Norway 2025 · Page 9

After two eventful days in Eidfjord, our journey continued south to Fredrikstad. There we found a wonderful pitch, quietly located yet close to the water – a perfect base for exploring.

A real highlight was the free ferry that took us straight to the old town. Even the short crossing gave us a pure holiday feeling: fresh sea air, the view of the fortress and the small boats in the harbour.

Gamlebyen, the old town of Fredrikstad, thrilled us immediately. It's considered the best-preserved fortified town in Northern Europe. Surrounded by wide moats and ramparts, you feel transported to another time. Cobbled lanes, colourful wooden houses and small cafés invite you to stroll. It was particularly lovely to wander through the narrow lanes, watch the craftspeople in their workshops and browse in the little boutiques.

Afterwards we explored the modern city centre of Fredrikstad, which offers an exciting contrast to Gamlebyen. There's a lively shopping street, cosy restaurants and a great harbour promenade where you can sit and watch the world go by. The mix of historic backdrop and modern lifestyle makes Fredrikstad a very special city.

After a quiet, restful night in Fredrikstad, we set off early the next morning towards the border. Our destination was Svinesund on the Swedish side. The drive there was relaxed, and we were looking forward to setting foot on Swedish soil again.

In Svinesund we first stopped to go shopping – and what fun it was! The shops there are full of all kinds of sweets: huge shelves of chocolate, sweets, liquorice and gummy bears in every colour and shape. No wonder so many Norwegians come here, as Norway's high sugar tax is very noticeable. Of course we had to stock up too – the bags filled up quickly, and the choice was simply tempting.