Alesund, Norway

[let's go cruising]

We are taking the Carnival Pride cruise on June 10, 2022. I'd like to learn what are the interesting things to see and do at each port and suggestions for excursions. Since everyone is different, we can just give information here for people to easily gather. (Yes, I'm doing this for all of the ports. I thought that's easier than one thread for all of the ports, since each cruise has its own ports.)

 

Renee 

[hallasm]

In order to get started I'll add a link to Ålesund Port

[waverley7]

Hi! I am just starting my research for my August cruise.

 

Have you found anything out yet!

[Sea42]

4 hours ago, waverley7 said:

Hi! I am just starting my research for my August cruise.

 

Have you found anything out yet!

Check out the link in post #2, there's a lot of good information there to get you started!

[edinburgher]

We took a local public bus to the large outdoor museum a short distance from town.Sunnmore has over 50 traditional buildings and boats to explore.  You could easily spend an entire day there.

 

Once back in town, we explored the central area which is quite compact, but attractive enough for a wander with many Art Nouveau buildings constructed after the Great Fire and a couple of canals..

Edited March 6, 2022 by edinburgher

[cruiseathon]

A good idea is to start your trip to Alesund with a visit to the tourist info center at Skateflukia where you can pick up a self guided tour of the stunning Art Nouveau bit of town. And the short walk up Mount Askla is well worthwhile for the 360° beautiful views!

[Turtles06]

We started our day in Alesund by taking the City Train Tour around Alesund and up to Mount Aksla. It's not really a train (as you can see in the photo), and while it looks hokey, it was fun and a good introduction to the town.  Definitely get to the top of Mount Aksla, one way or another, for the fantastic views.  (You can take the train back down, or walk down.)   After the little tour, we walked around the town, which is lovely.  And for lunch. we had THE best fish and chips we've ever eaten, anywhere.  These folks claim to be "probably the best in the world," and perhaps they are.  🙂 

 

 

 

 

 

(photos by turtles06)

[Sea42]

On 3/6/2022 at 10:10 AM, edinburgher said:

We took a local public bus to the large outdoor museum a short distance from town.Sunnmore has over 50 traditional buildings and boats to explore.  You could easily spend an entire day there.

This is our plan for our visit in May. Their hours, the day we are there, are noon until 18:00. Do you remember how long the bus ride was? We're hoping to explore the town, have lunch and then head to Sunnmore for a couple of hours. We are in port from 8 AM - 6 PM.

[edinburgher]

Sorry.  It was some years ago, although I know it would have been an hour or less (probably less) Whatever, it was very easy to DIY. At Sunnmore we saw shorex from other cruise ships which were in that day, but it is nice to move around the site independently.

 

Suggest you look for an online bus timetable which would give you the info,

or,

Contact Sunnmore for bus info

or,

Contact the Alesund Tourist info for bus info.

 

Any of these should be able to answer your question and they can give you the bus number and the bus stops info too. 

[PhillyTravelBug]

This is a stop on our Iceland/Norway cruise for next year. I have been dreaming about seeing this port for years now. The pictures are gorgeous.

[erinmarie424]

On 3/8/2022 at 10:27 AM, Sea42 said:

This is our plan for our visit in May. Their hours, the day we are there, are noon until 18:00. Do you remember how long the bus ride was? We're hoping to explore the town, have lunch and then head to Sunnmore for a couple of hours. We are in port from 8 AM - 6 PM.

Their promo on the Visit Norway site says its 70 minutes 

[Sea42]

20 minutes ago, erinmarie424 said:

Their promo on the Visit Norway site says its 70 minutes 

Thank you, I missed that.

[edinburgher]

erinmarie424,  and Sea42.

 

Their promo on the Visit Norway site says its 70 minutes 

 

I just wonder where the start of that 70 minute journey was?

 

Sorry to disagree, but when I saw you quoting 70 mins travel time, I had a good ideas it could not be correct as we DIY in most ports but our absolute limit is no more than 1 hour from any port and we  hesitate to go over 45 minutes. 

 

Although my recollection of travel time is a bit hazy, I did remember that it was short as it is  very close to Alesund.  I internet searched Alesund to Sunnmore Museum and many sites came up and the travel time on the local bus timetable is around 7 minutes.  Lonely Planet gives the distance as 4 kilometers from central Alesund, and even "real time travel" Moovit gives 6 minutes. Rome2 Rio likewise.

 

I would caution though, that we both remember the bus timings being patchy, and we think we took one bus number there and a different bus number back.  Whatever, it was easy, just be certain of the bus numbers and timetables for your day of the week.

 

DO CHECK WITH THE MUSEUM OR ALESUND TOURIST OFFICE BEFORE PLANNING YOUR DAY.

Edited March 12, 2022 by edinburgher

[Radbooks]

I haven't been there, but I watched the video of the train. I think it's a 70 minute loop through the town... it doesn't appear to go out of town for 70 minutes. I know it's not a hop on, hop off bus, but it reminds me of one of those where if you stay on for the whole loop it's like 60 minutes or something.

[edinburgher]

radbooks, I think we were giving info on two entirely different journeys.

 

You thought sea42 was asking about a bus tour around the town, whereas I thought sea42 was asking about the distance and time to take a local bus to the large Sunnmore outddoor museum which is out of the central area.

 

No worries.. sea42 now has even moore info to help plan their day in Alesund.😄

[Sea42]

Yes, I was asking about the bus to Sunnmore, but all information is appreciated!

[hallasm]

4 hours ago, Sea42 said:

Yes, I was asking about the bus to Sunnmore, but all information is appreciated!

Here is a Link to time table - hope link will provide the correct information. Alternatively you might need to copy/paste  - Ålesund - in order to find the correct timetable - also make sure that you use - Sunnmøre Museum - otherwise a risk of going in the wrong direction.

many busses during the day and 7 minutes.

Edited March 13, 2022 by hallasm

[Sea42]

2 hours ago, hallasm said:

Here is a Link to time table - hope link will provide the correct information. Alternatively you might need to copy/paste  - Ålesund - in order to find the correct timetable - also make sure that you use - Sunnmøre Museum - otherwise a risk of going in the wrong direction.

many busses during the day and 7 minutes.

Thanks!

[mconthehighseas]

On 3/13/2022 at 7:30 AM, Sea42 said:

Yes, I was asking about the bus to Sunnmore, but all information is appreciated!

I just went to google maps, and it shows that it would take about 12 min by car from the Aksla viewpoint to the Sunnmore museum.  

[GrammySpo]

On 3/12/2022 at 10:38 AM, Radbooks said:

I haven't been there, but I watched the video of the train. I think it's a 70 minute loop through the town... it doesn't appear to go out of town for 70 minutes. I know it's not a hop on, hop off bus, but it reminds me of one of those where if you stay on for the whole loop it's like 60 minutes or something.

Have to say it—Go Zags!

[Radbooks]

3 hours ago, GrammySpo said:

Have to say it—Go Zags!

Yes, indeed!!

[2BACRUISER]

Our cruise company  Cunard is offering an excursion 'Hiking up Sugarloaf Mountain'.

Has anyone any experience of this activity? It says in the blurb 164ft to 1000ft and Highly active. 

We're both reasonably fit and active walkers but not experienced climbers so looking for some insight on this. 

Thanks in advance. 

[LondonTowner]

We took the HOHO bus that stops at the cruise port.

[Scottishclover]

 

On 4/11/2022 at 2:43 PM, 2BACRUISER said:

Our cruise company  Cunard is offering an excursion 'Hiking up Sugarloaf Mountain'.

Has anyone any experience of this activity? It says in the blurb 164ft to 1000ft and Highly active. 

We're both reasonably fit and active walkers but not experienced climbers so looking for some insight on this. 

Thanks in advance. 

We hiked up it  on our cruise in 2016. We are avid hikers ( mid 40s with 2 teen daughters) and it took us around 45 minutes to hike up. It was uphill but not strenuous in the least and there’s a path to follow. Amazing 360 degree views from the top. We were lucky to have fine weather though. It was mostly locals doing the hike, out for some exercise. We just  DIYed it. I never pay for a hiking excursion. We got a local bus to Hella and got off right at the trail head. It was an easy peasy morning excursion and we explored Alesund in the afternoon. On that particular cruise we also hiked to Pulpit Rock and did Storsetterfossen waterfall in Geiranger. Superb hiking and views.

[brynmelyndavid]

My wife and I are on a similar itinerary with Princess at the same time as you! In Alesund we've booked "Ålesund the Ultimate Sightseeing Tour" with Norway Excursions. It includes a trip to two islands, the Sunnmore Museum plus Mount Aksla as well as a tour around the town itself. All this over 4.5 hours for 78 Euros. It will leave us time to explore the town on our own as well.  They also do several other tours from Alesund.

 https://www.norwayexcursions.com/en/destinations-in-norway/alesund/