Meny +

  • Fisherman´s memorial
  • Syreneset Fort
  • The Five Sorry Virgins
  • Rehaugane Burial Mounds
  • Skude lighthouse, Beiningen
  • St Olav’s Church and Virgin Mary’s Sewing Needle
  • Olde Town Skudeneshavn
  • Trivarli
  • You are welcome to a theatrical walking tour
  • Visnes Mine Area
  • "TID" at Åkrasanden
  • The legend of St. Olav’s Spring at Torvastad. Ill: Svein Johannsen

Sightseeing

A trip around the island of Karmøy reveals an astonishing range of things to do. Karmøy has an extraordinarily rich cultural heritage. Here are just a few tips.

Guided tours

With the Time Travel app you can go exploring and see scenes unfold in the cultural landscape. Here you will find stories that give an insight into eras, historical events and the origins of myths. Time Travel takes you on a historic wandering tour with a theatrical touch in historic Skudeneshavn, and provides scenes at Syreneset Fort, Visnes, Ferkingstad and Åkrasanden, as well as a visualization of the Medieval Royal Manor at Avaldsnes.

The Museum in Mælandsgården located in historic Skudeneshavn is just the place for rich servings of local history in authentic surroundings. You are welcome to a theatrical walking tour every Sunday during July. Follow 18th century figures on an exciting trip through the history of the town. Meeting point: Tourist Office (Torget) at 13:00. 100 NOK.
For guided tour booking please contact T: +47 910 07 855 or email: skudeneshavn.museum@gmail.com

The rich heritage of Avaldsnes is a bountiful treasure house of ideas for historical events at Avaldsnes. Groups can book Viking suppers, enjoy historical re-enactments or listen to intimate concerts in St Olav’s Church. T: +47 52 81 24 00, www.opplevavaldsnes.no.

Nature experiences:

Join us on the westside of Karmøy and get a close encounter with the elements, either good or bad weather! Surfing with kayaks or swimming in roaring waves, Oppkoma can offer different activities depending of your wishes. www.oppkoma.no.

The natural phenomenon Dueglåp is a great attraction and favorite photo motif. Cave with tough rock formations and potholes. From Langåker you can take a nice marked tour via Taravika. Please use parking at Vestre Karmøyveg (Kiwi, Betania, Ferkingstad school, – outside opening hours) and then enter Nordre Langåkerveg. 10min, then marked path 0.5km.

Experience Karmøy and Haugalandet with our local guide companies. Viking adventure offers guided eventful bus trips to Karmøy; www.govikingadventure.com. Fiordos Noruega can bring you on activity-filled trips: Fishing, old town walking tour in Skudeneshavn, local cuisine, exciting history, and hidden natural beauty spots. www.fiordosnoruega.com.

Cultural heritage:

Visnes Mine Museum

Did you know that the copper for the Statue of Liberty in New York was mined in Karmøy? The Visnes Mine Museum tells the story of this unusual mining community, which counted 3000 inhabitants in the 1800s. Visitors can walk through Director Charles de France’s garden – Fransahagen – and explore the remains of the water-side smelting works and the Director’s favourite riding trails.

Syreneset Fort, Syre

This World-War II defence installation was used during the Occupation to watch over and control important shipping lanes. The fort was operational from 1943 and is equipped with five 12.2 cm guns.

Rehaugane, Bø

Six large Bronze Age burial mounds in a row decorate the ridge at Reheia. Known as the Pyramids of the North, they are reckoned as some of the finest graves of the Norwegian Bronze Age. The largest, known as “Prince’s Mound”, contained something as rare as a golden bracelet. The general area has also earned the title of “Blood Moor” ever since Håkon the Good and the sons of Eirik Blood Axe held their showdown battle here.

Fishermen´s memorial, Ferkingstad 

This memorial was erected in remembrance of the fishermen of Karmøy lost at sea in American waters.
Follow the marked Scenic Heritage Path to Åkrehamn.

Avaldsnes Viking Farm

Follow in the footprints of the ancient kings through the historic landscape at Avaldsnes. Bukkøy island features many reconstructed Viking buildings. In summer the longhouse, fire house and roundhouse are open to visitors, and you can discover how Vikings lived and worked. Tours. T: +47 52 81 24 00, www.opplevavaldsnes.no

Nordvegen History Centre

Situated in an area steeped in history, most of the 1800 square metre complex is below ground to preserve unhindered views of the church and manicured surroundings. Features Viking history. T: +47 52 81 24 00, www.opplevavaldsnes.no

Olav’s Church at Avaldsnes

Founded by Haakon Haakonsen in about 1250 AD, St Olav’s is one of five royal collegiate churches still standing. The church is a powerful memorial to former greatness. Guided tours of the area in summer. T: +47 52 81 24 00.

Virgin Mary’s Sewing Needle, Avaldsnes

This tall stone, close to the north wall of St Olav’s, is 7.2 metres and thus one of Norway’s tallest. Most likely it was originally even taller. Throughout history, priests have surreptitiously knocked pieces off the point of needle, because, according to the Sagas, Doomsday will be upon us if it ever touches the church wall!is said to signify that the Day of Judgement will come when the point finally touches the church wall. The gap is currently 9.2 cm …

St. Olav’s Spring, Torvastad

Several St. Olav Springs can be found along pilgrim routes in Norway. It is said that the water from these springs has a healing effect. St. Olav’s Church at Avaldsnes formed a Natural stopping point for pilgrims along the route to the burial place of St. Olav in Nidaros. Many people also went to St. Olav’s Spring, which it was said could cure eye diseases. St. Olav’s Spring never dries up.

Historic Skudeneshavn

Skudeneshavn is a still-thriving, real-life 19th Century clipper town. A walk down Søragadå immerses you in all the charm of the Empire style homes and cottages of “South Street”.

Geitungen Light

Standing guard on the outer harbour basin, the “Kid Light” is the place to experience the open sea breaking onto the rocks. Next stop due west is the United Kingdom. A spectacular holiday memory in calm and storm.

Vikeholmen Light 

Experience the power of the sea at all seasons! Despite being more or less in the middle of the harbour at Skudeneshavn, visitors to the light get the feeling of being far out on the coast. Glacier-smoothed rocks and sheltered bays catch your eye. Foundations of ancient houses abound, and in earlier times the island was home to more than 30 people. Passing boats seem to be within arm’s reach.

The Five Sorry Maidens, Norheim 

Five standing stones beneath the high arch of the Karmsund Bridge. The Maidens may originally have formed a primitive calendar. This is a star-shaped burial mound dating from about 300 AD. Within the stones a bronze jar was found containing incinerated human bones and bear’s claws.