Luster is situated in Western Norway, at the end of the Sognefjord, 200 km from the coastline of the North sea, and where Europe’s longest fjord meets 3 National Parks, Jostedalsbreen, Breheimen and Jotunheimen. Luster is one of the largest municipalities in Norway, 2.700 sq.km.
Luster has just over 5000 inhabitan. We see many young people without any previous connections to the area settling here, helping create growth.
Many find jobs within Luster, and nearby Sogndal and Leikanger offer good jobs requiring university level education. Both public and private institutions are located in our neighbouring municipalities, like University College, Western Norway Research Center, County administration, Administration of public roads, Norwegian Welfare Administration, Norwegian Directorate for IT, and so on. That means that the many well educated young people can find attractive jobs.
The many communities of Luster
Within the municipality of Luster there are many small communities. Gaupne is the center, with the administration, public services, and a range of private companies. Veitastrond has perhaps the best farmland in the area, especially famous for goatmilk products. Solvorn is one of the best preserved fjord villages, with small, wooden houses along the shoreline. Marifjøra was, like Solvorn, growing in times when the fjord was more important for communications than today. The wooden buildings are also here well preserved.
Luster is not only the name of the municipality, it is also the name of the populated area along road 55 towards the end of the Sognefjord. Here you find the old Dale stone church, the Fjordglas window factory, nursing home and a bakery.
Skjolden is the village at the end of the Sognefjord. A new cruiseport was opened here in 2010. Fortun with Hydro’s large power plants is also the startingpoint of the Sognefjell Mountain road, the highest mountain pass in Northern Europe.
In Ornes the Urnes Stave Church is the main attraction. The church is, as the oldest stave church, listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage list. The valley Jostedalen, reaching 50 km from Gaupne to the north, is known as the glacier valley. The Jostedalsbreen glacier, the biggest in mainland Europe, has many outlets stretching down to Jostedalen. Nigardsbreen is the most famous of them, as it is easily accessible and anyone can join a guided walk on the blue ice during the summer season. Hafslo, with gentle hillsides and good farmland has a landscape more like eastern Norway. The lake at the bottom of the slopes is famous among anglers. The slopes are also ideal for skiing, and The Sogn Ski Center offer lifts and well prepared tracks.
Read more about Luster on Wikipedia