Drangedal is Telemark’s forested frontier — a municipality where pine cones outnumber people and legends like Hallvard Gråtopp still echo through the hills. With around 4,100 residents and a landscape shaped by lakes, heaths, and granite ridges, Drangedal is a nature-first destination that blends outdoor adventure with deep cultural roots. It’s home to Gautefall, one of Southern Norway’s largest ski resorts, and to some of the best-preserved freshwater trading posts in Europe.
Top Attractions
- Drangedal Bygdetun – 19 historic buildings by lake Motjenn
- Kjeåsbrua – 1927 stone arch bridge, a local icon
- Gråtopp-plassen – site of the 1438 peasant rebellion
- Buene i Prestestranda – 1870s lakeside trading posts
- Gautefall Skisenter – alpine & cross-country skiing
Unique Experiences
- Sputnik Museum – tribute to Norway’s beloved trucker-musician
- Himmelriket – marble-colored rock formations from the Ice Age
- Liksteinen – memorial to a snowbound funeral procession (1349)
- Gautefall Fjellkirke – pyramid-shaped mountain chapel
- Stisykling – guided trail biking with Gautefall Event
Where to Stay
Browse hotels, cabins & camping in Drangedal
Where to Eat
Explore top-rated restaurants in Drangedal
Getting There
Drangedal is located along the Sørlandsbanen railway between Oslo and Kristiansand, with stops at Prestestranda and Neslandsvatn. The E18 highway is nearby, and local roads connect to Kragerø, Skien, and Nissedal. The area is ideal for hiking, fishing, skiing, and scenic drives through pine forests and granite hills.