The South

Our expert Norway

The South

Previous Next

The natural landscape in southern Norway Southern Norway and the areas surrounding Oslo are characterised by their landscapes of forests and valleys. © Gerhard Zwerger-Schon - age fotostock

See more pictures: The South

In the south-east of Norway, eco-tourism, culture and winter sports are top of the list of a multitude of possible activities. Around Oslo, with its intense cultural activity, nature is king. The city, nestled at the far end of a fjord, is indeed surrounded by green hills and immense forest domains punctuated by numerous lakes; ideal scenery for nature hikes. Some quaint towns can also be explored, such as Tonsberg in the south, founded in 871 and considered the oldest town in the country. Buskerud County boasts both superb valleys (Numedal or Hallingdal) and exceptional heritage, such as the standing stave churches. The historical mother country of skiing, said to have begun here in the village of Morgedal, Telemark boasts a magnificent landscape of lakes overlooked by wooded mountains. This region, much frequented by tourists, is nothing but pasture valleys crossed by rivers and high peaks dropping back down onto heaths and lakes. Gudbrandsdal, the country's largest valley, starts in Lillehammer and unfolds over 150 miles of green pastures. It is on the most direct route to Trondheim and the northern territories.