Voss – Autumn in the heart of Fjord Norway

Cascading rivers and hillsides ablaze with colour create an outdoor playground that is at its most intense from September to late October. Autumn rains fill the waterfalls Skjervsfossen and Tvindefossen, and the shorter days drape the valleys in crisp air and contrasting light - perfect for photography, hiking or simply savouring the view with a hot drink.

Three hand-picked highlights

• Guided hike: Stalheim – Nåli (UNESCO Nærøy Valley)
  
  The hike follows a well-maintained path from Stalheim Hotel, past the idyllic Sivle farm, and continues to the old homestead called Nåli. The path runs along natural shelf formations high above the Nærøy valley.

• Firehouse experience
  
  Step inside a traditional eldhus (firehouse) and learn how locals once brewed farm ale under the old “Gulatingslova” law. Flames crackle, sweet aromas fill the room, and the modern world feels miles away - yet town is only minutes down the road.

• Elva Hotel & Restaurant
  
  Elva is a design hotel divided in a main complex and 5 unique mini houses that all offer fantastic views over the lake and surrounding west coast landscape. You can relax in one of the outdoor lake-side jacuzzi before you try seasonal local ingredients from the Voss and Westland region, at Elva Restaurant.

More adventure ideas

Waterfall hopping – You can walk right up to the waterfall at Skjervsfossen. An old myth says Tvindefossen contains the fountain of youth. Last make sure to check out Bordalsgjelet gorge just 45 minutes on foot from the town square.

Culture & craft - Combine the Firehouse Experience with a visit to Voss Folk Museum, a farm cluster with sixteen small and large buildings. The buildings still stand on their original sites and give a genuine picture of the building style and way of living in old Voss. Most likely the farm has been here since before the Viking Age.

Gentle thrills - Glide silently over the valley on the gondola, up to mount Hangur. This is the main start for the paragliders in town, watching them take off and fly back down is almost as thrilling as giving paragliding a go yourself. Take a walk a long the panorama trail, before enjoying a meal at Hangurstoppen Restaurant.

Staying in Voss means you can unpack once and still experience the highlights of Fjord Norway. Take a day trip and experience the Flåm-railway, see the Hardangerfjord on a rib safari, then be back in Voss town for dinner. You can do it all car-free, too: direct trains from Oslo and Bergen and a web of buses and boats keep the carbon footprint low and the holiday feels high. And don’t be surprised if the gondola ride that whisks you to the mountain top also drops you into a light dusting of snow on Hangurstoppen - early September often delivers the season’s first snowflakes.

Whether you crave a summit hike, fireside storytelling or stargazing from your bed at Elva Hotel, Voss lets you dial up, or down, the adventure.