Things to do & places to visit in Central Norway, Norway

The central Norwegian area of Trondelag has its ideological capital in Trondheim, founded by Viking king Olaf Tryggvason in the 10th century and the seat of Norway's power until the 13th. Today, it's still the country's third-largest city, a university town with a rich culture. Trondelag's western offshore islands of Hitra and Froya are popular for outdoor adventures like camping, hiking, biking, snorkeling and scuba diving. They are also one of the world's best spots for deep sea fishing.

Central Norway #4 destination in Norway 2023. The average rating score is 4.33 based on 9.636 traveler reviews, of 70 attractions. Timezone: Europe/Oslo, current date and time: Sunday, May 05, 2024, 4:55.

Top things to do (33)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Femundsmarka National Park (20 reviews)
- Mysterious landscapes
National Parks

Femundsmarka National Park is one of the largest continuous, unspoilt wilderness regions in Southern Scandinavia. A great area for canoeing and fishing. The Norwegian Trekking Association has selected it as one of the three best hiking areas in Norway. National Park centre at Doktortjonna, See more..
4.5 Nidaros Cathedral (2.599 reviews)
- Well worth the entry fee - a stunning interior.
Spent 1-2 hours Churches & Cathedrals

A grey day in Trondheim and we were on an organised tour around the city. Our guide took us to the cathedral and explained about the building and said we had some free time and we could pay to go into the cathedral. It was a small fee and well worth it. The interior is stunning. Perhaps our guide should have been more insistent about going inside. See more..
4.5 Old Town Bridge (1.321 reviews)
- Awesome - try to spot George Clooney the painter!!!!
Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks • Bridges

Lovely photo opportunities from this bridge The difficulty with the photos in June 2020 are that paintwork is getting done. However, the decorator - seems to want to appear on everybody’s photo posing with a can of Monster energy drink for the 30 minutes I was there. Cross the bridge and on the corner on the left is a sensational coffee shop. Turn right and take photo opportunities at the quaint cafe next to the cycling repair shop Essential viewing when in Trondheim on way to Nidaros Cathedral - which is stunning in itself!!!! See more..
4.5 Bakklandet (411 reviews)
- An essential Trondheim sightseeing stop
Spent 2-3 hours Neighborhoods

Beautiful area. Coffee shop on the corner on your left is excellent. Superb home made summer lemonade. Straight ahead up an incline leads to the fortress which is a complete and utter waste of time. Grab a riverside beer and get picture postcard views of the stilted wharf houses and Nid river walkway See more..
4.5 Roros Church (252 reviews)
- Gorgeous landmark
Churches & Cathedrals

‘Bergstadens Ziir’ – better known as Roros Church – was built during the copperwork’s golden age ‘in God’s honour and as an adornment to the town. The church, which was completed in 1784, does justice to its name with its majestic location high above the timber buildings. The Directorate for Cultural Heritage regards the church as one of the ten most profiled churches in Norway. It is one of the country’s largest churches with seating for 1,600 people. The church has been newly opened after 2 years of extensive renovation and has now been restored to its former glory. See more..
4.5 Sverresborg Trondelag Folk Museum (224 reviews)
- Beautiful buildings with a great guide
Sunday: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours History Museums

Open air museum with more than 80 buildings from Trondheim and the Trondelag area. Beautiful surroundings, and from the ruins of King Sverre's Castle you have a wonderful view over the city and the fjord. The impressive main exhibition Livsbilder, Images of Life, in the public building reflects childhood, youth, adulthood and age in the region during the past century. The rural section shows the development in Trondelag buidling styles from the fjord to the mountains, and how people lived in the 18th and 19th centuries in the different country areas. See more..
4.5 Ringve Museum (217 reviews)
- Enjoyable, Entertaining and Educational
Sunday: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Speciality Museums

Ringve Music Museum is a specialized museum dedicated to music and musical instruments. All year musical guides take you through music history with live demonstrations of historical instruments. Ringve is a country estate with buildings from four different centuries surrounded by Ringve Botanical Gardens. See more..
4.5 Roros Museum Smelthytta (200 reviews)
- A must visit!!
History Museums

The Roros Museum is an independent foundation dedicated to care for and develop historical cultural values in the Roros district. We have a special responsibility for Roros World Heritage, southern Sami historical culture, mining history, the preservation of buildings and information about Femundsmarka National Park. The Roros Museum has four sites to visit, all of which are open to the public: "Smetlhytta" (The Smeltery), "Olavsgruva" (Olav's Mine), "Doktortjonna" (Femundsmarka National Park Centre and outdoor recreation area) and "Sleggveien" (Slag Street). See more..
4.5 Vitensenteret i Trondheim (153 reviews)
- Interesting for all ages :-)
Sunday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Science Museums • Observatories & Planetariums

Vitensenteret is a science center where visitors are encouraged to learn through interactive exhibitions. The center is open Monday to Sunday, and here you will find exciting activities, experiments and interactive installations for the whole family. During weekends and school holidays we have a varied program, and we also organize summer schools, science clubs, birthday parties and other events. While visiting us you can also experience Norway’s first and only 3D planetarium and 360 cinema. Join us for a spectacular journey through space or watch one of our fulldome films. Screenings are usually during the weekend or on special requests. Want to extend the fun? We also have a science store with exciting experiments and toys. Trondheim Science Store is open all days of the week, and you can drop by without a ticket to the center. See more..
4.5 Røros Museum Olav's Mine (144 reviews)
- Well worth a stop.
Speciality Museums

This is a very interesting part of Norwegian history, especially between Sweden & Norway. Also, explains the conflicts between the workers and owners at this time. See more..
4.5 Bymarka (137 reviews)
- Wild navigation in the forest. Must have GPS App such as All Trails to navigate between the trails. Amazing day.
Nature & Wildlife Areas • Hiking Trails

So close to the town, so easy to arrive. Trum no. 9. Getting off in Lian. Walking 15 Km through the reserve. Bus 11 back from Byasen mall. Since it was a rainy day we went through the wet grass and many temporal streams of water. In the summit of the ski lift we had arctic weather, but it all justified the 6 hours walk in almost perfect solitude. Highly recommended in any weather. Bring with you proper clothing and shoes. A navigation app is a must. 5 stars, no doubt. See more..
4.5 Bondens Marked (101 reviews)
- The place to discover local food products
Points of Interest & Landmarks

Flott gatemarked på Torvet i Trondheim, gjenntagende evenement, kortreist mat, attraksjon, utendørs, ingen inngang. See more..
4.5 Slegghaugan (92 reviews)
- Man made hills
Mountains

Slag is a by-product of copper smelting. Slegghaugan stand as large mountains that are a testament to the huge amount of activity that has taken place over 333 years. If you climb to the top of Slegghaugan, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Mining-Town. Very close to Slegghaugan is Sleggveien, also referred to as Pippi Street. An episode of Pippi Long Stocking was filmed here. See more..
4.5 Ladestien - Hiking Trail (85 reviews)
- At its best May through August
Spent 1-2 hours Hiking Trails

This hiking trail is best enjoyed during the summer / warmer period in Trondheim, usually from mid May until August / September. Most parts of the trail goes through quite open landspace, while smaller sections of the trail is covered by tree canopies providing some shade on sunny days. See more..
4.5 Lysgaard Keramikk (70 reviews)
- An extraordinary joyful and impressive visit
Art Galleries

The gallery-shop presents a wide range of my work, both functional ceramics and sculptures. Each piece is unique. Come to the gallery and choose what you like best! See more..
4.5 Graakallbanen (68 reviews)
- Proper snowy region
Spent < 1 hour Trams

The world's northernmost tramway. Regular service from Trondheim city centre (St. Olavs gate) to Lian. See more..
4.5 Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum (52 reviews)
- Great staff
Temporarily closed - Closed until further notice Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums • Architectural Buildings • Art Museums

Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum was established in 1893, inspired by the world exhibitons and Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The collection consist of national and international decorative arts and design. This includes Japanese Craft, Scandinavian design classics and contemporary Norwegian design and Crafts. Here you can find the worlds largest collection of Hannah Ryggens textiles and interiors designed for the museum by Henry van de Velde and Finn Juhl. See more..
4.5 Hegra Festning (49 reviews)
- History
Spent 2-3 hours Military Museums • Historic Sites • History Museums

Hegra Fortress was finished in 1910, an was build as a result of the end of Norways union with Sweden in 1905. The fortress was intended to stop a swedish invasion through the walley of Stjørdal. The fortress is most known for its effort during the german invasion in Norway in spring 1940. Major Holtermann and his men held the fortress without surrending for 25 days, until the southern parts of Norway capitulated. Today the fortress is open during the summer season, with a museum and a restaurant, and it is possible to wander around the whole fortress and the beautiful surroundings. See more..
4.5 Elgsethytta (41 reviews)
- Great place and great food
Spent 1-2 hours Ski & Snowboard Areas

A nice Place! Takes about 30 minutes from Skistua when skiing. Good service and great food. Nice and old cabin. See more..
4.5 Jewish Museum Trondheim (33 reviews)
- Well worth a visit
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums • Historic Sites • History Museums

The museum presents the history of Jews in Trondheim, their daily life, religious ceremonies and culture. See more..
4.5 Hell Stasjon (30 reviews)
- Great place to take some pictures
Points of Interest & Landmarks

Due to its name, Hell Station has become a tourist attraction. The station's freight building still bears the old sign saying Hell Gods-Expedition. In Norwegian, Gods-Expedition (archaic) or godsekspedisjon (modern) means freight service or cargo handling.[5] This sign is a popular photo opportunity for foreign tourists, and especially in the summer months, it is not unusual that foreigners, when discovering the sign, evacuate the train in order to get a photo. Whilst associated with the religious concept Hell by English-speakers, the name Hell derives from Old Norse hellir, which means cave. The Norwegian equivalent to English hell is hel or, more commonly, helvete (compare with Old English hellewīte). See more..
4.5 Kystriksveien (26 reviews)
- A beautiful alternative route
Sunday: Spent More than 3 hours Scenic Drives • Scenic Walking Areas

Kystriksveien is the Coastal Road of Northern Norway, a 650 km long road from Steinkjer to Bodø. Travel slow along Kystriksveien and make sure to include a visit to the many islands. Cycling, biking and kayaking are popular activities that you might want to explore. Visit our Kystriksveien Info-Center in Steinkjer. We know this road and can provide you with the right maps, brochures and books. See more..
4.5 Stokkoya Sjosenter (21 reviews)
- Excelent
Water Sports

The food!!! excelent. we ate cod ravioli, lamb and carrot cake. abseloutly world class. You can not undergravd until you have tried. World class, with a magical view and excelent personal. See more..
4.5 Falstadsenteret (19 reviews)
- Minneverdig tur innom Falstadsenteret.
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums • Historic Sites • Military Bases & Facilities

The building from 1921 was originally a school home for “difficult” boys. During World War 2 the nazis seized the property as a prison camp. The SS Strafgefangenenlager Falstad was the only camp in Norway directly under SS commando. More than 4.200 people from 15 nations were imprisonated here during the war, and around 200 were executed in the Falstad forest close by. Today Falstad is a war memorial, a human rights centre and a education and research centre. There are several exhibitions open for the audience, and we also offer hotel and conference service. See more..
4.5 Vaernes Church (19 reviews)
- Vaernes Church
Churches & Cathedrals

The oldest building in Stjordal is also the most stately one. In the whole of Norway there is hardly another building of the same age that still is in use. When the foundation stone was laid, the Norwegian Viking Era was still in full bloom. More than 400 years were to pass before Martin Luther started his Reformation. The French Revolution was almost 700 years into the future. The Church of Vaernes bears witness to old greatness in the Stjordal valley. The mighty chalk-white walls testify to an affluent society and to people with power and go-ahead spirit. In a cultural and historical perspective the church is a treasure. It was nearly started at the same time as the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, which is the greatest Christian building in Norway. The Church of Vaernes is a time machine. Under the high roofs the centuries have written their autographs. Pictures of gods and devil´s masks fight ruthlessly about the hegemony in the human soul. The dramaturgy of the Middle Age comes alive in the life- or death battle that unfolds before our eyes on the church walls. If you lift your eyes even further, towards the roof-truss, you can see the last millennium face to face. Nowhere else in the country you will have such an opportunity to admire the art of carpentry as it was displayed nearly 900 years ago. This is one of the reasons why the Church of Vaernes is a familiar name in antiquarian circles on the whole continent. The wooden ceiling is the original from the 12th century, and the only one still in existence. It has a span of more than 11 meters and has been the inspiration for reconstructions of roofs in other medieval buildings in Norway (the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim and Hakonshallen in Bergen). The Church of Vaernes is a cultural treasure, perhaps because the majestic church building gives us a close contact with the mysticism and sentiment of the past. Many people come here to contemplate about the mysteries of life – great and small. The thoughts wa... See more..
4.5 Dampsaga bad (14 reviews)
- Probably one of the best indoor waterparks in Norway
Sports Complexes

This waterpark has something to offer for everyone: Several pools with different depths and water temperatures, dive boards, stream pool, wave pool, body slides and a tyre slide. Clean and pleasant all around, inlcuding the wardrobes. It's not very big, so it might get crowded on a busy day, but we practically had the place to ourself this day in the middle of the summer. The kids loved it! See more..
4.5 Mariaklosteret (14 reviews)
- Fantastic architecture
Spent 1-2 hours Churches & Cathedrals

Definitely worth seeing if you are in the area. Beautiful modern architecture, quiet atmosphere. Particularly spectacular on sunny days. See more..
4.5 Hjelseng Gard (14 reviews)
- Lovely
Spent 2-3 hours Breweries

We stopped for a quick lunch while we were on the road, and had an amazing time. The restaurant is basically a small museum, impressive norwegian-style wooden building with lots of entertaining antiques. The outside seating has the view of a Golf course, Beautiful. But the main highlight was actually the food, Though the menu was limited ( We were there in midweek, Just burgers and omletes, and ..), but fresh and delicious. They also sell their local products, like cheese and ... See more..
4.5 Galleri Fenka (12 reviews)
- A must visit!
Sunday: Spent 1-2 hours Art Galleries • Art Museums

Galleri Fenka er en arena for kunst, historie - og kulturopplevelser, et fengsel som gir noe til ettertanke. See more..
4.5 Harbakhulen (11 reviews)
- Short distance experience
Caverns & Caves

Harbakhula is a large cave out by Nature's own forces 120 metres deep and 40 metres high. There is a marked path up to the cave where you have the most amazing view over the landscape. An artexhibition is displayed at Harbak Bedehus. See more..