Cruising to Kristiansand, Norway

Back in August, Joe and I jumped in the car and drove 3 hours Southeast of Stavanger to Kristiansand.  We had been hearing about this Southernmost city in Norway for some time particularly as a summer destination and with the summer quickly leaving us, we jumped at the opportunity to spend a night there when the weather looked promising.

It's a quaint, little town with a distinctly beachy feel and surprisingly enough, the most visited city by tourists in all of Norway.  It's home to the second largest port in Norway and if you plan on bringing your car from Continental Europe to tour this Scandinavian country, it's quite likely you'll arrive first in Kristiansand.

Joe and I booked a room at the brand new Scandic Bystranda hotel right on the water.  We walked and walked and walked, exploring the centre of town on foot and dined at Bølgen and Moi, located right on a waterway, Saturday evening.  Sitting on the terrace, we watched boats pull in for ice cream and groups of people having cocktails in their boat before heading out for the night.  After a sunset stroll to walk off a large dinner, we capped off the night with a bottle of champagne on the hotel's second floor terrace.

Kristiansand's stunning new Concert House

From the terrace of the Scandic Bystranda

On Sunday, we jumped in the car and drove up the hill behind the city to Banaheia, a large park with several walking paths and a fresh water lake often used for swimming.  We weaved through the trails until we found Café Generalen, a lovely little restaurant with a great outdoor dining area in the park where we had lunch before jumping back in the car and returning to Stavanger.

Cafe Generalen

I can see why Kristiansand would be a popular destination for families in the summer.  It's abundance of parks, playgrounds and beaches make it a great destination to bring kids when the sun is out.  We enjoyed its laid back nature and being that the town is very pedestrian friendly, it was great to park the car and explore leisurely on foot.

And the drive home was pretty darn nice too...