by: Holmestrand

Odin Chocolate

Odin Chocolate imakes top-quality chocolate from the finest cocoa beans imported from Latin-America. The chocolate is made in Hof at their small chocolate factory with a team of 5.

Odin Chocolate believe in creating chocolates that are not only delicious but also made with care, respect, and a touch of Norwegian magic”.
Using the best locally sourced ingredients, the cacao beans is hand-sorted to remove imperfections and roast them to perfection, ensuring every bite is bursting with fantastic flavor! After roasting, the chocolate making is starting. They try to keep it “clean & simple”, that's why their 70% only has 5 ingredients!

Cacao beans
Cacao butter
Sugar
Salt
Vanilla
For the milk chocolate, high-quality Norwegian milk is added!

From a ethical cacao sourcing to the unique chocolate-making process, Odin Chocolate strive to set a new standard for chocolate and chocolate makers worldwide. Their 70% dark chocolate is carefully refined at a higher temperature to remove acidity, ensuring a smooth, delicious taste that stands out!

Odin Chocolate love infusing their heritage into our decisions and brand. Starting as a small café in 2021, now they have grown to produce 1 ton of chocolate every week! They want the story and amazing culture to be felt in every bite.

The two newest products “Yggdrasil & Fenrir” are launched!

Enjoy our delicious dark chocolate without the bitter aftertaste, and discover the enchanting story of the great wolf Fenrir from Norse mythology.  Experience the perfect combination of our 45% milk chocolate, paired with a heartwarming story about unity inspired by Yggdrasil.

The chocolate is available at some selected Meny and tourist shops and Way Nor stores and at their website.

The Backer sisters

The Backer sisters, Harriet and Agathe, were the daughters of consul, shipowner and businessman Nils Backer (1815 – 1877) and Sofie Smith Petersen (1819 – 1882).

Harriet Backer was born on 21 January 1845 in Holmestrand and died on 25 March 1932 in Oslo. She was one of the foremost painters of her generation. Harriet had a painting school where she trained new artists, and she was recognized as a great artist in Norway from the 1880s.
Harriet has been given a place in the new national art museum, and is regarded as one of the most important artists of her time. She is best known for "blått interiør (blue interior)", which shows the play of sunlight in the interior.

Agathe Backer Grøndahl was born in 1847 in Holmestrand and died in 1907 in Kristiania. Agathe was a world-class pianist and Norway's first important female composer, and had a central role in Norway's musical life where she was particularly known for her romances. Agathe was also a personal friend of Edvard Grieg – and performed three times as a soloist with Grieg himself as conductor.

Boattrip to Langøya

The summer boat "Fyrglimt" to Langøya

The boat runs from Wednesday to Sunday, with departures every hour. The first departure is at 10:00, the last at 18:00.
After 17:00 there is only a return from Langøya until all passengers have disembarked in Holmestrand.

Langøya is not staffed, so bring enough food, water, sunscreen and anything else you will need for an island trip.

The boat is accessible for manual wheelchairs and prams. Dogs are also welcome on board!

There are two paddling huts where you can seek shelter or spend the night. NB! Remember that there is no water or electricity in the area, so bring everything you need if you want to stay overnight. All waste must be taken back to land. It should look like it did before you arrived.

Read more about Langøya at noah.no

Bella Vista Holmestrand

Experience the real Italian cuisine! Bella Vista has a wide selection of antipasti, grilled meats and fish, homemade pasta dishes, stone-baked Neapolitan pizza and much more.

The café serves delicious Italian coffee, baked goods, small dishes and Italian gelati.

In the summer season you can enjoy food and drink on the beautiful and sunny outdoor terrace along the pier!

See the BellaVista website for opening hours. You may book a table directly on the website or by sending an email to booking@bellavista.no or call 33 05 05 00.

Boattrip to Langøya

"Fyrglimt" has departures every hour between 9 – 16 from Wednesday to Sunday.

Departure every hour from 10:00 to 18:00. 

The boat is suitable for manual wheelchairs and prams.

Dogs are also welcome!

More info at NOAH

Kanoutleie Eidsfoss

Canoe rental is located at Verkstedstranda, close to Eidsfoss Scene.

Delivery of canoes and equipment at 10 – 13.

Other time by agreement.

Pre-order on tel. 90 70 88 87.

The coastal path Sande – Holmestrand

Walk from Holmestrand center or Mulvika. At Dulpen sits the sculpture of the writer Nils Kjær, looking out over the fjord. Walk along the wharf through the centre, and keep left, continuing on the walkway along the water outside the Aluminiumfabrikken. At the end you enter Backersgate. Follow the street for a short distance, before taking Hagemannsveien down to the boat harbor and Hagemannsparken.

Follow the beach and go through an opening in the fence to Felleskjøpet. From here there is a footpath and path to Mulvika. If you have a pram, it is recommended to follow the car road from the park and Skolegaten for the last part. The rest of the tour is not suitable for wheelchairs.

From Mulvika, the trip is only suitable on foot, and is marked as demanding on UT.no. In Mulvika, follow the cycle path to Almedalen on the upper side of the field, around the bay and up into the forest to the right just after the last house. Out of the forest it is poorly marked. Follow the edge of the field and keep left. After a while, a tractor road is crossed and the path continues on the other side of the field and out onto Ruseberget. (Avoid crossing cultivated land). Alternatively, you can also follow the dirt road down to Snekkestadveien and follow this down to the marina. From Ruseberget, you can also take a detour out to Mulodden.

From Ruseberget, the path is followed almost at the water's edge, and past Sand camping to Sandsletta. Continue from here over a small bridge and up a flight of stairs to a gravel road through the cottage field. Here you enter the forest. Next you follow the gravel road all the way to the top of the hill and turn left immediately after the barrier. From here, the path goes through the forest to the beautiful Frebergkastet viewpoint, which has benches and a campfire. Down towards Frebergsvik is steep and rugged in places, but there's ropes that you can hold on to.

In Frebergsvika, follow the road along the water and then the path on the water's edge beyond. Here you have to climb up the side of the mountain where the path continues up to Slettefjell.

At Slettefjell it is steep, be careful! Great view, among other things, to Langøya outside Holmestrand and Løvøya in Horten. On the way down towards Varnestangen it is steep. A nice place for a bath or rest. The last bit goes on a gravel road to Falkensten Bruk, and is also suitable for bicycles and prams. From Falkensten you can also take a nice tour of Løvøya!

A very nice and varied tour that can be recommended! Note that the trip can be demanding, and challenging in the steep sections on wet terrain.

See also description and map at Holmestrand and Omegn Turistforening or Oslofjorden.com

The coastal path Berger – Sande

(Berger-Bjerkøya approx. 5 km / Bjerkøya-Jarlsberg Brygge approx. 6 km / Jarlsberg Brygge to Sande approx. 5 km)

At Fossekleiva Cultural Center & Berger Museum you will find one of the country's best-preserved industrial communities, well worth a visit!

Cross Bergerveien and follow the forest path a few hundred meters down to Bryggeveien where you meet the coastal path. You first arrive at Bergerbukta, and from here the trip goes close to the sea past Blindsand and around the headland to Leinastranda, with beautiful and hilly terrain up to Sandvika bathing area. (Toilet in Sandvika). The coastal path continues through the forest, close to the sea, to Hagasand, which is said to be the finest beach in Sande. The road continues in a beautiful natural landscape on a path and cabin road. From Vammen there is a cycle path to Bjerkøya, where you will find information signs with several suggested tours at the car park. A very exciting and varied stretch with both forest paths, beach and rocky cliffs along the way. This stretch is well marked and can certainly be recommended! The stretch is not suitable for bicycles/prams.

From Bjerkøya and further south: Cross the road that goes out to Bjerkøya through the barrier, and follow the path out along the water. Here, the coastal path goes for a good distance on a pleasant path with rich bird- and wildlife. The trail ends at the main road. From here you follow the roadside for about 4 km to Bekkestranda. NB! There is no pedestrian or cycle path here. At Bekkestranda, the main road is crossed, and the coastal path continues into Bekkeveien to the residential area, and on to Killingdalsveien until it joins the pedestrian and cycle path again. This runs past Selvik school, through a wooded area and under the road in a tunnel down towards Sandebukta and Nordre Jarlsberg wharf.

The coastal path continues onto the trail towards Lersbrygga through the forest, up past the sports facilities and back on the footpath and cycleway.

You can see the route on Holmestrand municipality's adventure map.