Making the most of Alesund
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
The scenic approach along Geirangerfjord comes before disembarkation in the attractive coastal city of Alesund.
Ships berth at the Stornespiren/Prestebrygga cruise pier in the town centre.
Ålesund may be youthful in spirit, but its history is dramatic. On one stormy night a hundred years ago, fire destroyed the entire town centre; only a few homes survived and ten thousand people lost their homes. A distinctive Art Nouveau town then rose from the ashes. Today Ålesund is a lively modern place, with a varied cultural scene, cafés, restaurants and plentiful shops.
Climb from the city park to Fjellstua for wide views of fjords and mountains. This is a must-see, yet the outlook remains striking even partway up the roughly 400 stairs for anyone unable to complete the climb from the bottom; alternatively, take a taxi to the summit. Mountain-top walkways let visitors move through natural surroundings while looking over the surrounding islands and peaks, and Fjellstua has a restaurant serving basic dishes.
Getting around
When a ship is in town, the blue-and-white City Train Sightseeing tram departs every 30 minutes for a 70-minute round trip through central Ålesund. It excludes Atlantic Sea Park and Sunnmøre Museum but stops at Fjellstua viewpoint for 10-15 minutes. Fares are 360 kr for adults and 180 kr for children under 15 years.
Hop-on/hop-off buses operate when cruise ships are in port.
The regular bus service is also recommended.
Most sights are reachable on a short to medium walk of less than 20 minutes.
Special buses run from the city centre bus terminal to Atlantic Sea Park.
Nearby places
Small islands and fishing communities line the Atlantic-facing Sunnmøre coast, waiting for visitors to arrive. Historical plays in several parts of Sunnmøre recount Viking raiding and pillaging a thousand years ago, while the salty ocean air and fresh sea breeze are a balm for body and soul.
Geirangerfjord is a world heritage site and arguably the finest fjord experience. In summer, take Hurtigruten there and back: it departs in the morning and returns in time for dinner, unless you dine onboard. At other times, travel by bus to Hellesylt, join a fjord cruise to Geiranger, then take a bus back to Ålesund.
Runde lies about 18 miles west of town. Norway's southernmost major bird rock supports 240 breeding species, around one million seabirds and 100,000 puffins.
Food and shopping
Town-centre shopping includes varied stores at Kremmergaarden near City hall and Aalesunds Storsenter by the town square.
Ålesund is an important fishing harbour, exporting dried, salted cod known as Klippfisk, literally "Rock Fish".
Money
Norway uses the Norwegian crown (Norske krone), abbreviated kr; its 1/100th unit is the øre. 1.00 EUR = about 9 NOK, and Norway is one of the world's most expensive countries.
Norwegian ATMs are known as Minibank.
Almost every store accepts major cards, including Mastercard and Visa. Carry a passport/driver's license, since credit-card users must identify themselves.
Staying connected
Norwegian is Norway's official language and is close to the other two Scandinavian languages; English is widely spoken.
Broadband or other internet access reaches most Norwegian households, leaving Cybercafés scarce outside large cities because the market is small. Public libraries usually offer free public internet access, while WiFi is available in many places but is not free.
Opening Hours and
Norwegian opening hours have improved, though many smaller shops close early on Saturdays, typically at 1 PM or 3 PM, and almost everything shuts on Sundays. Door notices such as "9-21 (9-18)" mean 9 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 6 PM on Saturday.