Brønnøysund – A Pretty Little Town in the Middle of Norway

Brønnøysund is the “coastal town in the middle of Norway” where residents greet visitors with free waffles and live music. It is a narrow peninsula surrounded by islands and water with a population of 5,000.  Here, we were actually at the halfway point along the western coast of Norway.

After arriving at the Bronnoysund harbor by tender (a boat used to transport passengers from the ship to the shore), we were immediatley surrounded by all manner of boats that cater to trade and fishing. Bronnoysund is a vibrant and pretty little town with an attractive visitors’ marina. Hurtigruten, a daily passenger and freight shipping service, calls in Bronnoysund twice daily.  

Brønnøysund was our sixth stop on our 14 day coastal Norway cruise on the Holland America Koningsdam.

We spent some time strolling around the streets, where we enjoyed looking at the small boats and bustling life of the archipelago (a group of islands).

A large, wide building turned out to be the Amfi Havnesenteret shopping mall. It was rather extraordinary to find such a large mall in a small fishing village with a population of 5,000. I always enjoy shopping in foreign countries and this was no exception. I find it entertaining to try to guess the purpose of products from the pictures on the labels as they are written in Norwegian.

Brønnøy Church

Brønnøy Church is a parish church of the Church of Norway. It is a stone church dating back to 1870, built in the Neo-Gothic style. The church site has been in use since the 13th century. with parts of the choir and entrance walls from medieval times. The church’s oldest artefact is a pre-Reformation wooden crucifix. The church is in the centre of town.

Lake Frokenosen in the Center of Brønnøysund

Lake Frokenosen is a rather wild lake located in the middle of the city. We stolled around a portion of it and enjoyed the views.

Greeted with Waffles

As we headed back to the harbor, we noticed a crowd of people outside the shopping mall. A sign stated, “Free Waffles”. I love waffles so after a short wait, I enjoyed my surprise snack and beverage. It was a friendly way to welcome tourists!

In Summary

Bronnoysund, Norway is a delightful little town with a big mall and and beautiful marina. It is well worth a visit if only to taste the waffles served by friendly locals.