Cruises from Kristiansand

When you visit Kristiansand, located in South Norway and in the midst of the coolest Riviera, you will feel like you have just taken a step back in time. As you walk down the cobblestone roads of Kristiansand, you won`t be able to help but notice that the Renaissance style houses are one story, ancient wooden houses that are all painted pristine white.

The harbours are a favourite docking spot for pleasure yachts, thanks to the excellent climate of Kristiansand, due to its proximity to the Baltic Sea. A stroll at the marina could take up an entire afternoon, and you could stop for some fresh seafood and cocktails at one of the open air seaside restaurants in the area.

The Otra River runs through the city of Kristiansand and is a favourite place for the salmon fish to hang out. Salmon fishing is open to the public and is taken advantage of by locals and visitors alike. However, if you are staying in a local hostel, you probably won’t be able to fry up your catch.

If you are travelling with your family, Kristiansand has a zoo with a theme park and a water park to enjoy. You and your family can also visit the beautiful Agder Naturmuseum and Botanical Garden, Ravnedale, which is a natural park. Or you can just take a walk in the woods to look at plant life native to Kristiansand.

Not far from the zoo is a historic fortress which was built to protect the city. The fortress is called Christiansholm, no doubt named for King Christian IV who established the city back in 1641. Kristiansand has since grown to become the fifth largest city in Norway.

Markensgate is a street for pedestrians in the heart of Kristiansand. This is the place where you will find the “bustling” city life, including businesses, shopping, cafés and restaurants, and a pub or two. Markensgate is a popular meeting place for locals, and tourists love to stroll along this business district of Kristiansand.

Kristiansand experiences plenty of sunshine in the summer, more than most of Norway. Kristiansand does have heavy snowfall in the winter, though it is very rare for snow to remain at the coast. This is why the beaches in Kristiansand are very popular among locals and tourists alike. The fish market and Hamresande Beach are extremely popular places during the summer, receiving travellers from Sweden, Denmark, the UK, Germany and other countries in Europe.

If you visit Kristiansand in July, not only will you be able to enjoy the beaches, you can attend the Quart Festival, the largest music festival in all of Norway, lasting for several days. If you want to go to the Quart Festival in July, make sure to book your reservations in Kristiansand S (South) and not Kristiansand N (North), which is also in Norway. The two are often confused for one another, but they are two very different cities in Norway. You will also want to be sure to avoid booking for Kristianstad, a Swedish city that is also sometimes confused for Kristiansand.