Førde City
Førde is the largest urban settlement in Sunnfjord, with a population of around 10,000 inhabitants, and is known as a commercial center in the region. The river Jølstra flows through the city center of Førde and empties into Førdefjorden. Visit one of the several beautiful seating areas along the river to sit and enjoy the sound of the flowing water. Førde offers a diverse range of shops, restaurants, and cafes to suit every taste. In Førdehuset, you will find a theater, library, cinema, and swimming pool. Please visit fordehuset.no for opening hours.
Activities
Førde Bowling Hall forde-bowlinghall5.webnode.page
Go-kart in Kråkenesmarka Booking: sunnfjordgokart@hotmail.com
Disc golf Naustdal Fritidspark Disc golf and Viebøen Frisbeegolf Viksdalen Discgolf
Beach in Naustdal A bathing beach with diving boards, a volleyball court, and a barbecue area. SUP board rentals available.
Hafstad Park Hafstad Park offers two artificial turf fields, a skate park, roller skiing track, fitness trail, BMX track, four sand volleyball courts, park facilities, fitness park, handball, basketball, bandy/badminton, bouldering, roller skating area, ski jump, and a barbecue area.
Langeland Ski Center Various illuminated trails and tours. langelandskisenter.no
Instedalen Ski Resort 4 km cross-country skiing track, children’s area with ski play. fjordnorway.com/no/se-og-gjore/instedalen-skianlegg
Sunnfjord Ski Center Alpine skiing facilities in Blomlia, 8 km from Førde. sunnfjordskisenter.fordeidrettslag.no
BUA Sunnfjord Here you can rent all the equipment you need. bua.no/bua-sunnfjord/utstyr
Indre Sunnfjord Turlag Join one of their guided tours or borrow equipment. indresunnfjord.dnt.no
Sunnfjord Spa sunnfjordspa.no
Larris Scene Concert venue at Scandic Sunnfjord Hotel & Spa in Førde. facebook.com/larrisscene
Festivals Førdefestivalen, July 5th – 9th fordefestival.no
Trøkk n’ Truck festival, August 10th – 12th trokkntruck.no
Sunnfjord Park
In the heart of Førde lies Sunnfjord Park - an activity park with 5000 m2 of fun! Here you’ll find activities for people of all ages, all in one place! Let the kids loose in the Hurlumhei Playland, challenge yourself in the Bouncy Trampoline Park, or simply have a wonderful day exploring the park. Visit sunnfjordparken.no for more information.
Førde Climbing Center
Førde Climbing Center offers indoor bouldering (climbing on low walls with thick mats) and rope climbing for all skill levels. Our focus is on the joy of movement, ensuring that everyone finds suitable challenges and experiences a sense of accomplishment. If you’re looking for a form of exercise that is so motivating because it’s fun, you’ve come to the right place. fordeklatresenter.no
Bicycle Tours
Førde: Cycle through urban areas with dense settlements before branching off onto a lightly trafficked road that winds through open and flat agricultural landscapes. In Førde, the contrast between urban city life and charming farmsteads becomes evident. Visit the idyllic Sunnfjord Museum near Movatnet. Adjacent to the museum lies Huldefossen, where you can experience the raw power of a 90-meter waterfall.
Viksdalen: Here, you’ll cycle through flat terrain and lightly trafficked roads along Viksdalsvatnet. Ride through Råheimsdalen, passing Vallestadfossen and Haukedalsvatnet, before reaching the picturesque Rørvikfjellet. From Rørvikfjellet, you can continue cycling towards Holsen. Along the way, enjoy the scenic views of the idyllic Holsavatnet before reaching E39 near Mo.
Naustdal: Cycle along Førdefjorden to Helle. Most of the route follows low-traffic roads with a gentle incline. Along the way, you’ll be treated to views of the majestic mountains such as Store Hesten, Heilefjellet, and Blegja. On the return journey, simply relish the downhill stretches. Enhance your trip with a stop at Håjen Café, where you can indulge in homemade dishes and traditionally baked goods.
Food and Drink
In the center of Førde you’ll find a wide selection of restaurants and cafes. Indulge in a fine dining experience at Ete Fysst, Pikant Mat- og Vinhus, or Restaurant Laxen. For a satisfying lunch, visit Kafé Sobra, Kardemomme Lunsj og Kaffibar, or one of the cafes at Naustdal Dampbakeri. At the Luftkampmuseet, you’ll also find a dining spot featuring Norwegian farmhouse cuisine. At Håjen Kafé in Naustdal, they serve homemade dishes using local ingredients and traditional baked goods from their bakery. During the summer, Flatheim Gardshotell invites locals and tourists to their summer café. Here, they serve delicious homemade pastries. Surrounded by lush nature, at an elevation of 430 meters above sea level, Flatheim remains a well-kept secret.
National Tourist Route Gaularfjellet
Gaularfjellet is a hidden gem for many, but for those who have discovered the road leading up to it, it stands out as something truly special. Along this route from Balestrand to Moskog (Førde), you can admire numerous beautiful waterfalls and rivers. The road is particularly famous for its 9 hairpin bends on the Balestrand side of the mountain. The Utsikten rest area sits at the top of the ascent from Vetlefjorden and offers a magnificent view of a lush and breathtaking landscape as National Road 13 winds its way up the hillside. With unobstructed views of 1500-meter mountains and deep valleys, the observation platform balances on the edge of the mountain, 700 meters above sea level.
Fossestien (Waterfall Trail)
Fossestien is a hiking trail that stretches from Gaularfjellet to Viksdalen, taking you along 14 major waterfalls and 7 mountain lakes. This leisurely hike covers over 500 meters of elevation and a total distance of 21 km, making it suitable for most people. The trail leads from Gaularfjellet to Viksdalen via Eldal, Likholefossen, Longstølen, and Torsnesstølen. You can start the hike from any point along the trail, and there are four designated areas with signs, maps, and parking facilities. Along the way, you’ll pass through lush landscapes teeming with wildlife, both animals and birds, as well as cultural landscapes with active farms. Transportation service is available along Fossestien from Hov Hyttegrend every day at 10:00 during the season, with a cost of Kr 40,-/20,- per person.
Sogn og Fjordane Art Museum
Art gives expression to human experiences through words, form, color, and sound. Here, in the grand venue for art, you’ll find three floors filled with expressions of lived lives that you can experience, interpret, and ponder upon. Throughout the year, you’ll find changing exhibitions showcasing contemporary art from the region and beyond. Additionally, the museum houses exhibitions from Sogn og Fjordane Art Museum’s own collection. The collections offer regional and national visual art and crafts from the 20th century to the present day. misf.no/kunstmuseet
Sunnfjord Museum
When you step into one of the small, timbered living rooms, you enter the life of a Sunnfjord resident in the 19th century. This open-air museum presents cultural heritage and daily life from the inner Sunnfjord villages. With over 30 well-preserved buildings, you’ll experience a traditional courtyard, a crofter’s cottage, and a summer mountain pasture. By the water, there is a boathouse where you can take a refreshing swim in the summer and greet the museum’s goats. misf.no/sunnfjord-museum
Hestad Chapel
Hestad Chapel stands proudly on the narrow peninsula that separates Viksdalsvatnet from Hestad Fjord. The church was built in 1805. If you’re traveling along the Gaularfjellet National Tourist Route, you must make a stop for a guided tour and perhaps even take a dip in the idyllic Hestadfjorden.
Luftkampmuseet (Air Battle Museum)
An Allied air force launches an attack on German ships anchored in Frammarsvik in the Førdefjorden. Their target is to sink Z33, a German destroyer. It turned out to be the largest air battle over Norway during World War II. Those who survived named the event ‘The Black Friday’ in memory of their fallen comrades. From the museum, you can overlook the fjord where the ships were located. The museum features exhibitions with photographs, films, and wreckage. haajen.no/luftkampmuseum
Freshwater Fishing
Fishing for salmon and trout has a long tradition in Sunnfjord, both as a recreational activity and as an industry. The Nausta River originates in the Naustdal-Gjengedal Landscape Conservation Area and meanders through a lush landscape on its way to the Førdefjorden estuary. In Nausta, you can fish for both salmon and sea trout. The stretch of river known for salmon and sea trout fishing is 12.4 km long. Within this stretch, there are two waterfalls: Naustdalsfossen, located 1.5 km upstream from the river’s mouth, and Hovefossen, which is 2.9 km further up the river. At the end of Naustedalen lies Vonavatnet. Recent targeted fish cultivation efforts have improved the quality and size of the fish. The area and the lake are easily accessible and serve as a great starting point for hiking and mountain tours. The Gaular River system has a salmon-bearing stretch of 14.5 km. In the river system, there are several salmon ladders, and the one at Osfossen, dating back to the 1870s, is the oldest in the country. Upstream in the river system, you will find Haukedalsvatnet, Hestadfjorden and Viksdalsvatnet, which are excellent starting points for trout fishing as well. Fishing permits can be purchased for the various areas at inatur.no
Mountain Hikes and Trails
Storehesten is located between the Førdefjorden and Dalsfjorden, and together with Lisjehesten further east and Blegja to the west, this mountain massif forms a 360 million-year-old Devonian deposit of conglomerate and sandstone. From the top of Storehesten, you can see westward to the sea, north to the Ålfotbreen glacier, eastward to the Jostedalsbreen glacier, and southward to the mountains around Bergen. The route is well-marked, and you should expect about three hours of leisurely hiking to reach the summit.
Dagsturhytta (Day Trip Cabin) is a low-threshold offering for hikers — a place to have your packed lunch, get some warmth, and browse through books. Each cabin has a Norwegian literature collection with various books. In Sunnfjord, you can find Gytta in Førde, Skaraly in Gaular, and Steinkorshytta in Naustdal.
Recommended hikes:
Storehesten
Djupeviknipa
Eikåsnipa
Laukelandshesten
Rundenova
Gottopphesten
Steinkorsen
Smådalsnipa
Vindkjegla
Naregga
Bekkjavatnet rundt
7 mountain hike in Førde: Fureviknipa, Skinnbroka, Fauskevarden, Halbrendsnipa, Hafstadfjellet, Viefjellet og Førdsnipa.
You can find many detailed hiking descriptions on ut.no or in the book «Opptur Indre Sunnfjord»
