Norheimsund

Norheimsund can be explored through its maritime cultural heritage, town centre and experiences on the Hardangerfjord. The Hardanger Fartøyvernsenter brings history together with traditional crafts: you can visit the site, watch craftspeople at work and make your own rope or carve a toy boat. This offers different options for planning your trip, from hands-on activities to cultural trails and a fjord cruise.

Maritime crafts and history

At the Hardanger Fartøyvernsenter, visitors can tour the site and watch the craftspeople at work. If you would like to do more than watch, you can make your own rope or carve a toy boat there. The centre’s film room also shows historical films. These activities give the visit a distinctly maritime focus, combining traditional work with history and a hands-on activity.

The Hardanger Maritime Centre has workshops open year-round and offers family activities during the summer season. The year-round workshops and the seasonal family activities are two distinct aspects of what is on offer. The summer timing of the family activities is particularly relevant when planning your trip; the workshops, which are open year-round, offer another point of interest for visitors interested in maritime work.

On the Hardangerfjord and nearby

From the quay or the bus stop in Norheimsund, a path follows the shore of the Hardangerfjord; it takes about five minutes to walk there. This makes it easy to include time by the fjord in your plans on foot. For a different perspective, take the RIB safari “Hardangerfjord and Fyksesund Fjord Safari From Norheimsund”. It starts in Norheimsund and heads into Fyksesund, an arm of the Hardangerfjord. The safari includes several photo stops and commentary on local history, culture and nature.

Steinsdalsfossen is near Norheimsund, two kilometres in the direction of Bergen. You can walk behind the waterfall without getting wet. Along with the shoreline path and fjord safari, this makes a visit to the waterfall another excursion to consider.

Local culture and outdoor trails

The centre of Norheimsund is designated as a cultural environment. This includes Tingstova as well as the Swiss-style section of the Sandven Hotel. This designation describes particular parts of the town centre; local culture is another theme to explore alongside the maritime attractions.

In the church park by Norheimsund Church, Krossvegen is an outdoor Easter trail featuring reliefs by Audun Storaas. Those interested in public art and religious imagery will find a different way to explore local history here than at the maritime centre’s workshops. The centre also has a cinema in Ungdomshallen, with film screenings several times a week.

Events and choosing where to stay

Norheimsund hosts a boat festival annually in late June. The music festival Hardingtonar takes place at the same time. The well-equipped marina also accommodates boat traffic during the festivals. If events are important to your trip planning, the annual boat festival and the music festival held at the same time may give you a reason to choose particular travel dates.

Which aspects you focus on depends on whether you are most interested in crafts, local culture, film screenings, the fjord landscape or events. If you are looking for accommodation in Norheimsund, these different themes can help inform your choice of location. To compare it with another place, you can also visit Øystese.

For the main travel overview: Kvam.