Øvre Eiker is Buskerud’s oak-leafed valley basin — a municipality where glass glimmers in museum halls, Viking treasures lie beneath roundabouts, and three silver oak leaves rustle across the coat of arms. With around 20,000 residents and a landscape shaped by the Drammenselva River, Eikern Lake, and the villages of Hokksund, Vestfossen, Skotselv, Darbu, and Ormåsen, Øvre Eiker is the kind of place where you can hike past medieval churches, explore contemporary art labs, and still sip spruce cordial beside a paddleboard safari that glides through beaver country. It’s got rivers, relics, and a name that means “upper oak woods.”
Top Attractions
- Nøstetangen Glass – historic glassworks with modern exhibitions
- Nøstetangen Museum – cultural heritage center with multimedia displays
- Haug Church – medieval stone church dating back to 1153
- Varlo Park – landscaped gardens with waterfalls & fountains
- Bakke Church – 1883 timber church in Skotselv
- Sanselåven – interactive art gallery with sensory exhibitions
Unique Experiences
- Hoenskatten Site – location of Norway’s largest Viking gold find (1834)
- Beaver Safari – paddleboard tour on Vestfosselva with wildlife sightings
- Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium – contemporary art museum in a former factory
- Eikern Lake – boating, fishing & scenic views near Fiskum
- Hellefoss Power Station – hydroelectric site with industrial heritage
Places to Stay
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Where to Eat
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Getting There
Øvre Eiker lies west of Drammen, with Hokksund as its administrative center and Vestfossen as its artistic heart. Reach it via E134 from Kongsberg or Drammen, or by train to Hokksund Station. The area is best explored by boots, bike, or bold curiosity — especially if you’re chasing oak-leaf echoes, fjord lore, or the hush of pine needles beside a museum that remembers molten glass and medieval saints.
