On the southernmost tip of the country, Kristiansand is the major city of the region called Sorlandet, known as the Norwegian Riviera. Founded in 1641 by the Danish-Norwegian King Christian IV, it has both a historic town center and one of the country's best boating areas and beaches.
There are free guided tours during the summer. Also worth a visit is Wergeland Park, bright with thousands of flowers raised and planted by local schoolchildren. Though there are few real "sights" there, the nearby fishing villages are very picturesque, and the seafood is out of this world.
240 mi/385 km southwest of Oslo.