4 Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Ålesund

Famous for its magnificent Art Nouveau architecture, the city of Ålesund is one of Norway’s most popular tourist destinations. Not only is it blessed with one of those picture-perfect Norwegian settings, surrounded by fjords and the high peaks of the Sunnmøre Alps, it has also benefited from the addition of many new cultural and entertainment attractions, byproducts of the incredible increase in wealth the nation has experienced in recent years.

Explore Art Nouveau Ålesund

The picture-perfect Art Nouveau heart of Ålesund, with its stunning architecture, towers, turrets, and other imaginative ornamentation, really needs to be explored on foot. For a fascinating insight into the city’s architecture, the top things to do here include tagging along with an organized walking tour or picking up an informative guide from a tourist office or bookstore.

Ålesund Harbor

Ålesund’s harbor lies between the islands of Nørvøy and Aspøy, and is sheltered by the Skansen peninsula. As wonderful as it is wandering around and admiring the architecture-the picturesque harbor includes many older buildings once used by fishermen-you’ll be tempted to sit awhile and simply watch the boat traffic come and go in this busy port area.

Atlantic Sea-Park

A great place to learn about Norway’s diverse marine life, the Atlantic Sea-Park (Atlanterhavsparken)-one of the largest saltwater aquariums in northern Europe-is just a short shuttle bus ride form the town centre and provides a fascinating look at life under the sea. Established in 1951 and built into the coastline, this spectacular family attraction is crisscrossed with numerous scenic walking trails allowing many great vistas of its fishy inhabitants.

The Ivar Aasen Center

The Ivar Aasen Centre (Ivar Aasen-tunet) is located on the very farm where the famous poet/playwright/philosopher was born in 1813. Revered as the creator of Nynorsk-a language based on Norwegian dialects-Aasen’s home is now the country’s national Nynorsk documentation and experience centre. Designed by architect Sverre Fehn, the building is an attraction in itself, and hosts the annual Festival of New Norwegian Literature, Art, and Music held in the last week of June every year.

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