Karmøy: Norway's oldest kingdom

On the island of the same name off the beautiful west coast of Norway, Karmøy holds what was the very first royal seat of the entire unified Norway.

A car remains helpful for exploring the island and surrounding areas.

The Avaldsnes historic site, an ancient and prestigious Viking royal residence, preserves precious archaeological finds that tell over three thousand years of uninterrupted Norwegian history.

A few minutes away, the Avaldsnes Church, built in the distant thirteenth century, remains one of the best-preserved medieval stone churches throughout western Norway.

Continuing along the coast, you reach Karmøy's sandy beaches, popular among surfers despite the cold North Sea waters.

Towards evening, local restaurants serve fresh fish just caught according to the culinary tradition of Norway's western coast.

Avaldsnes, on Karmøy, was the seat of Norway's first unified king, Harald Fairhair, at the end of the ninth century, earning the location the epithet 'the cradle of Norway.'

Karmøy's strategic position along the ancient Viking coastal navigation route, well-sheltered from open ocean storms, made it a mandatory passage point for centuries.