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Norway’s fifth-largest urban area remains well off the radar of most international travellers. Yet Drammen’s transformation from industrial town to modern river city makes it an interesting place to explore.

For business reasons, Drammen came onto my radar shortly after I moved to Oslo many years ago.

At the time, I knew little about the place. In fact, that probably put me in much the same position as most international visitors to Norway today.

Despite its size and its location less than an hour from Oslo, Drammen rarely features on tourist itineraries. For many Norwegians too, the city was long associated more with industry, traffic and the Aass brewery than somewhere you would choose to spend your free time.

But Drammen has changed enormously. Over several decades, the once heavily polluted Drammenselva has been cleaned up, traffic has been redirected, former industrial areas have been redeveloped, and walking paths and public spaces have brought people back to the waterfront.

Today, Drammen calls itself Elvebyen, the River City.

It still isn't somewhere I would suggest building an entire Norway vacation around. But if you live in the Oslo region, are travelling through southeastern Norway, or simply want to see a Norwegian city that receives relatively few foreign visitors, Drammen is worth knowing about.

Where is Drammen?

Drammen is in Buskerud county, approximately 40 kilometres southwest of Oslo.

Drammen became part of the newly created Viken county in 2020, but Viken was dissolved at the beginning of 2024 and Buskerud returned.

The city grew up around the Drammenselva, the broad river that divides the centre before flowing into the Drammensfjord. That river is the key to understanding Drammen.

Timber, shipping and industry helped the city grow, but industrialisation also left the river badly polluted. From the late 1980s onwards, major investments in sewage treatment and environmental improvements gradually transformed both the waterway and the land around it.

Today, walking and cycling paths line much of the river through the city centre.

Drammen is also extremely easy to reach from Oslo. Frequent trains run from Oslo Central Station, while both regular trains and the Airport Express connect Drammen with Oslo Airport. That makes it an easy day trip even if you don't have a car.

How big is Drammen?

Norwegian population statistics can become confusing very quickly because a municipality and an urban settlement are not the same thing.

As of the beginning of 2026, Drammen municipality had more than 100,000 residents, making it one of Norway's biggest municipalities by population.

But the continuous Drammen urban area extends beyond the municipal boundary into neighbouring areas.

With more than 120,000 people in the wider urban settlement, Drammen ranks as Norway's fifth-largest urban area after Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger/Sandnes and Trondheim.

So yes, calling Drammen Norway's fifth-largest city is reasonable—as long as we explain what we mean.

Walk along the Drammenselva

If you're visiting for the first time, start with the river. The waterfront is the best place to appreciate just how different modern Drammen is from its old industrial reputation.

One of the city's most recognisable landmarks is Ypsilon, a pedestrian bridge that opened in 2008. Its distinctive Y-shaped design connects the Grønland district with the Bragernes side of the river and has become something of a modern symbol of Drammen. From here, riverside paths make it easy to explore on foot.

Another important crossing is the main city bridge between the railway station at Strømsø and Bragernes. A completely new bridge opened in 2025, continuing a connection across the river that has existed at this location for more than two centuries.

Bragernes Torg

Cross the river from the railway station and you'll soon reach the enormous Bragernes Torg.

The square is one of the defining spaces of central Drammen. Its present size is partly a legacy of the devastating Bragernes fire of 1866, after which much of the district had to be rebuilt.

Today, the square is surrounded by shops, restaurants and cafes, with Bragernes Church overlooking the scene from the hillside beyond.

On a warm day, this is where Drammen starts to feel much less like the industrial city of its reputation and much more like a lively regional centre.

The Spiralen

Drammen's best-known attraction is certainly one of its strangest. Spiralen is a road tunnel drilled into the hillside above the city. Instead of simply passing through the mountain, the tunnel spirals upwards through six loops before emerging at Spiraltoppen.

The tunnel was constructed between 1953 and 1961 and today even features lighting effects as you climb towards the summit. At the top, you're rewarded with panoramic views across Drammen and the surrounding landscape.

There is also a cafe and access to an extensive network of walking trails, so you don't necessarily need to drive through the tunnel. Hiking up to Spiraltoppen is a popular alternative.

Aass brewery

Another Drammen institution is considerably older. Founded in 1834,  is Norway's oldest brewery still in continuous operation.

It remains family-owned and continues to brew at its historic site beside the Drammenselva. The white brewery buildings are easy to spot from the railway and riverside.

If you're interested in beer, check what's available before your visit. Aass offers brewery tours and tastings at selected times, including events for individuals as well as private groups.

Even without a tour, you won't have much trouble finding Aass beer in Drammen's bars and restaurants.

Drammens Museum

For a deeper look at the region, head to , a short walk from the city centre. The museum covers art and cultural history, with collections ranging from furniture, glass and decorative arts to folk culture and local history.

It's actually more than one building. The museum also manages historic properties including Gulskogen gård, an elegant late-18th-century estate with a protected garden, together with Austad gård and an open-air museum on Bragernesåsen.

Gulskogen is especially pleasant in summer, when the historic gardens are open to visitors.

Hiking near Drammen

As is so often the case in Norway, you don't have to travel far from the centre to find nature. One of the most unusual hikes is , a narrow gorge approximately 1,300 metres long with rock walls reaching as high as 60 metres.

Walking through the gorge involves scrambling over rocks and potentially getting your feet wet, so this isn't an ordinary city stroll. Good footwear is essential, and conditions should always be checked before setting out.

There are also alternative trails along either side. For something easier, the forests around Spiraltoppen provide a large network of walking routes just above the city.

Swimming at Drammensbadet

If you're travelling with children—or experiencing some typically Norwegian weather— is another useful option. The large swimming complex beside Marienlyst includes several pools, diving facilities and water slides.

It's more of a local recreational facility than a tourist attraction, but that's part of the appeal of visiting somewhere like Drammen in the first place.

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Football fans may already know Drammen because of ³§³Ù°ùø³¾²õ²µ´Ç»å²õ±ð³Ù. Known locally simply as Godset, the club won the Norwegian championship in 2013 and remains an important part of the city's identity.

The club plays its home games at Marienlyst Stadion, a short walk from the railway station. As of the 2026 season, ³§³Ù°ùø³¾²õ²µ´Ç»å²õ±ð³Ù are playing in Norway's second tier, the OBOS-ligaen.

Where to stay in Drammen

If you do decide to stay overnight, most accommodation is within easy walking distance of the centre.

°Õ³ó±ðÌýScandic Ambassadeur is close to Drammen railway station, while the  is another convenient option beside the river.

But given the frequent railway service and Drammen's proximity to Oslo, an overnight stay isn't essential for most visitors.

For many people, Drammen works best as a straightforward day trip—and an opportunity to experience a side of urban Norway that relatively few international tourists ever see.