What to See & Do in Kristiansand
Sights
A shopping trip in this town with its chessboard pattern is both easy and enjoyable. All kinds of shops feature along the pavements and in the pedestrian precincts. All the fruit and vegetable stalls are to be found in the square in the town centre. From the square, it’s just a short distance to all four quarters of the town which are contained within an area of one square km.
The fishermen’s wharf and Gravanekanalen (the Gravane Canal) are located in one of the town’s four quarters. Here, one can find an exciting fish market, a lively restaurant environment, small boat traffic and sightseeing boats. The indoor swimming pool and Bystranda (a fantastic sandy beach actually in the town) are located nearby.
The 17th century Christiansholm Fortress and rows of attractive old wooden houses in the city centre are great magnets for visitors. Just outside the city are the 960-year-old Oddernes Church and the Kristiansand Cannon Museum, with the world’s second largest gun.
The town’s communications hub, with its railway, bus and ferry terminal, is located in the third quarter of the town, while the fourth and final quarter contains Posebyen, which consists of Northern Europe’s largest collection of low, terraced, white, wooden houses dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries.
Just a few kilometres east is Sørlandsparken, with 200 different shops, 100 of which are gathered together under the same roof. The area has more than 3,000 free parking spaces.
Eleven miles east of the city is the Kristiansand zoo, which also includes Cardamom Town and other attractions popular with Norwegian children. In the town you can see Kristiansand zoo with a Scandinavian reserve for wolves, an amusement park, an entertainment park, a bathing area and the children’s town of Cardamom. Kristiansand has a trotting track, motor museum, county museum, natural history museum, nature reserves, picture gallery, Agder theatre, Christiansholm fort and, newly opened, the Kristiansand cannon museum with an original German large calibre cannon.
Food & Drink
Norwegian cuisine is in its traditional form largely based on the raw materials readily available in a country dominated by mountains, wilderness and the sea. Hence, it differs in many respects from its continental counterparts, with a stronger focus on game and fish.
However, the cuisines of regional centres such as Kristiansand (also Bergen and Trondheim) tend to be more reliant on international spices and imported ingredients, and usually combine the national and regional traditions with international influences.
Transport
Bussen Trafikkselskap AS operates the yellow and white city buses. Eastbound buses depart from the Henrik Wergeland street, while westbound buses depart from the Tollbod street or the bus terminal. Northbound buses (to Vennesla) leave from the bus terminal.
The main line going from west to east is called the Metro bus. Night buses operate on Fridays and Saturdays. The town’s centre is compact and everything is within easy walking distance. There are dedicated bike lanes along most of the main roads. Parking might be difficult in the city centre. There is a toll booth on all roads leading into town.
