September 26, 2019

Norway – The Book Town of Fjaerland


Hanna standing with her arms wide and her eyes closed and face facing to the right in front the town of Fjaerland, Nowary. The water of the fjord reflects the blue of the sky and there is now on the tall mountains surrounding the fjord.

Of the cities we visited during my first trip to Norway, I think Fjaerland was the most darling! Situated at the top of one of the arms of the Sognefjord, this peaceful little town has spectacular views and books. Yes, you read that correctly, Fjaerland is a book town in Norway. Even during the off-season, there were a handful of open-air bookshelves packed with books… with fjord views directly behind. Though many things were closed when we visited, the weather was sunny with calm waters – the perfect spot for a picnic and to slow things down. I only wish we had more time to enjoy this darling little town.

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Books of Fjaerland

The collection of books in Fjaerland began modestly in 1995 and has slowly spread throughout the small town. One website reports there are 10 second-hand bookshops in this small, 300-inhabitant town. Though, being there, I am unclear what is technically a bookshop because there are books everywhere! There are books on freestanding bookshelves with the fjords in the background, there are books in a phone booth, there are books in an open-air shed, and there are even books in a triangle-shaped shelf attached to a telephone pole. We were visiting outside the summer season, so the tourist office and most of the secondhand bookshops were closed for the season. However, even with these closed, we found many open-air bookshelves to pursue. I was unclear how to purchase the books, but I did see that some of the shelves had a box near the base to pay through the honor system.

At a Glance:

  • Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, wish I could have spent longer in this cute town!
  • Intensity: Casual clothes
  • Location: All around town
  • Cost: Free to wander
  • Restrooms: None
  • Timing: 2 – 5 hours, depending on how long you do each activity

Highlights:

  • Peruse books simultaneously with fjord views
  • Soak up the sun and silence of this calm finger of the fjord
  • Take a peek at a glacier
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One of the many open air book shelves in the book town of Fjaerland, Norway. This one has prices and a box to collect payment via the honor system. In the background is the Fjaerlandfjord and steep mountains that are topped with snow.
Boyabreen Glacier is one of the arms of the enormous Jostedal Glacier in Norway
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Open air shed that sells second-hand books in the book town of Fjaerland, Norway.
Hanna hands in the air as the sun sparkles at the top of the image and in the calm fjord water. IN the background, steep mountains surround the dark waters of the fjord.
Hanna's mom standing in front of the Fjaerlandfjord and gesturing to it's beauty in Norway.

Calm Fjord Views

Out of all our time in the fjord lands of Norway, the weather was mostly calm and warm in Fjaerland. We could have been lucky, but a Bergen local told us that whenever he visits Fjaerland it is sunny and calm. There are picnic tables in the middle of town, where you can have a little meal and enjoy the view al fresco. We walked out onto the open dock next to the picnic area and actually saw jellyfish in the water! The water has a milky-blue quality that was not present at the Aurlandsfjord or Naeroyfjord. This is due to glacial melt from the nearby Boyabreen and Supphellebreen Glaciers (both are arms of the enormous Jostedalsbreen Glacier). The vibrant water, cute homes, steep surrounding mountains, and calm waters all combined to be a supremely picturesque little town.

The Fjaerlandfjord of Norway features small
Hanna looking at a book inside a telephone booth that is filled with second hand books for sale in the book town of Fjaerland, Norway.
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Hanna standing on the end of dock while looking back at the Fjaerlandfjord and steep surrounding mountains. In the background you ca see the glacier snow.
Books stacked taller than I am in the Book Town of Fjaerland. The spines of the book show numerous volumes of Norwegian books.
Hanna holding her hands in the air as the sun sparkles at the top of the image and in the calm fjord water. IN the background, steep mountains surround the dark waters of the fjord.
View of the fjord from inside an open-air shed that sells second hand books in the book town of Fjaerland, Norway

Kayaking Fjaerland

With the calm fjord water, Fjaerland is a prime location to go kayaking. Unfortunately, we were unable to make it happen, but I was able to find two outfitters for you to check out:

Double-check that they are still running tours or have their boats available first! I truly wanted to make this happen and although the guides had left, the hotel listed above had kayaks available to rent in late September.

Boyabreen Glacier (oh and Supphellebreen Glacier too)

Although there is no direct access to the Jostedalsbreen National Park from Fjaerland by car, you can dip into the edge of the national park and easily see a glacier by visiting Boyabreen Glacier. If you have enough time, you can visit the viewpoints of both the Boyabreen and Supphellebreen glaciers by car or even hike up closer to them. The drive to the Boyabreen Glacier is about 10 minutes from Fjaerland in the valley beyond the fjord. There are signs at the end of the road to lead you to the Glacier parking area. There is a gift shop (closed in winter) and plenty of parking. You can already see the glacier from the parking area, but I recommend taking a couple of minutes walk down a very visible path to the edge of a glacier melt small lake/pond.

From the lakeside/pondside, you get a fantastic view of the glacier and steep mountain walls. Looking around the top of the valley, there are numerous trickling waterfalls leading to the glacier melt lake. The photos from the edge of the water are the best! In the summer months, there is a bus that takes you from town to the glacier.

A sign that reads "Nasjonalpark" sits at the bottom of the picture with the Boyabreen Glacier in the background. The National Park sign refers to the Jostedalbreen National Park in Norway.
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Hanna feels the temperature of the glacier melt pool next to the Boyabreen Glacier near Fjaerland, Norway

Taking a ferry in Norway… and to Fjaerland

If you are coming from Flam, Laersdal, or even Balestarand, the shortest route to get to Fjaerland is to take a ferry across the Sognefjord. I found these ferries to be an absolute blast! Although I’ve been in a vehicle on a boat before, I was never the driver. These ferries are really organized and can fit a surprising amount of cars! Sometimes you pay ahead of time, sometimes you pay when you are on the ferry, but a guy with a receipt pirnter on his hip belt will come around to collect your fee. The ferries are not cheap, but they are much cheaper than a fjord cruise! If you are quick enough, you can also get yourself up to the top deck and enjoy the view for about 5 minutes, before having to run back to your car. I loved it.

Looking out the rounded windows of a car ferry as is crosses the Sognefjord in Norway. Throug the window you can see the blue water and high mountains that surround the fjord.
Hanna's mom waves as she walks through some industrial looking outdoor hallway on a car ferry in Norway while it is crossing the Sognefjord.
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Hanna's mom standing on a car ferry as it crosses the Sognefjord in Norway. In the background, there is another car ferry, and high mountains that surround the fjord.

What to Pack to Explore Fjaerland, Norway in Fall

The weather in Norway is variable, especially so in autumn. I ended up bringing many light layers so I could adjust to the various weather conditions. It was suprisingly calm and delightful weather in Fjaerland, so I only needed my jacket(s) on the ferry. It’s always good to have the extra layers in the car if you need them. Here are a few items that came in handy:

  • Rain Jacket and/or windbreaker, especially for the fjord cruises where it’s extremely windy at the front of the boat.
  • Puffy mid-layer that packs up small like the Patagonia nano-puff jacket. Or for something a little more casual looking, I’m trying out the Patagonia pack-in jacket.
  • Wool layering long sleeve, like this one from Smartwool. Or consider a tank top to wear UNDER your cute sweaters for extra warmth.
  • Leggings – athletic ones are always great to have, but also consider bringing a base layer with wool to wear under your pants.
  • Lightweight fleece gloves were handy (pun intended)! I ended up wearing them on the fjord cruises and in Bergen where it was cooler. These ones from REI are supposed to allow you to touch the screen through the gloves – that would have been amazing because I kept having to take one glove off to take photos.
  • Cute fleece-lined beanie.
  • Extra large scarf or scarves! H&M typically has some cute chunky scarves each fall.
  • Boots that you can comfortably walk in, but also keep your feet warm. The ones you see in the photos look good, but are often not warm enough! Consider some cute but function boots from Clarks or Sorel.
  • A handy dandy refillable water bottle is ALWAYS a good thing to bring with you.

Overall Thoughts: Sights of Fjaerland

With only 300 inhabitants, this little town is unbelievably beautiful. I am so glad we got to enjoy a fjord-side picnic lunch with glaciers in the distance. We saw a total of three other people while visiting the town, which could be different in the summer months when there is a fjord cruise that goes to Fjaerland. Although there are a few sights to see, the real beauty is being able to take a deep breath and slow down in a beautiful setting with a good book. Bring one or pick one up from one of the bookshelves throughout the town.

Other things to do in the Sognefjord Area:

Do you know of any other fjord-side towns that are as darling as Fjaerland?? If so, let me know in the comments, so I can add them to my list.

Happy Travels,

Hanna

Hanna standing on the end of dock while looking back at the Fjaerlandfjord and steep surrounding mountains. In the background you ca see the glacier snow. Text on the image reads, "Things to do in Fjaerland, Norway. Books, Glaciers, and Fjord Views." Moderately Adventurous Travel
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Hanna standing in front of a glacial melt pool and the Boyabreen Glacier near Fjaerland, Norway. She is wearing dark sunglasses, a blue top, black tights. In the background, the rocks are reflected in the glacial melt pool. Text on the image reads, "Visiting the Boyabreen Glacier, Fjaerland, Norway"
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Filed Under: Norway, Scenic Views

2 thoughts on “Norway – The Book Town of Fjaerland”

  • I love your blog! Came across it while planning our trip to Norway next year. (We were supposed to go last year, 2020!)
    Where were you staying when you visited Fjaerland? I wondered if we should stay there, or just visit for a day. It’s hard to know what places to stay! So many beautiful places and charming villages!
    Thanks so much!
    Diane 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Diane,
      Thanks so much for the kind words. I’m so excited that you’re going to Norway – I constantly tell people that I would go back in a heartbeat because I loved it so much. As you mentioned, it’s so hard to decide where to stay. We made a day trip to Fjaerland, but it was so peaceful that I would have loved to stay overnight. I had actually contacted the Fjaerland Hotel, which looks incredibly lovely, to rent kayaks but ran out of time as we were on our way to go cider tasting. You could see most of Fjaerland in a day, but it would also be lovely to stay longer, so it is up to you! Honestly, you cannot go wrong with any of the charming fjord towns. Every single one of them is so darn picturesque! Let me know how the trip goes :).
      Happy and Healthy Travels,
      Hanna

      Reply

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