Haugesund Cruise Port on Foot: Two Visits, No Excursions
We visited Haugesund, Norway, on two separate cruise stops—and it took that second visit to discover our favorite part of the city. During our first stop, we explored downtown Haugesund on foot, visited Vår Frelsers Church and encountered some of the city’s unusual public artwork. When our cruise returned, we decided to walk farther from the port toward Haraldshaugen, Norway’s National Monument to King Harald Fairhair. The monument was interesting, but the real surprise was everything surrounding it. We continued onto Kyststien, the Haugesund Coastal Path, where we found beautiful coastal scenery, free-roaming sheep, the ancient Krosshaugen stone cross and The Rising Tide—four unusual horse-and-rider sculptures that change with the tide. Farther along the path, we unexpectedly discovered Kvala Coastal Battery, the remains of German defensive positions constructed during the occupation of Norway in World War II. We then walked back through Haugesund, passing historic Skåre Church and another statue of Harald Fairhair. We explored everything independently from the cruise port without booking an excursion. Join us as we compare our two visits and explain why the coastal path became more memorable to us than the famous monument we originally came to see. Would you spend your day exploring downtown Haugesund or walking the coastal path? We’re Ed and Mai, early retirees traveling the world while sharing what full-time retirement travel really costs—and what it’s actually like. Please subscribe and follow along with Ed & Mai: WanderFree Retirees. #Haugesund #NorwayCruise #CruisePort #NorwayTravel #WanderFreeRetirees