10 reasons to visit Voss

Deep in the heart of Fjord Norway, located between the King and the Queen of fjords, the adrenaline capital of the country awaits!

Voss may be a relatively small place, but it’s one of the most exciting ones to visit in all of Norway. Think snow-capped mountain peaks, cascading waterfalls, wild rivers and streams… and all of that between Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord, accessible from both Bergen and Oslo.

There are indeed many reasons to visit —and fall in love with— Voss. Below you’ll find 10 of them. Read up, and start packing for your trip!

It’s officially the adrenaline capital of Norway

The natural landscape in Voss and its surrounding areas is breathtaking… in more than one way! Voss has an extreme sports legacy and a very active community that organizes a ton of fun, adrenaline-pumping events and activities all year long.

Whatismore, the diversity of the landscape helps create the perfect background for everything for skiing to climbing and whitewater rafting, and from parachuting and paragliding to flying in a wind tunnel. So whatever your preferred high octane activity is, chances are Voss has you covered!

It’s a skiing paradise

Are you more of an alpine skiing person or a cross-skiing person? It’s a trick question: whichever you prefer, Voss is the perfect destination for you. There are two different ski centres in the area to choose from (Voss Resort and Myrkdalen) both of which offer trails for all skill levels. Plus, the natural summits around Voss make for great mountain skiing.

You can take a gondola to a mountaintop

Well, if we’re being exact it’s only a gondola by name: the Voss Gondol is actually  the biggest and most modern cable car in all of Northern Europe. Inaugurated in 2019, the sleek-designed Voss Gondol can take you from the train station all the way to the mountaintop of Hangurstoppen (820 metres above sea level) in just nine minutes. 

Best thing is, you can hop on this unique gondola all year long. In the winter it takes you directly to the ski centre, while in the summertime it gives you the opportunity to explore the area around Hangurstoppen and try your hand in several sports and activities.

You can have lunch with a view… a panoramic one!

Exhausted from all the skiing and hiking… or simply trying to take it easy? Right at the mountaintop, you’ll find Hangurstoppen Restaurant for all your apres-ski and lunch-with-a-view needs. 

Open year round, the restaurant serves rustic dishes, prepared with care using locally produced ingredients from the area’s farmers. But one of the best things on the menu is the view. With panoramic views of the mountains around Voss, a large outdoor area and floor-to-ceiling windows, this will be a lunch to remember!

You’ll never be “off season”

You know how it is: some places are magnificent during the summer only to look sad and forlorn during wintertime… and vice versa. But not Voss! Equally beautiful all year long, you can visit Voss for skiing in the winter and for a ton of other sports and activities during summertime.

You can go chasing waterfalls — and perhaps emerge a new person!

Remember the cascading waterfalls we mentioned? There are many in the area, but perhaps the most intriguing one is Tvindefossen, a few kilometres north from Vossevangen village. Tvindefossen is 116 metres high and its beauty has inspired famous Norwegian painters such as Johan Christian Dahl… but that’s not the whole story. 

The water in the waterfall is thought to have special properties. Dating from the old days, rumours about Tvindefossen’s power to rejuvenate have made the rounds bringing travellers from all over the world. Perhaps you can have a sip and decide for yourself.

You can paddle in one of Europe’s best rafting rivers

Love whitewater rafting? There are three rivers in the Voss area, Stranda, Raundal and Vosso, all excellent for rafting due to their rapids. In fact, Raundal in particular, is considered one of the most demanding rivers for rafting in all of Europe — so if you love challenges, this will be an exciting one!

You can follow in Gordon Ramsay’s footsteps

It’s not just the extreme sports Voss is famous for. The whole region has a rich culinary heritage that’s made it renown to chefs from all over the world — Gordon Ramsay among them! 

The British chef superstar has visited Voss to try a local delicacy called “smalahove” (cured sheep’s head) that local farmers have been preparing and perfecting for centuries. But even if “smalahove” sounds a bit too… extreme for you, the local cuisine also has other specialties, such as sour cream porridge, that you need to try.

You can travel back in time

Voss is one of those places that feel unchanged throughout the course of time. But if you want to catch a glimpse of how the local farmers lived and worked in the area back in medieval times, you can head over to the Folk Museum for an eye-opening experience!

You will be among Olympians!

Remember how we mentioned Voss’s extreme sports legacy? This small village is actually home to some of Norway’s best athletes — and has more medals per capita (98 from Olympics and world championships) than any other place in the whole world! Maybe it’s something in the water?

Try river rafting in Voss

Voss Family River Rafting

Join a family-friendly rafting adventure on the Vosso River

From NOK 825

Voss White Water Rafting

A world-class white river rafting experience in Voss

From NOK 1445