HOLMESTRAND

Holmestrand

Travel to Holmestrand and experience the cozy wharf life, the sight of the trees in green splendor that climb along the black rock wall towards Holmestrand center, which was the architectural style of the 1700s. Go shopping in the city "To Levels", or just enjoy yourself at the town's two scenic beaches.

Even better than its reputation
Holmestrand has quite unfairly been perceived as a "town you pass by." Many people associate the city of waiting in endless queues, traffic congestion, and tunnel trouble. Earlier the heavy traffic on the E18 went right through Holmestrand’s narrow downtown streets. In 2001, the E18 moved inland, which led to Holmestrand regaining much of its former idyllic feel. It is amazing to think that the otherwise peaceful city was plagued by massive traffic problems before. We hope with this article to correct some of the false and negative impressions many have of this town with the dream location in Oslofjord.

Scenic recreational and leisure areas
Holmestrand is known as the town under the mountain. The cliff, Veggfjellet, behind the center gives Holmestrand a characteristic profile and creates contrast between the coast and inland. Holmestrand as a municipality is much more than the 11 km narrow coastal strip at Holmestrandfjord. From the bay, Holmestrand creeps up the mountain and extends inland. Here on top of the "mountains" are trade centers, large living spaces, and farmland.
The municipality's varied topography and geographical coverage is a good starting point for rich and varied outdoor activities. On the plateau of the center are very beautiful viewpoints with beautiful views of the bay and the scenic islands Kommersøya and Bjerkøya. The plateau behind the town also offers opportunities for great countryside experiences with a large network of trails that wind through forests and deep valleys. Some nice lakes are also along the trails.

But there is sun and sea which are natural summer attractions in the coastal town of Holmestrand. 1000 places for small boats and a premiere guest marina in the city center, clean water, and nice swimming spots are within walking distance just north and south of the city center. As so often when it comes to coastal cities, the brewery and the port area serve as the city's major tourist attraction. Here you can eat freshly cooked prawns on the wharf. Enjoy refreshments or a meal on the terrace while watching the crowded wharf and boating in the harbor. You can get up close and personal with the maritime environment and boat traffic. Leisure boats, fishermen, and merchant vessels lie side by side along the quays. Although it is nice and cozy in the harbor, it can be even better. The municipality has made a development plan for the port area and it is now gearing up for a NOK 100 million project which will result in even more magnificent facilities for city residents and tourists.

The islands in Homestrandfjord are well adapted for boaters with excellent swimming and recreation areas on the islands. Swim life is combined with plants and fossil studies in the nature reserves. The coastal trail through Holmestrand Municipality is part of the coastal path from Hurum in Buskerud to Borre in Vestfold.

Highway 319 winds and meanders along the coastal stretch of Sande and Svelvik. Sometimes down by the water, other times up on high hills and through valleys. The valley you see in the image extends from the highway down to the fjord at Sandvika in Sande.

Open your senses for our beautiful adventure in Vestfold’s two northernmost municipalities. Next time you are going to or from Vestfold, we recommend that you travel via Sande and Svelvik. Read why.
 

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Holmestrand

Reis til Holmestrand og opplev det koselige bryggelivet, synet av løvtrær i grønn prakt som klatrer langs den sorte fjellveggen ned mot Holmestrand sentrum, aristokratiets byggestil fra 1700-tallet, shopping i byens «to etasjer», eller bare rekreasjon på byens to naturskjønne badeplasser. 

Mye bedre enn sitt rykte
Ganske urettferdig har Holmestrand blitt oppfattet som en «by man passerer eller kjører igjennom». Mange forbinder jo byen med venting i endeløse køer, trafikkaos og tunneltrøbbel. Tidligere dundret tungtrafikk på E18 som gikk tvers gjennom Holmestrand smale sentrumsgater. I 2001 ble E18 flyttet innover i landet, noe som førte til at Holmestrand fikk tilbake mye av sitt tidligere idylliske preg. Det er utrolig å tenke på at den ellers så fredelige byen ble forpestet av all biltrafikk tidligere. Vi håper med denne artikkelen å rette opp noe av det feilaktige og negative inntrykket mange har av denne byen med drømmebeliggenhet ved Oslofjorden.

Naturskjønne rekreasjons- og friluftsområder
Holmestrand er kjent som byen under fjellet. Fjellveggen bak bysentrum gir Holmestrand en karakteristisk profil og skaper kontraster mellom kyst og innland. Holmestrand som kommune er jo mye mer enn den 11 km smale kyststripen ved Holmestrandsfjorden. Fra fjorden kryper Holmestrand opp på fjellet og strekker seg innover i landet. Her oppå «fjellet» finnes handelssentra, store boarealer og jordbruksområder. 

Kommunens varierte topografi og geografiske utstrekning er et godt utgangspunkt for et rikt og variert friluftsliv. På platået over sentrum finnes svært flotte utsiktspunkter med flott skue utover fjorden og de naturskjønne øyene Kommersøya og Bjerkøya. Platået bak byen gir også muligheter for flotte markaopplevelser med et stort løypenett som snirkler seg gjennom skog og dype daler. Noen flotte innsjøer får du også med på turen. 

Men det er sol og sjø som er naturgitte sommerattraksjoner i kystbyen Holmestrand. 1000 småbåtplasser og premiert gjestehavn i byens sentrum, rent vann og trivelige badeplasser i gåavstand like nord og syd for sentrum. Som så ofte når det gjelder kystbyer er det brygge- og havneområdet som fungerer som byens store trekkplaster, så også med Holmestrand. Her kan du spise nykokte reker på bryggekanten. Hygge deg med forfriskninger eller spise et måltid på uterestaurant mens du ser på det yrende folke- og båtlivet i havna. Her kommer du tett innpå det maritime miljøet og båttrafikken. Fritidsbåter, yrkesfiskere og handelsfartøyer ligger side om side langs kaiene. Selv om det er fint og koselig i havnen, så skal det bli enda bedre. Kommunen har laget en utviklingsplan for havneområdet og det skal nå rustes opp for 100 millioner kroner som skal resultere i enda flottere fasiliteter for byens innbyggere og turister.

Øyene i Holmestrandsfjorden er godt tilrettelagt for båtfolket med ypperlige badeplasser og rekreasjonsområder på øyene. Badeliv kombineres med plante- og fossilstudier i naturreservatene. Kyststien gjennom Holmestrand kommune er en del av kyststien fra Hurum i Buskerud til Borre i Vestfold

Riksvei 319 slynger og bukter seg langs kyststrekningen av Sande og Svelvik. Noen ganger helt ned ved vannet, andre ganger opp på høye koller og gjennom dype daler. Dalen du ser på bildet strekker seg fra Riksveien og ned til fjorden ved Sandvika i Sande.

Åpne sansene for vårens vakre eventyr i Vestfolds to nordligste kommuner. Neste gang du skal til eller fra Vestfold anbefaler vi at du reiser via Sande og Svelvik. Les hvorfor.
 

ÅSGÅRDSTRAND

Åsgårdstrand

Åsgårdstrand is an idyllic small coastal communities. Just to stroll around this small town and see all the manicured gardens provide a lovely ambience in the body. Beautiful and white painted snugly settlement in Åsgårdstrand, with a population of about 3,000 residents.

Overnight at the wharf in Åsgårdstrand ->

Munch's vacation paradise

Especially in summer, this city has much to offer. Åsgårdstrand is a wonderful mix of boats, galleries, cyclists and swimmers. One can swim almost all along the shoreline in the city center, and the shoreline is good about space. Åsgårdstrand is very popular among summer visitors by boat and cabin area. The port is however not so great, and it may be wise to bring in the sails before entering the harbor. The port is expanded with two new pools and it has thus become better accommodate visiting boats. Cobblestones give quay a special touch. In 2007 Åsgårdstrand classified as tourist because the number of tourists and visitors are so high in relation to permanent residents. Summer visitors are largely involved in shaping the atmosphere of the city.

The White City by the Oslo fjord - Åsgårdstrand

Åsgårdstrand is Horten Municipality smallest and oldest city, and was founded about 450 years ago on the basis of timber and shipbuilding. But not until the mid-1800s began passenger boats between Oslo and Vestfold towns to visit Åsgårdstrand, which made the city a popular bathing and holiday resort. Åsgårdstrand eventually became known as the center for artists because of the unique light here.

Ride on the coastal path from Horten to Åsgårdstrand? Read more ->

There is no doubt that Edward Munch enjoyed staying in Åsgårdstrand, and was inspired as an artist. In 1889, he spent his first of many summers in Åsgårdstrand, and bought a few years later a simple fisherman's house from the 1700s. In this house decorated his living room to serve as bedrooms, study and dining room. Today owned house of Horten Municipality, and it serves as a museum where everything is preserved as it was when Edward Munch lived there. The museum is open every day during the summer months of June, July and August, except Mondays.

The light of the Oslo Fjord and the beaches of Åsgårdstrand fascinates as much today as in Edvard Munch's time.

Edward Munch painted many of the most famous paintings in Åsgårdstrand res, including "Girls on the Bridge" in 1902. There have been many famous artists in Åsgårdstrand, and primarily painters. The place became known as the center for artists and since 1880 a number of artists painted in Åsgårdstrand, among them world names like Christian Krogh and Hans Heyerdahl as well as Edvard Munch, as already mentioned. In the center we find several galleries, and many artists have sommeratelierene its here. The place is known for its distinctive light that is reminiscent of the unique light at Skagen. Artists went to either Skagen or Åsgårdstrand to paint this special light.

Charming café life in Åsgårdstrand streets

In Åsgårdstrand we find a number of inviting restaurants and cafes. If you go up the steep hill from the harbor next to the hotel and turn left at the top, you are moving into a typical Åsgårdstrand-coat with picket fences and whitewashed houses. Here is Frantz Confectionery with backyard cafe next door to the cozy Munch's Café. Here you can sample the local traditional favorite crab wonder. A crab lure is a round donut baking, reminiscent donut. The cafe is a cross between patisserie and restaurant. The chowder here can heartily recommend. And in Åsgårdstrand only pub boathouse has been life for many years. Come and savor the local atmosphere.
 

Bike ride to art and donuts at
Åsgård Beach

Would you like to have culture, nature, and history without uphill slops this summer? Join the short ride between Horten and Åsgårdstrand, or Åsgård Beach. A bike ride without lots of effort but nonetheless beautiful stretches of coastal path. 

You need not be a bike enthusiast to enjoy cycling from Horten to Åsgårdstrand. You just have to know how to ride a bicycle. The ride is safe for kids, too. The path is clearly marked, and running mostly through forests and hills. It's not far. Uphill conspicuous by its absence, and there is much to see along the way. Don’t have a bicycle? At the tourist office on the pier in Horten, you can rent one for 35 kroner. Then you have the bike and helmet for three days, if you’d like. From Horten, you must ride through some lovely residential areas before going to the forest.

After a few kilometers through the forest, we arrive at Borre, Scandinavia's largest collection of graves from the Viking era. The nine large mounds still reign over the majestic landscape. You can have a picnic under an oak tree, or grab a cup of coffee and watch the show at Midgard Historical Centre. Now comes the final treat of the ride: The last part of the way through Fjugstad nature reserve, with Scandinavia's largest ash forest. The trail is sun speckled, with ash trees closing around us and buttercups growing in the grass. All we hear are birds chirping.

- I'm sitting in the only nice house I have lived in – the house in Åsgårdstrand, wrote Edvard Munch to his friend Sigurd Autumn. If you follow the road straight ahead when entering Åsgårdstrand, you’ll reach Munch's house. The house was bought by Åsgårdstrand municipality in 1944 and is a museum today. Everything here is preserved as it was when the painter lived there. His suit hangs on the wall, collars in the closet, inkwell and pen splits on the table. Munch bought the house in 1897 for 900 kroner. At the time, this was the poor district of Åsgårdstrand.  Fishermen here lived in small houses with their large families. But Munch enjoyed living here. He sought the real and original. Munch came here when he was very young, and was looking for his expression, which was largely shaped here in Åsgårdstrand. Here he met his great love, Mille Thaulow, which he never forgot. She was married, so they faced each other off in bird song, which is the forest we just rode through. Munch’s motives are everywhere in Åsgårdstrand. Portions of Munch iconography, moon pillar, and the shoreline are taken from this area.

Åsgårdstrand offers a variety of galleries, studios, restaurants and nice little shops. Munch Café has been the area’s confectionery since 1914. Back then, the painter often ate krabbelurer, or “crab wonders,” here, which is a kind of roll with donut dough. It’s normal to buy a krabbelurer and take it down to the pier where Munch painted girls on the bridge, sit down on a bench and recharge the return trip: The forty-five minute bike ride on a sunny trail along the lake.

TØNSBERG

Tønsberg

In the heart of Vestfold, you’ll find Tønsberg, the charming town that grows each and every summer. Tønsberg offers everything from fantastic beaches to shopping and visiting the wharf – in addition to cultural activities such as summer shows, art exhibitions, and music festivals.

From hibernation to vibrant life

Tønsberg is like a bear that hibernates every winter. Not before the ice melts and a horse hoof trots along the grass, Vestfold’s main city comes back to life. But in turn keeps the city as vibrant and full of desire until the autumn darkness once again arrives.

Tønsberg folk who have been wearing black throughout winter sitting down on the wet asphalt and taking a taxi to get away from the cold and other people, now get to use their spring clothes, hop on a bike, and buy rosé at one of the wharf’s outdoor seating areas. Suddenly, you’ll understand the joke of the locals.

Bustling Summer Life

Summer is finally here and glistens from dawn till dusk from the canal which runs through Norway’s oldest town. We celebrate the joy of winter’s bitter winds by traveling out to the nearby archipelagos. Here we can relax, enjoy the warmth of the tide pools, bathe in crystal-clear lakes, maybe even fish. Hum along with Tønsberg-born Jahn Teigens old melody. Breathe. After a refreshing swim and boat ride, we look for the exciting and historically interesting town with festivals, theater, revues, and concerts. Or simply wander the streets with an ice cream cone in hand. We are able to get our shopping “scavenger hunt” done in the beautiful market and the surrounding cozy quarters of the town's alleyways and historic surroundings.

The wharf in Tønsberg has become the town’s outdoor venue, a magnet for visitors. Could you think of something more pleasant than a summer evening along the wharfs of Tønsberg? The countless restaurants on the wharf offer a wonderful view of the canal and pier. Here we sit and enjoy a long evening dinner with good drinks. From the restaurant table we admire the boats of varieties and sizes that sit anchored one after another along the entire pier.

There is a crowded and relaxing atmosphere on the pier now being covered in the warm orange color of the evening sunshine. From the crowds of vacationers on the pier sums of the voices that both have their origin in Europe and other continents, plus a great mix of Norway's many dialects. It is cheerful mood here now. Some come from cinema, some are on the way home at a leisurely pace, some hurry to arrive before the last food serving, and others have just started the evening and will participate in the festivities until dawn. Ignore the worries of tomorrow; everything seems at least carefree now.

When we leave the restaurant, the sun is at peace having disappeared behind the Stokkes hills to the west. Tønsberg will apparently have gone by the name “The party town Tønsberg” by the numerous events in the town. The locals are known to be in a good mood and go clubbing in the summer nights. On the Tønsberg Wharf and on Nedre Langgata Street you’ll find nightlife lined up in a row.

Tønsberg is the summer town with the liveliest nightlife and it can get very impetuous and hot. Even under the under the darkest hours of the night, we jump into the water to wash the sweat off from the dancing at a packed nightclub off of Nedre Langgate street.

Archipelago life and island hopping

The islands outside of Tønsberg are abundant and diverse. The seaplanes navigate Vestvold’s archipelago well and know where the treasures amongst the island lay. The seaplanes based in Husvik take you island hopping out amongst the archipelago and is one of the great experiences in the area. Also, the seaplanes take route over the fjords in Oslo to Østfold.

Art and culture

Tønsberg has a vibrant arts and cultural life that is worth seeing it. We'll treat you to a weekend in Tønsberg and check out a real Viking ship, the largest Blue Whale, and Vestfold's whaling history at the Slottsfjell Museum which sits in a beautiful setting at the foot of Castle Rock. The museum and surrounding area is a part of the cultural heritage of the city's long history, and close by the Slottsfjell plateau shows the remains of one of the largest medieval castles. On Tallak, the plateau between Slottsfjellet and the main museum by Farmannsveien, is the museum's air department. Vestfold courtyard house contains several transferred homes, including Vestfold's oldest: a medieval loft dated 1407.

Art is displayed in the impressing brick building that houses the Hauger Vestfold Kustmuseum. The museum is located by the early Seaman’s school in the middle of Tønsberg town center. The location is beautiful and historic, with the museum sitting in a park between the antique Haugating and a few even older burial mounds.

Known artists from all over the world visit the popular Slottsfjell festival every summer. In addition to the festival, you can pick and choose among small and large music events in all genres. The Tønsberg medieval festival on the first weekend of June is the largest of Norge. It is an enormous celebration of Tønsberg’s rich middle age history that attracts craftsmen and artists from all over Europe.

Tønsberg is among Norway’s most important show-towns and has proud traditions from the 60s with Dizzie Tunes, Wesenlund, and many others. Today, the Slottsfjell festival, the Thespian Theater in Thaulowhullet, and the celebrity show on the wharf are some of the many annual events that are worth making a trip to in the summer. 

The History

Tønsberg is Norway’s oldest town, founded in the time of the Vikings. The biggest piece of evidence from the time is the world-famous Osebergskip that was found just north of the center of Tønsberg. In the middle ages, Tønsberg was a power center. The houses, churches, monasteries, and graveyards of Tønsberg have characterized the town. Up until 1671 it was the only town of Vestfold. As well as being a trade and maritime town since the Vikings, Tønsberg is known as a whaling and hanseatic town.

According to Snorre, Tønsberg city had already existed when Harald Fairhair was passing through on the way to his decisive blow upon Hafrsfjord. The year of the battle has been stated to be in 872, but evidence for such an advanced age is not yet available. What’s for certain is that, in 1871, the city celebrated its grand anniversary in 1000 and a hundred years later, celebrated a no less magnificent 1,100-year anniversary.

Historical source criticism of the Snorre is necessary because he wrote his records of history several hundred years after the Battle of Hafrsfjord. Perhaps it will be necessary to revise the city's founding story, as Oslo has had to do.

It has been suggested that around the year 1100 could be the correct year in which Tønsberg was founded.  Tønsberg must have been nonetheless founded before 1130 because in that year, Tønsberg was first mentioned in resources of the same time. It will continuously be discussed whether Tønsberg has connections back to the time before Christ, but the town’s old age is still solidly documented. The Oseberg ship that was found in Tønsberg in 1903 was first built in the south west of Norway as early as 820.

Slottsfjell is a little mountain in Tønsberg in Vestfold with an elevation of 63 meters (about 206 feet). There you’ll find the ruins of a church and the Tønsberg fortress of the Middle Ages, as well as the Slottsfjell tower, the town’s landmark. 

In the 1300s, Tønsberg was the most central place in the country. Many historical events took place on Slottsfjell which is why it is the largest group of ruins in the North. The heyday came to an end once Norway and Denmark created the union, and Copenhagen became the power’s center.  

The castle atop Slottsfjell. The Tønsberg fortress (Castrum Tunsbergis) on top of the mountain has most likely dominated the town and the surrounding land area before the 1100s when the Baglers (a faction participating in the Norwegian Civil Wars) fortified themselves there under siege of King Sverre and the Birkebeiners. The fortress went through a large-scale development under Håkan Håkansson’s and Magnus Lagabøte’s reign in the 1200s. Up until 1503, the fortress was occupied, but then it was burnt down and never built back up. Today the foundation ruins still stand on the mountain.

The Slottsfjell tower was erected in 1888 on a private initiative as a memorial of the thousand year anniversary of Tønsberg. The 17 meter high tower is built of stone and a simple, round-arched new renaissance style that relates back to the Donjon of the Middle Ages. The façade is decorated with a quote from Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, inscription “871-1871 Maa Byen som paa Tunet staar, faa blomstre nye Tusind-aar” (The town standing in the yard, the flowers will live another thousand years) and the signatures of Kings “Haakon R August 1st, 1906,” “Olav R July 1st, 1958,”and “Harald R. March 9th, 1992.” The stone tower replaced a tower of three that stood on the on the mountain from 1856 to 1874, then it burned down. The Slottsfjell tower was in use as the Tønsberg museum from 1894 to 1930.

Maritime History. Tønsberg is a historic seafaring town. Maritime has always characterized Tønsberg since Viking times. In the old, newly restored customs house on the Tønsberg pier, you’ll find Tønsberg Maritime History Center, a center crammed with maritime history from the time Tønsberg was one of the greatest seafaring towns up to today.

One of the people who put the greatest impact on Norway's whaling history was Svend Foyn. The modern industrial whaling was developed by Svend Foyn of Tønsberg in 1860. He had lots of experience of seal hunting in northern waters and in 1864, he ran experimental whaling in Finnmark in northern Norway. He combined three factors: a harpoon and grenade were combined into a modern grenade harpoon and placed in a steamboat. In 1863 he developed the world's first grenade harpoon which in 1864 was installed at the world's first steam-powered whaling ship, "Spes & Fides". Foyn helped greatly with the financial support of the local population in Tønsberg in the form of houses of worship, schools and orphanages.