Add Rena to your Norway itinerary and you won’t be disappointed. The area around this quiet town is blessed with a vast array of natural beauty spots, including the Glomma and Rena rivers and the sparkling Prestsjøen lake. Join the many who come here to fish each year, set up camp beneath the stars, or try your hand at a range of wintersports.
For those who come in the colder months, the Rena Alpine and Ski Centre is often the first port of call. Whether you are new to wintersports or have had years of experience, you will find slopes here to suit you. Go snowboarding or skiing, or choose the favorite local variation of the latter: cross-country skiing. Come in March to witness the spectacle of the annual Birkebeiner cross-country ski race, which sets out from Rena.
In spring and summer, choose accommodations that will allow you to make the most of the stunning landscape. Book a spot at Rena Fiskecamp (Rena Fish Camp) to meet other keen anglers and spend your days catching trout and grayling on the beautiful Rena. Alternatively, pitch a tent at one of the popular camping spots along the Glomma.
Another summer highlight in Rena is the Birkebeinerrittet, the biggest mountain bike race in the world, which draws over 17,000 bikers to participate each year. Visit in August to catch the action.
Whatever season you arrive in, take the chance to stock up on locally brewed beer at the Rena Bryggeri (Rena Brewery), where local brewing practices dating back hundreds of years are carried on. Choose one of the three different beer varieties produced here or treat yourself and try them all.
Rena is only half an hour away by car from the larger outdoor tourism hub of Elverum and is 2 hours’ drive from Oslo. However you get here, leave as much time as you can to explore the surrounding landscapes, which are among the country’s most striking.
