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Hellesylt, Norway © Esther Westerveld/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
Hellesylt, Norway © m.prinke/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0
Hellesylt, Norway © Esther Westerveld/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
Hellesylt, Norway © m.prinke/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0
Hellesylt, Norway © Esther Westerveld/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
Hellesylt, Norway © Esther Westerveld/Flickr/CC BY 2.0Nearby:Hellesylt, Norway
Geiranger and Hellesylt are villages in Møre og Romsdal. The Geirangerfjord is one of the most beautiful mainland fjords and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Norway. In a rating of UNESCO World Heritage Site, Geirangerfjord (along with Nærøyfjord in Sogn og Fjordane) obtained top... Read more
Destination:Hellesylt, NorwayGeiranger and Hellesylt are villages in Møre og Romsdal. The Geirangerfjord is one of the most beautiful mainland fjords and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Norway. In a rating of UNESCO World Heritage Site, Geirangerfjord (along with Nærøyfjord in Sogn og Fjordane) obtained top score in a survey conducted by prestigious National Geographic Magazine. A visit to Geiranger can be included in a trip along the Norwegian coast.
Geiranger is the tiny village and rural community at the eastern end of Geirangerfjord. Hellesylt village sits at the western end of Geirangerfjord, and from there the fjord does a sharp turn north with the name
Hellesylt, the 0.41-square-kilometre (100-acre) village, has a population around 250, but if you count the valleys surrounding, the number is about 600.
In the summertime, thousands of tourists travel through or stay in Hellesylt each day. Most of them take the ferry to the nearby village of Geiranger, which in high season runs every one and a half hours. The village is surrounded by mountains and valleys. The Sunnylven Church is located in Hellesylt, which was the administrative center of the former municipality of Sunnylven.
Hellesylt is under constant threat from the mountain Åkerneset, which is about to erode into the Sunnylvsfjord. A collapse could cause a tsunami destroying most of downtown Hellesylt.Sunnylvsfjord
. The latter fjord is in turn connected to the main fjord, aptly namedStorfjord
(Large fjord), at a small town Stranda. Strictly speaking, Geirangerfjord is merely the last section of the larger Storfjord system. Storfjord is one of the main fjord systems in Western Norway. While Geiranger and Hellesylt are small villages, Stranda is the municipal center.Several hundred cruise ships with some 300,000 passengers visit Geirangerfjord every summer, as cruise port only surpassed by Bergen. Many tourists arrive by charter bus. In addition, there is a large number of independent travelers. Geiranger itself is a small village of 200 people, the influx of 5000 (or more) tourists daily makes Geiranger a relatively crowded place at daytime.
The Geirangerfjord is one of Norway's oldest destinations for international tourism. Cruise ship tourism began in the late 19th century. Kaiser Wilhelm visited Geiranger every summer until the first war.
Source:https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Geiranger
Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0Hellesylt, Norway: Port Information
The Geiranger Port has a cruise terminal, a Seawalk, and 3–4 anchor positions depending on the size of the ships. Opened in 2013, the Seawalk is a self-propelled three-segment articulated floating pier, 236 m-long by 4.5 m-wide steel platform on 10 pontoons, which moves out to the ship (like a floatable jetwalk) to accommodate 4,000 passengers per hour disembarking from a single ship. With Geiranger a busy cruise port, you may have to take a short tender when there's more than one ship in port. Hellesylt now offers a sizable pier for single ships, while local car ferries use a separate facility for both locations.
The sailing into the fjord is not to be missed as many cruisers wake up as early as 4 am to witness the stunning beauty of this Norweigan fjord. Or enjoy the Geiranger sail away in the afternoon. Small towns and homes cling to the high cliffsides. Friendly Norwegians' can be seen doing their farm work, milking cows, working in cliffside garden fields. Temperatures and weather can vary by the minute, and it is best to wear warm clothing layers and bring your binoculars to see animals grazing on cliffsides, small Norweigan homes, and the beauty of this fjord. Check if your cruise line visits the Geiranger Fjord, it is truly one of the best, most relaxing, awe-inspiring cruises that you will ever take.
Both towns are easily walkable and scenic, and each blessed is by a waterfall.Get around Hellesylt, Norway
No need to use the tour boats. You can see just as much from the Hellesylt ferry with commentary in German and English as well as Norwegian - from a comfortable lounge with a good snack bar.
Adventurers take to the hills of Geiranger via walking and sometimes even biking. Winter closes most of the roads in the Geiranger fjord, so its best to visit in the summer. Watch out for campers, trucks, and tour buses, especially when biking, walking or hiking. Hills are steep and for more fit adventurers.
Plenty of photo opportunities in and around Geiranger, it is a lovely small Norweigan town that you must visit in the summer months. Cruising is one of the best ways to see the fjord.
What to see in Hellesylt, Norway
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Dalsnibba (Detour from route 63 towards Grotli). Summer only. Dalsnibba is a 1500 m (4920 ft) mountain summit. Fabulous view over the fjord and the mountain behind. Detour from road 63 (Geiranger mountain pass) direction Skjåk and Stryn.
- Geirangerfjord (Ferry or cruise ship). The steep-sided fjord with its waterfalls, including the Bridal Veil and the Suitor. Geiranger-Hellesylt ferry, Hurtigruten (summer) and cruise ships travel the fjord.
- Norsk Fjordsenter, ☎ +47 70263810, fax: +47 70263141, e-mail: [email protected]. 1 May-20 Sep. The visitor center for the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Ørnesvingen (The Eagles' Curve), Road 63 (On route 63 towards Eidsdal). View of the fjord and the village from the high point.
- Ljøen panorama point, Road 60 (Hellesylt-Stranda road). Panorama point towards Geirangerfjord and Sunnylvsfjord from high point near Ljøen hamlet, between tunnels.
What to do in Hellesylt, Norway
- Coastal Odyssey, ☎ +47 95118062, e-mail: [email protected]. Guided tour start: 11 AM. Kayaks for rent either by the hour or for a whole day. You can also take part in a guided tour. Kayaking down the fjord is a very enjoyable experience; it offers spectacular views of waterfalls, mountains, and even, occasionally, dolphins.
- The "Sky-to-Fjord" trip, run out of one of the small gift shops by the ferry dock (easily identifiable by its green roof), is a spectacular 17 km bike trip from the top of the mountain (high enough to still have snow in August!) back down to the gift shop. The trip includes van transportation to the top of the mountain and bike rental. You can go at your own pace as long as you return your bike to the gift shop by the end of the day. Take your time, as the spectacular views can make for worthy detours!
Walk around the lovely, hillside town.....the main road wraps the coastline. Townsfolk are very friendly and engaging. Many different tour buses available in the Summer, June-late August. Weather changes many times during the day....warm, windy, cool, freezing, and do not forget the sunscreen, especially when leaving Geiranger and visiting the Geiranger Valley and glaciers, you might need some bug spray for the mosquitoes and sunscreen are a must!
Sadly many Geiranger citizens talk about the glaciers retreating more and more each year.
What to eat and drink in Hellesylt, Norway
Eat
- Naustkroa, ☎ +47 70263230, fax: +47 70262220, e-mail: [email protected]. Pizza.
- Olebuda Restaurant, Geiranger Sentrum, ☎ +47 70263230, fax: +47 70263170, e-mail: [email protected].
- Weserås Restaurant, ☎ +47 92899187. Traditional norwegian food.
Drink
- Cafè Olè, Geiranger Sentrum, ☎ +47 95246488, e-mail: [email protected].
Local beers
- "Great Norweigan Beer, GRANS Local Norway favorite beer, delicious, light beer, enjoy it with a sandwich or fresh salmon. Available at most pubs and restaurants ask for Grans.
- The Grans Brewery (Grans Bryggeri AS) is a brewery founded in 1899 in Sandefjord, Norway.
Shopping in Hellesylt, Norway
There are many lovely stores in Geiranger and Hellesylt, where you can buy clothes, accessories, Norwegian-themed gifts, souvenirs for every taste, etc.Safety in Hellesylt, 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 of 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.
In general, people drive carefully on mountain roads, and few car accidents happen, even if many tourists feel unsafe. However, drivers tend to overuse their brakes which causes 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 the road is passing through dense forest). Red deer is much smaller than the moose (elk) found in Eastern Norway, but it can still create a situation of danger and cause serious damage to your car. Note the special warning sign along many roads. Call the police at 02800 (or emergency number 112) if you wound an animal.
Do not walk near or on glaciers without proper equipment and instructions. Do not underestimate the risk on slippery slopes (particularly near waterfalls).Language spoken in Hellesylt, Norway
The language in Møre og Romsdal is Norwegian, with dialects that are distinctly different from Oslo and Bergen dialects. In the northern area (Nordmøre), the dialect is similar to Trondheim dialect.
As in the rest of Norway, virtually everybody under 60 speaks or understand English. In tourist hot spots, like Geiranger, 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.
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NOKTravelers recommend visiting the following places of interests
Seven Sisters Waterfall, Hellesylt, Norway
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