Top Things to do in Ålesund, including with Hurtigruten and Havila
Ålesund’s beautiful architecture stands out, making it feel much more like being in Prague or central Europe over being in Norway. In 1904 a fire destroyed practically the entire city centre, and the city was rebuilt in a uniform style mostly thanks to funding from Kaiser Wilhelm, who loved vacationing in the region.
Ålesund has been voted one of the most beautiful cities in Norway. While I must admit Bergen is a little more beautiful (I do live there, after all!), there’s no denying that Ålesund is probably a close second.
In this article...
Things to do in Ålesund
The best things to do in Ålesund depends on how much time you have. If you are taking the Hurtigruten or Havila in winter and spring, it spends 10 hours in Ålesund, giving you a chance to enjoy a lot the city has to offer. Otherwise, you can spend a couple nights here and venture out into the magnificent fjord region.
This guide is written for people coming both on the coastal ferry and coming independently.
Join a walking tour
I always recommend walking tours in Norwegian cities. There is so much history and so many stories in each place that you need a local telling you all about it. Ålesund has famous Art Nouveau buildings that you don’t want to miss, so get a local expert to show you around.
See Ålesund by kayak
The waterfront warehouses make them perfect for some kayaking. You can do an architecture-themed kayaking tour or go out to an archipelago near the island of Ellingsøya. The first is offered as a Hurtigruten/Havila excursion.
Ålesund’s Kayak More Tomorrow rents out kayaks and organises day trips around the archipelago.
Hike up Mt. Aksla
No trip to Ålesund is complete without a visit to the top of Mount Aksla. It’s not a long hike – there’s 418 steps to the top – and from the top you’ll get an incredible view out to the city. The mountain is only 130m (426ft) high, and it should take you around 30 minutes to get to the top. Typically, if you see one photo of Ålesund it’s generally the photo from the top of Mt. Askla. If you are unable to go up the 418 steps, you can get a taxi to take you to the top – it has road access! Many bus tours of Ålesund will take you to the top. Once at the top, reward yourself with a stop at the restaurant Fjellstue.
The hiking path begins at the city park (Byparken) and is clearly marked on Google Maps.
Hike up Sukkertoppen
See that mountain in the background of the above photo? Why not hike that one too! That’s Sukkertoppen (Sugar Loaf Top), a 314m (1030ft) mountain that isn’t too tricky. The hike begins in the parking lot of the Hessa School.
Click here for more information
Havila Excursion
Visit the Museums
The main museum to visit in Ålesund is called the Art Nouveau Centre (Jugendstil Senteret, Apotekergata 16). The museum is located inside the old pharmacy building and is well preserved from when it was built in the early 20th century. The museum chronicles the famous fire of Ålesund in 1904 and subsequent rebuilding process.
Next door is KUBE, a former bank building that now has an art gallery with temporary exhibitions.
If you are interested in the early history of Ålesund, visit the Aalesund Museum. It has photographs, artefacts and paintings of Ålesund from before and after the reconstruction. It explains what life was like in Ålesund before the fire, and there is information about Ålesund’s critical importance as a Norwegian resistance base during World War II.
To learn about Ålesund’s fishing heritage, visit the Fishing Museum (Fiskerimuseet, Molovegen 10) next door. It’s in a warehouse from 1861 (one of the few buildings to survive the fire) and has exhibitions on the development of fishing across the centuries and special sections on the klippfisk production.
Visit the Marine Life at the Atlantic Sea Park
Many people head straight to the Atlanterhavsparken, or the Atlantic Sea Peak, which is a huge aquarium famous in the country. Hurtigruten offers an excursion to the aquarium as well. It is a large-scale recreation of the Atlantic marine environment, including several enormous fish tanks; there’s also an outside area with walking trails and a place to go for a walk.
Sunnmøre Museum
4km outside the city centre is the Sunnmøre Museum. The buildings, which date from the Middle Ages, are arranged to display various aspects of local life. The buildings include cow sheds, shore-houses, stables, and dwellings. Outside are many ships – both original and replica – representing traditional 17th century vessels. The museum is home to the Kvalsund ship – the oldest complete boat ever found in Norway, dating back to 690 AD. It is believed the 18m (60ft) oak and pine warship had been buried in sacrifice to the gods before it was discovered in 1920.
Visit the Vikings at Giske
Located just outside the city, Giske is a historic island known from the Viking Age. On the island you can do a 3km long ‘culture trail’. On Giske, the 12th century church is worth stopping by. The church is built of white marble and is Norway’s only marble church. There’s a small graveyard with a lot of graves with the surname Giske, indicating the importance of the island in Norway. Inside is a family tree showing the Giske family all the way back to the famous Viking Rollo. At Godøya, which resembles a giant piece of rock, you can do a nature walk of Valderøya to the grassy residential paradise of Giske itself. There are Roman and Iron Age finds on Valderøya, while the Mjelthaugen burial ground on Giske dates back to the Bronze Age.
Try the Local Delicacies
Bacalao is made from klippfisk from NorwayDue to Ålesund’s importance as a fishing port, fish products are one of the most common menu items. They are also some of the best! Ålesund is a great place to try klippfisk, which is the salted and dried cod used to make bacalao. The downtown XL Diner specialises in klippfisk. Maki (Apotekergata) is a four or five course tasing menu with coastal flavours.
Invit (Apotekergata 9b) is a café with perfect views to watch the yachts sail by, or you can head to Lyspunket (Kipervikgata 1) for a quiet lunch with Mexican-inspired dishes made with Norwegian lefse instead of corn tortillas. They also have lovely soup dishes.
Shop Like a Local
In Ålesund you can find some excellent places to go shopping. Artifex Kunst & Antikk sells second-hand goods and local art, while Jukebox sells records. If you want a big shopping mall, head to Ålesund Storesenter.
Take a Day Cruise
Ålesund is perfectly situated close to the popular Geirangerfjord and Hjørundfjord. In summer, it is possible to take a day ferry out to the Geirangerfjord, and it is highly recommended. If you are travelling with Hurtigruten or Havila, they go inside the Geirangerfjord from June to September, and then the Hjørundfjord during September and October.
Take a Day Trip
Take a Day Trip by Car
Ålesund is a short drive from one of Norway’s 18 national tourist roads, Trollstigen. It is a great way to get to the town Åndalsnes, where you can take the Romsdal Gondola to the top of the mountain for an impressive view over the city. If you’re taking the Hurtigruten or Havila, they have a day trip by bus to Åndalsnes and the Romsdal Gondola.
Another great place to go for the day is the Atlantic Road, which is between Kristiansund and Molde.
If you want to stay a little closer, drive out to the island of Godøy and visit Alnes Lighthouse. This is also an excursion offered by Hurtigruten and Havila in the winter months. You can combine it with a trip to Giske if you want to learn about the Vikings. Alnes Lighthouse was built in 1876 and is still in operation, though today it is automated. The tower is open for visitors between May and October, and the old keeper’s house is now a café and exhibition hall. It’s only 30 minutes from Ålesund, so why not head out there?
