Things to Do in Kristiansund — Klippfisk, Islands & Harbour Saunas

Kristiansund is spread across four islands at the edge of the open Atlantic, and that geography shapes almost everything about the place — how people get around, what they eat, and how the town has made its living for centuries. It’s a working harbour city rather than a manicured tourist stop, and that’s exactly its appeal: free passenger ferries still shuttle between the islands, the old klippfisk warehouses still stand on the waterfront, and a floating sauna sits in the harbour for anyone who wants to feel the cold of the Norwegian Sea up close.

Sauna Culture in Kristiansund

Given its exposed coastal position, it’s no surprise that Kristiansund’s sauna scene leans into the sea rather than away from it. Kristiansund Floating Sauna is moored at Innlandet, the town’s oldest island neighbourhood, and keeps unusually generous hours — 06:30 to 23:00, every day of the year — with direct ocean access for a plunge between rounds and private hire available for groups.

Atlanterhavsbadet, beside the green space of Folkeparken, is the city’s full indoor waterpark: five pools, a wave pool, slides, and a sauna and steam bath built into the wellness area, open on a normal admission ticket rather than a booked session. Scandic Kristiansund rounds things out with a straightforward hotel sauna and gym for guests staying in town.

That’s a small but complete set — a floating harbour sauna, a full public bathing complex, and a hotel option. For a closer look at all three, including pricing and seasonal advice, see our dedicated guide to the best saunas in Kristiansund.

Klippfisk, Ferries & Culture

Kristiansund’s identity is built on klippfisk — cod that’s split, salted, and dried on the rocks (the name literally means “cliff fish”) — a trade that connected the town to markets across southern Europe for generations. The Norwegian Clipfish Museum on Gomalandet tells that history in detail, and bacalao, a tomato-based klippfisk stew, remains the local speciality on menus around town. The June Klippfiskfest celebrates the tradition with food, concerts, and markets across the harbour.

Getting between the islands is part of the experience. The Sundbåten has ferried passengers across Kristiansund’s sounds since 1876, making it one of the oldest continuously operating public sea transport services in the world — and it’s free. A loop on the Sundbåten takes you past the historic wooden buildings of Innlandet, the Jugendstil-style Nordlandet Church, and back into the town centre on Kirkelandet.

Kristiansund also punches above its weight culturally: it’s home to the country’s oldest opera tradition, with more than a hundred performances a year and the dedicated Operafestukene festival each February, when opera is served up alongside food for seventeen days straight. In June, the Nordic Light Festival of Photography brings international and Norwegian photographers to exhibit and lecture across the city.

Outdoor Activities & Day Trips

Kristiansund sits close to two of Norway’s most photogenic coastal drives. The Atlantic Road (Atlanterhavsveien) — the causeway of eight bridges strung across skerries between Averøy and the Romsdal peninsula — is around 31 kilometres and a 35-minute drive from the city, and it also gives access to Håholmen Havstuer, a historic island hotel a short boat trip from the road. Further along the coast, the fishing village of Grip, about 14 kilometres northwest of Kristiansund, and Bud, roughly half an hour southwest, both make worthwhile detours for anyone extending their time on the coast.

Kristiansund’s exposed position also makes it a genuine base for an active trip, with kayaking, diving, sea and salmon fishing, hiking, and cycling all available around the islands.

Getting There & When to Visit

Kristiansund Airport Kvernberget connects the city with Oslo and Bergen, and the Hurtigruten coastal express also calls here, making it easy to combine with a wider Norwegian coastal itinerary. By road, the Atlantic Road links Kristiansund to Molde, about ninety minutes away.

Summer brings the Klippfiskfest and the longest days for exploring the islands. June adds the Nordic Light Festival. Autumn and winter are quieter and rawer — the Atlantic weather is a real factor here, and that’s when the floating sauna is at its most atmospheric, with the harbour lights on cold, dark water.

---

For a fuller breakdown of where to bathe in Kristiansund, see our guide to the best saunas in Kristiansund. Further along the coast, things to do in Molde covers the other end of the Atlantic Road, and the best saunas in Western Norway sets Kristiansund’s harbour scene in its regional context. New to Norwegian bathing culture? Start with our guide to Norwegian sauna culture.