Southern Norway - Norway - page 223

glamour. Instead, you may get the feeling that you're in a rather reverentially
preserved national monument that's in an ongoing state of renovation, and
infused with an enormous sense of national pride. Rooms come in various
shapes and sizes, all decidedly old-fashioned but well maintained, and each
attached to a private bathroom with tub and shower.
Furnished in a traditional Norwegian style, with lots of wood, the on-site
Dalen Restaurant is the best place to eat in the area. It serves a market-fresh cui-
sine of Norwegian and international specialties. On warm summer days meals
are offered under the branches of a willow in the garden outside, with a terrace
that opens toward a swan-filled lake. The cooking is not fancy but it's affordable
and tasty. Set meals, which are changed daily, cost from 175NOK to 350NOK
($25-$50).
N-3880 Dalen I Telemark. & 35-07-70-00. Fax [phone]. www.dalenhotel.no. 38 units. 600NOK-
800NOK ($85-$114) double per person; 950NOK ($135) suite per person. Rates include breakfast. AE, DC,
MC, V. Closed Nov to mid-Apr. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; easy access to fishing, hill climbing, and trekking.
In room: Hair dryer.

4 Arendal & Merdøy Island
239km (149 miles) SW of Oslo; 69km (43 miles) E of Kristiansand S
The administrative center of the Aust-Agder district, this southern port city was
once known as “the Venice of Scandinavia” because of its canals. But following
a disastrous fire, these canals were turned into wide streets. The city's sheltered
harbor is now one of the most colorful along the coast.
For the best look at old Arendal, visit Tyholmen, in the center, with its hand-
somely preserved 18th-century wooden houses. The district is home today to
many artists and craftspeople who have moved in and taken over the old houses.
In summer the harbor, Pollen, is filled with boats and people, as this is one of
the most popular centers for domestic tourism in Norway. Many Norwegians
come here to take boat trips among the neighboring rocks, and they also traverse
the delta of the Nid River.
In addition to Ibsen, the region's second-most-famous son was Knut Ham-
sun, called the “Balzac of Norway.” He won the Nobel Prize in 1918. His nov-
els give a vivid portrait of 19th-century Norwegian values, and his works are still
very popular in Germany, almost more so than they are in Norway.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE By Train Four trains a day arrive from Oslo, requiring
a change of trains at Nelaug. Trip time, including the transfer, is 4 1 ⁄ 2 hours. For
schedules and information, call & 81-50-08-88 or visit www.nsb.no.
By Bus Nor-way Buss Ekspress ( & 81-54-44-44; www.nor-way.no) buses
travel between Oslo and Arendal, taking 4 hours and costing 340NOK ($48) for
one-way passage.
By Car From Skien (see above), our last stopover, E18 continues south into

Arendal.
VISITOR INFORMATION For helpful advice about Arendal and the sur-
rounding area, go to the Arendal Turistkontor, Langbrygga 5 ( & 37-00-55-44;
www.arendal.com), open mid-June to mid-August Monday to Saturday 9am to
6pm and Sunday noon to 6pm. Otherwise, hours are Monday to Friday 9am
to 4pm.