Arendal is one of the southernmost Norwegian cities, and this is one of its main advantages. Around Arendal there are several resort areas, which allows to view it as one of the few Norwegian places suitable for beach holidays. But otherwise, Arendal is not the city where the tourist is waiting for a lot of breathtaking adventures. Unless two almost the best in Norway annual musical events and the odd possibility to buy food in the Gothic church.
How to get to Arendal
The train from Oslo goes to Arendal just under 4 hours.
Search for tickets to the city of Oslo (nearest a / p to Arendal)
Group and individual tours of the fjords.
Lighthouses and farms. Cottages in Norway.
Tours for sporting events.
Northern Norway. The Lofoten Islands.
A bit of history
The city appeared on the world map approximately in the middle of the last millennium .In the 17th century it officially became a port, and in the 18th century it became a commercial city .The local residents were laboring in fishing, trade, forging and metal smelting, worked in mines and at shipyards .A lot of Norwegian ships descended from the stocks here .In the 20th century, the development of Arendal has slowed down, and only in recent years the city has gradually started to transform from the classic "seasonal" town, which spends the whole winter in hibernation, to the "all-weather" town .
Entertainment, excursions and attractions of Arendal
Perhaps the main attraction of the city is the Church of the Holy Trinity .Its basilica is built in a Gothic key of red stone with a copper roof .This is the third church in the city that bears such a name .The first was built of wood in the second half of the 17th century, but was soon too small for all parishioners and was dismantled in the first half of the 19th century .Immediately after this, a second church in the imperial style was erected for 555 seats .And in 1880 g .it was decided to build an even more beautiful and large church .The first stone of the building was laid in 1885 ., and the construction lasted 5 years .Today, three bells are installed on the bell tower in addition to the carillon .And an interesting feature of the Church of the Holy Trinity can be considered a market gallery with round arches, which surrounds the construction of .This is the only shopping gallery in the church in Norway, which was designed and built simultaneously with the church itself .
- Look into the modern art gallery "Bomuldsfabriken", which is ten minutes walk to the north of the city center - one of the largest in the south.
- Visit the Eidehavn Museum, which is half an hour by bus, and see how ordinary Norwegian industrial workers lived.
In the center of the city there is a quarter of old wooden houses that have been preserved since the 17th century. This place is called Tikolmen, and it was built up to the 19th century. Also interesting is the inner harbor of Arendal - with a fish market, pubs and restaurants. Once Arendal was a city of canals, but technical progress required that most of them be filled up.
One of the iconic city attractions is the Store Torungen lighthouse, which stands outside the mainland, on the island. It was built in 1844 and electrified in 1914. The height of the lighthouse is almost 35 m, and it is still used for its intended purpose. From the city to it you can swim by boat in about an hour. Another lighthouse, Lille Torungen, also stands on a small island. It is slightly lower: it does not reach 30 m. Both of these lighthouses were built as twin-beacons
Events of Arendal
Festival "Hove" is one of the largest in the country musical festivals with guests from all over the world. It has been running since 2007 on the island of Tromoy, very near the city center. Buses and ferries go there every quarter of an hour. At the festival, in addition to music, you can see the author's cinema and eat ekoda. In 2010, the British Daily Telegraph called the Hove Festival the best music festival in Europe. For several years, the event was attended by teams with world names: Massive Attack, Prodigy, Muse.
Another no less significant music festival of the city is the Channel Street, dedicated to jazz and blues. It has been held in the city since 1996. The festival is diversified with unusual events, such as concerts "jazz on the lighthouse", "bathing blues" and "floating jazz" in the harbor, bohemian jazz in the suburb of Arendal Kolbjørnswicke and so on. This is one of the few Norwegian festivals where jazz and blues are combined as main genres. However, rock bands are also performing at the festival.
Also in the Arendal is the Norwegian Grand Prix in the F1 race for motor boats.
Neighborhoods Arendal
The island of Murdoch is located some distance from the coast opposite the Skagerrak, and in the 17-18th centuries it was the main export port of the surroundings. The first ships appeared here in the 1300s, and by the beginning of the last century, about 100 people lived in Murdo in 20 small houses. Today, people on the island live only in the summer, but it is still a beautiful and peaceful place to relax.
First, there is a museum here, it is a small coastal farm with a captain's house, which was built in 1736 .and is preserved intact from 1800 g ., with all the interior and furniture .In summer the museum organizes guided tours with a real oven, barn and other farming .Secondly, the whole island as a whole is more than picturesque: here you can see the Iron Age burials, admire the secluded coves or have a picnic among the greenery .In addition, there are excellent beaches, and the one that the museum can be considered the best for children in the whole region .Regular boats can get to the island from Arendal every day in the summer season .
The small island of Tromoy, which is connected to the mainland of Arendal by a suspension bridge, boasts the nature reserve area of Hove Camp, on its southern coast. There are a football field, volleyball courts, and a lot of hiking trails. In addition, there is also the famous Hove Beach.
Other fairly popular beaches are located on the Lingor Archipelago, which consists of four islets. Here you can admire the picturesque stone landscape and explore the pretty wooden houses in the harbor. The beach of Itre Lingor is popular among Norwegians: it blows a soft southern breeze, so it's good to swim and sunbathe on the beach (and fish if you want).
In the town of Hioya is the beach of Stolswick, which is divided into two parts: one with smooth sand, the second - stony. This beach is different in that here annually in the summer season, the rescuers are on duty. Therefore, Stolswick is very popular for recreation with children.