Alesund on your own

You don’t have much time in Alesund and still want to discover everything important? Then this post will help you. Here’s how to discover the best of Alesund on your own and in a short amount of time. If you want to learn more about Alesund, you can do so in Main article about Alesund do.

This guide is ideal for day trips to Alesund as well as cruise visitors who want to discover the city on their own in a short amount of time. Alesund Airport is 17 kilometers away and is connected by a bus service. The two cruise terminals are around 250 meters from the city center and therefore right in the center of Alesund. A third location is in the container terminal around 3 kilometers outside of the city, with shuttle buses being offered.

A brief overview of Alesund

Alesund is known as the Venice of Norway and has been named the most beautiful city in Norway by many international magazines as well as by Norwegians themselves. The city deserves the title mainly because of the many Art Nouveau houses. Don’t expect too much from the title, however, as Norwegian towns and houses are otherwise simple and the title is therefore easier to obtain than in other countries.

On the to do list for Alesund

Below is a brief overview of the sights in Alesund that you should visit. Depending on the time, you can of course delete or add some.

• Swan Pharmacy and Apotekertorget square
• Mountain Aksla with viewpoint Fjellstua
• Sukkertoppen, the Sugar Loaf of Norway
• Lighthouse on the island of Godoya
• Fjord Geiranger
• Trollstigen Pass

Climb Aksla to Fjellstua viewpoint

First you should climb the Aksla, the local mountain. Once you have overcome the slightly more than 400 steps, a breathtaking view from the Fjellstua viewpoint awaits you. Note that early times allow you to avoid tourist crowds from cruise ships, allowing you to enjoy the view to yourself.

Art Nouveau downtown Alesund

Then you should explore downtown Alesund with its numerous Art Nouveau houses. Many of the houses have small turrets and beautiful ornaments. However, those who have already discovered other places, something Barcelona for themselves, will not share the enthusiasm quite as much. It is important to mention here that the type of houses is something special for Norway. A sight is the Apotekertorget square with the former swan pharmacy.

The traditional production of cod liver oil can be seen in the Fisheries Museum. On the upper floor of the museum there are films about fishing now and then.

If you want to explore the city center of Alesund comfortably, you can use a small tourist train. The journey takes approximately 90 minutes and departs from the cruise port every 30 minutes. A few points of Alesund will be visited – including the local mountain Aksla. An alternative are the red Hop on Hop Off buses, which also run every 30 minutes.

Aquarium Atlanterhavsparken

Atlanterhavsparken is one of the largest aquariums in Northern Europe. This is a saltwater aquarium with native (Norwegian) fish species, such as pollack, halibut or cod. The attraction for many, however, is the 6000 square meter penguin park. You should note the feeding times, which are in the afternoon on the shelf.

The Sugar Loaf Sukkertoppen

The Zuckerkopf or Sukkertoppen is considered the sugar loaf of Norway because of its shape. The mountain is particularly popular with hikers and is located on the island of Hessa, connected by a road. The trail starts on the south side of the mountain. The way from the terminal to the entrance is 4.1 kilometers, up to the mountain it is finally 5.6 kilometers (one way). There is also bus no. 602 in the direction of Hessa, which takes you to the boarding point. From the top, however, you will be rewarded with a fantastic view of Alesund and the surrounding area.

Lighthouse on Godoya

The lighthouse Alnes Fyr on the island of Godøy is considered one of the most beautiful in Norway and can even be visited. The island of Godøy is connected to the neighboring island of Giske by an undersea tunnel. This island in turn is connected with tunnels via the three islands of Alesund. At the lighthouse, in addition to the café and the beautiful Norwegian life and scenery, there is also a small bathing beach.

Geiranger Fjord and Trollstigen Pass

These two attractions can only be discovered and explored during longer stays and on excursions. Many cruises also operate directly into the Geiranger Fjord and tender there. The Trollstigen pass is a mountain road with a 12% incline and eleven switchbacks. The goal is a pass with a magnificent view (in good weather).