Norway's fifth largest city is Kristiansand, a busy waterside community in the south of the country. It stands at the end of the E18 coastal road, 2 miles south west of Oslo. It's also the terminus of the south coast railway and for ferries from Denmark. Visitors who hire a car in Kristiansand can easily drive to Norway's most southerly point, a popular rocky spot marked by a lighthouse and café near Mandal. Roads north lead into forests and mountains (with ski trails and nature reserves), while the coast roads lead to inlets, islands and beaches. Kristiansand's airport lies five miles to the east on the far side of the fjord.
You can still see that the 17th-century city was laid out in a grid pattern by Danish King Christian IV. It occupied a strategic position commanding entry to the Skagerrack Sea. Visitors can stroll the harbourside or eat at restaurants around the attractive waterfront. If you hire a car in Kristiansand you can tour the city and see there are still plenty of picturesque terraces of historic wooden houses, as well as landmarks like the 19th-century cathedral, Kilden Performing Arts Centre, the Art Museum and a World War II fortress, now a cannon museum. There are also modern attractions too, including a huge shopping mall and impressive zoo, both to the east of the city across the fjord bridge.
