Bodo Tourist Attractions
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Situation and characteristicsThe Norwegian port of Bodø, chief town of Nordland county, lies in the Saltfjord, north of the Arctic Circle.
Town Hall
In Rådhusplassen is the Bodø Town Hall (1959), with a tower from which there are extensive views.
Bodø Cathedral
Close by the Bodø Town Hall is the Cathedral (1956; fine stained glass by Aagen Storstein), with a separate belfry.
County Museum
To the south of the Bodø Cathedral is the Nordland County Museum (Nordlandfylkesmuseum), with sections devoted to agriculture, local crafts and fisheries, together with a collection of prehistoric and medieval material.
National Norwegian Aviation Museum
The National Norwegian Aviation Museum is the museum for the Norwegian Air Force previously located just outside Oslo. It has a fine collection of aircraft used by the Royal Norwegian Air Force form the 1920s onward. It also houses aircraft of British and German wartime types that were recovered and restored.
Surroundings
Bodin Church
3km/2mi east of the center of Bodø stands the old stone church of Bodin (12th C.), which has a Baroque altarpiece of 1670. Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orleans and later king of France (1830-48), stayed in the pastor's house on a journey to the North Cape.
Rønvikfjell
4km/2.5mi north of Bodø is the Rønvikfjell (155m/509ft; mountain hut), from which there are panoramic views. From here it is a two hours' walk on a waymarked path to the summit of the Løpsfjell (603m/1,978ft), with a view extending to the Lofotens, 100m/60mi away; to the east can be seen the glacier-covered Sulitjelma 90km/55mi away on the Swedish frontier, and to the left of this the Blåmannsis, with its snowfields rising to 1,571m/5,154ft.
Geitvågen
From Bodø, Road 834 runs north to Geitvågen, the finest sandy beach north of the Arctic Circle. A visit to Geitvågen on midsummer night is one of the high spots of the year for many inhabitants of Bodø.
Kjerringoy
40km/25mi north of Bodø is Kjerringøy, an old trading town which until the 19th century was one of the most important in northern Norway. Its open-air museum, with 15 old buildings, gives a fascinating picture of life and trade in a Norwegian coastal settlement.Kjerringøy is noted for its beautiful scenery, fishing opportunities and other outdoor activities.
Saltstraumen
35km/22mi south of Bodø is Saltstraumen, a strait 2.5km/1.5mi long, 150m/160yd wide and up to 50m/165ft deep between the islands of Straumen and Straumøy which links the Saltfjord with the Skjerstadfjord. The ebb and flow of the tide force some 370 million cu. meters (485 million cu. yards) of water through this narrow passage, creating whirlpools and eddies. Good fishing.
Saltstraumen Experience
The Saltstraumen Experience, located at the foot of Saltstraumen Bridge, overlooks the strongest whirlpool in the world. The history of the Saltstraumen is featured through exhibitions, multimedia show, and models.
Map of Bodo Attractions
Map - Bodø
