For stress free travel around Vestfold county in Norway choose to pick up Sandefjord vehicle rentals. This municipality and administrative centre is conveniently located and makes a good alternative to vehicle rental in the Norwegian capital. Sandefjord markets itself as the sunny part of Norway and visitors there can enjoy more cloud free days than in many other parts of the country.
The Sandefjord Airport is only 10 kilometres outside of the city centre and connects with the main Norway airport through low cost flights. Why not combine them with affordable car hire in Sandefjord for an affordable Norway holiday.
Sandefjord Mini Guide
Why do People go to Sandefjord?
Sandefjord is a small city some seventy miles from Oslo on the coast of Vestfold. The city has an exciting past and has been at the leading edge of historical events throughout the millennia. It was the site of the first Viking settlement in Norway and, staying with seafaring, was the first of Norway’s ports to send ships south to the Antarctic for whale hunting in the 19th and 20th centuries. At one point whaling employed nearly 2,500 people from the city. Today, it’s a popular holiday spot for Norwegians with sheltered white sandy beaches on the Atlantic coast where the sea warms quickly in the summer months.
How do I get to Sandefjord?
Interestingly, Sandefjord’s airport is touted as the low cost airport for Oslo, meaning that many tourists bypass the city, missing out on its delights. Less than seven miles from the city centre, buses can take you into Sandefjord whilst many hire cars so they can visit Oslo for a day whilst staying on the beautiful coast. Flights arrive at Sandefjord from many European destinations with Ryanair and others offering flights from several UK regional destinations.
What is There to See and Do in Sandefjord?
Sandefjord’s connection with the whaling industry is celebrated in the amazing whaling monument and chronicled in the city’s whaling museum. There, you’ll find out about the harsh reality of life on the whalers where over a third of men didn’t return from the sea. The museum also tries to put a positive spin on whaling so may not be to the liking of all visitors. It was there too where archaeologists uncovered the Gokstad, the best preserved Viking ship, now in the Viking Museum in Oslo. Several replicas have been built including one that was sailed to Chicago in 1893. In the past, the city was renowned as a health spa visited by the rich and famous of the day and, despite the spa falling into disuse, it has now been renovated and has reopened to the public who can now enjoy its sulphur springs.
What Should I buy to Take Home for Friends?
Many visitors to Sandefjord enjoy the experience afforded by its shopping centre where there is a mix of modern shops and traditional craft shops selling items made in the same manner for centuries such as Norwegian woollen wear and animal skin slippers. Thankfully whale products have now disappeared from the shops being replaced by more environmentally friendly products!
What Should I eat When I Stay in Sandefjord?
Whilst abounding in international cuisine, Sandefjord is also a fishing port and so many of the restaurants serve the traditional Norwegian dishes based on seafood. This can mean lutefish, pickled herring, dried fish or salted fish. Many are an acquired taste but should still be attempted. For those with more upmarket tastes, the city is home to Norway’s finest restaurant, Solvold.
What do People do for Entertainment in Sandefjord?
As with most of Norway, partying out in bars and clubs is very expensive so house parties and coffee shops are very popular. If drinking in a coffee shop with friends, you may get talking to some locals and find yourself invited back to their home. Pick up some alcohol in one of the state run outlets and enjoy a different evening!
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