Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Around Arendal
The 260-hectare island of
Merdø
, just off Arendal, has been inhabited since the 16th cen-
tury. One peculiarity is that the island bears the remnants of vegetable species introduced
in the ballast of early sailing vessels.
The favoured bathing sites are onTromøy,Spornes, Hisøy andHove.The nearest access
to Spornes is on the bus marked 'Tromøy Vest/Øst', but you'll still have a 15-minute walk.
Alternatively, take a bike on the
M/S Skilsøy ferry
(adult/child Nkr25/18, 10 minutes),
which sails frequently between Arendal and the western end of Tromøy. Tromøy also has
some enjoyable and easy-to-follow
walking trails
. Arendal tourist office can give route
suggestions.
On the islets of
Store
and
Lille Torungene
rise two grand lighthouses that have guided
ships into Arendal since 1844. They're visible from the coasts of both Hisøy and Tromøy.
Grimstad
POP 19,500
Unusuallyforatownalongthecoast,Grimstadisatitsmostbeautifulinthepedestrianised
streets that lie inland from the waterfront; these streets are some of the loveliest on the
Skagerrak coast. Grimstad has a number of interesting calling cards: it was the home of
playwright Henrik Ibsen and has a good museum; it is the sunniest spot in Norway, with
an average of 266 hours of sunshine per month in June and July; and Grimstad also has an
unmistakably young vibe, thanks to its large student population.
Sights
Ibsenhuset Museum
MUSEUM
(Grimstad By Museum;
www.gbm.no
, in Norwegian; Henrik Ibsens gate 14; adult/
child Nkr75/free; 11am-5pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm Sun Jul-mid-Aug, shorter hr
rest of yr, closed mid-Sep-late May)
Norway's favourite playwright, Henrik Ibsen (see
the boxed text,
Click here
) arrived here in January 1844. The house where he worked as a
pharmacist's apprentice, and where he lived and first cultivated his interest in writing, has
been converted into the Ibsenhuset Museum. It contains a re-created pharmacy and many
of the writer's belongings, and is one of southern Norway's more interesting museums.
