The Best Viking Places to Visit: Norway Viking Tourism

If you're searching for the best Viking place to visit, look no further than Vestfold, Norway. Unlike a single museum or city, Vestfold is an entire region where Viking history lives in the land itself, from ancient burial mounds to viking age trade towns and sacred nature spaces. Although there are fantastic areas for viking tourism all over Scandinavia, most of it is spread out over a wide area and one or two attractions are separated by at least a couple hours drive. In Vestfold, there are 6 of the top viking locations all within a 30 minute drive of each other!

As long-time researchers of Norse history and religion, we've studied these sites both academically and spiritually. We’ve walked the hills, studied the sagas, and spoken with modern-day Norwegians who help preserve these sacred spaces. This is not just a tourist guide it’s a pilgrimage!

Whether you're a traveler, a history enthusiast, or a modern Norse pagan, these are the Viking history places to visit in Norway that will leave you inspired.

1. Tønsberg & the Famous Oseberg Burial Mound

Just outside of Tønsberg, the designated oldest town in Norway, lies the Oseberg burial mound, one of the most incredible Viking discoveries ever made. The Oseberg ship, buried with two high-status women, is the most famous ship burial of the Viking Age. While the actual ship is housed in Oslo’s Viking Ship Museum, the original mound still sits in the countryside, connecting visitors to this ancient funeral rite.

The Oseberg Ship original housed at the Viking Ship museum in Oslo

In Tønsberg, visit the Slottsfjell Museum, where you’ll find a full-scale replica of the Oseberg ship and many other Viking artifacts.

2. Borre & the Midgard Viking Center

The location of Borre is home to some of the largest burial mounds in Scandinavia. These are the graves of elite Viking chieftains and kings, set in a sacred landscape that has remained largely untouched.

At the Midgard Viking Center, visitors can explore exhibitions, try hands-on activities, shop for Viking gear, and step inside a full-scale Viking hall. Each summer, Borre also hosts Midgardsblot, a world-renowned Viking and Norse pagan festival.

3. Gokstad Mound: The Burial of a King

The Gokstad ship, another masterpiece of Viking shipbuilding, was found in a burial mound in Vestfold believed to belong to King Olav Geirstadalv, an early Viking ruler. This legendary king was later honored as an "elf" and is even said to have been reincarnated as Saint Olav.

The Gokstad Ship original housed at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo

Though the actual ship rests in Oslo, the original Gokstad mound remains, making it one of the most spiritually significant places to visit in Viking history.

4. Kaupang: The Viking Trade Town

The site of Kaupang was once the largest and oldest Viking trade town in Scandinavia. Today, it's an archaeological site with a visitor center, interactive displays, and stunning nature walks.

Just up the road is where the former royal hall, Skíringssalr stood in the viking age. There is nothing there now but it is incredible to think that within a 5 minute walk we can find all of these sites that would have been a grand settlement of the time. There was also a grand pagan temple further up the road, possibly beneath Tjølling church, a Christian structure built on what was likely sacred Norse ground.

Map of Kaupang(Yellow indicates buildings)

5. Vestfold’s Hidden Sacred Landscapes

Vestfold is filled with hundreds of Viking burial mounds, sacred forests, groves and ancient stone monuments that are open to the public:

Bjøkeskogen: A beautiful forest with numerous burial mounds dating to the viking age. It is also an active festival site with a restaurant and concerts in the summer.

Brunnla Iron Age Grave site: Another location with burial mounds dating to before the viking age. 

Istrehågan: Mysterious stone ship formations from before the Viking Age, a sacred and powerful site.

These places weren’t just for burying the dead—they were portals to the other world, used for rites, sacrifices, or ancestor veneration.

6. Mølen: The Sacred Coastline

Located near Stavern, Mølen is a coastal site filled with millions of ancient stones, burial mounds, and windswept beauty. Many of these graves date back long before the Viking Age, showing that this sacred space was used for thousands of years. It was also one of the first locations in the Scandinavian penninsula that the ice retracted from after the ice age and one of the earliest settlements.

The landscape is unforgettable. With the ocean crashing in the distance and stones beneath your feet, Mølen is not just a visit, it’s a spiritual experience.

Bonus: Pair Your Journey with the Museums in Oslo 

Before or after exploring the land itself, wrap up your journey by visiting the museums in Oslo less than a 2 hour drive from Vestfold. The Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, where you can view the actual Oseberg and Gokstad ships, textiles, tools, sleds, and burial goods. The Historical Museum where you can see all manner of finds from the viking age and beyond. Norwegian Folkmuseum also has an array of viking and Norwegian history! All these places offer a powerful complement to the burial sites themselves.

Best Places to Visit for Viking History

If you're planning a trip and wondering what’s the best Viking place to visit, Vestfold should be at the top of your list. It offers not just historical artifacts, but a chance to walk the ancient paths, stand beside sacred mounds, and connect with the same land that shaped the Viking spirit.

Whether you're a historian, spiritual seeker, or curious traveler, Vestfold is the heart of Viking Norway and it’s waiting for you to discover it.