Sandefjord
Sandefjord is a harbour town on the Vestfold coast, at the head of a fjord that opens onto the Skagerrak. For more than fifty years it was a world centre of whaling, and the money from the Antarctic whaling fleets still shows in its museums and monuments. Before that, it was a fashionable spa town, and the Viking past is close too: a famous Viking ship was dug out of a burial mound at the edge of town.
The town suits a short, easy stay that mixes maritime history with time by the sea. The centre is small and walkable. The peninsulas of Vesterøya and Østerøya, south of town, have beaches, small islands and coastal walks. Many visitors also pass through on the ferry to Sweden or the nearby Torp airport.
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Quand partir
June to August is the best time to visit. Days are long, the sea is warm enough for a swim in July and August, and the whale catcher in the harbour is open to visitors from mid-June to August. May and September are quieter and good for coastal walks. Winters are dark, cold and often wet, with some snow.
Meilleure période pour visiter: juillet, août
Sites incontournables
Sandefjord Museum, known as the Whaling Museum, opened in 1917 as a gift from the whaling owner Lars Christensen. It tells the story of whaling and of the Antarctic, where the Sandefjord fleets hunted. The highlight is a full-size model of a blue whale, 21 m long, hanging from the ceiling.
The Whaler «Southern Actor» is a steam whale catcher built in England in 1950 and kept in working order, engine included. It is moored at the museum quay and opens to visitors from mid-June to August when it is in port. Entry is included in the Whaling Museum ticket.
Hvalfangstmonumentet is the town's best-known landmark, a bronze fountain by Knut Steen unveiled in 1960. It shows whalers in an open boat lifted by a whale, and it turns slowly. It stands by the harbour at the end of the main street, Jernbanealleen.
Badeparken was laid out in 1902 for guests of the town's spa, one of the most visited spas in Europe until it closed in 1939. Today it is a green space with sculptures, a playground and paths down to a small beach on the fjord. The restored spa building, Kurbadet, stands nearby and now hosts cultural events.
Gokstadhaugen is a large grass-covered burial mound where the 9th-century Gokstad Viking ship was found in 1880. The ship itself is now in Oslo, but the restored mound, ringed by birch trees, is a peaceful place to stop. It lies about 2 km north-east of the centre.
Sandefjord kirke is the main church in the centre, built in red brick after a fire destroyed the town centre in 1900. Its 60 m tower is a landmark visible across town.
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Visites et activités
Sandefjord — Carte
S'y rendre
- By air: Sandefjord Airport Torp (TRF) is just north of town. A shuttle bus, with its own ticket separate from the train, links the terminal with Torp station, where trains run to Sandefjord in a few minutes and to Oslo in about 1.5 hours. From Oslo Airport Gardermoen (OSL), take the train via Oslo.
- By train: Vy trains on the Vestfold Line run from Oslo to Sandefjord in about 2 hours, via Tønsberg. The line continues to Larvik and Skien. Buy tickets in the Vy app or at Vy.
- By ferry: Color Line sails between Sandefjord and Strömstad in Sweden. The crossing takes about 2.5 hours, and the terminal is in the town harbour.
- By car: The E18 motorway links Sandefjord with Oslo and Larvik.
Infos pays
Quick practical facts for Norway at a glance:
- Devise
- couronne norvégienne NOK kr · Paiements par carte · Largement acceptées
- Électricité
- 230 V · 50 HzType C / Type F
- Langues
- norvégien bokmål, norvégien nynorsk
- Eau du robinet
- Potable
- Sens de conduite
- À droite
- Indicatif téléphonique
- +47
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