Must-see attractions in The Western Fjords

  • Trollstigen, Norway, Sunset over the Trollstigen valley road
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    Trollstigen

    The Northern Fjords

    This twisting, sky-topping corkscrew of a road is the most famous stretch of tarmac in Norway. Completed in 1936 after eight years of labour, the Troll's…

  • Atlantic Ocean Road, passing through the several small islands in Norwegian Sea, is part of National Tourist Routes of Norway.

    Atlanterhavsveien

    The Northern Fjords

    The eight storm-lashed bridges of the Atlantic Ocean Road buck and twist like sea serpents, connecting 17 islets between Vevang and the island of Averøya…

  • Kinn Island, Norway.

    Kinn Island

    The Western Fjords

    If you're on limited time, a visit to this little island is a great way of getting a flavour of the coastline around Florø. After a quick boat ride from…

  • Borgund Stave church, Norway.

    Borgund Stave Church

    The Western Fjords

    Some 30km southeast of Lærdalsøyri along the E16, this 12th-century stave church was raised beside one of the major trade routes between eastern and…

  • 12th century wooden Romanesque Urnes Stave Church, listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest stave churches in Norway.

    Urnes Stave Church

    The Western Fjords

    If you only have time on your itinerary to visit one stave church, the one at Urnes has to figure at the top of the list (along with Borgund). Dating from…

  • Traveling over Kylling bridge.

    Rauma Railway

    The Northern Fjords

    A classic Norwegian train ride that railway buffs definitely won't want to miss, the 114km-long Rauma Railway clatters from Åndalsnes and Dombås, high in…

  • Norwegian Glacier Museum, designed by the famous Norwegian architect Sverre Fehn. It is next to Boyabreen Glacier.

    Norwegian Glacier Museum

    The Western Fjords

    You can't miss this striking museum: it's a concrete wedge marooned among a sea of grass on the way into Fjærland, and even has a couple of model woolly…

  • Jugendstil Senteret

    Ålesund

    The city's unique architectural heritage is documented in a former pharmacy, the first listed Jugendstil monument in Ålesund. Apart from the building's…

  • Selja Monastery

    The Western Fjords

    The haunting ruins of Selja monastery and the church of St Sunniva on Selja Island date from the 11th and 12th centuries respectively: this has been a…

  • Glacier Kjenndalsbreen.

    Kjenndalsbreen

    The Western Fjords

    It's a picturesque run of 21km or so up the Lodalen valley to reach this offshoot of the glacier, perhaps the least visited of the four main tongues. The…

  • Flydalsjuvet

    The Northern Fjords

    You'll have seen that classic photo somewhere, beloved of brochures, of the overhanging rock Flydalsjuvet, usually with a figure gazing down at a cruise…

  • Kniven Viewpoint

    Ålesund

    For the best view over Ålesund and its fishhook-shaped peninsula, as well as the mountains and islands beyond, head up the 418 steps to the summit of…

  • Drågen Smokehouse

    The Northern Fjords

    Petter Aune set up this operation, where freshly caught Aukra salmon are smoked with pure local wood and herbs, after tiring of the poor quality…

  • Briksdalsbreen

    The Western Fjords

    The main target for most visitors on the northern side of the park is this impressive glacier, which can be reached along a scenic 23km road from Olden…

  • Grip

    The Northern Fjords

    Fourteen kilometres out to sea from Kristiansund, the island of Grip has a long tradition of cod-fishing stretching back centuries, but was abandoned by…

  • Dalsnibba

    The Northern Fjords

    For the highest and perhaps most stunning of the many stunning views of the Geiranger valley and fjord, take the 5km toll road (130kr per car) that climbs…

  • Sunnmøre Museum

    Ålesund

    Ålesund's celebrated Sunnmøre Museum is 4km east of the centre. Here, at the site of the old Borgundkaupangen trading centre, active from the 11th to 16th…

  • Norwegian Museum of Travel & Tourism

    The Western Fjords

    A museum examining the history of tourism might not immediately sound like the biggest must-see, but bear with us: the story of how people travelled…

  • Norwegian Wild Salmon Centre

    The Western Fjords

    The River Lærdalselvi is one of the top spots for wild salmon fishing in Norway. Salmon fishing has been part of the culture here since time immemorial,…

  • Ona

    The Northern Fjords

    The beautiful islet of Ona, with its bare rocky landscapes and picturesque lighthouse, is still home to an offshore fishing community of about 25 people…

  • Dale Kyrkje

    The Western Fjords

    Spectacular wooden stave churches get all the attention around here, but this little gem of a medieval parish church built of stone shouldn’t be…

  • Atlanterhavsparken

    Ålesund

    At the peninsula's western extreme, 3km from the town centre, this aquarium can consume a whole day. Be introduced to the North Atlantic's teeming…

  • Gamle Byen

    The Northern Fjords

    Kristiansund's old town lives on in a part of the island of Innlandet, with clapboard buildings that date back to the 17th century. The grandiose…

  • Coast Museum

    The Western Fjords

    A catch-all museum covering the whole of Sogn og Fjordane county, this museum explores the coast in all its varied forms. It's spread over several…

  • Trollveggen

    The Northern Fjords

    From Dombås, the E136 and rail line drop in parallel northwest down to Romsdalen (you might have a sense of déjà vu if you’ve seen Harry Potter and the…

  • Hopperstad Stave Church

    The Western Fjords

    On the southern outskirts of the village stands this splendid stave church, Built in 1130, and Norway’s second oldest, it escaped demolition by a whisker…

  • Supphellebreen

    The Western Fjords

    Reached via a turn-off from the main road north from Fjærland, this small glacier creeps down the mountainside into an isolated valley. Trails lead from…

  • Refviksanden

    The Western Fjords

    Running for more than 1.5km, this wonderful white-sand beach is one of the best places for a wild sea swim on the west coast – assuming you can handle the…

  • Godøy

    Ålesund

    The furthest offshore island from Ålesund, Godøy has a real off-the-map feeling, especially in the depths of winter. There are some great walks here, and…

  • Stordal Old Church

    The Northern Fjords

    Twenty-five kilometres northwest of Valldal on the Rv650 towards Ålesund, this stave church was built in 1789 on the site of an earlier chapel, elements…

  • Fishing Museum

    Ålesund

    The 1861 Holmbua warehouse (one of the very few buildings to survive the 1904 fire) has exhibits on the development of fishing across the centuries and…

  • Mellemværftet

    The Northern Fjords

    Something of a nautical junkyard, Mellemværftet, free and accessible any time, is best approached on foot along the quayside from the Smia Fiskerestaurant…

  • Alnes Lighthouse

    Ålesund

    This picturesque 1853 lighthouse is in the fishing station of Alnes. For that end-of-the-world feeling, climb to the circular balcony via the five floors…

  • Church of St Olav

    The Western Fjords

    Often known locally as 'the English Church', this charming wooden chapel was built in 1897 in the style of a traditional stave church. It gets its…

  • Gudbrandsjuvet

    The Northern Fjords

    Fifteen kilometres up the valley from Valldal, this popular viewpoint overlooks a maelstrom of foaming, crashing water, where the river sluices and…

  • Bøyabreen

    The Western Fjords

    The more spectacular of the two glacial tongues accessible from Fjærland, Bøyabreen looms majestically at the end of the wooded valley. There's a car park…

  • Kjelsfossen

    The Western Fjords

    Kjelsfossen tumbles from the southern wall of Nærøydalen valley, above Gudvangen village. Notice, too, the avalanche protection scheme above Gudvangen…

  • KUBE

    Ålesund

    Ålesund's primary contemporary art space highlights Norwegian artists, as well as hosting the occasional design- and architecture-focused show. The old…

  • Hove Stone Church

    The Western Fjords

    The region's oldest stone building, dating from the late 12th century, this church retains its original form beneath Peter Blix's elaborate makeover. This…

  • Flåmsbana Museum

    The Western Fjords

    This little museum is right beside Flåm station. There's plenty to satisfy train enthusiasts here but it's not all about railways: there are also…