Vestby has approximately 15.200 inhabitants and covers a area of 133,9 km2. Beside the fjord and the nature farming and forestry have always been important for settling and employment in Vestby muncipality. It is part of the Follo region and the administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vestby. Vestby includes the villages Vestby, Hølen, Hvitsten, Garder, and Son. Recently urbanized areas are Randem, Pepperstad skog, and Sole skog. Randem is located north of the municipal Vestby, and includes an industrial area. Pepperstad is located southwest of Vestby, by the road 155 and Sole skog lays west of the centre.

The main attractions are Garder Church, Vestby Church, Jegstad Farm, Son town centre, Son Coastal Heritage Museum, Wesselstua (house) and Ødemark nature area. Hølen was in early times known for the production of timber, and from the 17th century important trade took place. Timber was floated on the river Såna. Ships from Netherlands visited the place.

The most important motorways and main roads to and from the whole of Norway go through Akershus. Travelers by train, coach, car and boat to and from the area around Oslo have to pass through Akershus. There is a very good public transport system carrying large numbers of passengers between Akershus and the surrounding area daily, facilitating travel around the county. This provides an alternative to the big city, whether it´s for just an afternoon trip or a longer stay. You can get to all parts of Akershus within one hour from the centre of Oslo. The most modern airport in Europe lies in Akershus Oslo Airport.

HVITSTEN

Hvitsten is an idyllic bathing and recreation area by the fjord with historic buildings and wonderful surroundings. Hvitsten expanded during the 19th century as ship owners stored their boats there for the winter, and the officers and crew settled in the area. Several well known artists have links with Hvitsten.

The painter Theodor Kittelsen bought a house in Hvitsten and during the summer of 1895 Theodor Kittelsen drew a sketch of the Nøkken (Water Sprite) painting by Hauger pond.

In 1910 Edvard Munch bought Nedre Ramme just north of Hvitsten. Several of his best known works come from this period in Nedre Ramme. Today some of the paintings can be seen at the National Gallery and the Munch Museum in Oslo.

EDVARD MUNCH

Edvard Munch was born at Løten on 12 December 1863. In Hvitsten he bought a house and found the landscape he sought for the other large picture for the Aula, “Alma Mater”. In Munch´s opinion, this property was in the most beautiful place on the coast and he stayed there with doves, turkeys, ducks and chickens, and his horse Rousseau postured on the verdant grassy hills.

In 1913 he also rented Grimsrød manor on the island of Jeløy for a few years, where he also had a studio built. His old aversion to Kristiania and its people also appeared to abate somewhat at this time, and now and then he ventured into the capital to visit the old haunts of his childhood.

The Scream in the Munch Museum is one of two painted versions of the image. The other is to be found in the National Gallery, Oslo. The National Gallery version is signed and dated 1893, and many scholars believe this to be the first one. Both versions are painted on cardboard, and Munch has also sketched the image on the reverse side of the National Gallery version. The Scream – one of the two versions – was first exhibited at Unter den Linden in Berlin in December 1893. In 1895 an important version of the image was produced as a lithograph. There exist two pastels of the image, one belonging to the Munch Museum, the other privately owned by Petter Olsen, whose father Thomas was a friend, neighbour and patron of Munch. For the money he is building a museum and a hotel. Olsen´s version was sold for $ 119,922,500 at Sotheby´s Impressionist and Modern art auction on 2 May 2012 to financier Leon Black, the highest nominal price paid for a painting at auction.

SON

Son is located 50 kilometres south of the Norwegian capital Oslo, just north of Moss, and is located west of the village of Hølen. Son became known as an “artist town”, as many well-known painters and writers have resided there. Only a 5 minute walk from the idyllic centre of Son the hotel Quality Spa & Resort, one of the largest Spa establishments which has ever been done in Norway. This is a resort in the proper international sense of the word, and has everything one could ask for. The design is inspired by sailing and the old boat builder yards, which Son is well known for.

In the centre of Son you will find houses from the 17th and 18th centuries with large hip roofs and bay windows. Beyond the old coastal village the buildings are more spread out with gardens. Most of the houses are in the Swiss style in the period from 1860 to 1910. Today idyllic Son attracts many artists and workers who live and work there. There is a thriving sailing and wooden boat community here and a wooden boatfestival is arranged here in August every year.

Son in “Hollender tida” (The Dutch Era). During this period Son was an important port in the Oslofjord. On Dutch maps it was called “Zoon water”. In 1731 the export of timber from Son was three times greater than from Moss. The timber trade, shippinq, trading, tobacco spinning (in the Spinnerigården 1778 – 1820), and the spirits distillery all lead to the growth of Son towards the end of the 18th century.

SON COASTAL HERITAGE CENTRE

The Museum displays changing exhibitions featuring coastal traditions and occupations. Museum harbour with historical Norwegian wooden boats. Museum shop.

FISHING

Fishing possibilities are good in Oslofjorden. A rich variety of activities are available, including good trout fishing in rivers and lakes.

GOLF

Soon Golfclub is a 9 holes golf course with a variation of difficulties.