The village of Sogndal is a popular travel destination for both Norwegian and international tourists. The reason for this is the breathtaking Sognefjord, which is Norway’s longest fjord, and offers dramatic landscapes with narrow fjord arms surrounded by steep, towering mountains. It doesn’t matter if you see the fjords from the water or from the mountainous landscape all around – a holiday to Sogndal is simply unforgettable.
This stunning area also has a lot of history to offer. Five stave churches can be found in the Sognefjord area. Kaupanger Stave Church (Kaupanger stavkirke) is located in Sogndal. It was built around 1140, and is the biggest stave church in Sogn. It is also one of the best-preserved stave churches, and is still in use by local parishioners today.
To learn more about life in Sogn over the years, visit the Sogn Fjord Museum in Kaupanger. Here, you will get to see several traditional, historic boats from the area and tools used for boat-building and fishing, as well as several other exhibitions. Another place that is fun to visit is the Glaværstova Bar, which dates back to the early 1800s, and was moved to the Sogn Fjord Museum from Søre Glavær Island in 1930.
Many people like to come to Sogndal for a winter holiday. When the snow begins to fall, it doesn’t take long before the first ski enthusiasts go and hit the slopes. Sogndal Ski Centre offers a range of downhill pistes of varying degrees of difficulty, including several cross-country skiing. For a fantastic nature experience, go hill walking in the area or join the organised powder ski trips.
Sogndal and the Sognefjord are popular holiday destinations, so travelling is very easy. You can easily fly in to Sogndal Airport, Haukåsen from Bergen and Oslo, and you can also take the express bus from Bergen, Oslo and Hemsedal. The best way to get to Sogndal is by boat from Bergen, so you truly get to experience the majesty of the Sognefjord.
