Sogndalstrand

Season: All year. This small community is one of Rogaland’s most visited destinations. It was previously a seaport for sailing ships. Today it is a listed area oozing of charm and hospitality. In this rustic cultural landscape among peaceful wooden houses from 17-1800s, you can unwind and recharge your batteries.

In Sogndalstrand you can take time out from everyday routines and enjoy the good and relaxed way of life in one of the seven listed cultural environments in Norway. With a membership in the Cittaslow movement, Sokndal municipality distance themselves from the standardised and uniform way of life and embrace the small and the local. They wish to portray the unique and characteristic feeling in a place where the environment and the laidback life are in focus. In Sogndalstrand you get a taste of both the traditional and the historical in the middle of spectacular landscapes. Enjoy memorable hikes or rides on bike, or simply enjoy the silence of this charismatic, tiny community. The hotel industry in Sogndalstrand has contributed to the growth of businesses in the small coastal environment, and there is an increased focus on recreating the ancient trade environment there. Today’s industries consist of a gallery, souvenir shop, coffee shop, country store and a museum. There are 80 people living there and all the houses in the prehistoric seaport are privately owned.

History of Sogndalstrand

Originally, this little community was a docking port for sail ships. A docking port was a community where the locals worked in trading of goods both inbound and outbound, especially logs and lumber. Already in the 1660s, the name Sogndalstrand is mentioned as one of the most important trading docks in the country. With the strong growth in shipping, fishing and trading during the 1700s, Sogndalstrand was recognised as a seaport in 1798. The community’s grand era was in the 1800s, when there were 20 businesses, four bakeries, two liquor outlets and four taverns in Sogndalstrand. In addition, you could find a customs house, a bank, a spinning mill, a sail ship park and a prison that was extensively used to imprison the drunks from Saturday’s commotion in the public square. In the 1900s when the industrialisation hit Norway, the road replaced the role of the sea. The main route of traffic and the centre of trade moved from Sogndalstrand to Hauge i Dalane – people moved, and shops were closed down. In the 1970s and 1980s, an enormous amount of people moved away from Sogndalstrand and in 1994, the last shop closed down. Several of the wharf houses, industrial buildings and homes were characterised by decay and poor maintenance, and an entire community was endangered. 

A new era begins

The enthusiasts Eli and Jan Omdal discovered this little gem, and in 1994, they initiated the business Krambua, as an idealistic volunteer effort to give new life to this distinctive settlement. The same year the entire area became listed, and an exceptional hotel was established. Sogndalstrand Kulturhotell consists today of 10 different houses, where the oldest dates all the way back to 1831. All rooms are different and restored back to their former 1800-style glory. "Our wish is to maintain the best of the long-gone days. Our main philosophy has been to remain quirky and original, but with all the modern commodities. We are constantly ready to welcoming our guests with smiles and warmth." - Eli and Jan Oddvar.