Ålesund is a particularly interesting town located in Norway’s Sunnmøre region.
While it was originally built with wooden buildings, typical of Norwegian towns, a massive fire in 1904 burned nearly the entire city to the ground, leaving almost 10,000 people without shelter.
Starting from scratch, Ålesund rebuilt in the architectural style of Art Nouveau, making it one of the most consistently designed town I’ve ever seen.
A huge fan of the Art Nouveau movement myself, I really enjoyed exploring Ålesund and all it had to offer.
The mix of nature and city was a really lovely combo- though I definitely leaned more towards hiking on this trip!
I made sure to hit several different viewpoints of Ålesund, and I highly recommend visiting at least one to see how the town spreads out over several small islands.
Keep in mind that the little “O” over the “A” in Ålesund has a purpose- it’s pronounced more like “Uh-lee-sund” than “Ah-lee-sand”.
What to do in Ålesund
Explore the Town
Stage one of visiting Ålesund is, of course, checking out its famed buildings. A walk along the harbor, or, in the warmer months, kayaking through the canal is a great way to see many of the pretty buildings in a short period of time.
The Art Nouveau Centre & the Art Museum KUBE
To maximize the experience of such a unique Art Nouveau town, check out the Art Nouveau Centre for more insights into this architectural style.
Atlanterhavsparken
Looking to get more out of the ocean that surrounds this area of Norway? Look no farther than Atlanterhavsparken, Ålesund’s Atlantic Sea Park.
Atlanterhavsparken is Northern Europe’s largest saltwater aquarium and offers 11 large aquariums, touch tanks touch tanks, dive shows, and fish-feeding experiences.
Hikes and Viewpoints
Aksla Viewpoint
If you’ve got the legs for it, head up to the Aksla Viewpoint for a fantastic overview of the whole town. The viewpoint is walkable from town, but if you’re not up for the steep 418 step climb, the top is accessible by car.
Feel free to take a short break with a coffee and a snack at the restaurant Fjellstua 418 once you make it to the top! The viewpoint at this cafe is free for patrons, but will cost 100 NOK (approximately $10) for those just looking to take advantage of a seat with a view.
Sukkertoppen
For another incredible view of Ålesund, head over to Sukkertoppen- Sugar Top! While it is technically possible to walk to the trailhead from city center, it was much longer and less scenic than I’d thought- better to drive over if you can!
The trail itself starts out in what is basically other people’s yards. It’s easy to tell that it’s a well-loved pathway of the community, with some trees and rocks being worn smooth by thousands of hikers over the years.
Every time I thought we’d reached the top of the trail it kept going, and while it wasn’t exceptionally steep (especially compared to the Aksla Viewpoint walk), I found myself very out of breath while mentally racing a family with small children. They absolutely destroyed me- they were so fast!
There are plenty of other challenging hikes around the Ålesund area, with Festvagtind being one of the most popular options.
Make sure to research the hikes beforehand and bring an adequate amount of food, water, and first aid supplies as you tend to be fairly isolated on these more athletic hikes.
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