Every design for Kragerø

Kragerø takes its name from a crow. The island now simply called Øya was once Kragerø, most likely a Danish spelling of Kråkerøy, and the oldest houses grew up on both sides of Bysundet, the narrow strait between that island and the mainland. The town rose as a timber-exporting port, and in the days of the sailing ships it was one of the largest port towns in Norway.

Kragerø lies at the southern tip of Telemark, on a coast of countless islands, islets and skerries, with Jomfruland among the best-loved destinations offshore. In summer the population of the municipality quadruples as cabin owners and visitors arrive. Edvard Munch called it the pearl of the coastal towns, and Christian Krohg declared that the town ought to be painted. The painter and illustrator Theodor Kittelsen was born here and grew up in its streets; Kittelsenhuset now tells the story of his life and work, while Berg Museum, at the old country house of Berg, covers the town's history and coastal culture.

Whether you grew up between the sound and the skerries or have come back every summer since childhood, the first glimpse of the houses along Bysundet means you are home again.