With a population just above a thousand, the town of Lena hardly seems a likely candidate to experience a tourism explosion and is thus unlikely to warrant a multi-page guidebook feature anytime in the near future. This isn’t to say Lena isn’t without its bucolic charms. Located in the Østre Toten municipality of Norway, the town sits on the western side of Mjøsa, which is either Norway’s largest lake or its longest inland fjord (depending on whom you ask). Surrounding Lena are rolling hills, pastoral farmlands, and the occasional interesting find for those who take the time to explore. For a small town, Lena is a pretty good place to shop (especially when one is already used to the ridiculously high prices found in Norway). The town has many small stores, including antique shops and secondhand places. Couples traveling together should check out a place called Nyli. It’s a small boutique with lovely clothing and a cozy little café, allowing ladies to shop for clothing while their men hang out and read over coffee. Lena’s lovely and centrally located train station is, alas, only for show, the tracks having been removed decades ago. But several daily buses do the 115-mile trip between Lena and Oslo, stopping at the airport on the way.
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Lena, Bellybutton of Norway
With a population just above a thousand, the town of Lena hardly seems a likely candidate to experience a tourism explosion and is thus unlikely to warrant a multi-page guidebook feature anytime in the near future. This isn’t to say Lena isn’t without its bucolic charms. Located in the Østre Toten municipality of Norway, the town sits on the western side of Mjøsa, which is either Norway’s largest lake or its longest inland fjord (depending on whom you ask). Surrounding Lena are rolling hills, pastoral farmlands, and the occasional interesting find for those who take the time to explore. For a small town, Lena is a pretty good place to shop (especially when one is already used to the ridiculously high prices found in Norway). The town has many small stores, including antique shops and secondhand places. Couples traveling together should check out a place called Nyli. It’s a small boutique with lovely clothing and a cozy little café, allowing ladies to shop for clothing while their men hang out and read over coffee. Lena’s lovely and centrally located train station is, alas, only for show, the tracks having been removed decades ago. But several daily buses do the 115-mile trip between Lena and Oslo, stopping at the airport on the way.
