Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
with a honey-flavored blackberry sauce; grilled steak with a brandy, mushroom,
and cream sauce; and grilled filets of catfish with coriander and lime. Desserts
might include a moist slice of unbelievably fattening chocolate cake.
In the Quality Hotel Astoria, Torggata 23.
&
62-70-70-00.
Reservations recommended Fri-Sat. Main courses
95NOK-300NOK ($13-$43). AE, DC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 5-11pm; Fri-Sat 6-11pm.
HAMAR AFTER DARK
For the largest drinking and dining venue in town, refer to Bykjeller'n under
“Where to Dine,” above.
The well-attended
Irishman Pub,
Strandgata 31 (
&
62-52-33-92
), draws a
lively crowd, usually in the 30- to 50-year-old bracket, to its 1930s-era precincts.
The decor? Classic Irish pub, down to the pictures of famous Irishmen lining the
walls. Recorded music plays in the background except on Friday when live music
is heard. On our last visit, the singers owed massive inspiration to both The Bea-
tles and Bob Dylan. Of course, Guinness and Irish whiskeys rule the night.
Open Monday 4 to 11pm, Tuesday to Thursday 4pm to 12:30am, Friday and
Saturday noon to 2am, and Sunday noon to 11pm.
At the
Nattklubben Munken,
Torggata 23 (
&
62-70-70-00
), a lively mix-
ture of locals in the 20-to-35 age group come together for drinks and good
times. The DJs alternate frequently, but the latest recorded music from Europe
and the U.S. can usually be heard. There's a midsize dance floor that can get very
crowded on drunken Friday and Saturday nights. A cover of 80NOK ($11) is
imposed, and hours are Thursday to Saturday from 10pm to 3:30am.
2 Lillehammer of Olympic Glory
™
169km (105 miles) N of Oslo; 363km (226 miles) S of Trondheim
Surrounded by mountains, Lillehammer is one of Europe's favorite resorts. The
town, at the head (northern end) of Lake Mjøsa, became internationally famous
when it hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics. Today the sports sites and infra-
structure benefit greatly from the two-billion-kroner investment that the gov-
ernment put into Lillehammer to make it worthy of the games. Skiers in winter
can take advantage of many of these improvements.
Even with all its upgrades, Lillehammer's appeal still lags far behind the pop-
ularity of such chic alpine resorts as St. Moritz in Switzerland or St. Anton in
Austria. Those great alpine retreats have far more dramatic skiing, an array of
first-class and deluxe hotels, fabulous restaurants, and a glittering après-ski life.
Compared to them, Lillehammer is just a country town. Yet, for many skiers, it
has great appeal because of its natural ski conditions. Sadly, “Winter City,” as
Lillehammer is called, doesn't get much of that famous alpine sunshine.
However, even if you're not considering it for a ski holiday, Lillehammer is an
attractive venue for summer vacationers, as it has a number of attractions (see
below) and a broad appeal for families.
With a population of 23,000, Lillehammer is surrounded by forests, farms,
and small settlements. Its main pedestrian street,
Storgata
, is known for its
well-preserved wooden buildings.
At the southern end of the Gudbrandsdal valley, Lillehammer was founded as
a trading post back in 1827. Over the years, Lillehammer has attracted many
artists, such as Jakob Weidemann, who were drawn to its beautiful landscapes
and special Nordic light. The most famous artist who lived here was Sigrid Und-
set, who won the Nobel Prize for literature.
