Ålesund

Join us at the travel forum , where you can share your upcoming travel plans, travel experiences or discuss anything about travel. Ålesund is the largest city in Møre og Romsdal county, West Norway , with about 53,000 inhabitants, 66,000 in the surrounding area (2018). Ålesund is the gateway to the iconic northwestern fjords (among which Geirangerfjord is particularly famous) and surrounding alpine mountains. After the devastating 1904 fire, the entire city was quickly rebuilt in the distinct Art Nouveau ( Jugendstil ) of the time. Ålesund is the centre for Sunnmøre district in Møre og Romsdal county, and the most important town between Bergen and Trondheim. The old city centre of Ålesund was built from wood and totally destroyed by fire in 1904, only a single small house remained. Much international aid, including personal gifts from Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany who used to holiday there, helped to rebuild in what was then high-fashion, Art Nouveau or Jugendstil as it is known in Ålesund. The consistent architectural style gives Ålesund a distinct central European vibe and Ålesund's cityscape is instantly recognizable. Few hours after the disaster became known to the world, Germany sent ships with food, medicine and blankets towards Ålesund. Because of the aid to the homeless people of Ålesund, this is one of the few places where Kaiser Wilhelm remains a hero. For instance one of the key streets downtown is Keiser Wilhelmgate . At the time of the fire, Ålesund was a young city that from around 1850 expanded rapidly from the small trading post at the present centre of the town. Ålesund was from the beginning based on fish trade. During the middle ages there was however a small town or trading post further east at Borgund Church, now the site of Sunnmøre Museum. The Borgund trading post vanished around year 1500. While Ålesund faces the ocean, the great Sunnmøre Alps and the iconic fjords make up Ålesund's scenic and famous hinterland. Ålesund is the regional centre and the natural starting point for visitors arriving by air or sea. Because Ålesund sits on islands in the northwestern corner of the region, it is not however a natural hub for overland transport. For independent travelers Ålesund is not the best base to explore the wild interior as time and money must be spent on transport. Public transport is however centered on Ålesund. Ålesund is the regional centre, a hub for transport and shopping with about half of the population in Sunnmøre area. The old centre is cramped on a handful of islands, and a new centre has emerged some 10 km further east (inland) around shopping malls at Moa/Spjelkavika. Sunnmøre area stretches from the Stad cape to Romsdalsfjord, and from the ocean to eastern end of fjords. Buses will get you to the city centre in around 25 mins then go onto Moa and will wait for every flight. These cost 125 NOK if you buy them online at vybuss.com or 185 NOK if you pay by card directly to the driver. Taxis are also available but are considerably more expensive. The local railway station is in Åndalsnes . The train line was supposed to continue to Ålesund city center but was never completed. There is a replacement bus service operating between Ålesund and Åndalsnes for every arrival and departure. You can also change at Dombås for services from or to Trondheim , but this usually involves a considerable wait at Dombås. However, Dombås town center is very close to the station and has moderately priced restaurants and convenience shops as well as some tourist attractions on its own. Hourly regional services between Ålesund and Kristiansund , Molde and Volda") . Nightly and daily departures from and to Oslo (takes approximately 10 hours). Several daily services between Ålesund and Trondheim calling at Molde and Sunndalsøra") . Daily services from and to Bergen calling at Volda, Nordfjordeid") and Førde with connecting services to Sogndal and Stryn . Hurtigruten calls Ålesund, once daily in southern dire