Akershus

Akershus wraps around Oslo like a ring, stretching from the Oslofjord to the shores of Lake Mjøsa. A trip to Akershus takes you to coastal towns with wooden houses, waterfront art museums, the forests of the Marka, and the place where the Norwegian constitution was drafted in 1814.

Landscape and Location

The county became independent again in 2024 after spending a few years as part of Viken. To the west lie Asker and Bærum, with Sandvika on the fjord coast; to the east are Lillestrøm on the Nitelva River and the farmland around Lake Øyeren; to the south are the Nesodden peninsula and the coast down to Drøbak. To the north, Romerike with Jessheim and Gardermoen Airport, as well as Eidsvoll, adjoin the county. Large parts of the county are forested, and Nordmarka and Østmarka offer hundreds of miles of hiking trails and cross-country ski tracks. The Vorma River connects Lake Mjøsa with the Glomma system, and Romerike, with its large farms, is one of the most important agricultural regions of eastern Norway. In the southeast of the county, around Ski and Ås, lies the Follo region with its hills, forests, and Lake Gjersjøen, a popular swimming lake.

Sights in Akershus

Drøbak is a charming wooden-house town at the narrowest point of the Oslofjord. Across the water stands Oscarsborg Fortress, whose cannons and torpedoes sank the German cruiser Blücher on April 9, 1940, allowing the royal family to escape. In summer there are boat trips to the fortress; Drøbak is also known for its year-round Christmas house. At Høvikodden in Bærum, the Henie Onstad Art Center, founded by figure skater Sonja Henie, sits right on the fjord. Eidsvollsbygningen, the manor house where the constitution was adopted in 1814, is a national shrine. In Lillestrøm, large events take place at the Norges Varemesse exhibition center. Bekkestua and other suburbs in Bærum are quiet residential neighborhoods with good rail connections. In Bærum, Bærums Verk, an old ironworks, is now a complex of shops and workshops. Nesodden, reachable by ferry from Oslo, is home to many artists, and shoreline paths lead to swimming coves. At Eidsvollsbygningen you can tour the hall of the 1814 National Assembly.

Culture and Daily Life

Akershus is one of Norway's most populous counties, and many residents commute to Oslo. At the same time, farms, lakes, and small seaside resorts shape everyday life, and both Asker and Ski have lively town centers. The Bærum Kulturhus and festivals in Lillestrøm keep the cultural calendar full. The forests of Østmarka and Krokskogen are popular destinations for day trips, and many lakes offer swimming spots in summer and ice surfaces in winter.

Food, Getting There, and the Best Time to Visit

Farm stands in Romerike and Follo sell strawberries, apples, and vegetables, and on the coast you can buy shrimp straight from the boat. Typical Norwegian dishes such as fiskesuppe and kjøttkaker are on the menu at the local inns. Gardermoen Airport is in Akershus, and commuter trains connect all the larger towns with Oslo. The best time to visit is from May to September; in winter, the cross-country ski tracks of the Marka are an invitation. Drøbak is about an hour from Oslo by bus, or by boat in summer.