Shopping in Skien

Skien is Telemark’s largest city and offers good shopping opportunities and a vibrant cultural and social scene, yet has retained the intimate charm you’d expect of a small town.

The heart of Skien is home to more than 200 different businesses, from the wharfs in the south to Duestien in the north. Skien boasts high-calibre shopping with a choice of exciting clothes shops, fragrant flower shops, handicrafts and a number of specialist shops selling everything from traditional costumes to spectacles. Click here for an overview of shops.

Places to eat

When you’re ready for a break, you’ll find many cafés and restaurants in attractive settings. Each of them has its own character, and you’re sure to find something to suit your taste. Whether it’s a quick lunch, a long-awaited catch-up with friends or a meal with colleagues after work – you’ll be spoilt for choice! During the summer months, there are also many places to enjoy a coffee in the sunshine. Click here for an overview of cafés and restaurants.

Pubs and clubs

Skien is a popular place for a night out and boasts a number of pleasant and popular pubs and bars. Try cosy BAR in Kongensgate, Lundetangen pub in Telemarksgata or Folque Café in Henrik Ibsensgate, combine bowling and a bite to eat at O’Learys, try out your karaoke skills at Mariannes Bistro in Torggata or enjoy river views from Tollboden Asian Crossover or Lekter’n at Langbrygga.

Culture

Skien has a buzzing cultural life, with many venues of all sizes in the central area.

Ibsenhuset is Skien’s cultural centre located right at the heart of the city and offers a varied year-round programme of concerts, performances, lectures and exhibitions. Parkbiografen is a concert hall steeped in tradition that seats up to 600. Teater Ibsen stages productions for both children and adults, focusing on new works in various formats. Lundetangen Pub is Skien’s top small venue, hosting more than 60 different concerts and events through the year, including free concerts from the pub’s cosy stage every Saturday afternoon from September to April. Telemark Art Centre showcases art as a discipline in Telemark. Its core areas include art exhibitions and art/decoration projects. Spriten Art Gallery hosts exhibitions, theatrical performances and film showings, concerts, lectures and much more. Skien’s Mersmak food festival is held on the last weekend of August each year and is a celebration of new tastes offering a wide range of exciting products, experiences and surprises. Since its debut in 2008, the festival has been attracting around 50,000 foodies every year. Bryggeparken is also home to a fantastic playground with play apparatus to encourage play and activity for all ages. Brekkeparken is an open-air collection of old buildings from all over Telemark. Through the spring and summer months, the museum hosts experience events and concerts large and small.

EVENTS/ACTIVITIES
The centre of Skien has lots going on all year round, much of it focused around Handelstorget. This popular square is the venue for all kinds of events, such as watching the ski and football world cups on the big screen, markets, the Mersmak food festival, the Christmas market, Skien Fashion Week, fashion shows, exhibitions, concerts, etc. Click here for an overview of events in Skien.

GIFT CARD
The Skien gift card is the perfect gift for every occasion and can be used at all participating businesses: shops, health and wellbeing facilities, cafés and restaurants, cultural venues and experience providers. The scheme covers a wide range of different businesses, so there’s something for everyone!

CITY LIFE
If you’d like to find out more about Skien and the people who live and work here, take a look at the pictures and articles on skienby.no. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Skien By – City of Skien – is an association dedicated to promoting the city centre as an exciting business and cultural venue and a great place to live. The association works with local businesses in Skien to make Skien an attractive place to be – a vibrant, pleasant and inspirational city centre. The association seeks to create a dynamic city centre with the emphasis on a healthy business environment where forward-looking businesses can thrive.