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Voykit pocket guide · Norway
Balestrand
Stay 1–2 nights on the Sognefjord: a small village, one big hotel, fjord views and hikes. Skip if you want nightlife or a car-free city.
Balestrand is a village of a few hundred people on the north shore of the Sognefjord, reached by express boat from Bergen or Flåm and by bus from Sogndal. It has been a resort since the 1800s, when Kaiser Wilhelm II spent summers here. Today it is a base for fjord views, short hikes and the ferry to Fjærland. One night covers the village; two nights let you add a hike or the glacier. Everything sits within a 15–20 minute walk of the ferry pier.
- Country
- Norway
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (short days, some boats and hotels closed)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- NOK
- Money
- Currency is the Norwegian krone (NOK, kr); the euro is not used. About 11.5 NOK to €1 — check.
- Daily spend
- Budget kr 700–1,200 excl. bed · Mid kr 1,200–2,000 excl. bed · High kr 2,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- EEA roaming applies: EU and EEA SIMs work at home prices.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Ambulance 113 · Fire 110 · Out-of-hours doctor 116 117
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin; UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Included; round up or add 5–10% for good service.; Café and bar: Nothing expected.; Taxi: Round up.; Guides: Optional.
- Water
- Tap water is excellent; streams in the mountains are usually drinkable, but avoid water below farms and grazing.
- Toilets
- Free or card-paid (NOK 10–20) in towns; trailheads often have pit toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | kr 40–60 |
| Lunch, café or hotel | kr 150–250 |
| Dinner, hotel restaurant | kr 300–500 |
| Grocery basics (Coop or Joker) | kr 100–200 |
| Sognefjord Aquarium entry | kr 70 adult / kr 35 child |
| St Olav's Church | Free admission |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SOG · Sogndal Airport, Haukåsen
- Closest airport; short flights from Oslo and Bergen, then bus or boat onward
- FDE · Førde Airport, Bringeland
- Alternative; local buses from Førde about five times a day
- BGO · Bergen Airport, Flesland
- Closest international airport; express boat from Bergen in summer
Typical fares
- Express boat Bergen → Balestrand
- about kr 500–700, 3–4 h
- Ferry Balestrand → Fjærland
- about kr 150 one way, 1 h
- Bus Sogndal → Balestrand
- about kr 100–150, 1 h
Get around
Walk. The village is 15–20 minutes end to end. Bicycles can be rented from the tourist information office; cars from Kviknes Hotel or from larger towns nearby. Express boats and the Fjærland ferry leave from the pier in the centre.
See and do
Known for
- Sognefjord views
- Kviknes Hotel
- St Olav's Church (the English church)
- Kaiser Wilhelm II's summer resort history
- Fjord hikes
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Fjærland | Fjord1 ferry from the Balestrand pier | About 1 h each way |
| Vikøyri | Ferry to Vangsnes, then bus or car over Vikafjellet | About 1.5 h |
| Flåm | Fjord1 express boat | About 1.5–2 h |
| Sogndal | Route 55 along the fjord, by bus or car | About 1 h |
| Lærdal | Bus or car via Sogndal and the Lærdal tunnel | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Village centre by the ferry pier
- Kviknes Hotel, Midtnes, Kringsjå and Balestrand Hotel all within a 10-minute walk of the boat.
- Dragsvik
- About 3 km west; camping and the ferry link to Vangsnes.About 1.9 mi west; camping and the ferry link to Vangsnes.
- Sjøtun / Esefjorden
- Camping and cabins south of the centre; car or a longer walk.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Heihay |
| Thank you | Takktakk |
| How much is it? | Hvor mye koster det?vor MEW-eh KOS-ter deh |
| Can I pay by card? | Kan jeg betale med kort?kan yai beh-TAH-leh meh kort |
| Where is the ferry? | Hvor er fergekaia?vor air FER-geh-kai-ah |
| Excuse me | UnnskyldUN-shyld |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, first names; avoid: Small talk that is too personal
- Nature: Greet other hikers, close gates, carry litter out; avoid: Loud music on trails
- Home visit: Shoes off; bring flowers or chocolates; 'takk for maten' after the meal; avoid: Arriving late
- Conversation: Modest, factual, humorous; avoid: Showing off wealth — Norwegians are rich but understated
- 17 May: Dress up, join the crowds, wave a flag; avoid: Treating the parades as a tourist show
- Queues: Take a number; avoid: Pushing in
Scams and watch-outs
- Midtnes Hotel has not taken cards: bring cash or check before booking.
- Express boat frequency drops outside summer — one daily in winter on some routes.
- Kvamsøy church and Haukaas Enamel workshop need an appointment.
- Mountain weather changes fast; carry rain gear on any hike.
Very safe. The real risks are cold water, slippery fjord-side paths after rain and long response times if you hike alone — tell someone your route.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Balestrand yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Sognefjord views
- Kviknes Hotel
- St Olav's Church (the English church)
- Kaiser Wilhelm II's summer resort history
- Fjord hikes
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Balestrand: visitbalestrand.no/
- Fjord1 (express boats and ferries): www.fjord1.no/eng
- Kviknes Hotel: www.kviknes.com/
- Wikivoyage: Balestrand, revision 4514791 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4514791
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Balestrand
Til denne adressen, takk
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Balestrand; the nearest consulates are in Bergen, embassies in Oslo.
Ferry and express boat timetables change by season: confirm the day before you travel.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/balestrand). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.