Norway

Hirtshals

Kristiansand

The museum has something for everyone – whether you want to experience how the Vikings mined iron in the area at the Hovden Ironworks Museum, explore the area's geology at the Evje Mineral Trail or the Fennefoss Museum, delve into Norwegian military history at the Evjemoen Defence Museum or set sail on the steam–powered sightseeing boat "Bjoren".

There are both open–air museums where you can explore the impressive old buildings and indoor exhibitions about Setesdal's development, culture, crafts and history.
The museum's locations are spread throughout Setesdal from Hovden in the north to Ivedal in the south, so set aside a day or two if you want to visit all the museum's exciting experiences.
Read more and see opening hours on the Setesdals Museum website.

Setesdal

Hovden

Setesdals Museum  – A pearl of experiences

Hovden - Setesdalsmuseet

Museum

Travelling in Norway

Come on board and let's set sail together to fantastic Norway - a treasure trove of experiences for the whole family! 

Travelling to Norway with Fjord Line

Vrådal

Vestlandet

Flåm

Rauland

Myrkdalen

Sørlandet

summer

Vrådal – The natural pearl in the heart of Telemark

Rauland – Holiday gem on the edge of Hardangervidda

Myrkdalen – a holiday gem at the heart of Fjord Norway

Hardangerfjord - holiday on one of the longest fjords in the world

Hovden – Experience the best of Norway's wild nature

Spectacular mountains in all directions, the rushing river Otra winding through the town and the idyllic mountain lake Hartevatn. This is the recipe for a holiday paradise for nature lovers in the heart of Norway.

First–class high–mountain experiences

At an altitude of around 780 metres above sea level and in the middle of the Norwegian mountains, Hovden offers a wealth of spectacular hiking and cycling trails of all levels of difficulty. There are short, family–friendly walks of five km and guided tours for the experienced walker.
 If you'd rather rest your legs for a day, take the chairlift to the top of Nos mountain, which at 1,183 metres offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains – on a clear day you can even see all the way to Hardangervidda.

Most of the area around Hovden is protected, so you can look forward to experiencing wild and untouched nature. If you're lucky, you'll come across wild reindeer, the area between Setesdal and Ryfylke is the second largest area of wild reindeer in Norway.

Whether you want indoor or outdoor water adventures, Hovden has plenty to offer. Hovden Badeland & Spa attracts everything from 30–degree outdoor pool over 70 meters water slide, 65 meters obstacle course with bathing rings and children's pool to an exquisite spa and wellness department with plenty of self–indulgence.

The Otra River and Lake Hartevatn lure with their idyllic shores and warm bathing waters, and the more adventurous can dive beneath the surface of Otra and experience fish life up close on an exciting snorkelling safari.

During the summer, you have the opportunity to meet the king of the forest, the elk, at close quarters when a elk safari is organised. The tours take place at dusk in a minibus, and the guide also tells about small and big attractions in Hovden. The tour includes the opportunity to taste homemade elk soup, and the chance of seeing elks is high – should they choose to hide, you'll get half the price back.

Hegni Leisure Area – everything an outdoor heart could desire

By Lake Hartevatn you'll find the Hegni Leisure Area, which offers a host of hiking trails, a playground, beach volleyball court, swimming beaches and fishing opportunities from land or in a rowboat. After the day's adventures, find a cosy spot to sit back and enjoy an ice cream on the shores of the idyllic lake, which is surrounded by mountains in some of the most beautiful Norwegian countryside.

If you want to experience the area in a unique way, you can go on a mountain tour with huskies.
 Let the eager dogs take you up to the high mountain, where coffee/tea and rolls are served while the dogs exhale and you can enjoy the spectacular views before heading back down the mountain.

Accommodation in the middle of beautiful nature

In Hovden you stay in one of Hovden Høyfjellsenter and Hyttepark's cosy cabins – and thus get to live with the whole beautiful nature area right outside the door.

Read more about what to do, see and do in Hovden below and find inspiration for your holiday in our travel articles about the area.


The idyllic mountain village of Hovden in Setesdal offers experiences for holidaymakers of all ages.

If you go on this year's ski holiday to Voss with Fjord Line, you can look forward to staying in cosy cabins with the ski area right on your doorstep. 

Setesdals Museum – A pearl of experiences

Look around on Setesdals Museum – A pearl of experiences

Placement