Lillehammer: a peek at the winter sports haven

Mention Lillehammer and the first thing that popped into mind is most likely the 1994 Winter Olympic games. Nestled in the Gudbrandsdallen Valley of the Oppland County in eastern Norway, Lillehammer is a district better known for old mountain farms than modern skyscrapers.

Located at a magnificent mountainous region overlooking parts of Lake Mjøsa and the river Lågen, Lillehammer’s charm lies in its picturesque landscape.

Attractions

Beyond being known as an Olympic city, Lillehammer also offers a number of attractions worth visiting.

Maihaugen

The biggest open-air in Europe, Maihaugen is a must-see if you visit Lillehammer. Made up of close to 200 buildings and houses over 40 000 exhibits, it gives an insightful look at how the people of the Gudbrandsdalen Valley lived in the last three centuries. There is a set-up of the rural society, complete with intimate churches and homes furnished with beautiful antiques, as well as farmyards equipped with traditional farming methods. You also get to experience the daily life of the villagers and try your hand the handicrafts during this period.

If you step into the main museum, you can get a detailed look at Norwegian history. There are also recreated craft shops inside the museum, where you can spend some time, admiring at the details put into recreating them.

The museum is about a 20-minute walk from downtown Lillehammer. Walk up Jernbanegata, turn right at Anders Sandvigs gate and left up Maihaugvegen; bus 007 to Nybu also stops at the museum.

Tip: To spice up your visit to the museum, get a guide to bring you around. They usually have interesting anecdotes of the people who live in the villages and their history. And if you visit in winter, the frozen lake will become a skating rink. You can rent skates and helmets, and traditional tobaggons are available at no charge for use.

If you have an eye for art, do not miss the Lillehammer Art Museum, one of Norway’s reputable visual arts museums, showcasing the works of Norwegian artists such as J.C. Dahl, Hans Gude, Adolph Tidemand, Frits Thaulow, Edward Munch, Christian Krough and more. With over 1400 works dating from the 1800s to present day, the museum is an exquisite visual feast. It doesn’t matter if you are not familiar with all the artists, all you need is a guided tour, and you’ll be kept up-to-date.

Tip:It’s common for the museum to organize exhibitions, up to five a year, of both historical and modern art, so before your visit, do a check to see if there’s any that catches your fancy. This will help you plan how much time you need to spend there.

Winter Sports and Olympic sights

Skiing is all the rage in winter. The Hafjell Alpine Center offers the ideal snow conditions that offer ski slopes in both high mountain and forest terrain that each comes with magnificent views of its surroundings. A truly all-rounded ski center, the Hafjell Alpine Center offers an exhaustive slope range, catering for varying skiing proficiency, and providing skiers of all ages with different challenges.

Winter Olympic fans will have a few places to gawk at in Lillehammer. The first is the Lysgardbakken Ski Jump Arena, a hallmark during the 199 Winter Olympics. It was used for both the opening and closing ceremonies of the games. The peak of the Ski jumping tower offers a breathtaking view of Lillehammer and is one of the most popular tourist spots of the city.

Up north of Lillehammer, some 15 km away lies the Lillehammer Olympic Bobsleigh and Luge track. Those seeking winter thrills can attempt the taxibob- a 4-man bobsleigh ride with an authorized pilot. The bobsleigh will take you zipping down the bob track at speeds up to 120 km per hour, fulfilling your lust of speed. However, if you’re not fond of high speed bobsleighs, there is an alternative- bobrafting, also known as the family bob. Riders will sit on a large rubber bobsleigh that can take up to five passengers and reaches up to 80 km per hour.

If you’re not the outdoors-type of person, but would still like to get into some Olympic action, you can always visit the Norwegian Olympic Museum. It’s the only museum in Northern Europe that showcases the Olympic history from ancient to present times for both Summer and Winter games. There is even a Norwegian Sports Hall of fame with a dedicated section on the Lillehamer ’94 Olympic Wintergames. Featuring over 7,000 Olympic items, Olympic buffs can pore through all things Olympic, dating from 896 through texts, videos and sound recordings.

Tip: Be sure to visit the Olympic Room, where you can find a collection of Olympic stamps and one of the world’s largest pin collections.

Food and Shopping in Lillehammer

It’s not just sports and arts in Lillehammer. Visitors to the city can also enjoy some pretty good shopping at the city center, at a brimming shopping precinct known as Storgata. With over 250 shops, it might take you a while to comb through the stretch.

For items with a more local feel, the old industrial area of Mesna Brug might fill your needs, here, you can find local handicrafts and knitwear, and if you’re looking for unique souvenirs, visit the glassblower’s cabin and candle shops. Not only can you find one-of-a-kind products, you can even see how the products are being crafted.

Pubs and clubs are dotted all over the city, and usually open till two in the morning. If there’s one pub that you have to visit, it’s the Felix Pub and Scene. There’s a juke box at the corner of the place, pool tables and dart boards dotted around. It’s a really neat place to just relax and soak in some of the local flavour. There’s also an area for gigs, if you’re in the area, check out the performance schedule for any interesting bands.

Food in Lillehammer is diverse; one can find anything from Chinese cuisine to Italian fare. If you’re into hamburgers and pizzas, you can find plenty of them in the city. Most eateries are found along the main streets of Storgata, and Elvegata Street.

Tip:Tipping is not required in restaurants; service and sales tax are included in the bill. But if you’re happy with your server’s attitude, you are welcome to show appreciation.

Getting around in Lillehammer

If you are wandering in downtown Lillehammer, it’s possible to be on foot. Places like Maihaugen and the Art Musuem are all within walking distances from each other and the downtown.

Lillehammer Skysstasjon is the main transport terminal for buses, trains and taxis. Rail services run four to six times daily north to Hunderfossen, Kvitfjell, Ringebu and Vinstra. Buses leave the Lillehammer town centre about every 30 minutes to most of the local attractions within Lillehammer and Hafjell/Hunderfossen.

From Lillehammer there are also ski buses going to and from Hafjell, Skeikampen, Kvitfjell and Nordseter/Sjusjøen skiing areas in winter. In summer there are buses going to and from Hafjell, Hunderfossen, Skeikampen and Nordseter/Sjusjøen.