Stalheim and Nærøydalen valley have been popular tourist destinations for almost 150 years. Ever since the very birth of tourism in the 1860s, the tourism industry and the local community have had to learn that we all rely on each other in order to provide guests with the very best experiences and adventures. The local community depended on the income derived from tourism, for example delivering ingredients to the hotel kitchen, horse and carriage trips for tourists and welcoming tourists to farms and serving local specialities such as sour-cream porridge. And in return, the tourism industry depended on the local community in order to provide guests with the best possible stay at the hotel.

This mutual reliance still lives on today. The hotel still takes its guests up to visit the mountain farm in Brekkedalen valley, still invites locals to perform on the special Hardanger fiddle and recount folk tales and tunes (currently two local farmer’s wives). The hotel’s staff is very proud of these traditions and fully intends to continue providing an arena where local and national/international people can meet.

Stalheim Folk Museum is a part of the hotel and is one of the largest privately owned folk museums in Norway. It is also known as the Tønnebergs Collection. This museum aims to provide visitors with an insight into the image they meet of Voss and Stalheim today. We are a farming community, so naturally the farmer and his life play a central role. However, a picture of the old Stalheim community would not be complete without the old coaching inn from 1750, the memorial stone to Emperor Wilhelm’s visits to Stalheim and the schoolhouse from 1881. The manor house from Lekve in Voss, from 1725, forms a fascinating contrast to the farm buildings – providing an insight into how the upper class in Voss once lived.

Stalheim Hotel focuses on safeguarding and developing local attractions and activities, and in recent years the hotel has worked together with Voss municipality to restore the ancient path leading to the crofter’s farm at Nåli, the old path leading to the foot of Stalheimsfossen waterfall, now restored and made accessible for wheelchairs, and the area around the memorial stone to author Per Sivle. The old postal road, also known as Kongeveien or the Royal Route, from Stalheim to Haugsvik has also been repaired, so that there is now an exciting variety of trails and walks directly from the hotel.

Bushes and scrub grow and hide traditional attractions and viewpoints, creating an ever-increasing problem. Stalheim Hotel has and will continue to help in the work of chopping down trees and tidying the areas around the attractions, including the renowned Stalheimskleiva road, ensuring a dramatic experience for all those driving this impressive road – in fact just as impressive as it was for the very first tourists who travelled here after the road was completed in 1842-1848.

Stalheim is the home of author Per Sivle (1857-1904). Many of his works describe and are based on Stalheim. Stalheim Hotel aims to increase renown for his poetry and participates in events such as the annual Sivle seminar, of which the hotel is a proud host. His songs and lyrics are naturally often used as cultural features in connection with special events at both the hotel and the museum, and the hotel aims to support both new and old methods of making use of his works.

The Nærøyfjord and Nærøydalen valley, stretching up to Stalheim Hotel, are included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, and it is important for the hotel, together with other bodies working within this area, to safeguard and promote the values upon which this area was selected for the World Heritage List. This mainly involves ensuring that the natural attractions in our surrounding area, principally Stlaheimskleiva road, Nærøydalen valley and the Nærøyfjord are protected and managed in harmony with the guidelines laid down for inclusion on the World Heritage List.

As a part of the World Heritage area, there are a number of attractions already promoted by the hotel, and which the hotel will continue to use as part of a total package:

The Nærøyfjord:

Gudvangen and the Nærøyfjord (the world’s narrowest fjord) are only a 15 minute drive from Stalheim. Ever since the very early days of tourism, a trip on the Nærøyfjord has been a main attraction for visitors to this part of Norway. Even today, the majority of tourist brochures for West Norway contain a photograph or two of the fjord. Stalheim provides the perfect base for trips to explore this dramatic fjord landscape.

For our guests, we recommend not only a trip on the fjord itself, but also to take time exploring the idyllic sites along the banks of the fjord.

Bakka:
From Gudvangen, you can either drive or walk to Bakka (5 km). This is the narrowest spot of the Nærøyfjord, and as the cruise ships sail past, it is almost as if they touch the mountainsides. Bakka is home to the parish church for Stalheim, Bakka Church.

Styvi:
On the opposite bank of the fjord, around a 30 minute ferry trip from Gudvangen, is Styvi farm, under precipitous mountainsides. Botolv Hov, farmer at Styvi, has created his very own farm museum which is well worth a visit. We can also recommend a pleasant walk along the old postal road to Bleiklindi.

Dyrdal:
Once again on the opposite bank of the fjord is Dyrdal, a beautiful, green valley now unpopulated. However, less than 50 years ago this was home to some 150 people. Go ashore at Dyrdal for adventurous hiking up the steep mountainsides which plunge into the Nærøyfjord waters.

Over the mountain, on the Aurlandsfjord, you can visit Undredal – another favourite destination. Undredal is a 30-minute drive from Stalheim and we recommend all guests to visit this delightful spot.

Surrounded on all sides by towering mountains, Undredal is nestled on the fjord. A charming village, home to around 100 people, and with the world’s smallest stave church built in 1147. The village is famous today for its Undredal cheese produced in the village. The cheese is for sale in the local shops and very popular with visitors.