Alesund was the second port we visited on our cruise on the Azura around Norway last month. Alesund is a really pretty town with lots of lovely little shops in the centre and a natural canal running through. It’s full of quaint storefronts and fishing boats and the town is made up over several islands.
We had a lovely time exploring and took advantage of a full day in port by using the Hop On Hop Off bus. The bus took you to several places across the islands and took just over an hour if you were sitting on for the full tour. Once on board you were given some headphones to plug into the information points to listen to the history of the place. The bus stops at ten different points and a bus can be expected at each of these points every 30 minutes when there’s a cruise ship docked.
For unlimited use over 24 hours we paid 275 NOK which is around £27. You can prebook these tickets online though and I think it’s a little cheaper if you pay on a credit or debit card.
The views are stunning.
The bus stops at the following places of interest
- Cruise Ship Terminal
- Sunnmore Museum
- Aksla View Point – Fjellstua
- Parken Kulturhus & Shopping district
- Tourist Information
- The Art Nouveau Centre & Jugendstilsenteret
- Ålesund Church
- Ålesund Aquarium, Atlanterhavsparken
- Hessa Viewpoint
In Norway Museums and Galleries do come at an extra price so it’s worth checking before you enter. Toilets usually reguire 10 kroner to use but a lot I’ve seen require you to pay by credit or debit card.
The Atlanterhavsparken is a great place for families with a few animals and wildlife to see and is actually within walking distance but does take around 40 minutes to get there. We heard the seals on our way into dock.
You can also climb the 400 zig zag steps up the mountain to the Aksla view point for some stunning views as well as seeing the old German bunkers.
Browsing along the shops in the town is a lovely way to relax. There were plenty of markets on when we visited and lots of souvenier shops dotted around the cobbled streets. It’s a very pretty harbour town.
