Andalsnes

Ships usually berth in the centre of Andalsnes, surrounded on every side by magnificent fjord and mountain views. Tenders may operate when 2 or more vessels are due.

Åndalsnes may be no more than a village, yet its valley, mountains and fjords rank among Norway's finest.

View the port webcam.

Despite occupying one of Norway's most scenic areas, Andalsnes itself is fairly unremarkable. German forces bombed it into destruction during the 1940 invasion, after the king and his family used the town as the departure point for their dramatic escape from Norway. The royal family got away, but Andalsnes did not survive; today's rebuilt town is modern and pleasant enough.

Beside the port, the new Romsdalen Gondola ascends to the mountain top, where there is a restaurant and viewing platform.

One of Norway's outstanding road journeys begins at Andalsnes: the Trollstigvegen, a 2-hour drive south on Route 63 towards Geiranger. Across 8km (5 miles), the road rises to 620m (2,034 ft.). When completed in 1952, the Orneveien, or "Eagle's Road", descending to Geiranger was considered a triumph of Norwegian engineering.

The Rauma Rail Line is among Norway's most dramatic train journeys, running beneath the immense Trollwall. Trains slow and pause for photographs at the finest viewpoints, with guidance in several languages and large windows in comfortable modern carriages. The route crosses the old Kylling brua stone bridge, passes wild waterfalls and enters the Stavem tunnel, where the train turns through 180 degrees inside the mountain before revealing an unforgettable view over Romsdals valley. Independent tickets should be booked well ahead, although an additional train is occasionally scheduled...

Both the railway station and tourist office stand directly opposite the cruise berth.

There is little close to either Bjorli or Dombas, so buying through to Dombas makes sense; the stop there lasts about an hour and every ticket costs the same. Travellers aged 67+ receive a 50 % reduction. Dombas station is quaint, with clean toilets and attractive views.

Norwegian weather is highly changeable, so review cancellation terms in case conditions deteriorate. An excursion offers little enjoyment when the route is hidden in cloud.

• At Trollstigen, Vegmuseum is a small museum on the pass whose displays explain how the extraordinary road was created.
• Another major attraction lies towards Dombås on Rte. 9, where both railway and road trace the Troll Wall, or Trollveggen. Rising 1,800m (5,905 ft.), it presents a formidable mountaineering challenge and was "conquered" by a joint Norwegian and British team in 1965.
• More than a dozen leaflets from the visitor centre describe recommended walks through the Romsdalen Alps surrounding Åndalsnes. The most dramatic, and a firm favourite, is a full-day route beginning 50m (164 ft.) north of town and climbing Nesaksla Mountain, which rises 715m (2,345 ft.) above Åndalsnes. From its summit, clear weather opens a magnificent panorama down to Romsdalsfjord. The ascent then continues to Høgnosa at 991m (3,251 ft.), followed by Åkesfjellet at 1,215m (3,986 ft.).
• Extending west from Åndalsnes, Romsdalsfjord is among western Norway's most beautiful fjords and cuts deeply into the land. The tourist office inside the station can organise 4-hour fishing trips for 250NOK ($36) per person. It also sells an annual local licence for 180NOK ($25).

Norway's currency is the Norwegian crown (Norske krone), abbreviated to kr, and an øre represents 1/100th of a krone. About 9 NOK equals 1.00 EUR. Norway is counted among the costliest countries in the world.

Cash machines in Norway carry the name Minibank.

Almost every retailer takes leading credit cards, including Mastercard and Visa. Identification is compulsory for a card payment, so bring a passport or driver's licence.

Norwegian is the country's official language. It is closely related to, and mutually understandable with, the other two Scandinavian languages; English is widely used.

Free Andalsnes Wi-Fi has a strong signal on the ship's forward decks. The railway station also provides free use of its internet terminal for 10 minutes.

Opening times in Norway are now better, yet smaller retailers still tend to close early on Saturdays, most often at 1 PM or 3 PM, and nearly all businesses shut on Sundays. The notation "9-21 (9-18)" means a shop trades from 9 AM until 9 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 6 PM on Saturday.