1. Fritjov statue on Vangsnes
Fritjof is a 22.5-meter high statue of the king of Ringerike and Sogn, stepping right out from the legendary saga, "Fritjof’s Saga". It was a gift from Kaizer Wilhelm II of Germany to the people of Norway in 1913. Ever since, it had become the landmark of Vik. Located in Vangsnes, the park since 1913 has become the perfect viewpoint for Sognefjorden.
2. Hopperstad Stavkirke
The photo of this Gothic Middle-Age Church built around 1130 is what that sealed the deal for us visiting Vik. This church is a triple-nave stave church of the Borgund-type (3 portals) with an altar dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and a 14th-century ciborium with a baldachin which bears a painting of the birth of Christ under its roof.
3. Hove stone church
The Hove stone church is the oldest stone building in Sogn, built around 1100. We were surprised as our guide turned out to be the "guardian" of this church. He shared with us a lot of untold stories, including how the Madonna statue was initially a property of the church, then got transferred to Bergen Museum and then (possibly) unknowingly returned to Hove Church during the World War... and also the story of their effort to bring back the church bells.The man who restored the church, Mr. Blix was buried underneath this church.
It is a historical parish, now owned by the state, and it is administered by the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments. Today, it is used to hold wedding ceremonies, concerts and sometimes funerals.
4. Moahaugane Burial Mounds
From the Hopperstad Stave Church, we had an enjoyable walk to a field with distinctive burial mounds constructed between 200-400 AD. These burial sites are considered sacred in pagan times until Christianity took over. Nevertheless, it remained an important cultural site in Vik… the tour we followed, the “Sylvringen” is named after a silver ring found in one of the mounds.
5. Restored Refstdal Power Plant from 1913
Once dubbed the "greatest happening in the development of Vik”, the Refstdal Power Plant was the first power plant in Vik. The restoration work is still on and going, it is still a good place to get an overview of Vik's industry and economic growth in the past and get to know how the famous Flåm railway was originally planned in Vik. Well if there were no change of plans, I bet Vik is one of the most celebrated tourist stops in Norway now.
6. Local Specialties
The “Gamalost” cheese is the most interesting cheese I found throughout the trip. Not only that it has a distinct pungent smell, it (if it's really fresh) forms a spider-web like threads when ripped apart. It might be hard to believe, but it's actually pretty delicious when matched with biscuits and raspberry jam (another specialty of Vik)! Of course, if it is the first time you try Gamalost (aka the Old Cheese), try to eat it without any complement… and then wash it down with a glass of Raspberry juice. Savor every bite of it, because you will not be able to find it outside of Norway, and Vik is the main production site of this cheese… they even have a festival dedicated to the Gamalost cheese, celebrated every May!
7. Tissel
Nicely located close to Rv13, Tissel is an ideal stop if you come from Vinje/ Voss. It is only a few minutes drive from Vik village center and has a few well-equipped cabins if you fancy a farm-stay. While it is also a perfect base for Vikafjellet and the Stølsheimen mountain hikes, we made a stop for its interactive farm museum, a hidden gem that shows the traditional life of the Norwegian people. Two cute grand children of the host enthusiastically showed us around from one cabin to another with their grandma, showing us how to play the fiddle and how to roll wools into thread…. and also the biggest moose horn I’ve ever seen in my life.
8. Storesvingen Viewpoint
The viewpoint is located not far from Tissel, just a trip up the hilly terrain, we found ourselves in front of a cute cafe built overlooking Vik.
9. Vikøyri
This is a historical shore tenant farm, protected by law. Mr. Knut guided us through all the interesting properties in the protected area, including the smallest house in Vik, and a small farm house where live stocks and a big family shared the same roof... The story of the goofy American immigrant in "sheep clothing" is entertaining as well. It is a great place to have a leisure cultural walk, especially in the evening.
10. Waterfront
Correct me if I’ve mistaken, but from the port of Vik, you’ll have an unobstructed vista of a UNESCO’s World Heritage Fjord, Nærøyfjord together with the Jostedalsbreen glacier. The beauty of the glacier is simply outstanding. if you have more time, I highly recommend extending your stay in Vik and sign up for a tour to hike the Jostedalsbreen.11. Waterfalls
Starting the trail at the gravel pit in Tenne, we followed the clearly marked path in the birch forest following the Breidafossa river to the lower waterfall. The spray was so refreshing we left with a heavy heart. The next part of the hike was rather steep in the coniferous forest... Nevertheless, the feeling vanished when we arrived at the upper waterfalls (Fossasete) with an idyllic but lonely summer farm cabin up in the mountain. This hike is also known as the historical cattle trail since it is also the exact route farmers will take their animals up to the summer grazing areas in the mountains.We had an amazing time here plucking and sampling blueberries and mushrooms, enjoying all mother nature has to offer.
12. Anafjord
Sognefjord is the largest fjord in Norway and the Arnafjord is one of its many arms. To reach the trail head at Tenne, we have to drive past the mountain roads around the fjord. On the way, we were introduced to the village of Nesse at the other side, which is beautiful but haunted by the high possibility of a landslide. In addition to that, we passed by a place called Nissestad, which direct translated into the city of Santa Claus.
13. Skorge and Kyveloskipet
This idyllic spot is well worth the visit, with cows, rivers, old farm houses, and pastures aplenty. At the end of the hike, we were rewarded with the view of Vik above a thunderous waterfall.
14. Blix hotel
We checked into the one and only hotel in Vik, the Blix hotel, which is named after the savior of Vik, the architect Peter Andreas Blix. His initiative to restore the old parishes, the Hopperstad Stave church and Hove stone church were well received by the people of Vik and thanks to him, these historic gems did not just go straight into history. Although it is the only hotel in Vik, the owner of the hotel didn’t take this for granted and Blix is an absolutely homey hotel to stay in. During our last evening in Blix hotel, we discovered a heartwarming fact -- there are rows and rows of group photos featuring all residents in the Vik district! Such a close knit community!The hotel also doubles as the tourism information center of Vik. Vik tourism is still developing, there aren’t any other dining options nearby. We were offered a full course dinner for our 2 days stay. To our delight, the meals did not disappoint, we love everything on our plates.
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| Look at the photographs on the walls! <3 nbsp="" td=""> |
15. Get yourself a Viking Ring
In the Viking Age, Sogn was a kingdom named Sygnafylki, and the Vik district was a part of that Kingdom. The best souvenirs you can get in Vik, is none other than a handmade Viking Silver Ring to declare that you've "conquered" Vik.
16. Underrated, the real hidden gem
We've heard so much about hidden gems in all of Europe but when we finally got there, we were disappointed by the crowd. This is not the case with Vik... visitors to Norway are paying too much attention to famous hyped-up attractions until other equally beautiful places got buried...I love the fact that a lot of the places I've listed above are not listed in Google search engine, also, without the guidance from locals, one will never be able to find their way to all the above destinations because although the district is rather small, there are not much information online. This is what I call, a TRUE hidden gem.
How to reach Vik?
1. By car: take route 13 over the mountain area Vikafjellet (scenic drive) from Voss, Bergen, and Oslo.
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2. By ferry: from Dragsvik or Hella to Vangsnes. You'll be crossing the Sognefjord, the longest fjord in Norway.3. By express boat: from Bergen, only available in Summer.
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