---
title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Ålesund, Norway | Wimup"
description: "Ålesund burned down in 1904 and rebuilt itself in art nouveau. The 10 best things to do, plus Geiranger, Runde, the Sunnmøre Alps and where to eat bacalao."
url: https://wimup.com/city/alesund
type: City guide
updated: 2026-11-01
publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com)
---

# Top 10 Things To Do in Ålesund

Ålesund, Norway · Europe · By Wimup Editorial, 13 min read

Ålesund burned to the ground on a January night in 1904 and was rebuilt in stone in roughly three years, by architects fresh out of Germany. What stands now is one of Europe’s most complete art nouveau towns, wrapped around a harbour channel, with the Sunnmøre Alps and the Geirangerfjord an hour or two beyond it.

## Quick answer

Climb the 418 steps up Aksla first: the view from Fjellstua explains the town’s shape better than any map. Then walk Apotekergata and Kongens gate for the turrets and gables, and eat bacalao made from the klippfisk Ålesund cures for the world. Give a full day to the water. Geiranger, the Hjørundfjord and the puffin cliffs of Runde all start from here.

## Quick facts

- **Best months:** Jun · Jul · Aug
- **Ideal length:** 3 days, 5 with the fjords
- **Budget per day:** NOK 1,300–2,400
- **Language:** Norwegian, with English spoken almost everywhere
- **Getting around:** The centre on foot, FRAM buses and ferries beyond it

## The 10 best things to do in Ålesund

### 1. Fjellstua and the Aksla steps

Viewpoint · Fjellstua, Aksla, Ålesund

418 steps from the town park end on a terrace that explains Ålesund’s shape better than any map: the channel, the islands, and the Sunnmøre Alps behind them. Twenty minutes up at a steady pace, and the road round the back reaches the same terrace by car.

- **Time:** 45 min
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Late evening in summer
- **Tip:** Up the steps and down the road. The gradient is kinder that way

Links: [Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/see-and-do/aksla-viewpoint?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 2. Jugendstilsenteret

Museum · Apotekergata 16, Ålesund

The Swan Pharmacy, finished in 1907 and the first art nouveau building in town to be listed, holds the best surviving interior in Ålesund. Its account of the fire and the rebuilding is the context the rest of the walk needs, so start here rather than end here.

- **Time:** 1 hr
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Morning
- **Tip:** The KUBE art museum next door is part of the same institution

Links: [Jugendstilsenteret](https://jugendstilsenteret.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 3. The Geirangerfjord

Day trip · Geiranger, Stranda, Møre og Romsdal

The UNESCO fjord most people mean when they say fjord, and from Ålesund it is a day rather than a separate trip. Boat and bus combinations run through the summer, and the hour between Hellesylt and Geiranger, past the Seven Sisters, is the part you came for.

- **Time:** Full day
- **Cost:** Varies by operator
- **Best at:** May to September
- **Tip:** Book the return leg before you go. Seats sell out on clear days

Links: [Visit Norway](https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/fjord-norway/alesund-sunnmore/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 4. Atlanterhavsparken

Aquarium · Tueneset, Ålesund

One of northern Europe’s largest saltwater aquariums, cut into the rock at Tueneset with the open Atlantic on the other side of the glass. Divers hand-feed the big tank. The headland walk around the site is free and worth the extra half hour.

- **Time:** 2 hr
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Around the dive feed
- **Tip:** Tueneset is exposed. Bring a shell layer even in July

Links: [Atlanterhavsparken](https://en.atlanterhavsparken.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 5. Alnes lighthouse

Lighthouse · Alnes, Godøy, Giske

A red and white wooden tower from 1876 on the outer edge of Godøy, half an hour from town through two subsea tunnels. Climb it for the Atlantic, then take the same view from the café at its foot, which is why locals drive out on a clear evening.

- **Time:** Half day
- **Cost:** Small charge to climb
- **Best at:** Sunset
- **Tip:** The subsea tunnels are closed to walkers and cyclists. Drive or take the bus

Links: [Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/attractions/giske--alnes?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 6. Sunnmøre Museum

Museum · Borgundgavlen, Ålesund

Over fifty relocated buildings and about forty boat replicas on the site of Borgund, the trading town that ran this coast from the eleventh century. The boat hall is the serious part: Viking-era copies and working craft, set out in sequence.

- **Time:** 2 hr
- **Cost:** Ticketed
- **Best at:** Summer
- **Tip:** The grounds and the nature trail are a walk in their own right

Links: [Viti museums](https://www.vitimusea.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 7. The Hjørundfjord

Fjord · Sæbø and Urke, Ørsta

The fjord people here pick over Geiranger: narrower, steeper, and with no cruise berth. Round trips from Ålesund call at Trandal, Sæbø, Urke and Øye, and the Sunnmøre Alps come down to the water on both sides of the boat.

- **Time:** Full day
- **Cost:** Varies by operator
- **Best at:** June to September
- **Tip:** Øye is the usual stop, and the walk out of it puts you under Slogen

Links: [Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/attractions/hjorundfjord?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 8. Runde bird island

Wildlife · Runde, Herøy, Møre og Romsdal

Norway’s southernmost large seabird colony, about two hours south of Ålesund by road and ferry. Puffins are ashore from April to August, and the cliff path over Rundefjellet is where you stand to watch them come in off the sea.

- **Time:** Full day
- **Cost:** Free to walk
- **Best at:** April to August, evening
- **Tip:** Evening is when the puffins return to the burrows. Midday is often an empty cliff

Links: [Runde Panorama](https://www.rundepanorama.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 9. Brosundet

Neighbourhood · Brosundet, Ålesund

The channel that splits the town, lined with converted warehouses and closed at its mouth by the small Molja lighthouse. Every photograph of Ålesund is taken from one of its two quays, and it is five minutes end to end.

- **Time:** 30 min
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Blue hour
- **Tip:** The Fisheries Museum sits in Holmbua on the channel, if the weather turns

Links: [Visit Norway](https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/fjord-norway/alesund-sunnmore/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

### 10. Sukkertoppen

Hike · Hessa, Ålesund

The 314-metre peak on Hessa, and the walk that hands you the archipelago rather than the town. Just over an hour up from the trailhead by Osanehallen, steep in places but never technical, and the descent takes the same path back.

- **Time:** 2 hr
- **Cost:** Free
- **Best at:** Clear afternoons
- **Tip:** The rock is slick for a day or two after rain. Bring grip, not trainers

## Best art nouveau in Ålesund

Six addresses and streets that carry the reconstruction, in walking order.

1. **Svaneapoteket** (1907 · Apotekergata): The 1907 pharmacy that houses the Art Nouveau Centre, and the best kept interior in town. [Jugendstilsenteret](https://jugendstilsenteret.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **KUBE** (1906 · Apotekergata): The county art museum, in the former Norges Bank branch of 1906 beside it. [Viti museums](https://www.vitimusea.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Ålesund Church** (1909 · Kirkegata): Sverre Knudsen’s stone church of 1909, built to replace the one the fire took. [Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/see-and-do/alesund-church?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Kongens gate** (Street · Sentrum): The pedestrian run with the most worked facades in Ålesund. Look above the shopfronts.
5. **Apotekergata** (Street · Sentrum): The other spine of the rebuilt centre, where the detail survives at eye level.
6. **Kirkegata and Løvenvoldgata** (Streets · Sentrum): Two quieter streets that finish the walk away from the cruise traffic. [Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/inspiration/alesund--the-art-nouveau-town?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best restaurants in Ålesund

Six kitchens in a town that cures cod for the rest of the world.

1. **Apotekergata No. 5** (Nordic · Apotekergata): Restaurant, coffee bar and deli on one corner, and the address locals name first. [Apotekergata No. 5](https://www.apotekergata5.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **XL Diner** (Bacalao · Skateflukaia): A bacalao house on Skateflukaia that has served little else for 25 years. [XL Diner](https://www.xldiner.no/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Sjøbua** (Seafood · Brosundet): Seafood at Hotel Brosundet, on the water in the old harbour district. [Sjøbua](https://www.strawberryhotels.com/restaurant/norway/alesund/sjobua/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Maki** (Tasting menu · Brosundet): Modern Norwegian tasting menus, a few doors along the same channel.
5. **Anno** (Brasserie · Apotekertorget): Brasserie plates and stone-oven pizza on Apotekertorget. [Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/food-and-drink/anno-restaurant--bar?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
6. **Lyspunktet** (Café · Kipervikgata): A café on Kipervikgata that keeps going into the evening.

## Best bars & cafes in Ålesund

Five rooms for a coffee, a cocktail or a local beer.

1. **Jacu Coffee Roastery** (Coffee · Sentrum): A roaster known across Scandinavia, with a bar at the roastery itself. [Visit Norway](https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/the-jacu-coffee-roastery-in-%C3%85lesund/249261/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Arkivet Bar** (Cocktails · Sentrum): Cocktails in what was the merchant Peder Devold’s archive in 1907.
3. **Milk Bar & Lounge** (Cocktails · Sentrum): The contemporary cocktail room, with the harbour outside the window.
4. **Molo Brew** (Beer · Waterfront): Microbrews and burgers on the waterfront, with space to sit.
5. **Smutthullet** (Pub · Sentrum): An off-street pub with a long list of Norwegian beer and a local crowd.

## Best hikes in Ålesund

Two from the doorstep, four in the Sunnmøre Alps and out on the coast.

1. **Sukkertoppen** (314 m · 2 hr · Hessa): The 314-metre high point of Hessa, just over an hour up from Osanehallen.
2. **Aksla** (418 steps · Ålesund): 418 steps from the town park to Fjellstua, and the shortest big view in Norway. [Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/see-and-do/aksla-viewpoint?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Slogen** (Full day · Øye): The Sunnmøre Alps summit above the Hjørundfjord, and a long steep day.
4. **Saksa** (Half day · Urke): Hjørundfjorden on one side, the sea towards Ålesund on the other.
5. **Molladalen** (Full day · Ørsta): A valley ringed by the Molladalstindane, and the area’s climbing ground.
6. **Rundefjellet** (Half day · Runde): The cliff path above the seabird colony, walkable in an afternoon. [Runde Panorama](https://www.rundepanorama.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Best islands in Ålesund

Five islands the road reaches without a ferry queue.

1. **Godøy** (Lighthouse · Giske): The outer island, with Alnes lighthouse and its café at the far end. [Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/attractions/giske--alnes?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Giske** (Church · Giske): A twelfth-century marble church built for the Viking family that ruled here.
3. **Valderøya** (History · Giske): The first island out, with Iron Age remains and the tunnel junction.
4. **Vigra** (Airport · Giske): Flat, farmed, and the island the airport sits on.
5. **Ellingsøya** (Drive · Ålesund): The long island north of town, and the quiet way round to Borgund.

## Best day trips in Ålesund

Six fjords, roads and islands that start and finish in Ålesund.

1. **Geirangerfjord** (Full day · Stranda): The UNESCO fjord, reachable by boat and bus from spring to early autumn. [Visit Norway](https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/fjord-norway/alesund-sunnmore/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **Hjørundfjord** (Full day · Ørsta): The steeper, quieter fjord, on a round trip through Trandal, Sæbø and Øye. [Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/attractions/hjorundfjord?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Runde** (Full day · Herøy): Puffins on the cliffs from April to August, two hours south by road and ferry. [Runde Panorama](https://www.rundepanorama.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Trollstigen** (Seasonal · Rauma): Eleven hairpins between Valldal and Åndalsnes. A summer road, closed in winter. [Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/attractions/trollstigen?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
5. **Norangsdalen** (Half day · Ørsta): The narrow valley road down to Øye, under the Sunnmøre Alps.
6. **Åndalsnes** (Full day · Rauma): Where the Rauma Line ends, and the reason to combine a bus with a train.

## Best museums in Ålesund

Four collections, two of them in the same block.

1. **Jugendstilsenteret** (Art nouveau · Apotekergata): The Art Nouveau Centre in the old Swan Pharmacy, and the town’s own story. [Jugendstilsenteret](https://jugendstilsenteret.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
2. **KUBE** (Art · Apotekergata): The county art museum, in the former Norges Bank branch of 1906. [Viti museums](https://www.vitimusea.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
3. **Sunnmøre Museum** (Open air · Borgundgavlen): Fifty-odd relocated buildings and a boat hall, on the medieval Borgund site. [Viti museums](https://www.vitimusea.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
4. **Fisheries Museum** (Maritime · Brosundet): In Holmbua on Brosundet, on how the fish trade built this town. [Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/see-and-do/the-fisheries-museum?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Festivals & annual events in Ålesund (2026)

- **Skrei season** (February to April): The migrating winter cod lands, and every kitchen in town puts it on.
- **Constitution Day** (17 May): Marching bands, national dress and children’s parades through the centre.
- **Ålesund Maraton** (June): A road marathon that runs the art nouveau streets and the island bridges.
- **Slinningsbålet** (Late June): The midsummer bonfire on Slinningsodden, built by hand and lit after dark.
- **Byfesten i Ålesund** (July): The town’s own summer weekend, with stages and stalls in the centre.
- **Jugendfest** (August): Two days of pop and hip hop on Aksla, above the town it is named for.
- **Norwegian Food Festival** (Late August): Producers and food stalls along the harbour for a long weekend.
- **Christmas market** (Late November to December): Stalls in the centre from the last weekend of November until Christmas.

## Must-try dishes in Ålesund, Norway

- **Bacalao**: Salt cod stewed with tomato, peppers and olives. Iberian by origin, local by habit.
- **Klippfisk**: Cod split, salted and dried on rock. Two thirds of the world supply is cured here.
- **Fiskesuppe**: Creamy white-fish soup, often with shrimp, on almost every menu in town.
- **Skrei**: The migrating winter cod, on menus February to April.
- **Torsketunger**: Cod tongues, floured and pan-fried. A northern habit the west coast kept.
- **Plukkfisk**: Salt cod picked apart through potato, with bacon and flatbread.
- **Reker**: Cold-water shrimp off the quay, with bread, mayonnaise and lemon.
- **Svele**: A thick griddle pancake with butter and sugar. The ferry snack here.

## Ålesund transport & airports

- **Ålesund Airport Vigra (AES)**: On its own island north of the city, reached by subsea tunnel. The FB65 airport bus runs to the centre in about 25 minutes, then on to Moa. [Avinor](https://avinor.no/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) · [Flybussen](https://www.flybussen.no/en/airports/alesund-airport/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Trains**: No station in Ålesund. The Rauma Line ends at Åndalsnes, via Dombås from Oslo or Trondheim, and the FRAM 681 bus covers the last stretch. [Vy](https://www.vy.no/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) · [FRAM](https://frammr.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Buses and ferries**: FRAM runs the county buses and the car ferries, including the services out to Valderøya, Giske and Godøy. [FRAM](https://frammr.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- **Coastal ships**: Hurtigruten and Havila call at Ålesund on the Bergen to Kirkenes run, and the summer Geiranger day voyage leaves the same quays. [Hurtigruten](https://www.hurtigruten.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) · [Havila Voyages](https://www.havilavoyages.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)

## Ålesund at a glance

- **Country:** Norway
- **Region:** Sunnmøre, Møre og Romsdal
- **Population:** 55,684 in the town, 58,509 in the municipality (2024)
- **Founded:** Town charter granted in 1848
- **Nickname:** The art nouveau town
- **Language:** Norwegian, with English spoken almost everywhere
- **Currency:** Norwegian krone (NOK)
- **Time zone:** CET (UTC+1), CEST from late March to late October
- **Calling code:** +47
- **Airports:** Ålesund Airport Vigra (AES), on the island of Vigra north of the city
- **Power:** 230V, 50Hz, type C and F sockets
- **Emergency:** 112 police, 113 ambulance, 110 fire

## Interesting facts

- The fire of 23 January 1904 destroyed about 850 houses and left 10,000 of the town’s 12,000 people homeless.
- Kaiser Wilhelm II, a regular summer visitor, sent four relief ships with food, medicine and shelter within days.
- The rebuilding took roughly three years, which is why the centre reads as one continuous art nouveau ensemble.
- More than two thirds of the world’s klippfisk comes from the Ålesund region. The first cargo sailed for Bilbao in 1824.
- Slinningsbålet, the midsummer bonfire, took a Guinness record at 47.4 metres in 2016.

## Ålesund travel FAQ

### How many days do you need in Ålesund?

Two days cover the town: the Aksla steps, the art nouveau walk, the aquarium and the harbour channel. Add a third for the islands, and a fourth or fifth if you want Geiranger or the Hjørundfjord, which are full days from here.

### What is Ålesund famous for?

Art nouveau. The town burned down in January 1904 and was rebuilt in stone in about three years, so the centre is one of the most complete Jugendstil ensembles in Europe. It is also Norway’s largest klippfisk port.

### Is Geiranger a day trip from Ålesund?

Yes, from spring to early autumn. Boat and bus combinations run from Ålesund and leave you a couple of hours in the village. Out of season the mountain roads and the fjord sailings run to a reduced timetable, so check before you plan around it.

### When is the best time to visit Ålesund?

June to August for the long light and the fjord sailings, though it rains here in every month of the year. May and September are quieter and the boats still run. Winter is dark and wet, and most fjord excursions stop.

### Do you need a car in Ålesund?

Not for the town, which is walkable end to end. You want one for Runde and the Hjørundfjord, though FRAM buses reach Alnes and Sæbø. Note that the subsea tunnels out to the islands are closed to walkers and cyclists.

## Nearby guides

- [Lillehammer](https://wimup.com/city/lillehammer.md): Norway · 10 picks
- [Stavanger](https://wimup.com/city/stavanger.md): Norway · 10 picks
- [Kristiansand](https://wimup.com/city/kristiansand.md): Norway · 10 picks
- [All of Europe →](https://wimup.com/europe): 158 cities

Part of the [Norway guide](https://wimup.com/country/norway.md) · [Europe](https://wimup.com/europe.md)

## Sources

- [Fjellstua and the Aksla steps: Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/see-and-do/aksla-viewpoint?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Jugendstilsenteret: Jugendstilsenteret](https://jugendstilsenteret.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [The Geirangerfjord: Visit Norway](https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/fjord-norway/alesund-sunnmore/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Atlanterhavsparken: Atlanterhavsparken](https://en.atlanterhavsparken.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Alnes lighthouse: Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/attractions/giske--alnes?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Sunnmøre Museum: Viti museums](https://www.vitimusea.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [The Hjørundfjord: Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/attractions/hjorundfjord?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Runde bird island: Runde Panorama](https://www.rundepanorama.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Ålesund Church: Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/see-and-do/alesund-church?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Kirkegata and Løvenvoldgata: Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/inspiration/alesund--the-art-nouveau-town?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Apotekergata No. 5: Apotekergata No. 5](https://www.apotekergata5.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [XL Diner: XL Diner](https://www.xldiner.no/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Sjøbua: Sjøbua](https://www.strawberryhotels.com/restaurant/norway/alesund/sjobua/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Anno: Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/food-and-drink/anno-restaurant--bar?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Jacu Coffee Roastery: Visit Norway](https://www.visitnorway.com/listings/the-jacu-coffee-roastery-in-%C3%85lesund/249261/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Trollstigen: Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/attractions/trollstigen?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Fisheries Museum: Fjord Norway](https://www.fjordnorway.com/en/see-and-do/the-fisheries-museum?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Ålesund Airport Vigra (AES): Avinor](https://avinor.no/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Ålesund Airport Vigra (AES): Flybussen](https://www.flybussen.no/en/airports/alesund-airport/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Trains: Vy](https://www.vy.no/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Trains: FRAM](https://frammr.no/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Coastal ships: Hurtigruten](https://www.hurtigruten.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Coastal ships: Havila Voyages](https://www.havilavoyages.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral)
- Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.