Telemark
Eastern Norway: Towns | Holidays | Attractions
If there is one area that personifies Norway
in the eyes of the foreign visitor it is Telemark. From the
coastal area on the Skagerak sea to the mountains and the
birthplace of skiing, Telemark certainly is a county of contrasts
and an ideal holiday destination for the whole family.
Telemark Canal
Over 100 years ago reaching the inland areas of Telemark
took days of hard travel over mountains and along difficult
tracks. In 1892 however a new "fast route" was completed
with the opening of the Telemark Canal. With a total
of 28 lock chambers, the route was cleared from Skien
to the ancient Norwegian town of Dalen, a sailing route
of 105 km and with an elevation difference of 72 meters.
Today the canal is very much a leisure attraction where
you can discover the ancient cultural history, the bustling
crowds and travel through the locks as people did over 100
years ago. Enjoy the journey from the deck of one of the
nostalgic canal boats: m/s "Victoria",
m/s "Henrik Ibsen" or m/s "Telemarken".
Vemork and Rjukan
Inland. almost as far as Telemark will reach is the community
of Rjukan. Many will know the name of Rjukan from their
history books. Back during World War 2 when the country
os occupied by Nazi Germany, resistance set out on a daring
mission to destroy the power station at nearby Vemork
which was being used to produced heavy water, needed to
enrich uranium. Today, Vemork is a museum and you can
see the route through the valley that was used during the
attack.
Sommarland
in Bø
For the family, Sommarland is Norway's largest water
park and open from early June to August.
Vrådal
Vraadal is an attractive place for ski sports, and has almost
everything - from varied alpine slopes to fine ski tracks
in forests and on the highlands. Vraadal tempts you with
all kinds of skiing activities in its lovely and varied scenery.
The alpine slopes offer all grades of difficulty for skiers,
and here you will also find a separate toboggan lift. Vraadal
Ski Centre can also boast an 8-seater chair lift; the world's
largest. In addition, tourists can participate in sleigh
rides, horse riding in the winter landscape, and the children
can take part in the Troll Club's activities. In the village
centre there are a number of shops, post office, bank etc.
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