Located in Southern Norway, Kristiansand is an exciting city that combines urban architecture with palm trees and beautiful beaches.
Find everything from great shopping to impressive art galleries, restaurants by the sea, festivals, and thousands of islands!
Feel the light from the sun rays reflect from the traditional white-painted walls of Posebyen old town, the very heart of Kristiansand, and a great place to start exploring Norway’s southernmost city.
This is the biggest collection of the charming wooden houses that characterise many towns and cities in Southern Norway.
Today, they are filled with quirky little shops. Warning: you will not leave empty-handed!
Wait, what? Fine sand and palm trees in Norway?
Yes, the Bystranda urban beach gives you the feeling of being in more southern parts of Europe.
Very few places in Norway get more hours of sunlight a year than Kristiansand!
Cultural experiences, shopping, and good restaurants are just a stone's throw away. Markens is the main pedestrian street in the city centre and is usually bustling with life.
Although the sea can get quite warm in the summer, you are guaranteed a comfortable 25 degrees Celsius all year round in Aquarama Waterpark’s outdoor pool, right by the city beach.
Don't miss these highlights.
The palm trees on the beach are the inspiration behind the name of the annual Palmesus festival that takes place on Bystranda.
With 60,000 attendees and an international line-up, it’s Norway’s biggest beach party.
Come join us next summer!
You can also listen to all kinds of great music at the new landmark Kilden Performing Arts Centre.
The striking building houses a theatre and a music hall that both feature an exciting programme.
Kilden is located at Odderøya, a former naval base turned into a recreational area with an artsy vibe. Follow the sign-posted trails and have a coffee with a view or challenge yourself in the indoor climbing park Høyt & Lavt Odderøya.
Next to Kilden lies a 38-meter-tall white building. The former grain silo has been rebuilt to house Northern Europe's most innovative centre for art and culture: Kunstsilo – the art silo!
Among other things, the art silo holds three permanent collections, including the world's largest collection of Nordic modernist art.
In 2025, Kunstsilo was named the world’s most beautiful museum by the prestigious Prix Versailles awards, celebrating outstanding architecture and design worldwide.
Book comfy hotels or cosy cabins. Find your home away from home.
Life in Kristiansand is also about taking things slowly and nyde (enjoying) life. The lively Fiskebrygga harbour with its lovely canal scenery is a favourite destination for locals, especially on a sunny day.
A short hike from the city centre takes you to a secluded gem - Ravnedalen Valley Nature Park.
Its beautiful nature provides the perfect backdrop for a delicious homemade burger at Generalen.
Summer nights at the café are magical, with live music and a cosy atmosphere.
Taste delicious local food and book a table at a fine restaurant.
For Norwegians, family entertainment is an art form and Kristiansand is known as "the children's city".
Dyreparken Zo and Amusement Park – which also includes a big water park (open in summer)- is a highly sought-after destination by Norwegian children.
Another attraction well worth visiting is the Kristiansand Cannon Museum at Møvik Fortress.
The fortress was built by the German Navy during WWII, and the museum offers fascinating insight into the history of the war.
Explore the drama of the past as you ride the old ammunition railway through tranquil and idyllic scenery with panoramic views over the archipelago in Kristiansand.
Kristiansand is all about the coast. It’s impossible to pick a favourite from the thousands of islands of the archipelago. But beautiful Bragdøya is easily accessible by ferry.
With a coastal centre, cosy cafés, a white beach, and picturesque trails, this island captures the essence of a summer dream.
From festivals and concerts to shows and exhibitions. See what’s on!
Kristiansand has achieved the certification Sustainable Destination. Although this does not mean that the destination is completely sustainable, it does mean that it has made a commitment to work systematically to reduce the negative effects of tourism, while strengthening its positive ripple effects.
Plan your trip to Kristiansand with Entur, Norway's official travel planner.
A well-developed bus network makes it easy to get from A to B in the Kristiansand.
From Oslo, drive the E18 to Kristiansand. The trip takes about 4 hours.
If you’re driving from Stavanger, the E39 takes you to Kristiansand in about 3.5 hours. If you have time, you can start your trip with the Norwegian Scenic Route Jæren from Bore near Stavanger to Ogne, a total distance of 41 kilometres.
Plan your route, check traffic alerts, ferry information and more at the Norwegian Roads Administration website.
Kristiansand Airport is located 10 kilometres from the city centre and has connections to most major Norwegian cities as well as several international flights.
From the airport, you can take a bus to the city centre.
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You can travel to Kristiansand from Hirtshals in Denmark by ferry.
Daily express buses connect Kristiansand with Stavanger and Oslo.
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The Sørland Line between Oslo and Stavanger stops in Kristiansand. You can choose between several daily services, and the journey takes about 5 hours from Oslo and 3–3.5 hours from Stavanger.
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