Havila 1-15 September 2024 13 September

At night we make a short stop in Rørvik, then we continue into the Trondheimfjord, heading towards Trondheim. We take a lovely walk in beautiful weather. We enjoy the drive through stunning landscapes to Kristiansund.

Kristiansund is located on four islands and counts the processing of fish into klippfisk or stockfish (salted, dried cod) among its most important economic sectors. Four main islands and several smaller ones form the urban area of Kristiansund. Given the relatively small islands on which Kristiansund is built, the city is one of the most densely populated cities in Norway and the most urban small town center in the country. The island of Grip, northwest of Kristiansund, also belongs to the municipality. The former fishing village at this site is now abandoned, but the houses have been well preserved by their former residents, who use them as vacation homes. In the summer, these houses are a popular tourist attraction due to their unique location and architecture.

After the war, the city lay in ruins and was rebuilt. This resulted in a distinctive architecture with bright colors such as red, yellow, and green, making Kristiansund a very colorful city. The classic economic activity of the city was the sea: herring fishing, maritime shipping, and the production and export of stockfish. In recent years, the oil and gas industry has also emerged. Kristiansund boasts a rich cultural life and hosts numerous annual events and festivals, including the Opera Festival, the Nordic Light International Festival of Photography, the city festival, and the Tahiti Festival.

On Grip, you can visit the beautiful Grip Stave Church, Norway’s second smallest stave church, and the lighthouse. The Sundbåtene city ferry in Kristiansund, opened in 1876, is said to be the world's oldest public transport still in operation. The small passenger ferries cross the straits between the four islands of the city. Visit the old town with its narrow streets and well-preserved wooden houses. Here you can also find the beautifully located memorial stone, from which you can enjoy a magnificent view of the harbor.

The old town structure in Vågen is the center of the historical fishing industry in Kristiansund. The Norwegian Stockfish Museum is also located here. Innlandet is an old district of Kristiansund with unique coastal architecture. Festiviteten (the opera of Kristiansund) is the oldest opera house in Norway. The construction of the art nouveau building was completed in 1914. It is one of the few older buildings in the city center of Kristiansund that survived the bombings during World War II. The Kirkelandet Kirke, built in 1964, is regarded as the boldest in the style of modern Norwegian church architecture.