Gjøvik is the perfect place to stop and explore Norway’s Oppland and Hedmark (Innlandet) counties. For those of you who haven’t heard of or even visited Gjøvik – also known as the ‘White City’ – it’s the only town located on the left side of the Mjøsa, Norway’s largest lake. The Mjøsa, which possibly means’ shiny ‘, is about an hour’s drive north of Oslo. Its total area of 365 km2 stretches from Eidsvoll up to Lillehammer, with Gjøvik on the west side and Hamar on the east side.
Gjøvik is a small yet cozy town, surrounded by fertile farmland, forest, and lakes. It has the honor of being the Gjvik-Land-Toten district’s regional capital, with a population of around 30,000 people. Among other things, it serves as a major educational (NTNU University), tourist (Skibladner paddle steamer, Eiktunet, Mjøs museum), and industrial (Hunton Fiber, Hoff potato chips, Eidsiva bio-energy) hub for the region. Gjøvik is very pretty, with many houses and developments nestled into the hills hugging the town.
At Østbyhøgda lookout, lucky residents can soak up stunning views of the Mjøsa, with its ever-changing moods and colors.