Drammen sits where the Drammenselva river empties into the Drammensfjord, about forty minutes southwest of Oslo by train. For decades it had a reputation as an industrial town best driven past, but a sustained effort to clean up the riverfront and invest in public spaces has turned it into a surprisingly pleasant place. The river promenade, the pedestrian Ypsilon Bridge, and the revitalised Papirbredden waterfront area are genuinely attractive.
The Drammen Spiral — a spiral tunnel carved through the mountain above town — is Drammen's most unusual feature. You drive in a corkscrew through the rock and emerge at a viewpoint overlooking the entire valley and fjord. It was completed in 1961 and remains one of Norway's strangest pieces of infrastructure. The view from the top is worth the brief drive.
Drammen is not a destination most international visitors would seek out, but it has good restaurants, easy access to hiking in the surrounding hills, and a growing food scene centred around the old industrial buildings along the river. Norway's oldest brewery, Aass Bryggeri, has operated from the same riverside site since 1834. As a day trip from Oslo or a stop on the way to the southern coast, Drammen rewards a few hours of exploration.