Alesund

Your drive will take you through the lovely ‘Art Nouveau’ style town centre of Ålesund, along the Borgundfjord, to the old trading centre of Borgund.

Borgund’s beautiful natural surroundings are the setting for Sunnmøre Open-Air Museum. The site has an outdoor display of 50 old and distinct houses. As you stroll between the picturesque houses you’ll feel as if you have stepped back in time, and on entering the houses you’ll get a feel of how Norwegian people lived centuries ago. There is also a vast boat collection, including replicas of Viking ships, whilst the main building showcases an archaeology and culture exhibition. The museum provides a unique and fascinating insight into the life of the people who have inhabited this area for several thousand years.

On the return journey, enjoy a drive around the Ålesund’s highlights before heading up Mount Aksla for a stop to absorb the magnificent views over this lovely Art Nouveau town and its surrounding areas.

This area of wild mountains and peaceful nature will give you an understanding of how the myths about trolls originated!

Your scenic drive will take you along the picturesque Borgundfjord, passing little villages with charming houses and well-kept gardens, through the valley of Valldal and up the Trollstigen mountain road. A photo stop will be made at the summit to capture the impressive scenery.

The descent will be along Troll’s Path with its 11 hairpin bends and surrounding mountain peaks, it is one of Norway’s most dramatic and scenic roads. In the valley, a stop will be made to admire the cascading waterfall of Stigrøra, before passing through Åndalsnes to the famous Troll Wall. A stop will be made at this famous vertical mountain face, the highest in Europe, at approximately 3,280 feet high. Your journey continues along the Romsdalsfjord and over the Ørskog mountain plateau; following the fjord once more back to Ålesund.

During the day a delicious Norwegian buffet style lunch will be served and afterwards there will be time to purchase some souvenirs.

The municipality of Giske consists of 4 islands; Giske, Godøy, Vigra and Valderay, which were the centre of power during the Viking Age and the Middle Ages. It was also the seat of earls, local kings and Viking chieftains. Your journey will take you through a series of tunnels and bridges to the 2 main islands of Giske and Godøy.

From Alesund, you’ll travel across the Giske Bridge to the saga island of Giske, the birthplace of the Viking chieftain, Rollo. The municipality was named after this small island because of its historical importance. Giske is fairly flat and fertile with some settlements dating back to the early Bronze Age. A stop will be made to photograph the exterior of the quaint 12th century white marble Giske Church, which was originally the private chapel of a local influential family.

Travelling through a tunnel will bring you to the island of Godøy and the picturesque fishing village of Alnes. There will be a stop at Alnes Lighthouse where, on a clear day, there is a lovely view of the Atlantic Ocean and the surrounding islands. Refreshments of tea, coffee and Norwegian pancakes will be served in the lighthouse café.

Before returning to Ålesund, a stop will be made at a vantage point on Mount Aksla to enjoy breathtaking views.

The colourful buildings, decorations and turrets of Ålesund, look as though they belong in a fairytale book. The town was entirely rebuilt in this Art Nouveau style, following a devastating fire in 1904. Its extravagantly decorated buildings have been sympathetically preserved to present a townscape like no other. Elaborate façades embellished with dragons, flowers and human forms are topped by a forest of spires and turrets, combining native Norwegian elements with continental Jugend-style.

As you stroll around this truly unique Norwegian town, your guide will provide an interesting commentary and explain the town’s strong maritime traditions. Arriving at the lovely harbour area of Brosundet, you will be able to see examples of the picturesque Jugend-style houses that have made Ålesund famous.

From the harbour, the walk continues uphill to the attractive little park at the foot of Mount Aksla, with its famous viewpoint. Here, exotic trees and plants thrive despite their northerly location. There will be free time to walk up part of Mount Aksla and enjoy the spectacular views over Ålesund and the harbour. Or you may choose to sit or stroll in the park and enjoy the refreshing mountain air before returning to the ship.

Travel past the lovely Art Nouveau architecture of Ålesund town before heading out through the suburbs, with their charming wooden villas and well-kept gardens, to Mount Aksla. From the viewpoint, you’ll be able to see across the Atlantic Ocean and surrounding islands from one side and the Borgundfjord, framed by snow-capped peaks, on the other.

Arriving at Tueneset, you’ll visit the Atlantic Sea Park which is one of Europe’s largest saltwater aquariums. The facility is built into the coastline and offers views of the coastal islands and the ocean. The exhibition area includes 11 large landscape aquariums, 2 open touch pools, a penguin park, 2 activity pools and several smaller aquariums. The largest tank, containing 7 million pints of seawater, is the setting for the daily dive shows which can be viewed clearly through its large acrylic observation panels.

Together the aquariums provide a representative view of the underwater life which inhabits the Norwegian coast and the northern Atlantic Ocean. Species from various ocean depths are on display, including marine life from deep water habitats.

Ålesund, the largest town on Norway’s northwest coast, is built on several islands stretching out into the ocean. A large part of the town was destroyed by fire in 1904 and rebuilt in the ‘Art Nouveau’ style which was the typical architecture of the time. Today it is a bustling town where the fish and furniture industry are the main sources of income.

Your leisurely drive will provide you with the opportunity to see the fine Art Nouveau architecture of various buildings in the town and harbour area before heading through the suburbs up to Mount Aksla. A stop will be provided at Mount Aksla viewpoint so you can admire the surrounding panorama of the ocean and the many islands in one direction and the Borgundfjord, framed by snow-capped peaks in the other direction.

Enjoy a drive around the lovely Art Nouveau town of Ålesund and admire the unusual architecture and pretty colours of its buildings. Visit the Mount Hessa and Mount Aksla viewpoints for excellent panoramas of the city from two different angles, before continuing along the Borgundfjord, past modern suburbs and the old trading centre of Borgund to Solavågen.

At Solavågen, you will transfer to a private chartered boat for a 20 mile cruise on the Hjørundfjord. The fjord, considered to be one of the most magnificent in Norway, is 1,443 feet deep and surrounded on both sides by a dramatic landscape of mountain peaks. Enjoy refreshments of tea or coffee and waffles on the boat as you sail through Vegsundet and Borgundfjord back to Ålesund.