WELCOME to the Lillehammer area!

Many exciting and memorable experiences await you. Whether you like bustling city life, cultural venues or first-hand encounters with nature, the district has something for every taste and every age group.

Lillehammer is the small town with the big attractions. Charming "Gågata" (pedestrian street) is the town's artery, with its characteristic old wooden buildings. Modern commerce also finds its natural place in this environment. The city's close proximity to the mountains round Nordseter and Sjusjøen offers special opportunities for those of you inter-ested in a mixture of both urban and rural activities.

The village centre at Øyer reflects the coming together of past and future in a thriving rural community. Hafjell/Hunderfossen offers a wide range of activities for adults and children in lovely natural surroundings. Øyerfjellet, Nordseter and Sjusjøen are splendid starting points for mountain walks.

LILLEHAMMER - the town and its history

Lillehammer, the oldest of the inland towns of Eastern Norway, was founded as a trading post in 1827 and was granted full market town status in 1842. The first buildings were put up around Hammer farm (by the present church). It may have been here that Torstein Skjevla and Skjervald Skrukka celebrated Christmas before they faced the blizzard to cross the mountains to the eastern valley and thence to Nidaros (Trondheim) carrying the little prince Håkon Håkonsson in 1205.

The town now appears more beautiful and have more attractions than ever before. An ultra-modern theatre/ concert hall at Maihaugen, Lillehammer Art Museum in a new and striking building, the restored and improved Banken Cultural Centre, the beautiful church in a newly developed area (N. Ål), wonderfully enlarged premises for Lillehammer College - these are some of the many benefits which were created on account of the Winter Olympics.

More and more tourists are discovering what excellent qualities Lillehammer and the surrounding area can offer with respect to education, recreation, sports and culture. The residents of Lillehammer are proud of their town and welcome you - summer and winter.

Nordseter - Lillehammer's gateway to the mountains

Nordseter has something for everybody! If you are looking for fresh air and easy mountain terrain, Nordseter, situated 850 metres above sea level and only 14 km away from Lillehammer, is the place for you. Originally a cluster of mountain farms, Nordseter has grown into a major tourist resort. An ideal starting point for trips into the mountains both summer and winter.

Together with Sjusjøen, Nordseter is one of Northern Europe's best areas for walks, hikes and exercising. In all, the hotels, mountain lodges and chalets in the area have a capacity of about 900-beds.

There are two slalom hills in the area -- the floodlit Nevra Ski Lift and Nordseter Ski Tow - length 500 m, vertical drop 90 m.

Special skiing events organised on request.

Sjusjøen - Lillehammer's skiing eldorado

For centuries a cluster of mountain dairy farms, Sjusjøen has gradually developed into a modern tourist resort. Sjusjøen can offer more than 1000 guest beds in hotels, mountain inns and chalet centres, and a wide range of services. Sjusjøen is situated about 20 km north-east of the Olympic town of Lillehammer and about 850 metres above sea level. It is surrounded by easy forest and mountain terrain, and is by many considered one of the best places for Cross-country skiing in Europe.

Every winter a total of more than 300 km of double-track ski trails are prepared. As a change from the skiing trips we can recommend the Birkebeinerbakken Slalom facility with a length of 900 m and a vertical drop of 150 m. Sleigh rides, by horse and dog team, are also offered during the winter season. The ski school organises weekly guided skiing trips to the Olympic trails, among other places. The activities available at Sjusjøen combined with its proximity to Lillehammer makes it a skiing eldorado.

The grocery store at Nordseter, Nevra handel, is run in the traditional over-the-counter manner. The country postman drops by daily, and Fjellkirken (the mountain church) is an important landmark. The Red Cross will help you with transport of goods and baggage. Tel: 61 26 40 27.

Daily bus service to and from Lillehammer.

Hafjell/Hunderfossen

The Hafjell Apine Centre is located in the beautiful district of Øyer with easy access by the E6, 15 km north of Lillehammer. Together with Kvitfjell, the Hafjell Alpine Centre is the national venue for alpine events and offers a number of attractive pistes, as well as ski lifts and chair lifts for both children and adults. There is a wide range of activities to choose from.

The peaceful Øyerfjellet mountains pose little danger of avalanches, and the area offers sheltered forest trails with connections to Nordseter and Sjusjøen, or skiing in the pistes. Something for every taste and level of skiing proficiency.

What to do in the Lillehammer

What to see and visit In Lillehammer