Why Honeymoon in Ålesund
Ålesund is a rare fjord-country base that is a pleasure in itself. You can spend a day without a car, walking the old center, browsing small shops and stopping for coffee by the harbor channel, Brosundet.
It also lets each of you choose your adventure. One day can be a boat trip into the Hjørundfjord to see villages tucked under 1,500-meter peaks. Another can be a hike, a kayak paddle around the town's islands or a visit to the Atlantic Sea Park aquarium on the western edge of town.
The town is small and calm. That suits couples after rest, though anyone hoping for big nightlife should look to Oslo or Bergen instead.
When to Go
June through August is the best time. Days are very long, boats and tours run on full schedules and the fjord roads are open. Daytime highs typically sit in the 60s°F, with rain on some days in any week.
May and September are calmer, cheaper and often pretty. Some sightseeing boats and the road over the mountains to Geiranger may run on limited schedules early and late in the season.
For puffins on Runde, aim for roughly late April to late July or early August, when they nest on the cliffs. Winter is dark and wet, with short days. The town still functions as a city, but most fjord excursions are reduced.
Where to Stay
Stay in the Art Nouveau center if you can. Hotels along Brosundet and the harbor give you water views and put restaurants a few steps away. Hotel Brosundet, in a converted warehouse on the channel, is known for a single room inside the small Molja lighthouse at the harbor mouth, a popular honeymoon booking.
For a night or two in the mountains, the Hjørundfjord has historic hotels. Hotel Union Øye, a wooden hotel from the 1890s at the head of the fjord, has hosted royalty and writers over the years.
Alternatively, rent a cabin on Giske or Godøy for sea views and sunsets. Expect roughly $170–$320 a night for a good double in town in summer, approximate.
Romantic Things to Do
- Climb the 418 steps from the town park to Fjellstua on Aksla, ideally at sunset, for the view over the islands and the mountains behind.
- Take a Hjørundfjord cruise or drive out to the villages of Sæbø and Øye.
- Paddle a kayak through the harbor channels on a calm day.
- Drive the bridges and tunnels to Giske, Godøy and the Alnes lighthouse for beach walks.
- See puffins and gannets on Runde on a summer evening when the birds return from sea.
- Learn the story of the fire and rebuild at the Jugendstilsenteret Art Nouveau center.
- Spend a long day on the road to Geiranger via Trollstigen if the mountain roads are open.
Getting There and Around
There are no nonstop flights from the US to Ålesund. Most couples connect via Oslo, Bergen or Copenhagen. Ålesund Airport Vigra (AES) sits on an island north of the town, about 20–25 minutes away by airport bus or taxi through subsea tunnels.
Ålesund is also a stop on the Hurtigruten coastal ships, which call twice a day. It is also a common start or end for a scenic drive linking the fjords.
The center is easy on foot. For the Hjørundfjord, Runde and Geiranger, a rental car or organized day tour is the best way. Car ferries are part of most fjord drives here, so check schedules and allow extra time.
Food and Drink
Ålesund grew rich on fish, especially clipfish, which is salted and dried cod. Bacalao, a tomato and pepper stew made with clipfish, is the local comfort food and shows up on menus all over town.
Fresh seafood is the obvious order: cod, halibut, prawns and fish soup. Harbor-side restaurants let you sit outside in summer while boats pass in the channel. Small cafes serve cinnamon buns and good coffee.
As elsewhere in Norway, alcohol is expensive and wine and spirits are sold only in state stores. Plan a nice dinner or two and enjoy simpler lunches from bakeries and shops.
Honeymoon Tips
Give Ålesund three or four nights so you can split time between town, fjords and islands. Watch the cruise ship schedule; on busy port days the old center fills up from mid-morning, so do Aksla and the harbor walk early or in the evening.
If you plan the drive to Geiranger, check mountain road openings before you go. Some roads close for snow well into late spring.
Pack layers and a rain jacket in every season. Weather on this coast changes quickly.
Book the lighthouse room or a historic fjord hotel early if you have your hearts set on one; those few rooms go fast in summer.
