Oppland is the place where the traditional and the modern meet. Its colourful landscape, green fields, brown stave churches and blue mountains with white summits sit alongside recent developments for the Olympics and local tourism.
With its long history as an agricultural county, Oppland has some of the most exciting activities for those interested in history. At the Valdres Folk Museum (Valdres folkemuseum) in Fagernes, there are around 100 different buildings from traditional farms in the region. The museum also has a folk music archive and an instrument workshop.
Lillehammer can boast one of the oldest and largest open air museums in Europe with the Maihaugen Folk Museum, which offers exhibitions and activities for all ages, perfect for a weekend break in Oppland. Outside, the area is divided into the Rural area, the Town, the Residential Area and the Cultural Landscape, which all demonstrate different time periods.
Go to Nord-Sel to experience a reconstructed Middle Age farm. Here you will find Jørundgård, the building from the 1995 Norwegian film Kristin Lavransdatter, which was based on the trilogy of books by Sigrid Undset. You can visit her farm, Bjerkebæk, in Lillehammer. The building has been preserved as she decorated it in the 1920s. In Gausdal, the home of another Nobel Prize winner, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson’s Aulestad, is also open to visitors and also has a guided tour.
Oppland is of course well-known for its fantastic nature, including the mountain areas of Jotunheimen, Dovre and Rondane. Using Gudbrandsdalen as a base, you have easy access to all seven national parks during the journey to Oppland, ideal for outdoor activities such as cross-country skiing, fishing, hiking and rafting. Remember to bring your camera!
In the winter, the county offers many opportunities for frolicking about in the snow, with a number of ski centres spread over the mountain areas. Some of the most popular are located in Beitostølen, Hafjell and Kvitfjell. Kvitfjell was developed for the Winter Olympics in 1994. Regardless of which centre you choose you will be able to experience some of the most spectacular views Norway can offer.
For families with children, Hunderfossen Family Park (Hunderfossen familiepark) is a good choice. Here you will find attractions based on Norwegian fantasy and traditions, but with a modern twist. If you want to do something creative, Hadeland Glassworks (Hadeland Glassverk) offers both a glass museum and also a glass blowing workshop.
Ideally located, Oppland is easily accessible by both train and car from other parts of the country and from Gardermoen Airport. If you want to see Lake Mjøsa, you can take the Skibladner, the oldest paddle steamer in service in the world, which offers traditional food, ragtime music and even has its own postage stamp.
