Norheimsund is the main town in Kvam municipality, with around 4,000 inhabitants. It sits at the end of a small bay on the northern shore of the Hardangerfjord, about 75 kilometres from Bergen.
This has been a tourist destination since the mid-1800s, when the first hotel opened here. The town became a natural stopping point for travellers exploring the Hardanger region by steamship. Today it's still a gateway to the fjord, with a guest harbour for boats and good bus connections to Bergen.
There are two attractions worth stopping for if you have time. The Hardanger Maritime Centre is a living museum where craftspeople build and restore traditional wooden boats using centuries-old techniques. And the Thon Hotel Sandven is one of the region's historic fjord hotels, founded in 1857 and still operating in its original Swiss-style building.
The famous Steinsdalsfossen waterfall is just 2 kilometres west of town - you'll pass it if you continue along RV7 toward Bergen.
From here it's about an hour's drive to Bergen.
