Seterdal culture, nature and traditions.

Setesdal is rich in culture, nature and traditions. Both folk music, costume, silversmithing and food traditions are strong in the valley. Our guests can experience this up close to the body through our events. We have throughout the year at regular intervals folk music pub in the bar where local heroes line up with music and dancing. Every Wednesday and Friday in July we have “Norwegian Evening”. Then there are Norwegian specialties on the menu and folk music performed by Setesdal's best performers.

Folk music - UNESCO

Setesdal is rich in culture, nature and traditions. Both folk music, costume, silversmithing and food traditions are strong in the valley. The music and dance have for a long time been conveyed through performers at a very high level in the valley. The living tradition was recognized in 2019 by the fact that bow art, gang dance and folk music from Setesdal took place on UNESCOs World Heritage List for Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Setesdal music is dramatic, it is darker and more mysterious than other places in Norway. It has roots back in a time we no longer know, and it speaks of deep human things.

Our guests can experience this close to the body through our events. We have throughout the year at regular intervals folk music pub in the bar where local heroes line up with music and dancing

Sylvsmia - Rysstadsylv

Setesdal is often called Sylvsmeddalen. That said, there is no doubt that Rysstad is the sylvsmedbygda. Inger's great-uncle, Knut Sigurdsson Helle, was one of those who brought art to the village well over 100 years ago. Trygve is a 3rd generation silversmith. He is a master of filigree, with handmade bunad silver as his specialty. In Sylvsmia, sylv was made for use on all bunads in Telemark, Agder and Setesdal. Most of the bunad silver is today made to order, but in our outlet in Sylvbui, there will always be an offer for you who are in transit.

Sylvsmia has been awarded Olavsrosa for the action drilling continuation of the silversmith tradition in Sylvsmia.

Olavsrosa is a quality label awarded by the Norwegian Cultural Heritage Foundation, for experience offers based on Norwegian cultural heritage.

Visit our website Rysstadsylv.

Food traditions

With us, food should be an experience, and should also be able to be tasted with the eyes. We prefer to serve ingredients that are housed in nature's pantry or shipped by local producers. We call it tradition with a new twist, and as you can see we are talking about home-cooked food. Many choose the package we have, where the stay is spiced with local taste experiences and own cultural programs with some of the valley's proud tradition bearers. You can choose between mouth harp, fiddle and quidders.

Setesdal Museum

The Setesdal Museum has a 100-year-old history. The Setesdal culture was well known, but so far our philosophy has been to get the most out of the best the valley had to offer, and show it in the cities. In 1916, on the initiative of sheriff Juel Lund and painter Lars Osa, an old smoke train was bought as the first step on the road to a museum for Setesdal. The founding itself did not take place until June 9, 1938.

Visit to Lunden farm

Fiddler and storyteller Gunnar Stubseid owns Lunden farm on Helle. Gunnar is a renowned fiddler who has released several CDs, has a fiddler award and has our rector at Ole Bull Academy. Lunden farm is one of the farms in Setesdal that has the most complete collection of buildings as it was in the old days. Lunden gard mottok Aust-Agdercounty municipality's Building Protection Award in 2014.

Here our guests can get a "taste of Setesdal" - through cultural walks, "between houses", food and folk music. You can get to Lunden farm by car, bicycle, boat, canoe or horse and cart.