Drobak

Drobak sits on the western shore at the narrowest point of the Oslofjord, where the channel pinches to a few hundred metres, and its old centre is a compact quarter of white and ochre timber houses on narrow streets running down to the water; it was the winter harbour for Oslo when the inner fjord froze. Since 1988 the town has marketed itself around Christmas, with a year-round shop and post office in the old square where children's letters to Julenissen are answered. Just offshore lies Oscarsborg, a fortified island reached by ferry, now a museum and hotel with concerts in summer. The Drobak aquarium and the coastal path along the shore complete a day's visit.

History

Drøbak was Oslo's winter harbour, since in hard winters the fjord froze from outside Drøbak all the way to the capital. It became a separate parish in 1823 and a municipality in 1838, had town status from 1842 to 1962 and regained it in 2006, and its name comes from Norse Drjúgbakki, "long hill" (Wikipedia, Drøbak).

The main sights

• The timber old town - white and ochre houses on lanes above the water.
• The Christmas house - a year-round shop and post office in the square.
• Oscarsborg - a fortified island offshore, reached by ferry.
• The fjord narrows - the channel at its tightest point below the town.

When to go

May to September for the fjord, the boat from Oslo and the coastal paths; December for the Christmas trade, when the town fills with families at weekends. Winter weekdays are quiet.

Before you go

The Christmas theming is commercial and can feel thin outside December. Summer weekends and December Saturdays crowd the small centre and its parking. Oscarsborg ferries run to a limited timetable.

Nearby

Oscarsborg island is a short ferry ride; Oslo is forty kilometres north along the fjord.

Key facts