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Alesund, Norway
Alesund, Norway
Alesund, Norway
Alesund, NorwayAlesund, Norway
Ålesund is the largest city in Møre og Romsdal, Western Norway.Ålesund is built on a row of islands extending towards the Atlantic. The compact old city center is thus surrounded by water and Ålesund is a major fisheries harbor.
The old city center of Ålesund was destroyed by fire in the first years of the 20th century. Much international aid, including personal gifts from Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany who used to holiday there, helped to rebuild in the most modern style, Art Nouveau.
From the city, there is a beautiful view of the Sunnmøre Alps in the East.History
Legend has it that Gangerolf (outside of Norway better known as Rollo), the 10th-century founder of the dynasty of the dukes of Normandy, hailed from the community of Giske, north-west of Ålesund. At least three... Read more
Destination:Alesund, NorwayÅlesund is the largest city in Møre og Romsdal, Western Norway.Ålesund is built on a row of islands extending towards the Atlantic. The compact old city center is thus surrounded by water and Ålesund is a major fisheries harbor.
The old city center of Ålesund was destroyed by fire in the first years of the 20th century. Much international aid, including personal gifts from Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany who used to holiday there, helped to rebuild in the most modern style, Art Nouveau.
From the city, there is a beautiful view of the Sunnmøre Alps in the East.History
Legend has it that Gangerolf (outside of Norway better known as Rollo), the 10th-century founder of the dynasty of the dukes of Normandy, hailed from the community of Giske, north-west of Ålesund. At least three statues of Rolle exist: in the town park in Ålesund, in the city of Rouen, France, and in Fargo, North Dakota, United States.
In 1835, Ålesund had 482 inhabitants. By 1900, the population had increased to 11,777.
On the night of 23 January 1904, the town was the scene of the Ålesund Fire, one of the most terrible of the many conflagrations to which Norwegian towns, once built largely of wood, have been subjected. Practically the entire town was destroyed during the night, a gale aiding the flames, and the population had to leave the town in the middle of the night with only a few minutes' notice. Only one person died in the fire, the 76-year-old Ane Heen, but more than 10,000 people were left without shelter. Jugendstilsenteret - The Art Nouveau Centre of NorwayKaiser Wilhelm of Germany had often been on vacation to Sunnmøre. After the fire, he sent four warships with materials to build temporary shelters and barracks. After a period of planning, the town was rebuilt in stone, brick, and mortar in Jugendstil (Art Nouveau), the architectural style of the time. The structures were designed by approximately 20 master builders and 30 Norwegian architects, most of them educated in Trondheim and Charlottenburg, Berlin, drawing inspiration from all over Europe. To honor Wilhelm, one of the most frequented streets of the town is named after him.
The town has an unusually consistent architecture, most of the buildings having been built between 1904 and 1907. Jugendstilsenteret is a national interpretation center, visitors can learn more about the town fire, the rebuilding of the town and the Art Nouveau style. Ålesund is a partner in the Art nouveau network, a European network of co-operation created in 1999 for the study, safeguards, and development of the Art nouveau.
The term "Little London" was often applied to the community during the occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany due to the Norwegian resistance work that took place here. Among other things, the city was central to the flights to Scotland and England.Climate
Ålesund has a temperate and heavily moderated oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb). Winters are mild, damp and windy; the coldest month of the year, January, has a mean temperature of 2 °C (36 °F). The lowest temperature ever recorded at Ålesund Airport, Vigra was −11 °C (12 °F). The climate is extremely mild for the latitude and inland areas at similar parallels especially in lowland Sweden see much hotter summers and colder winters. The warmest temperature ever recorded in Ålesund is 34.4 °C (93.9 °F).
The following climate data is from Ålesund Airport, Vigra, on an island in the sea near Ålesund in Giske Municipality. Ålesund itself is more sheltered and has warmer summers.
Source:http://wikitravel.org/en/Alesund
Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0Alesund, Norway: Port Information
Cruise liners dock at the pier in the center of the city. It's just a 2-minute walk from the dock to the city.Get around Alesund, Norway
Most attractions are available within a short-medium walk (less than 20 minutes).
For theAtlantic Sea Park
, there are special bus services from the city center bus terminal.
In general, there are plenty of bus services in Ålesund. It is worth noting, however, that they are very limited in the late evenings, after 5 pm on Saturdays and all day Sundays. To get information about local buses, call 177.
There are two taxi companies operating, and taxis can be booked by telephone at 7012 or 70103000. Taxis in Norway are very expensive. They are also more expensive in the evenings and weekends.What to see in Alesund, Norway
Much of the joy of seeing Ålesund is to be found in just strolling past the many art nouveau shops and other buildings.- Aalesunds Museum, Rasmus Rønnebergsgt. 16, Phone: +47 70 12 31 70
- The Atlantic Sea-Park, Tueneset, Phone: +47 70 10 70 60
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Art Nouveau Centre
, Apotekergt. 16, Phone: +47 70 10 49 70
What to do in Alesund, Norway
Walk up the stairs to Fjellstua from the city park for a breathtaking view of local fjords and mountains. This can really not be underlined enough. Even if you are not up to climbing all 400 or so stairs, even halfway up the view is stunning. Alternatively, you can get a taxi to drive you up there for the view from the top. This is a must-see. At the top of the mountain, there are walkways that allow you to walk around in natural surroundings while enjoying the view of the islands and mountains around you. There is also a restaurant at Fjellstua serving basic dishes.
The Atlantic Sea Park (Atlanterhavsparken) at Tueneset is the biggest saltwater aquarium in Northern Europe and is built into its stunning environment in the Tueneset conservation area. It offers a range of activities, including diving. After visiting, you can enjoy Tueneset itself which is a nice green area with walkways and a fascinating seemingly endless view of the Atlantic ocean.
In both of the above places you will find bunkers and remnants of the German war machinery from World War 2 for those that might find that interesting.
Brosundet separates the two central islands of Aspøy and Nørvøy, bridged by Hellebroa. The view of Brosundet is quite stunning. By Hellebroa there is an outdoor restaurant area that is very popular among tourists and locals alike. From there you can walk down onto the tourist boat area and further along to Skateflua with further restaurants and outdoors serving areas.
Also, from Skateflua, you can catch various tourist and express boats to popular destinations, buy fish directly from fishermen's boats and go rafting if the weather is nice.
You should also visit theGeirangerfjord
, which is a world heritage site and arguably the most fabulous fjord experience there is. During the summer, catch the Hurtigruten to Geiranger and back. This leaves in the morning and returns you just in time for dinner, unless you want to enjoy it onboard, of course. At other times, take a bus to Hellesylt for a fjord cruise into Geiranger and catch a bus back to Ålesund from there.
In the winter, catch a bus to one of the many mountains around the town to go skiing.What to eat and drink in Alesund, Norway
Eat
Ålesund is full of restaurants, and you can generally find anything for whatever taste you might have.
For cheap food, the town has quite a few pizza, kebab and burger shops. Next to the town square, you will find Dolly Dimples pizza, a few meters away you will find Peppes Pizza and the local McDonalds restaurant, as well as a 7-eleven that is open 24/7 and sell hot food.
For more regular restaurants, you have choices such as Hummer og Kanari (Kongens gate) and XL Diner (Skateflukaia). XL Diner is the largest clipfish/bacalao restaurant in Northern Europe.
More upmarket restaurants include Sjøbua, a somewhat famous seafood restaurant, where all food is prepared from the local fishermen's catch of the day. The fish is kept in tanks in the restaurant for maximum freshness.
In general, if you're out in Ålesund, you should make sure to try the local seafood dishes. It is the center of fish exports in Norway and has a unique tradition is seafood cuisine. Clip fish is a local specialty, and a dish that locally is known simply as "bacalao" is a favorite not easily found in other parts of the world.
Do note that wine is usually quite expensive in Norwegian restaurants.Drink
There are lots of places to go drinking in Ålesund. However, the price level is quite high. This price level has resulted in a youth culture where people gather at someone's home first to drink and usually don't go out before midnight.
Most establishments are open, but the more youth-oriented ones are usually close to empty before midnight. If you're a visitor out for some youthful partying, it might, therefore, be advisable to go somewhere else for a few pints first and then go out looking for where the action is after midnight.
All establishments close at 3 am by Norwegian law. This usually leads to complete chaos (as most people stay until then) and people standing around for hours in taxi queues. If you need transportation, it is, therefore, advisable to call the taxi company no later than 2 am. If you live in the city center, it might be advisable to plan on leaving a little earlier as well, just to avoid drunk people in the streets.
If you want to buy alcohol from a shop, beer can be gotten in normal supermarkets until 8 pm (6p m Saturdays). Anything stronger than 4.7% can only be got from state-authorized Vinmonopolet (until 6 pm weekdays, 3 pm Saturdays), located in Kremmergaarden in the center, as well as the Moa shopping center in the suburbs. Note that supermarkets are not allowed to sell any alcohol after these hours, even if they are still open. Also, alcohol is not allowed to be sold in shops during Christian holidays such as Easter or Christmas.Shopping in Alesund, Norway
There's a variety of shops in the town center, particularly in Kremmergaarden near City hall and Aalesunds Storsenter near the town square.
The main shopping center for the Sunnmøre region is located outside the city center, 15 minutes away by express bus 628.Safety in Alesund, Norway
Norway has, in general, a low crime rate. Møre og Romsdal does not have any big cities where crime is relatively more frequent. Violent crimes are very rare. Petty thefts and vandalism are the most common form of crime. Most communities in Møre og Romsdal are small, peaceful villages where everybody knows each other, and tourists do not need to worry about their safety in public places. Tourists should, however, watch their belongings in crowded tourist spots like Geiranger and in the busy shopping areas of Ålesund.
People generally drive carefully on mountain roads and few car accidents happen even if many tourists feel unsafe. Drivers tend to use their brakes too much, causing the brake fluid to boil. Use a low gear and let the engine control the speed downhill.
Møre og Romsdal has large numbers of red deer (hart, "hjort") that can suddenly jump into the road at dusk and dawn (particularly where road is passing through dense forest). The red deer is much smaller than the moose (elk) found in Eastern Norway, but can still create a dangerous situation and cause serious damage to your car. Note the special warning sign. Call the police at 02800 (or emergency number 112) if you wound an animal.
Do not walk near or on glaciers without a tour guide and proper equipment. Do not underestimate the risk on slippery slopes (particularly near waterfalls).
Do not underestimate the power of waves along the Atlantic. Always wear a life west when in a small open boat. Keep well away from the sea in stormy weather - wave height may suddenly cause surprises.Language spoken in Alesund, Norway
As in the rest of Norway, virtually everybody speaks or understands English. In tourist hot spots, French and German are also common among service personnel. Due to some immigration from Poland, the Netherlands, etc., don't be surprised to meet service workers that manage other languages as well.
The language in Møre og Romsdal is Norwegian, with dialects that are distinctly different from Oslo and Bergen dialects.
LOCAL TIME
8:14 amMay 18, 2022CURRENT WEATHER
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NOKTravelers recommend visiting the following places of interests
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