What to do in Haugesund - Our 5 Minute Port Guide
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- čas přidán 1. 12. 2023
- Haugesund in Norway, lies on fjord coastline between Stavanger and Bergen. It has played an important role in Norways history but today is a modern busy port city that is frequented by most cruise lines servicing the Norwegian Fjords market.
Despite the town being relatively young, the area of Avaldsnes on the outskirts is known as the Homeland of the Viking Kings, where the first king of Norway Harald Fairhair had his home.
Despite its historic significance you will find many cruise passengers who tell you this is a dull cruise port or one to do an excursion on. We cannot agree and in this video we will show you what you can do / see in the town as well as some of the more popular excursions options
If you do choose to explore the town first you’ll need to make your way from the cruise dock to the town centre. Most cruise lines lay on a shuttle bus to save passengers the 15 minute walk through the dock area and over the Risoy bridge. If you are ok the walk it though there are some fine views to be had from the bridge
Once across the bridge you’ll find Haugesund fairly easy to explore on foot. What you get out of dies depend on how far you are happy to walk.
One of the 1st places you’ll encounter is Haugesund historic waterfront area which is lined with bars cafes and restaurants. Be aware though that many do not open until 6 in the evening. But if you are lucky enough to get a late sail away these are definitely worth checking out.
There is also a statue of Marilyn monroe on the quayside. created at a time when it was speculated that Marilyn’s father originated from the town. This was later disproved but the statue is lovely and locals decided to keep it.
Behind the water front you’ll encounter Haraldgata. At 1km long this is one of Norway’s longest shopping areas. And the shopping and cafes here are excellent . Take your time to explore all the shops and buy souvenirs
At the southern end of Haraldsgata is the pretty pink town hall and square. Here you’ll also find the tourist information office. The striking building was a gift from shipowner Knut Knutsen O.A.S. and his wife Elisabeth, opening in 1931.
At the Northern end of Haraldsgata you can walk into more suburban areas where you will discover the statue of King a Harald Fair hair.
However continue following the coast path north you soon encounter the magnificent Haraldhaugen monument erected in 1872 to mark 1,000 years since the country’s unification. Haraldshaugen is believed to be the burial place of the country’s first king, Harald Fairhair.
Near to this monument is an incredible stone cross thought to be 1000 years old.
Continuing north along the coast the footpath provides beautiful coastal views and it’s possible to walk out to Kvalen Fyr lighthouse . This is about an hours walk from the cruise terminal. Walking a little further can take you to the somewhat eccentric sculptures kvalsvik sculpture park. This is lovely walking if the weather is kind.
However if you have your heart set on an excursion Haugesund does have some choice options. One of Haugesund’s biggest draws are the tiny islands and islets to the southwest and the vast Boknafjorden with its dozens of smaller offshoots to the northeast. There are waterfalls, mountains, and a rugged coastline to explore. And a popular way to do this is by Rib boat which can be boarded just outside the cruise dock …
A very popular trip is to the historic Avaldsnes and the Viking Village. It’s a 20 min ride by coach to this attraction which includes a fabulous museum of Viking life, a recreation of a Viking farm and the spectacular St Olaf’s church. Local actors bring the stories of this place to life and this settlement is located directly at the site the King Harald Fair hair and many of his successors held court and governed the fledgling country of unified Norway
Further afield coach trips to see the picturesque village of Skudeneshavn is a popular trip with its pretty fishing harbour and white timbered houses providing great photo opportunities.
About 90 minutes drive away is the spectacular Langfoss Waterfall. Whilst best seen from a boat trip in the fjord, coach trips cross the bridge across the falls and there are viewpoints for coach tours also.
In summer months guided walking tours in mountain areas are also possible including to the stunning viewpoint at Himakana rock viewpoint.
Haugesund is a really pleasant cruise port and provides options to suit different needs of cruise passengers. Historical significance and beautiful scenery both in the fjords and coastal setting mean that it’s a port we’d be happy to revisit and return too. Having taken two cruises that stopped here we’ve had two really enjoyable experiences so far and we’ll be back for a 3rd visit in 2024.
#cruisevlog #northernlights #norwegianfjords #norway #haugesund #avaldsnes
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I'm really glad to have found your video. We were recently on a P&O cruise that stopped in Haugesund as our last port. We'd already visited, and hiked, Stavanger, Alesund and Olden, so by the time we'd walked the coastal route to Rising Tide, we were exhausted! We didn't give the Town Center much attention at all and didn't plan any excursions but instead got back on Iona. I'm going to save your video in my favorites so that when we return next year, we can get more out of a Haugesund visit.
Thank you so much for watching and the lovely comments too. We quite like Haugesund to be honest .. lots of people don’t be we do .. It’s no Olden but it does make a decent port stop for shopping , walking and some nice excursions too. We’ve just done the trip to Skudeneshavn on our most recent trip there .. What a lovely excursion that was too ..Thx again .. Appreciate your support
Which company do you use for your excursions when visiting Haugesund? We used shore based companies in Alesund and Olden because P&O were double their prices.
In Haugesund we’ve actually used cruise line excursions… Cost savings were possible booking direct, using sites like Viator, Fjord Norway or Visit Norway site.. but they were not that significant at the time we were looking … Thx again
We'll be cruising to Norway at the end of June 2024. Thank you for sharing what we can expect to find on our visit.
Thank you for watching and taking time to comment - We are sure you’ll have an amazing trip to Norway.. it is a truly beautiful place… We head back there next week for some ports we are yet to visit but also our 3rd time in Haugesund .. It’s a lovely city.. Please have a great trip
Norway looks so stunning. We love the waterfront - pizza looks good too! Norse history and mythology is pretty cool too. Cheers for sharing 🍻
Thank you and totally love Norway .. If you love mythology and history that Church at Avaldsnes has a massive standing stone leaning towards it and legends say that if the stone ever touches the church then great doom and despair will fall upon Norway … It’s surprisingly close!! Love a story ! Thanks again for watching our videos
Great guide to Haugesund, thank you!
Thank you Bill - That’s high praise from a channel as good as yours! We love the Ritzy Guide .. Thank you for taking time to view our video and comment too
@@CooksExplore We've not done Haugesund before, and will be there in a couple of months, so found your video really useful! Thank you
Hi there! great video. Can you share a link of any RIB BOAT CRUISE to those small islands you mentioned at the end of your video? thank you .
Thank you for watching - There are good options for a Rib Safari from Haugesund via the Viator and Getyourguide web sites …www.viator.com or www.getyourguide.co.uk .. hope this helps.. Thx
Awesome! Norway in one of those places on my "must see" list! Probably through a cruise of some sort too. Bruce and Otis
Thank you guys for continuing to support our channel. It is appreciated. The Fjords and Northern lights were both on our bucket list and neither disappointed…but Norway as a place is magical… It lives up to expectations and the people are so friendly and welcoming. Good or bad weather it’s hard not to enjoy yourselves.. Hope you both get to experience this… Take care guys
Haugesund has a fantastic gift shop which might be called Krimz Krimz, it has all sorts inside, had to drag husband out as he kept finding more bits.
It’s a lovely place to shop. So many boutiques and gift shops.
Thanks for watching and commenting guys
Haugesund is to be polite, one of the less salubrious Norwegian towns, very much Stavanger's poor relation.
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts and experiences. Stavanger is indeed a beautiful place but we kinda liked Haugesund too. It’s not a chocolate box place but does have a good shopping district and quayside and is a good gateway to explore the surrounding Fjords … stacks of attractions and good history too.. people there are great and we’ve enjoyed each of our three visits there. Thx again for watching our video. It’s appreciated
@@CooksExplore Its a fantastic country in general, I've lived here 18 months and even though I'm a bit down on Haugesund, it's still miles better than a lot of cities in the UK.