Winter in Lillehammer

Lillehammer in Norway

Lillehammer (28.000 inhabitants), considered Norway's oldest winter sports resort and host of the 1994 Winter Olympics. Lillehammer region provides you with a combination of long-standing tradition and modern activities and services. You will find excellent museums and galleries, Olympic venues, a large number of restaurants and wide selection of shops and accommodation. The Lillehammer region is also famous for its ski terrain and excellent winter sport facilities. Nearby at the Lillehammer and Hafjell mountains, you will find the best network of cross-country ski trails in Northern Europe, comprising 350 km. The excellent ski centre is located at Hafjell, 15 minutes away by ski bus, and offers a mountain village feel with full amenities and ski in/out accommodation.

The Lillehammer region is famous for the spectacular local ski terrain and the many local winter sports activities. The area offers a wide range of skiing alternatives, including approx. 350 km. of prepared cross-country trails. You can ski in both forested and mountain terrain, and all the trails are clearly sign posted.

The Olympic Winter Games in 1994 once again put the Lillehammer region on the international winter travel itinerary. Today, Lillehammer provides visitors with a combination of cherished traditions and modern attractions, with a host of popular museums, galleries, Olympic facilities, exquisite restaurants and excellent shopping.

Travel to Lillehammer

Travelling to the Lillehammer and Hafjell in Norway is easy. Lillehammer is located right off the E-6 highway which is the major travel artery from southern to northern Norway. By car, Lillehammer only two hours from Oslo, four hours from Trondheim and five hours from Ålesund. If you are arriving by plane, just take the bus or train from the Oslo International Airport to Lillehammer. When in the town, buses leave about every 30 minutes to most of the local attractions in the area, and there are frequent train departures to both Oslo and Trondheim.

Lillehammer does not have an airport, but Norway´s main international airport, Oslo Airport, is located only 145 km (90 miles) from Lillehammer. There are frequent train departures from the airport terminal (takes 1 hour 45 minutes to Lillehammer), and you can also rent a car at the airport.

Shopping in Lillehammer

Storgata Street in Lillehammer, with its low wooden buildings clad in winter attire, is an experience in its own right. An when the town has been adorned with Christmas decorations, you will not find a more romantic motif, not even on a Christmas card. With a total of over 250 shops, Lillehammer should be able to satisfy the most demaning of shoppers. Most of the shops are located on Storgata street, or within walking distance thereof. From Lilletorget square, you can take a detour to the old industrial area of Mesna Brug that today houses a number of shops and has been given the name Mesnasenteret.

The centre of Lillehammer -- with its award-winning pedestrian street Storgata at its hub - is famous around the world. Charming and historically important buildings serve as the backdrop for a modern and bustling shopping environment with a number of specialist shops and an excellent range of products to choose from.