Voss: Culture, Nature and Activities

A historic farmstead with 16 preserved buildings and a wooden building dating from 1295 represent two different historical landmarks in Voss. Trails also run through the town centre, while the mountains and rivers are a draw for hiking and water activities. When planning your stay, you can start by considering whether culture, nature or seasonal sports should be your main focus.

Cultural sites and trails in the town centre

Mølstertunet is a historic farmstead with 16 buildings, large and small, preserved at their original site. The farmstead offers a different perspective on history from Finnesloftet: Built in 1295, this national monument is considered Norway’s oldest non-church wooden building and lies close to the town centre of Voss. Together, the two sites illustrate different scales—a complex with many buildings and a single historic wooden building.

The Cultural Walk runs through the town centre, passing statues of historical figures associated with Voss. If you’re looking for a cultural walk with a more specific time frame, you’ll find one at Hedleberget: The circular route runs from Voss Bryggeri to the slate quarry, is 2.3 kilometres long and takes about an hour. This gives you a concrete guide for planning; check trail conditions and the availability of a possible guided tour in advance.

Getting there and finding your way around

Voss is accessible by train from Bergen and Oslo; you can also travel by bus or car. Voss station is the town’s transport hub. From there, the Voss Gondol runs year-round to Mount Hanguren, at an altitude of 820 metres, taking less than nine minutes. If a gondola ride is part of your plans, check the timetable before your trip.

The Voss Gondol panoramic trail is about one kilometre long and designed to be wheelchair accessible. As accessibility features can change, it’s best to check before your visit. Another natural attraction, Bordalsgjelet, is within walking distance of the centre of Voss. This gives you several options for planning your day: a walk through town, a mountain trail or a natural attraction you can reach on foot from the centre.

Mountains, winter sports and water

The mountains around Voss offer short and long hikes with panoramic views of glaciers, fjords, mountain ranges and lakes. Weather and snow conditions affect trail conditions. For winter sports in Voss, you can choose Myrkdalen Mountain Resort, with 22 varied ski runs and nine lifts, or Voss Resort. Voss Resort offers 40 kilometres of well-groomed slopes for all ability levels. Facilities and operating conditions may vary seasonally; check conditions for your planned trip.

Water activities also depend on conditions. White-water rafting takes place on either the Strandaelva or Raundalselva, depending on water levels, and is suitable for all experience levels. A guided SUP tour starts on Lake Vangsvatnet and continues along the River Vosso. Canyoning on the Raundalselva is offered when water levels are low and includes swimming, climbing and jumping. Plan these activities with water levels, the season and operator availability in mind.

Activities in Voss also include indoor skydiving, tandem skydiving and tandem paragliding. These activities depend on operator availability and seasonal conditions. For a different kind of activity, Vossabadet Indoor Swimming Centre has three different pools; its facilities may change.

Festival and travel planning

Ekstremsportveko is an annual festival in Voss featuring sports and music events. If you’d like to plan your trip around it, check the dates for your intended year of travel. When choosing a hotel, it helps to consider the experiences you’re looking for: travel connections and the gondola ride, cultural trails, hiking and seasonal activities each make for a different kind of stay.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Evanger, Bolstadøyri, Myrdal, Vossestrand, Vossevangen, Skulestadmoen, Myrkdalen, Bømlo.

For the main travel overview: Hordaland.