Small town vibe just outside Oslo
In the fjord town of Drøbak you will find the calm and pleasant holiday atmosphere. Here there is a low pulse. Eat an ice cream, stroll through the cosy and flowery streets or let your legs dangle from the edge of the pier. It’s completely different from Oslo, but at the same time very close to the capital. It’s also a great city to explore on foot. Either along the charming and often flowery Badehusgaten, cosy Kroketønna, along the coast in Badeparken or one of the small cosy paths marked with blue round signs. In recent years, Drøbak has gained many fine unique niche shops. In the city centre there is not a single chain store. There are also many galleries, cosy eateries and hustle and bustle in Drøbak square with square traders. Drøbak is also open on Sundays, all year round.
The festival summer
Drøbak is the place for great music experiences in the summer, with the Drøbak Festival, Drøbak Harbour Festival, Guitars by the Fjord, Oslofjord Opera Festival and the Summer Concerts in Drøbak Church.
Summer at Oscarsborg
Oscarsborg Fortress is a short ferry ride from Drøbak city centre and here you can join a guided tour, visit the Fortress Museum, go pole hunting, stay at the fortress hotel Oscarsborg Hotel & Resort, swim and eat good food. See updated ferry routes here.
During the school holidays, Oscarsborg Museums has open guided tours. They leave from the helipad at Oscarsborg at 12.30pm and last until 2.30pm, they include the Torpedo Battery. Price per adult NOK 200,-. The tours are in Norwegian only. There are several guides every day, so everyone is welcome. Read more about the guided tours here.
Summer at Follo Museum
This year there will be a record-breaking summer programme at Follo Museum! The museum is open from 11 am to 3 pm Tuesday-Sunday between 15 June and 15 August. Every day during opening hours there is a regular programme of guided tours for children.
Read more about summer at Follo Museum here.
Familieøya Lågøya
Experience the scenic cabin paradise of Lågøya in the Oslofjord, which can be reached by Ruter boat.
Family favourite Lågøya offers accommodation in cosy cabins run jointly by Oslofjorden friluftsråd and DNT Oslo og Omegn. The island, which is one kilometre long, has great hiking areas, family-friendly swimming bays and a small playground. Sparebankstiftelsen DNB bought Lågøya from Circle K in 2022 – and the aim is to make the island and the cabins accessible to everyone.
There are also several coastal trail cabins in Drøbakssundet, both on Håøya and on Bergholmen. Read more about these cabins at Oslofjorden friluftsråd.
Raspberries
What tastes more like summer than sweet raspberries? On the border between Ås and Frogn, raspberries have their own little kingdom at Bringebærlandet. In addition to perfect raspberries in season, this summer you can join a guided tour and tasting at the cosy farm of jewellery designer Åse-Marit Thorbjørnsrud and historian Roy Andersen. Hear the exciting story, walk among the visually stunning raspberry hedges, enjoy the view reminiscent of Tuscany or Champagne. The farm shop is open every day during the berry season (as long as there are berries), as well as wine sales during Vinmonopolet’s opening hours. It is also possible to join a wine tasting.
Camping trip to Håøya
Visit one of Oslofjord’s cosiest islands this summer. Right next to the fortress island Oscarsborg is Håøya, with a boat connection from Oslo and Drøbak daily in the summer. This is a great place to camp, with many nice tent pitches and places to hang your hammock. For breakfast or lunch, you should visit Håøya Naturverksted, the cosy café and cheese factory of goat farmer Helge Haugen and his family. Here you can also climb Frogn and Oslofjord’s highest point, 229.4 metres above sea level. TIP! BUA Drøbak offers free hire of hiking equipment, including hammocks. Contact the Tourist Information in Drøbak.
Free boat trip in Drøbaksundet
Drøbak has always had a strong maritime identity and in the 18th century, Drøbak was actually the place in Norway that had the most registered sailing ships. Drøbak Kystlag offers free lending of two rowing boats with electric motors in Drøbak boat harbour. Go to Drøbak Kystlag’s Facebook page to book time, sign the self-declaration you will find in one of the mailboxes right by the rowboats and read the instructions for borrowing the boat on board. It is also important to watch the weather and wind!
Once all the practicalities are in order, your boat will be ready in 2.5 hours and there are several nice places to go; Bergholmen where it’s always sheltered and there are good and easy piers to dock. Oscarsborg round is another popular trip! You can also moor at Ormeleina and walk to the top of Håøya – the highest point in the Oslofjord and Frogn! Kystlaget also offers free sailing training and practical boat use by appointment. At BUA Drøbak you can rent a life jacket for free. Ship O´hoi!
The seaside resort
The “seaside town” of Drøbak has several nice beaches, both in and outside the centre. The family beach Skiphelle has a long sandy beach and a large lawn, while Torkilstranda is the windsurfers’ favourite. The bathing park in the centre of Drøbak is also an excellent place for bathing nymphs – for example at the newly restored “Herrebadet”, part of the bathing and spa facilities that were built in the early 1900s. There are also several smaller beaches in the city centre, such as the local favourite Nordstranda between Sundbrygga and Vindfangerbukta. It’s also nice to swim in fresh water at Øvredammen, or in warmer temperatures inside Bølgen Bad’s bathing facilities.
Drøbak also has a sauna. Drøbak sauna is located on Lehmannsbrygga south in Drøbak city centre.
Go on a pole hunt!
Pole hunting has become a very popular way of experiencing and exploring new places, read more about pole hunting in Frogn.
Outdoor seating and ice cream
In the summer, Drøbak’s many outdoor cafés come to life. Around the square are The Old Bakery, Handelshuset Gastrobar and Peppes Pizza. Skipperstua, Miramar and Café Sjøstjernen have outdoor seating with fjord views, while at Café Teskje you can sit in a large public oasis with a playground. Telegrafen and Reenskaug Hotel also have great outdoor seating. At Oscarsborg, you can eat outside in the sunshine at the restaurant Forpleiningen at Oscarsborg Hotel & Resort as well as Havnekroa and Oscarsborg Gjestehavns Spiseri in the guest harbour. If you want to eat an ice cream while you are in Drøbak, you should check out Café Drøbak in the green wooden house on Drøbak square, they are known for good small dishes and a large selection of ice cream.
