is totally sustainable, it means that it has made a commitment to work systematically to reduce the negative effects of tourism, while strengthening its positive ripple effects.
Feel the adrenaline rush as you paddle down one of the best whitewater rafting rivers in Europe …
… race across mountains on two wheels …
… or go skydiving 4,000 metres above the ground.
Want to fly without the jumping out of a plane bit? Take your five-year-old and granny to the wind tunnel at VossVind.
There’s plenty to do in Voss on ground level as well.
During the winter months, Voss is transformed into a skiing Mecca, with both alpine slopes and cross-country skiing tracks for the whole family.
Together, the two ski resorts Myrkdalen Mountain Resort and Voss Resort have 70 kilometres of slopes and 20 ski lifts as well as excellent areas for off-piste skiing.
The Voss Gondola takes you from Voss station to Mount Hanguren (820 metres above sea level) in less than nine minutes all year round.
Once at the top, the ride rewards you with a breathtaking panoramic view of the village, hiking trails for all difficulty levels and delicious local food in the largest restaurant in Voss.
The region is known for its traditional Norwegian cuisine.
Visit the 18th-century farm Smalahovetunet to taste some of the local specialities. Like “rømmegrøt”, a porridge made from sour cream, cured meat, and “pinnekjøtt”, which is steamed lamb ribs.
And you just have to try the farm’s signature dish: smalahove is a sheep’s head that has been salt-cured, smoked and cooked. Delicious!
Are you brave enough to eat the tastiest part – the eye?
Voss has been a traditional farming community for centuries. Visit Mølstertunet at Voss Folk Museum to get an insight into daily life in the area from 1500 to 1927.
Local history and tradition are also preserved in the prestigious boutique hotel Store Ringheim, which lies in idyllic surroundings on an old farmyard.
Although Voss is a small village with only 15,000 inhabitants, it has produced some of Norway’s greatest athletes.
With a total of 98 medals from world championships and Olympic Games, Voss has more medals per capita than any other place in the world!
Voss also hosts the world’s largest extreme sports festival, Ekstremsportveko – and the extremely popular music festival Vossa Jazz.
But be warned: the Voss experience can be addictive. Extremely addictive.