Well known for its beautiful landscapes and for the Winter Olympics of 1994, Lillehammer enjoys a place in the front row of travel destinations of Norway. In this small lakeside town you will find an interesting Olympic Park and a village-like open-air museum of wooden architecture to be explored. Also the skiing tracks and trekking trails around Lillehammer are important parts of the charm of this small Norwegian town.
Sports. With snowy winters, there are excellent facilities for winter sports in Lillehammer. So, if you want to try your skills of skiing, snowboarding or more, you are welcome. However, that is not all. During the summer you will have excellent facilities for trekking in Lillehammer or for other outdoor sport activities such as mountain biking or kayaking and rafting in Lillehammer in the Lake Mjøsa and the nearby Lågen River.
Cultural heritage. The main attraction of the town is the Olympic Park, which hosts the famous ski jumping hills and Ski Museum of Lillehammer. Another must-see in Lillehammer is the Maihaugen Folk Museum. It is a cultural landscape as well as a highly popular open-air museum, which tells you the story of the people and life of the region for more than 300 years. Maihaugen is also a photogenic place and forms good surroundings for a refreshing day out in the middle of beautiful Norwegian countryside. See also the rock carvings of Drotten and the 12th century Garmo church.
Lillehammer, winter sports city and the home of traditional Norwegian architecture
Much of Lillehammer’s fame as a travel city comes from the image built during the 1994 Winter Olympics, when Lillehammer was presented to the world as a charming and warm-hearted small town in the middle of forested hills and mountains of southern Norway.Sports. With snowy winters, there are excellent facilities for winter sports in Lillehammer. So, if you want to try your skills of skiing, snowboarding or more, you are welcome. However, that is not all. During the summer you will have excellent facilities for trekking in Lillehammer or for other outdoor sport activities such as mountain biking or kayaking and rafting in Lillehammer in the Lake Mjøsa and the nearby Lågen River.
Cultural heritage. The main attraction of the town is the Olympic Park, which hosts the famous ski jumping hills and Ski Museum of Lillehammer. Another must-see in Lillehammer is the Maihaugen Folk Museum. It is a cultural landscape as well as a highly popular open-air museum, which tells you the story of the people and life of the region for more than 300 years. Maihaugen is also a photogenic place and forms good surroundings for a refreshing day out in the middle of beautiful Norwegian countryside. See also the rock carvings of Drotten and the 12th century Garmo church.
Practical information for your trip to Lillehammer
Lillehammer has relatively warm summers from June through August, and cold, snowy winters (November-March) with below zero temperatures. Rain or snowfall is received by Lillehammer all around the year. Overall, if you travel for summer activities, visit Lillehammer between May and September, and if for snow sports, come between December and March.
Photo: kennymatic, used under Creative Commons License (By 2.0)
How to get there. Located inland in southern part of Norway, Lillehammer is best reached through the capital of Norway, Oslo. Travelling to Lillehammer from Oslo is easiest by fast-speed train, but also road connections are quite good. For moving around inside the city, walking is the most common way, but if you want to travel longer distances, also buses and taxis are widely available. Car rental in Lillehammer is a good choice for exploring the region.
Tourist services. Lillehammer is relatively popular tourism destination with well-maintained services for tourism information. Local tourist office is located at the bus and train station, and offers you information also on hotels in Lillehammer and restaurants in Lillehammer. If you do not have shortage of money, there are also excellent possibilities for shopping in Lillehammer, and many suitable places for entertainment and nightlife in Lillehammer. Tourist services of Norway have one unpleasant feature, which is their high price. Overall, Norway is a very expensive country, which however offers excellent use for your money. Lillehammer is also a very safe destination, where many people can speak also English.
hint See also these nearby destinations: Oslo
