national park
Kosterhavet National Park
Sweden's first marine national park, a cluster of car-free islands and turquoise waters off the rugged Bohuslän coast.
55 km · about 65 min drive
EuropeNorwayVestfold
Sandefjord
Vestfold, Norway · Europe
About Sandefjord
Sandefjord sits on the route: 20 minutes from Tjøme, 55km from Kosterhavet National Park.
Sandefjord is in Vestfold, Norway, with about 64,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Tjøme, about 10 km away.
Sandefjord (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈsɑ̂nːəfjuːr] ) is a municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Vestfold. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. Other population centres in Sandefjord include Andebu, Fevang, Fokserød, Fossnes, Freberg,Read more
Hafallen, Helgerød, Himberg, Høyjord, Kodal, Lahelle, Melsomvik, Råstad, Solløkka, Stokke, Storevar, Strand, and Unneberg.
The 422-square-kilometre (163 sq mi) municipality is the 233rd largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Sandefjord is the most populous municipality in Vestfold and the 14th most populous municipality in Norway, with a population of 67,009 (2025). The municipality's population density is 158.7 inhabitants per square kilometre (411/sq mi) and its population has increased by 6.6% over the previous 10-year period.
Sandefjord is known for its rich Viking history and the prosperous whaling industry, which made Sandefjord the richest city in Norway. Today, it has built up the third-largest merchant fleet in Norway. Sandefjord Museum is the only museum in Europe dedicated to whaling, and is home to Gokstad Mound where the 9th-century Gokstad Ship was discovered.
Sandefjord has numerous nicknames, including the whaling "capital" of Norway or as the undisputed summer city of Norway. Sandefjord is also known as the "whaling capital of the world". It has also been dubbed the "Bathing City" (Badebyen), due to its many beaches and former resort spas. It is still considered a resort town, due to high numbers of visitors during summer months.
Sandefjord has become a transportation hub, home of Torp Airport, one of Norway's largest airports. Daily ferry connections to Sweden are provided by Color Line from the city harbor. European Route E18, one of Norway's main north–south highways, traverses the municipality.
Sandefjord is a stronghold for the Conservative Party; the Conservative coalition received over 70 percent of votes cast in 2011. Current mayor is Bjørn Ole Gleditsch from the Conservative Party, who has been mayor since 2004.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Sandefjord?
Within an hour or so of Sandefjord: Kosterhavet National Park (55 km).
Are there any good drives near Sandefjord?
The nearest famous roads are Smögen.
Where is Sandefjord?
Sandefjord is in Vestfold, Norway, about 10 km from Tjøme.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 64,345
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Norway
- Region
- Vestfold
- Timezone
- Europe/Oslo
- Coordinates
- 59.1312, 10.2166
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Norway
Many toll roads use automatic plate recognition (AutoPASS). Headlights required at all times.
Full driving guide for NorwayTags
Worth the detour from Sandefjord
1 notable place within an hour's drive.
When to drive here
May to September
Far northern latitude: short daylight hours outside summer make long drives harder.
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