Ålesund
Municipality · Møre og Romsdal
About Ålesund
Art Nouveau streets rebuilt after the 1904 fire with Kaiser Wilhelm II's help, 418 steps up Aksla, and the Atlantic Sea Park.
What to do and where to stay in Ålesund
Places to stay are run locally, with no hotel or campsite chain behind them.
1Aksla and the 418 stepsViewpoint
The town mountain, reached by 418 steps from the centre's cafés, looks over the Art Nouveau town, the islands and the Sunnmøre Alps.
Byparken, town centre · 45–60 min · all year
2Jugendstilsenteret and KUBEHistory & culture
The Art Nouveau centre in the 1907 Swan Pharmacy keeps its original interiors, while KUBE art museum next door fills the 1906 Norges Bank building.
Apotekergata 16, town centre · 1–1.5 h · all year, Tue–Sun 11–16
3Atlanterhavsparken (Atlantic Sea Park)Sight
A large aquarium on the Tueneset headland where seals, otters and penguins are hand-fed at set times every day, with a 4-million-litre Atlantic tank.
Tueneset, about 3 km west of the centre · 2–3 h · all year
4Sunnmøre Museum and the Middle Ages MuseumHistory & culture
An open-air museum of 56 old houses and one of Norway's largest boat collections, including Viking ship replicas, with the Middle Ages Museum on the same site.
Museumsvegen 12, Borgund, east of the centre · 2 h · All year (May–Sep daily 10–17; Oct–Apr Tue–Sun 11–16)
5Fisheries Museum in HolmbuaHistory & culture
An old harbour warehouse on the Molo with small exhibitions on the barrel factory, cod-liver oil and fishing life that built Ålesund.
Molovegen 10, Aspøya · 45 min · all year, Sat–Sun 11–16 (other days by appointment)
6Molja lighthouseLocal oddity
A six-metre harbour light from 1858 at the end of the breakwater in Vågen, now a one-room hotel run by Hotel Brosundet with the bed on the upper floor.
End of the breakwater, Vågen · 15–20 min walk · all year (outside view)
7SukkertoppenHike
The 314 m 'Sugar Top' on Hessa at the town's western tip, a marked 1.5-hour walk up from the street above Hessa school with views of coast, fjord and town.
Hessa, western Ålesund · About 3 h return (3.7 km each way) · all year (muddy in wet weather)
8Ona fishing village and lighthouseSight
Norway's southernmost lived-in fishing village, about 25 people on bare islands reached by ferry, with a red lighthouse on Onakalven, a ceramics workshop and Steffågarden.
Ona and Husøya, outer Sandøy area, ferry from Finnøya or Småge · Half a day · all year; café and Steffågarden in summer (Steffågarden open daily 23 Jun–10 Aug 2026)
9Old Skodje bridgesHistory & culture
Two stone-arch bridges opened in 1922, called Norway's longest, now on an easy signed 1 km walking loop with the county's first road tunnel beside the 2004 steel arch.
Skodjestraumen, about 3.5 km west of Skodje · About 1 h (1 km loop) · all year
10XL DinerFood & drink
A bacalao restaurant on the old Skateflukaia quay devoted to Norwegian clipfish, with windows over the sound, Molja lighthouse and the open sea.
Skaregata 1B, town centre · 1.5–2 h · all year (evenings)
Nearby, also among the best for viewpoints by the road
- StrandaMøre og RomsdalViewpoints by the road (among Norway's best)Fjords (among Norway's best)
- RaumaMøre og RomsdalViewpoints by the road (among Norway's best)Mountains (among Norway's best)
- AverøyMøre og RomsdalViewpoints by the road (among Norway's best)Islands & island hopping (among Norway's best)