Off-the-Beaten-Path: Tønsberg, Norway
Maybe you’ve already seen the big port cities flanking the coasts of Norway; maybe you’ve already taken a fjord cruise and driven the Troll’s Road; maybe you’ve already wandered to the northern cities and seen the midnight sun–so where do you go when you feel like you’ve already “done Norway”?
This question confronted us quite suddenly during our final day in Norway, when we learned that a cancelled flight home meant we’d have another 48 hours to see the country! Consider us pleasantly surprised by this turn of events. So allow me to recommend the tiny town of Tønsberg, which guidebooks all but overlook. Tønsberg sits about sixty miles southwest of Oslo along the Oslofjord, and is only an hour-long train ride from Oslo S Station. It is famous for being the oldest town in Norway, founded by Vikings in the 9th century. In fact, the Viking ships currently on display at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo were uncovered in Tønsberg.
Tønsberg is relatively unknown to international tourists, but for domestic travelers, it is the start of the Vestfold Viking Trail, a series of ancient settlements and burial grounds from the Viking era dotted along the Oslofjord.
After hopping off the train into this drizzly coastal town, Matt and I headed to the nearest coffee shop, Abraham Kaffebar. This cozy little shop had warm coffee, pastries, board games, and a movie theater! We happened to visit Tønsberg on the day of a triathlon and the annual medieval festival (taking place every June), and Abraham’s was the perfect place to sit back and people watch. The rest of our day went a little like this:
Visit Tønsberg Castle
A tall, gray tower spreads upward from the hill overlooking the town.
At its feet lie the ruins of a 13th-century castle, which was the largest fortress in Norway during its time.
In 1503, the Swedes mostly destroyed it, but in the late 1880s, the Slottsfjellstårnet tower was built. Today, this tower provides a 360-degree vista overlooking the town, coast, and ruins. You can reach the tower on a short stroll from the wharf up to the grassy park.
From the top, it is possible to discern the layout of the medieval stone castle, including King Magnus Lagabøte’s keep, the 1191 Church of St. Michael, the hall of King Håkon Håkonsson, and various guard towers.
We paid 90 NOK (about $10) each to climb to the top of the tower, which is about three flights of stairs. At each landing, there was a small exhibit dedicated to the various history of the events of this town and castle, and lots of little children’s exhibits.
For adults, the most exciting part of this visit is the viewpoint from the top. The cost of a trip up the tower also includes a visit to the Tønsberg Museum.
At the foot of the hill, you can find a collection of farmhouses dating to the 15th century. One of these served as a bomb shelter during the Nazi occupation of Norway.
Hours: tower noon-5pm mid-Jun–mid-Aug; shorter hours during off-season
Slottsfjells Museum
Tønsberg’s Viking past is really quite distant to modern Tønsberg, such that there are relatively few attractions in the town. Its resident museum, however, put on quite a show.
Outside sits an exact replica of the Oseberg Viking ship that is currently on display at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. To add to its authenticity, this replica was built using only materials and tools available to Vikings, and its measurements comport almost identically to the actual ship. Venture inside to see the only Viking ship that is on display outside of Norway’s capital city, the Klåstad.
Placards and information inside the exhibits explain the importance of the Oseberg findings. In the early 1900s, archaeologists uncovered Europe’s largest Viking grave in a burial mound at the Oseberg farm right outside of Tønsberg. During the dig, they found the Oseberg ship and two human female skeletons, as well as numerous grave goods. The ship’s internment into the grave is thought to be from AD 834, but historians believe the ship to be much older than this.
Apart from Viking history, the museum also offers an engaging exhibit about life in medieval Norway, the whaling industry (complete with an entire room packed full of real whale skeletons), and World War II. The centerpiece of the Whale Hall is an 89-foot (27-meter) long blue whale skeleton, caught by fishermen in the late 19th century. The blue whale is the largest animal on earth. Channeling my inner Jonah, I stepped right into the belly of this well-preserved beast.
For me, the most informative exhibit was the World War II hall, which described the Nazi occupation of Norway from 1940 to 1945.
Daily 11am-4pm; 90 NOK/adult; 70 NOK/child
Tønsberg Brygge
Finish your day in Tønsberg with a stroll down the wharf.
We ate fish and chips at the Roar i Bua, which Lonely Planet describes as “half-fishmonger, half-seafood cafe.”
We found the other restaurant options a bit pricey for our taste, and had much more fun sitting on benches at this open-air cafe people-watching and taking in the medieval air. So how would you choose to spend a few extra days in Norway? Leave me some comments below!
