Drammen is a city on the river Drammenselva, where it flows into the Drammensfjord, south-west of Oslo. Once an industrial town with a polluted river, it has transformed itself over the past few decades, cleaning up the river, building parks and promenades along its banks, and restoring its old buildings. Today it is a pleasant, lively city, with a fine square at Bragernes, a theatre and riverside cafés.
The city's most unusual attraction is Spiralen, a road tunnel that corkscrews up inside the hill of Bragernesåsen, behind the city centre. It was built in the early 1960s, partly to provide stone for construction, and it makes six full turns inside the mountain before emerging near the top, where a viewpoint offers a panorama over the city, the river and the fjord. Riding up through the spiral is a strange, dizzying experience, and the view at the top is superb.
The hills around Drammen are forested and laced with trails, popular with walkers and skiers. From the top of Spiralen, paths lead into the forest, and on clear days you can see far across the fjord and the surrounding countryside.
For riders, Drammen is a gateway to the roads west towards Telemark and the mountains. Traffic can be heavy in the city and on the E18, but the roads into the hills are quieter. Speed limits are low and enforced. Fuel and food are plentiful in Drammen. As a high point, the viewpoint at the top of Spiralen is the obvious choice.