Candyfloss & Dreams

Tag: norway

  • Visiting Alesund, Norway

    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.

    alesund, norway, cruise

    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.

    alesund norway, cruising in norway, norway fjords cruise, ports of norway

    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.

    alesund, norway

    The views are stunning.

    alesund norway, coming into port in alesund

    The bus stops at the following places of interest

    1. Cruise Ship Terminal
    2. Sunnmore Museum
    3. Aksla View Point – Fjellstua
    4. Parken Kulturhus &  Shopping district
    5.  Tourist Information
    6. The Art Nouveau Centre & Jugendstilsenteret
    7.  Ålesund Church
    8. Ålesund Aquarium, Atlanterhavsparken
    9. Hessa Viewpoint

    alesund norway, cruising in norway, norway ports

    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.

    trees, wood, alesund, norway, aksla

    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.

    flowers, bluebells, blue flowers, flower photography, alesund norway

    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.

    german bunker, alesund, norway

    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.

    alesund highstreet, shops, norway

    Visiting #Alesund in #Norway, #FamilyTravel on a #cruise and spending a day in the town

  • Things to do in Stavanger, Norway

    Things to do in Stavanger, Norway

    On our recent cruise along the Norwegian Fjords we visited four ports all with plenty of different things to offer. Our first port of call was Stavanger, a large city with a big harbour for cruise ships like ours was. Stavanger is nicknamed the Oil Capital of Norway because of the boom the country experienced when the Oil Fields in the Norwegian Sea and North Sea were found. Here are a few things you can do whilst in Stavanger to make the most of your time visiting this city. It’s key to note that Norway is really expensive, so if you aren’t cruising like we were and had all our food included, bare this in mind. You’ll need a lot of spending money.

    stavanger, norway, what to do in stavanger with family

    Coming into Stavanger is just beautiful when approaching by boat. Plenty of little islands and mountain backdrops surround the city. It’s completely different to being on the south coast of England which is why we went there in the first place, to experience something completely new.

    shopping in stavanger, norway

    If you are cruising I really do recommend booking one of the excursions as it is a great way to see much more of Norway than staying in the city centre, however if you would prefer to do it yourself then here are a few things you can book alone.

    1. Visit the Norwegian Petroleum Museum
    2. Visit Stavanger Cathedral
    3. Cruise through the Lysefjord
    4. Visit Swords in Rock
    5. Olre Holmegate – really colourful street in the centre that takes you down to the waterfront
    6. Go on a boat tour
    7. See the pulpit rock

    stavanger cathedral

    Each of these attractions comes at a cost but really do help to make the most of your trip in Stavanger and will help to keep the kids entertained. A lot of the guides are English speaking or have an option for you to listen to an English speaking guide. If you do want to wonder around the city there are plenty of historical buildings to see. Museums are not free to enter like they are here so bare in mind that you can’t just walk in and visit. Also bare in mind that visiting public toilets requires, typically, 10 Norwegian Kroner. Some may take a Euro. Some however, might not take cash, and will require you to pay for using the facilities by credit card.

    stavanger, norway, things to see in Norway