Portor

The home of the first King of Norway and one of the most beautiful regions of the country with steep cliffs and luxuriant forests, situated in the southeastern part of the country, on the Skagerrak coast, the Telemark region is bordered by Vestfold, Aust-Agder, and Buskerud. Norway’s other principal counties.

This mystical area is believed to have been a Viking kingdom and was the home of Harald Fairhair considered the first king of Norway. With The Telemark Canal flowing right through the heart of the county, this engineering wonder constructed in 1892 connects the northern and southern parts of the area, to be more precise, the cities of Skien and Dalen.

This magnificent destination comes alive during the summer and is the host of many touristic attractions. The most significant landmark that can be visited is Heddal Stave Church- A wood constructed church that is the largest of its kind in all of Norway. Nature is no stranger to Telemark as Gaustatoppen Mountain offers a long pathway that leads to its highest peak. It is the perfect occasion to explore the green forests and cold climate. The county is put on the map by a total of 18 municipalities, all adding to almost 13,173 square kilometres of land and water. The largest towns in Telemark are Skien, Porsgrunn, and Bamble, - and provide tourists with a variety of cultural as well as entertaining attractions.

Skien is the centre of Telemark’s administrations and takes its place as one of Norway’s oldest cities taking you all the way back to the Middle Ages..  The Ibsenhuset convention centre hosts opera, theater shows and music events. For those interested in religion, here they can find Skien Church- The biggest establishment of its kind in the county and most famous for its identical towers.

Porsgrunn was founded in 1576 and is known as the place where the Skien unites with the fjord and is even mentioned in Norwegian literature: "Two and a half miles from the sea, the Skien River flows into the fjord, and that place is called Porsgrund." Porsgrund Porcelain Factory is the most visited landmark in the area allowing tourists to view the complicated processes that transform a mere clay roll into a unique work of art.

Established in 1838, Bamble is an area that hosts mines like Ødegården Verk apatite – A nickel mine that is functional up to this day. Langøytangen Lighthouse is an active landmark that still guides boats just off the shores of Langøya Island. This unique place is open for visitation, providing you with the opportunity to have a magnificent overview of Norway’s coastline.

Quality accommodation can be found everywhere and are suited for all type of tourists. Here is a list of the top rated hotels in Telemark: Gaustablikk Høyfjellshotell, Rauland Høgfjellshotell, and Vågslidtun Hotell are situated in the mountains, Quality Hotel & Resort Skjærgården, and Kragerø Resort are just along the coastline.

Are you feeling hungry? Then try the top restaurants that provide the best cuisine feature names like Blaa Mat & Bar - Porsgrunn, Jacob & Gabriel – Folkegourmet – Skien and Langoya Hovedgard – Bamble.