Interested in history? Here are 10 places to check out when you visit Østfold:

- Gamlebyen, Fredrikstad. Scandinavia’s best preserved fortress town, and one of Norway’s top man-made attractions. Also recently voted as one of the most romantic places in Norway.

- Oldtidsveien, Skjeberg. Østfold is among Norway’s oldest inhabited regions, and stunning rock carving sites, burial mounds and stone rings can all be found along this stretch of road between Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg.

- Fredriksten Fortress, Halden. The strategically located fortress defending the border with Sweden is rich in history – find out more at the local museum, or by joining a guided tour of the compound.

- Høytorp Fort, Mysen. Norway’s greatest inland fortress, high on a hill overlooking Mysen and the surrounding area. You can explore tunnels and bunkers dating back to WW2 (Sundays only, in summer).

- Hans Nielsen Hauge Memorial, Sarpsborg. Hans Nielsen Hauge was a local lay preacher who created the largest religious mass movement in Norwegian history. Visit his home near Sarpsborg, and find out more about his life and influence.

- Moss Ironworks. The place where the Convention of Moss, a ceasefire agreement between Sweden and Norway, was signed in 1814. It put an end to the Swedish Norwegian war, and paved the way for the union between the two countries that was to last until 1905.

- Hvaler Church, Hvaler. One of Norway’s oldest remaining medieval churches. Coins originating from Germany, Denmark, and Sweden have been discovered under the choir floor, the oldest one dating from 1130, indicating that Hvaler’s inhabitants were in contact with the European Continent centuries ago.

- Borgarsyssel Museum, Sarpsborg. Østfold’s largest open-air museum, with a collection of over 30 buildings from all over the county, and some 20,000 local artefacts.

- Rød Herregård, Halden. Østfold is known in Norway as the county of manors (more than half of all the manors in the country can be found here) and this is one of the most famous – complete with original 18th century furniture and Baroque gardens.

- Roald Amundsen’s childhood home, Sarpsborg. Visit the place where one of the greatest polar explorers grew up, and learn more about his achievements. Guided tours.