Discover Fitjar

Fitjar offers historical discoveries and routes for different kinds of holiday: in the centre, the park and church recall the history of the place, while the cultural history route invites you on an easy walk with five information boards. If you would like to add more activity, you could also consider the route around Svartavatnet or plan excursions in the surrounding area.

Cultural history in Fitjar

In Håkonarparken in the centre, there is a statue of Håkon the Good, created by Anne Grimdalen. Håkon fell in battle against Eirik's sons in 961. Fitjar kyrkje is next to the park. The old Fitjar kyrkje was a stone church dating from the 12th century, which stood until 1866. Stones from this church remain in the stone wall around the cemetery, and part of its furnishings has also been preserved. So, in the centre, you can encounter both a monument to a historical figure and traces of an older church building.

Kongsbrunnen is connected with Fitjar's former royal estate. Another historical site is Rimsvarden, a large Bronze Age burial mound monument. From there, the view extends across Fitjarvikjo and Austevoll. Osternes festning, a cultural heritage site from the Second World War on the Selbjørnsfjord, is also in the municipality of Fitjar. These places represent different periods of history – from the Bronze Age through royal history to the 20th century.

Cultural offerings also include art exhibitions by the Fitjar kunstlag group at Galleri Losjen, near the centre of Fitjar. There is a cinema at Fitjar kulturhus. This means you can choose between historical sites, an exhibition and a cinema visit when planning your holiday.

Walking and cycling options

The cultural history route in Fitjar is an easy walk with many cultural experiences for visitors of all ages. It has five cultural history information boards and starts and ends at the car park by the municipal building or by the Larsen-Spar shop in the centre. The start and end point makes it easier to find your way around when choosing this circular walk; the boards give it its own cultural focus.

The route around Svartavatnet offers another option for getting active. It starts in the centre of Fitjar; you can walk the mountain trail or cycle this route. In the area around Fitjar, Midtfjellet Wind Farm has 27 km of numbered gravel roads between the wind turbines. The main route there branches off from road 545 at Rimbareid, about 1.5 kilometres south of the centre. The routes and starting points differ: when planning your day, you can choose between the route that offers a choice of walking or cycling and the numbered roads around the wind farm.

Discover and find your way around the centre

Engesund Visningssenter is in the centre of Fitjar, next to the tourist information office. The experience includes boat trips from the centre of Fitjar and visits to the centre in Fitjarøyane. If you are interested in this visit, you will find the starting point right in the centre of the village.

Sjøsio Gjestehamn, also called Sjøsio, is also located in the centre. Facilities include a petrol and diesel pump, bunkering facilities, showers and toilets. These details give you practical information if you would like to include Gjestehamn in your travel plans.

Discover more places

For more ideas of places to visit, you can also discover Valevåg, Alvik and Søfteland.

For the broader travel overview: Hordaland.