Arendal Travel Guide

 
by anastasianatalia
 
  •   Arendal
    by anastasianatalia
  •   Arendal
    by anastasianatalia
  • This is what I do every summer...
      This is what I do every summer...
    by bakoyma
  • View from boattrip
      View from boattrip
    by bakoyma
  •   Arendal
    by Rusket
 

Explore Arendal

Things to Do  

Canoeing and camping at Nelaug

Canoeing and camping at Nelaug, Arendal

 Saagar Says:  This is the put-in place at the station. You can paddle out north to a place with less disturbance from the railway and find a place to camp. Better bring a tent. Camping is free. Should be good fishing here, too. A local VT'er is Rusket. She in fact owns a railway station... 

Canoeing instructions, Nelaug station.

Canoeing instructions, Nelaug station., Arendal

 Saagar Says:  See other Nelaug tips.There is a map of the lake put up on a board down by the lake for canoers hiring at the station. Better bring your own map to sort out the hooks and crannies of this lake and the Nidelv river. Hard to see on this photo, but at least it give you a sense... 

Train trip to Nelaug

Train trip to Nelaug, Arendal

 Rusket Says:  Nelaug is a great place for canoeing, biking, hiking and more. You can rent a bike, bring it on the train and ride back down to Arendal on a marked trail. Or rent a canoe at Nelaug railway station. See my Nelaug page.The trip itself is worth going; enjoy the scenery and look... 

Merdø community

Merdø community, Arendal

 Saagar Says:  Outside of Arendal on one of the islands is the little well-maintained ex-fishing community of Merdø. Nice walks among whitepainted quaint houses. Swim in the ocean. Easy access from Arendal harbour. Well worth a visit! 

Very nice church

Very nice church, Arendal

 Saagar Says:  This being the bible heartland of Norway, no wonder the churches are prominent features of the south coast towns. The Arendal one was nice from the outside. Did not go in; there was some construction work going on around the entrance. 

Hotels  

Clarion Collection Tyholmen

 1 Review and 24 Opinions  We spend a couple of very comfortable nights in June when it rained constantly! Staff were great -... 

Thon Hotel Arendal

 1 Review and 16 Opinions  Do NOT book this or any other Thon Hotel online. Once you have paid, you're sold. You cannot make... 

Restaurants  

Madam Reiersen: Disappointing

Madam Reiersen: Disappointing, Arendal

 Brujas Says:  I´ve eaten at this restaurant on a couple of occasions, with colleagues (it was them who picked the restaurant). Was very disappointed by the dish I ordered. It was Fettuccini Diana, a chicken pasta with a slightly spicy cream sauce. The fettuccini were split in two! It... 

Smoothie on the quay

Smoothie on the quay, Arendal

 Rusket Says:  It is lovely sitting at one of the outdoor cafés alongside the quay on a warm summer day enjoying a cold ... something. One of them has a really good smoothie of mixed berries :-) 

Skipperkroa: Breakfast at the guest harbour

Skipperkroa: Breakfast at the guest harbour, Arendal

 Rusket Says:  Nice surroundings, situated at the quay in the guest harbour, but open for anyone. Large outdoor area. Just a few hundred meters from the guesthouse where we stayed it was perfect for a lazy breakfast.Opening hours: 10:00 am - 11:00 pm 

Big Horn Steak House: American Steak House

Big Horn Steak House: American Steak House, Arendal

 Rusket Says:  Big Hprn has several steak houses around Norway. I am not particularly fond of american food, but we wanted steak and it was close to where we stayed.The food was nothing special, the ambient OK and the service excellent: They were out of the dessert my son wanted; he got... 

Transportation  

With your own boat

With your own boat, Arendal

 Rusket Says:  There is a very nice guest harbour centrally located in Arendal. Fees: NOK 200 / 250, penalty NOK 500.At the reception area there are showers and toilets, beach and a restaurant which once in a while arranges a dance. 

From Oslo or Stavanger / Kristiansand

From Oslo or Stavanger / Kristiansand, Arendal

 Rusket Says:  You switch trains at Nelaug, the local train is waiting whenever you come. The local train used to traffic the line south of Stavanger, and before that the Oslo area. A bit nostalgic to meet it again :-) (Yes, there is only one.) 

The big secret

The big secret, Arendal

 Rusket Says:  This is the town square, with the subterranean parking house in the background. The big secret is that by entering the parking house you can walk or cycle through the mountain and right to the railway station :-) If you go by car, you have to drive around, as the road leads... 

Local train

Local train, Arendal

 Rusket Says:  You can get there by local train from Nelaug. When you get of the train, walk behind the station building, that is straight ahead, cross the parking lot, go up the small road and turn immediately right into the spooky looking tunnel, which will lead you past a subterranean... 

Passenger ferry to Tromøy

Passenger ferry to Tromøy, Arendal

 Saagar Says:  Out on Tyholmen out along Pollen's right side, there is the ferry quay for Tromøy. Tromøy is a suburban island but also big enough for a bunch of other interesting things tro see and do - mainly seaside wilderness. 

Taxi and sightseeing boats

Taxi and sightseeing boats, Arendal

 Saagar Says:  You can hire a boat as a taxi to take you where you want to go. Some bigger boats will also happily do sightsseing trips and fishing tours, picnics, group tours and what have you. Down in Pollen bay you find a couple fo boats/berths advertising for this service. 

Getting around to the islands

Getting around to the islands, Arendal

 Saagar Says:  There are several islands around Arendal that are inhabited and considered as suburbs, more or less. Short ferry rides go to these islands, plus there are some bridges so buses are an option, too. It takes some time to get your directions right, but nicely, maps and... 

Shopping  

City Market
Rusket profile photo

2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Rusket 625 reviews
Market

At the town square there is a market with all the things usually found on markets. Mostly shops moving their things outdoor or travelling salesmen with cheap imported products. Nothing special, but nice to walk around. And who knows, you might make a bargain :-)

Written Aug 23, 2005

Address: Downtown Arendal

Related to:
 Trains
 Backpacking

Was this review helpful?

Local Customs  

Extraordinary numbers of banks

Extraordinary numbers of banks, Arendal

 Saagar Says:  The street grid just near Pollen bay in the town centre holds an extraordinary number of banks for such a small town. If I did not know better I could have suspected this was some sort of Virgin Islands Tax Haven... It definitiely isn't... Just a weird collection of mostly... 

By boat in town

By boat in town, Arendal

 Saagar Says:  Arendal's town summer life extends to the sea. Indeed it is hard to say if sidewalk promenading or harbour cruising is the most popular way of seeing end being seen.Locals often use boats to go to town, and "park" along Pollen bay or other parts of the harbour. Not exactly... 

Warnings and Dangers  

Watch the buoy...
Maggies profile photo

2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Maggies 1100 reviews

Watch the buoy when you take the boat somewhere or you might get stuck somewhere on the water. Then you just need two guys to get the rope out from the engine and to put the boat into run again.

Written Sep 15, 2002

Was this review helpful?

Comments

Map of Arendal