Gamlebyen, the old town of Fredrikstad, Norway, has been on my to-do list for a while now. Going to neighbouring town, Sarpsborg, for a football match, I seized the opportunity for a day trip, and hit two birds with one stone. Since my plans almost rained away, I had the place mostly to myself. A couple of tourists were out and about, fighting the elements, and locals were filling up the cafes. Had not the bad weather cut the visit short, I would have enjoyed exploring the galleries, and small shops, which are open on Sundays also. Now I had to settle for the cobblestone streets, charming wooden houses, and cannon-filled, star-shaped defence walls. No pity on me 🙂 I’d easily live there, like so many do. Northern Europe’s best preserved fortified town is quite small, and can be pretty quickly done, if you’d like. Just make sure to accommodate for the ferry transfer time, if you’re in a hurry. I imagine the place being uncomfortable busy during summer, and great weather. There are flea markets on weekends, a Christmas market, concerts, and festivals. Walking away from the square, might be the solution, or visit in rainy weather 🙂
Reaching Fredrikstad from Oslo, is easily done by train, on Vy. The trip is about an hour. To get to the old town, you need to hop on the passenger ferry, unless you have a car, or want to walk the detour. The ferry dock, Cicignon, is a short stroll from the train station. Crossing the river takes a minute. One ferry runs from Cicignon to the old town, and back, every 15 minutes. Another ferry runs from the old town to the centre of town every 20 minutes. No tickets, no costs, just walk on, and off. For Byfergene timetables: byfergene.app
Looking for other star fortresses? I came across one in Copenhagen and one in Klaipeda. Must say the walls look a lot cooler from up above. Hard to make out the shapes from the ground 🙂
I have been in Fredrikstad once before, a looong time ago, for the premiere of «One Night at McCool’s». The director, Harald Zwart, is a Fredrikstad native. Had dinner at the boardwalk lining the river, Bryggepromenaden, which was nice.
The ferry
