Tvedestrand is characterized as an idyllic little town with whitepainted houses which climb up the slopes, narrow streets, a popular harbour for many summer holiday tourists.

The town is built around the old Nes Ironworks - today an exciting museum. Many of the old buildings are well preserved.

About 16 square km of the area in the community is coastline. It means that Tvedestrand is an eldorado, specially in the summer. Places like Lyngør, Borøya and Sandøya are worth visiting. Lyngør is one of the places in Norway that has most sunny days.

Lyngør has been elected the best preserved village of Europe. The village on the ocean has architecture from the illustrious days of the tall ships. The arrival of the steamboats put a stop to Lyngør`s period of glory; the jobs dissapeared and so did most of the inhabitans. The houses mostly remained in the families as summer cottages. Lyngør consists of several islands. During the year the population is about 100, but in the summer months up to ten times more. There are no cars in Lyngør - only narrow walkingpaths. From the quay at Gjeving you may go by boat to Lyngør.

Gjeving is characterized by cottage hamlets and international tourism. At the centre of Gjeving you will find Gjeving and Lyngørfjorden marina. Here life pulsates from early spring until late autumn. The new cottage hamlets og the holiday centre has been designed by architects with the intention of combining contemporary needs and opportunities with the coastal architecture of bygone days. Here you may sit on the edge of the quay and enjoy Sørlandet, the South Coast, as much as you like, or hire a boat and make a trip to the wonderful skerries.

The Sandøya island belongs to the municipality of Tvedestrand. On the island there is a vigorous local community with a shop, school. Boatbuilder and active designer craftsmen. The island has a regular service from the Hagefjordbrygga quay on Borøya, which is connected to the mainland, there is only a short boat trip across to Sandøya.

If you come by boat to Tvedestrand, you should take some time for a visit to the idyllic Furuøya island. Here you can experience the atmosphere of the former holiday paradise of the wealthy Smith family, and at the same time potter about in idyllic roads and footpaths through an old, restored cultural landscape. The island has special vegetation and is a lovely area for walking

Nes Ironworks museum is a unique technical-industrial cultural monument. Here you will find an ironworks almost intact as it was in 17th century. The ironworks at Nes had roots at the Barbu Ironworks, which was established in Arendal in 1573. In 1665 the technical equipment was moved to Nes.

The Storelva river, which flows past Nes Ironworks, is one of the Southern Coast`s best salmon and sea trout rivers.

For those who are interested in golf there is an eighteen-hole golf course at Nes Verk, neighbour to the Nes Ironworks museum.