Levanger
Municipality · Trøndelag
About Levanger
Levanger's protected wooden town, a Cittaslow with fjord-side paths, cheese made by the Trappist monks at Munkeby, and medieval Alstadhaug church above the fjord.
Levanger lies on the eastern shore of the Trondheimsfjord, on some of the best farmland in Trøndelag, with many lakes inland and Hårskallen, at 735 m, as its highest point. The town grew out of a winter fair held since the 1200s.
Most people pass on the E6. It suits a stop of a few hours in town, or a day with the ferry and a bike out to Ytterøya, an island of farms and roe deer.
Good to know
- Getting there: The E6 and the Nordland Line pass through, and a 30-minute ferry runs to Ytterøya. About 1 h 30 from Trondheim, 55 minutes from Værnes.
- Season: Ytterøya can be visited all year, but its museums open in summer only; the path up Hårskallen is best in summer and autumn.
- Sleeping: Levanger Camping lies by the fjord near the town centre.
- Food: Høgaunet farm shop at Munkeby sells free-range eggs, vegetables, herbs and rabbit meat, self-service every day.
What to do and where to stay in Levanger
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1Falstad Centre (Falstadsenteret)History & culture
The main building of the wartime SS prison camp at Falstad now holds a museum on war history and human rights; the nearby Falstad forest, an execution site, is a war grave.
Falstadvegen 59, Ekne, about 20 km south-west of Levanger centre · 1–2 h (plus the walk to Falstad forest) · all year
2Ytterøya by ferry and bikeLocal oddity
A 30-minute ferry from Levanger reaches a farmed island with one of Norway's densest roe-deer populations and an easy 27 km loop road.
Ferry from Levanger centre to Hokstad, Ytterøya · Half a day · all year (museums summer only)
3Berghaugen mining trail on YtterøyaHistory & culture
A signed path through a sulphur and copper mine field worked from about 1630 to 1912, past old ovens, sinkholes and mine entrances; stay on the path and out of the shafts.
Berghaugen, by Hokstad ferry quay, Ytterøya
4Skånes skanse star fortHistory & culture
A star-shaped earthwork fort from the Hannibal War of 1643–45, with ramparts, bastions and a powder cellar, next to the Skånestangen shore park; the old commander's house is private.
Skånes, north-east of Levanger centre towards Rinnleiret
5Munkeby monastery ruinsHistory & culture
Walls of a Cistercian monastery church probably founded by English monks in the later 1100s, used as a parish church from 1475 to 1589.
Munkeby, Okkenhaug, east of Levanger centre · 30 min · all year
6Alstadhaug church and AlvishaugenHistory & culture
A marble church whose nave dates from about 1170, with an octagonal choir and late-1200s wall paintings; Alvishaugen, a 55 m wide burial mound, lies in the churchyard.
Alstadhaug, Skogn, about 10 km south of Levanger · 30–45 min · all year (interior: check opening)
7Levanger wooden town (Sjøgata and Kirkegata)History & culture
Most of the centre's wooden houses went up between 1897 and 1904; in 2018 about 157 properties on 17.5 hectares were protected as a national cultural environment.
Town centre, Levanger · 1–2 h · all year
8HårskallenHike
Levanger's highest point at 735 m, reached by a marked 1.8 km path from Skallstuggu, with a wide view over Innherred.
Frolfjellet, east of Levanger · 2 h (3.6 km return) · summer and autumn
9Hammervatnet nature reserveNature
A 6 km² lake by the E6 at Åsen whose eastern part, with alder swamp forest, is a nature reserve within the Innherred freshwater Ramsar wetland.
Åsen, south-west Levanger · 30 min–2 h · spring–autumn (bird migration in spring)
10BukkhaugenHike
An easy gravel and plank path from Lundsbustaden ski stadium past a lake to a top with a shelter, grill area and view over Levanger and the Trondheimsfjord.
Lundsbustaden, Skogn, Levanger · About 2 h return (1 h up with children) · snow-free months