Buen house of culture

Mandal in Lindesnes municipality in the county of Agder is the southernmost town in Norway. Mandal is known for its narrow and idyllic streets. Mandal is also known for its many beaches and the annual Shellfish festival. In summer, Mandal is a popular coastal town, with many visitors. Its population was 15,600 in 2020.

Get in

By car

Mandal is on the European Road E39 46 km southwest of central Kristiansand, 155 km southeast of central Stavanger.

By bus

1 Mandal Bus Terminal There is a bus service to Mandal from Kristiansand, Stavanger and the small towns between.

By plane

The nearest airport is Kristiansand Airport, Kjevik (KRS ^IATA, 57 km (35 miles) to the northeast). Scheduled flights to London-Southend, Oslo, Bergen, Copenhagen and Amsterdam.

By train

There is no railroad to the small town of Mandal. There is an inland railway station in Marnardal and a larger station in Kristiansand. Bus to Mandal.

Get around

• The town center is quite compact, which means that everything is within walking distance.
• Bus is the best and most affordable public transport solution.
• Mandal Taxi ☏ +47 38 27 19 00

See

• 1 Mandal church (Mandal kirke). Norway's largest wooden church, and one of the country's largest wooden constructions.  
• 2 Sjølingstad Uldvarefabrik, Sjølingstad (bus 203 or 207 to Sjølingstad). M-F 11:00-15:00. A living museum factory, once a spinning mill that produced woolen fabrics from the time the textile industry was an important industry in Mandal. 
• 3 Mandal Museum and Vigeland's House, Store Elvegate 5/6. The local museum in a prominent merchant's house in the town center of Mandal. Works by the artists Adolph Tidemand, Amaldus Nielsen and Gustav Vigeland, all born in Mandal. 
• 4 Tregde (Village) (5 km southeast of downtown). The little village of Tregde is known for being the sunniest spot on Norway’s south coast, situated in the heart of the region known as ‘Sørlandet’. Tregde ferie offers accommodation (see sleep), a variety of activities and stunning views over Sørlandet’s sea and its countless idyllic little islands. 
• 5 Landehobde (To get there, you need to drive by car on a small windy road, and then walk on a foot path through some woods.). Ruins from a World War II military fort, with numerous bunkers and gun emplacements. 
• 6 Ryvingen lighthouse (Ryvingen fyr) (To get out, you have to order transport by phone. Price must be agreed on beforehand.), ☏ +47 977 79 350 (weeks 26-33), +47 994 14 944 (other times), [email protected]. Norway's southernmost lighthouse, constructed in 1867, located on the island of Ryvingen. 25 kr (adults), 10 kr (children).  

Do

Sjøsanden beach and the neighboring forest Furulunden. The town center in the background.

• 1 Sjøsanden (800 meters long sandy beach). One of Norway's most popular sandy beaches has a lively swimming life on hot summer days. The water temperature can reach pleasant temperatures if you are lucky. Here are toilets and a simple eatery. The Furulunden forest, a nature park in the beach area is also perfect for a walk or a run.  
• 2 Buen kulturhus (By the pedestrian bridge by the Mandalselva river), ☏ +47 38 27 31 11. A cultural multi-purpose house that includes a library, an art gallery, cinemas, halls adapted for theater, dance, concerts, and other events.  

Buy

• 1 Fiskelaget (Fish market), Bryggegata 1, ☏ +47 38 27 18 70. Seafood, fish and shellfish, locally fished off the coast of Mandal. 
• 2 Husfliden, Store Elvegate 27, ☏ +47 38 27 29 00. Specialist shop for Norwegian handicrafts and design. 

Eat

• 1 Zakos Grill, Bryggegata 42, ☏ +47 967 54 797. A simple eatery 
• 2 Marna Cafè, Store Elvegate 47 B (Centrally located on the dock in Mandal), ☏ +47 38 26 27 00. Restaurant and steak house that is transformed into a bar and a nightclub late Saturday nights. 
• 3 Smoi, Mandals Hemmeligheter, Store Elvegate 25, ☏ +47 38 27 15 00. American and Italian style pizzas. 
• 4 Hr. Redaktør (Redaktøren), Store Elvegate 23A, ☏ +47 38 27 15 30. F Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 13:00-21:00. Restaurant, bar and function room. (updated Sep 2022)

Drink

• 1 Sjøboden Pub, Bryggegata 8, ☏ +47 38 26 54 40. 

Sleep

Accommodation

• 1 Tregde ferie (Tregde Vacation Center), Tregdeveien 437 (Tregde Village, 5 km southeast of the town centre), ☏ +47 38 26 88 00, [email protected]. Various accommodation options in different sizes in cabins or apartments by the sea side. Outdoors swimming pools and boat rentals. Open all year long. 
• 2 Sandnes Camping, ☏ +47 988 87 366, [email protected]. Open from May 1st to September 1st. 
• 3 Sjøsanden Feriesenter, ☏ +47 38 26 10 94, [email protected]. Vacation centre close to the Sjøsanden beach. Offers around 300 places for tents and/or caravans, as well as cabins and an on-site motel. Activities include mini-golf and a water slide. 

Hostel

• 4 Hald Pensonat (B&B hostel), Halseveien 37, ☏ +47 38 26 01 00. Most of the year an accommodation for groups only, in bunk beds at an affordable price. Summer pension from late June to mid August. Breakfast is included. 

Hotels

• 5 Mandal Hotel, Nedre Malmø, 4515 Mandal, ☏ +47 481 16 311, [email protected]. Modern hotel on the pier edge. 
• 6 Kjøbmandsgaarden Hotel, Store Elvegate 57, ☏ +47 38 26 12 76, [email protected]. A small hotel, based in a listed wooden building and has interior and atmosphere taken care of some of the merchant environment from the mid -1800s. 

Learn

• 1 SKAP Kreativ Folkehøyskole, Neseveien 1, 4514 Mandal, ☏ +47 381 33 200. 

Go next

• Lindesnes Lighthouse (turn off the E39 west of Mandal, and follow the county road 460 to the lighthouse at the endpoint), dating back to 1656, sits at mainland Norway’s southernmost point. Worth a visit is also the lighthouse museum. The nature and the environment around the lighthouse are breathtaking.

Spangereid

• 7 Lindesnes Havhotell, Bålyveien 50, 4521 Balveï (Spangereid, 18 km west of the city centre), ☏ +47 38 60 08 00, [email protected]. Modern hotel by the sea, not far from the southern tip of Norway. 
• 5 Under (Restaurant), Bålyveien 48, 4521 Lindesnes, [email protected]. This fancy restaurant opened in March 2019 and has its whole eating area about 5 metres below sea level. It is Europe's biggest underwater restaurant. A panoramic window allows you to follow sea life while having one of the (rather upscale) menus. Booking is mandatory as the restaurant usually only hosts up to 40 people. The restaurant is awarded a star in the Michelin Guide. 

Further afield

• Kristiansand
• Lyngdal

Routes through Mandal

Stavanger ← Lyngdal ←

N  S

→ Kristiansand → Aalborg (ferry)