Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Less than 1km south along the fjord, excavation of this pair of barrows revealed remnants
of a boat, two skeletons, jewellery and several weapons. One mound is topped by a statue
of legendary King Bele , erected by Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm II. Obsessed with Nord-
ic mythology, he regularly spent his holidays here prior to WWI (a similar monument,
also funded by the Kaiser and honouring Fridtjof, the lover of King Bele's daughter, peers
across the fjord from Vangsnes).
Sognefjord Aquarium AQUARIUM
(adult/child Nkr70/35; 9am-5pm or 11.30pm May-Sep) View the 15-minute audi-
ovisual presentation then tour the 24 aquariums in which lurk saltwater creatures from
Sognefjord, large, small and very small. The entry price includes an hour of canoe or
rowing-boat hire.
Activities
The tourist office's free pamphlet Outdoor Activities in Balestrand has plenty of sugges-
tions for hiking , ranging from easy to demanding. If you need more detail, it also stocks
Balestrand Turkart (Nkr70), a good walking map at 1:50,000 with trails marked up.
Njord ( 913 26 628; www.kajakk.com ) exploresthefjordoffBalestrand inacouple
of guided sea-kayak tours, lasting either two (Nkr350) or three hours (Nkr450). Reserve at
the tourist office.
Sleeping
Kvikne's Hotel HOTEL €€
( 57 69 42 00; www.kviknes.no ; s/d from Nkr1080/1660; May-Sep; )
The majestic pale-yellow, timber-built main building of Kvikne's Hotel, with exquisite an-
tiques in its public areas, breathes late-19th-century luxury. Of its 190 rooms, 165 are in
the newer building, erected in the 1960s. They're comfortable to a fault but the exterior is
a grotesque concrete pile in comparison to the 'Swiss-style' original. Balholm Bar og Bis-
tro is a reliable place for snacks and light meals. For a gastronomic delight, invest Nkr495
in the main restaurant's outstanding dinner buffet. The hotel is on a point just south of the
ferry landing.
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