Give Lillehammer two days. Spend the first at Maihaugen and the Norwegian Olympic Museum, which share a ticket, then ride the chairlift up the 1994 ski jump for the view over Lake Mjøsa. On the second, walk the wooden houses of Storgata and see the art museum, or head 15 km north for the bobsleigh track, Hunderfossen and Hafjell. In winter, give the second day to skiing.
Updated · Wimup Editorial
Lillehammer sits where the Gudbrandsdalslågen river runs into Lake Mjøsa, two hours north of Oslo by train. The 1994 Winter Olympics made its name and the arenas are still in use, but the town is also Maihaugen's open-air museum, Sigrid Undset's home and the door to the Gudbrandsdal valley.
Norway's largest open-air museum: close to 200 buildings, from Garmo Stave Church, moved from Lom and re-erected here in 1921, to farmhouses and town houses, collected by the dentist Anders Sandvig from 1887. Give it a morning, then see the Olympic Museum on the same ticket.
The 1994 Winter Olympics opened and closed on this jump, in front of the crowds on the slope. A chairlift runs to the viewpoint at the top, over the town and Lake Mjøsa, or you can walk the 936 steps one way.
Every Olympic Games from the first to today, summer and winter, told with a Norwegian slant and more than 7,000 objects. It moved from Håkons Hall into Maihaugen's main building in 2016, so it shares that museum's ticket.
Over 1,800 works from the 19th century to now, in Erling Viksjø's 1964 building and two extensions by Snøhetta. The 2016 wing, Weidemannsalen, gives Jakob Weidemann's paintings their own rooms behind Bård Breivik's steel facade.
Two-storey wooden houses from the late 19th century line the pedestrian stretch, with over 125 shops, galleries and cafes. Walk it from Søndre Park north to the Mesna bridge, then climb to the ski jump from the far end.
Undset lived in this timber house from 1919 until her death in 1949, and wrote the books here that won her the 1928 Nobel Prize. The rooms are kept as they were in the 1930s, and a 30-minute guided tour comes with the ticket.
The 1994 slalom and giant slalom ran here, and it is now a resort of about 18 lifts. In summer the gondola climbs to Mosetertoppen, and Hafjell Bike Park, Norway's largest, runs 19 trails over about 25 km.
The 1994 track runs 1,710 metres through 16 curves and is the only artificially frozen one in the Nordic region. In winter a taxibob takes riders down at up to 120 km/h behind a pilot; in summer the wheelbob carries four at up to 100 km/h.
A family park 15 km north of town, guarded by a troll that is 14 metres tall sitting down. Inside, Ivo Caprino's Fairy-Tale Cave holds more than 150 trolls and screens his puppet films, among over 60 rides and activities.
In service since 1856 and billed as the oldest paddle steamer still on a timetable, it sails Norway's largest lake. Northbound runs reach Lillehammer by way of Hamar; there is no round trip, so take the train back.
The 1994 cross-country and biathlon stadium, and the start of the Birkebeinerløpet run.
A mountain-lodge buffet of home cooking from local produce, by booking only.
An easy 1 to 2 hour walk up the Mesna gorge past falls and river pools, open all year.
Vikingskipet, the 1994 skating hall, and the cathedral ruins at Domkirkeodden; 50 minutes by train.
An ice rink built inside a mountain, which held 16 Olympic hockey games in 1994.
One of Norway's surviving stave churches, built around 1220, just off the E6.
About 53 km of classic skiing from Rena to Lillehammer, every racer carrying a 3.5 kg pack.
A national film festival for makers under 20, held in the week before Easter.
A week of readings and talks, the largest non-commercial literary festival in the Nordics.
A 21 km run on the Birkebeiner course, from the ski stadium to Håkons Hall.
An 84 km mountain-bike race from Rena to Lillehammer, with a children's race the day before.
The town's jazz festival, four days in mid-October.
The FIS season opens on Lysgårdsbakken in late November.
Maihaugen's market at the end of November, then weekend stalls in the town centre.
The nearest major airport. Direct trains on the Dovre line reach Lillehammer in about 1 hour 30 to 1 hour 45, with no change.
Hourly Vy trains from Oslo S take about 2 hours 10. SJ Nord trains continue north up the valley to Trondheim.
Local and regional buses leave the skysstasjon at the station. In winter, ski buses run to Hafjell, Sjusjøen and Skeikampen.
06565 Drosjene runs around the clock across Lillehammer, Øyer and Tretten. By car, the E6 reaches Oslo in about two hours.
Butter from the summer mountain farms, protected nationally.
Semi-fermented trout from Valdres, the neighbouring valley, with protected status.
Sour cream porridge topped with butter, sugar and cinnamon, often served with spekemat.
The valley's brown cheese, credited to a dairymaid who added cream to boiling whey in 1863.
High-mountain lamb from north Gudbrandsdal, a protected regional product.
Reindeer from the Lom and Vågå herds, protected since 2021.
Cured meats and sausages; Annis Pølsemakeri, up the valley in Ringebu, wins awards.
Norwegian waffles, often eaten with brown cheese; Maihaugen's cafe serves them.
Subscribe to the Wimup newsletter for new guides, travel news and more.
Norway
