Making the most of Lysebotn
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Cruise ships do not call here, although passengers can appreciate the surroundings while remaining on board.
Lysefjord is Norway's southernmost major fjord. Extending for 40 kilometres, it is bordered by steep mountains that in places rise beyond 1000 metres. The fjord formed during the last ice age more than 10.000 years ago, when over 2000 metres of ice covered Scandinavia. As that ice melted, the glacier wore away the rock beneath.
Lysebotn is a small village in Forsand municipality at the innermost point of Lysfjorden. Around 100.000 tourists arrive each year. Its little chapel can accommodate 150 people. In recent years inhabitants have left, and several properties are now summer homes. The village is an excellent starting point for mountain walks.
Getting around
Pulpit Rock, known as Preikestolen or Prekestolen in Norwegian, is among the area's most striking visitor attractions. This natural formation has a plateau measuring 25 square metres and rises 604 metres above the sea. Thousands visit every year. Reaching it takes about two hours on foot, although the formation is also visible by boat from the water. Its original name, "Hyvlatonnå", means the tooth of a woodplane. Today's name may derive from the shape or from its possible use as a place of sacrifice.
Money
Norway's currency is the Norwegian crown, or norske krone, shortened to kr. The øre represents 1/100th of a krone, while 1.00 EUR equals about 8 NOK.
Cash machines in Norway are called Minibank.
Almost every shop takes major cards including Mastercard and Visa. Carry a passport or driver's licence, as proof of identity is required for credit-card use.
Staying connected
Norwegian is Norway's official language and closely resembles the two other Scandinavian languages, with mutual intelligibility between them. English is widely spoken.
Because most Norwegian homes have internet access, often through broadband, the limited market makes cybercafés difficult to find beyond major cities. Most public libraries provide free access. WiFi exists in many places, but is not free.
Opening Hours and
Opening hours have improved in Norway, yet many smaller shops still shut early on Saturday, commonly at 1 PM or 3 PM, and almost everything closes on Sundays. Signs displaying "9-21 (9-18)" indicate 9 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 6 PM on Saturday.