Visit Jølster

The glacier covered the village for a thousand years. Waterfalls, rivers, and streams flowed from the ice toward the lake... Toward Jølster.

In the droplets beneath the ice edge, Jølster reflects like a queen, the fairest in the land. The trout glimmers beneath the water’s surface, and the rhubarb glows in the spring gardens.

From Jostedalsbreen to Jølstravatnet, the water droplets find their paths through the landscape—just as you will find yours.

Fish

Suddenly, the water’s surface breaks open. For a brief second, you see the trout dance in the sunlight. The fish shimmers in gold and silver before disappearing into the depths. Ripples spread toward the mountainsides before the mirror lies still—clear and blue once more.

If you follow the water, you’ll find the treasure hidden beneath the blue mirror. The trout lures you into the valleys, up into the mountains. It is strong and swift. And if you catch it, you’ll think as we do: There is no finer fish.

Culture and food

Jølstravatnet stretches like a blue lifeline through the village. Twelve hamlets encircle the lake, forming an unbreakable chain of living landscapes, built with creativity and the joy of hard work.

If you walk, cycle, or paddle along the shores, you’ll see how the oldest houses turn their gables toward you, offering a warm welcome.

We built them this way. We grew accustomed to the beauty. We stayed. Jølster is our place on Earth.

Just as the Earth orbits the Sun and turns on its own axis, the landscape shifts with the seasons and the light. Though it remains the same, it is always new. Every morning. Every evening.