Southern Norway

Getting to Sørlandet
The region of Sørlandet is situated on the southern tip of Norway making it easy to get to from the main Oslo airports, just over a two hour drive along the E18 from Oslo Torp Airport at Sandefjord. This small and very efficient airport is served by regular flights from London Stansted by Ryan Air - ideal for anyone looking for a bargain break as it is not unheard of to be able to pick up flight for £15 including taxes.

Low cost car hire at the airport is available through NorCar (they don't have a desk there so book in advance by clicking here).

The sunny coastal villages are a delight to explore. Inland there are forests and mountains to explore, the home to Europe's most southerly herd of reindeer and a great place for skiing.

There are many places to stay, from a traditional log cabin with all amenities set in the countryside to a modern yet old style fjord-side apartment. There are also numerous guest houses - all giving a warm Norwegian welcome to everyone.

Aust-Agder
Aust-Agder together with its neighbour Vest-Agder constitute the southernmost part of Norway, usually called Sørlandet - The Southern Land. The valley Setesdalen runs through the county up to its northern border. Aust-Agder means "the eastern part of Agder", and the meaning of the name Agder could be something like "the land that jots out into the sea".

Vest-Agder
Many hundred years ago the Oslo fjord was called "Fold", a word meaning open sea. Vestfold then means "the land on the western side of Fold" (see the next county). Vestfold is the second smallest county in Norway (Oslo takes the bottom place). The county is almost without mountains, and has only very short fjords and small islands. But it has a very rich history!

Geography
The geography of Southern Norway is extremely varied and ranges from coastal Islands, coves and archipelagos to high mountains.

From the Skagerak the area stretches 250 kilometres north to Hoveden and the Hadanger plateau. Several major rivers traverse the county from North to South. Most with very difficult names to remember in English. All with great fishing possibilities for trout, arctic char, sea trout, salmon, whitefish, pike, eels and perch.

The coast has hundreds of islands with excellent opportunities for boating and fishing. Small-secluded beaches lie on islands only accessible by boat.

In the region between the coastal zone and the high mountains is a broad-forested zone, where rivers and lakes give fantastic opportunities for adventure in all seasons, each with a different experience.

Don't just take our word for it - read what the Independent had to say about Southern Norway. Click here.