London Gatwick to Ålesund
Norwegian included the direct route in its summer 2026 programme. Check the booking calendar for your dates; services vary by season.
For British visitors
Visiting Møre og Romsdal
Fjords, coastal towns, food and culture, with practical links for planning your journey.
Cruise visits in 2026
Published forecasts · planned ship calls
- Ålesund
- 320
- Geiranger
- 120
- Hellesylt
- 74
Sources for the annual figures
Plan your stay: Visit Ålesund / Northwest Norway · Visit Norway
Before heading outdoors: Weather, mountain and sea safety · Set up the Hjelp 113 app
Passports, entry rules and ETA · Official Norway travel advice · Emergency and consular help
Getting here and around
Via Oslo or Amsterdam
Compare connecting itineraries for your travel dates. Avinor lists Ålesund routes, and KLM offers flights between Ålesund and Amsterdam.
Through the Rauma valley
Take the Rauma railway from Dombås to Åndalsnes, with onward buses towards Ålesund and Molde. Check the complete journey for your date.
Buses, ferries and road conditions
Use FRAM to plan public transport journeys and check fares. Before setting out, check current road conditions, ferry departures and service changes.
Weather, mountain and sea safety
Check changing conditions before your trip. Find official alerts, local updates and Hjelp 113 in the guide below.
Show safety guidance and useful linksHide safety guidance and useful links
Enjoy the region’s mountains, fjords and coastline with a plan that suits your experience and the conditions. Weather and local hazards can change quickly. Check official forecasts before departure and updates during your trip, including the area and time each warning covers.
Weather and avalanche conditions
Use Yr for your destination’s weather and Varsom for avalanche, flood and landslide warnings. Read the full avalanche bulletin for your route’s region, including the avalanche problems and travel advice. Regional forecasts cannot establish whether a particular slope is safe, and a missing bulletin or warning is not an assurance of safe conditions.
Prepare for the mountains
Choose a route within your group’s ability, allow time to return in daylight and tell someone your plans. Carry suitable clothing, food, navigation and first-aid equipment, and turn back if conditions deteriorate. Avalanche terrain includes areas below steep slopes. Ski touring there requires avalanche knowledge, a transceiver, probe and shovel, and practice using them. If you lack that experience, choose a qualified guide or terrain outside avalanche exposure.
Respect conditions at sea
Check wind and wave forecasts for the whole trip, including your return. Wear a suitable lifejacket and keep communication equipment charged and dry. Ask the rental operator about local hazards, safe operating limits and emergency procedures before taking a boat out. Follow the safety briefing and change your plans if conditions exceed your skills or the boat’s limits.
Check the latest local messages
Roads, mountain passes and ferry services may close or change at short notice. Check your outward and return journeys with Vegvesen and FRAM. Follow instructions from police, the local municipality and your activity provider, and respect barriers and closures. In Politiloggen, select Møre og Romsdal for local police updates; messages are usually in Norwegian.
Hjelp 113: set it up before you need it
This free app from Stiftelsen Norsk Luftambulanse brings together Norway’s emergency numbers, shows your coordinates and helps locate registered defibrillators. It is available for iPhone and Android and uses English when your phone’s default language is not Norwegian.
With a British number: you can download it before travelling, but must be in Norway to register a foreign number. Activate it by SMS and allow location access before setting out.
The app uses ordinary mobile calling and cannot create coverage. Download route maps in advance and carry a map and compass you know how to use. In an emergency, call directly if needed; do not delay to install an app.
Download Hjelp 113: official app linksSetup and foreign-number guidance · Emergency numbers and local help
Fjords, islands and coastal towns
Image info
“Geiranger Panorama”. AI-assisted pen-and-watercolour adaptation of a panorama photographed in July 2007. Fine detail is simplified and light paper margins have been added. This adaptation is also available under CC BY 2.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Ålesund
Walk through the Art Nouveau centre, explore the waterfront and take in the view from Aksla.
Alnes on Godøya
Explore the fishing village, lighthouse and open Atlantic coastline. The lighthouse visitor centre combines art exhibitions, a café and local crafts, making Alnes a rewarding outing from Ålesund.
Geiranger
See the fjord from the water or its viewpoints. Excursions and access vary with the season.
Øye and Norangsdalen
Fjord and valley scenery, with Hotel Union Øye’s links to British climbers and literary visitors.
Runde
Coastal walks and seasonal seabird experiences. Use the local guide for puffin timing and access.
Ona
A fishing village with a lighthouse, pottery and an exposed coastal setting. Check outward and return ferry departures.
Trollstigen
Hairpin bends and viewpoints. The road is seasonal and can close at short notice because of weather or rockfall risk.
Åndalsnes and the Rauma valley
Ride the Rauma railway, take Romsdalsgondolen to Nesaksla or visit Norsk Tindesenter. Rampestreken and Romsdalseggen offer hiking options with different demands; use the destination guide for route descriptions, seasons and conditions.
The Atlantic Road, Molde and Kristiansund
Combine coastal touring with the towns. Kristiansund’s clipfish heritage has a long Scottish connection.
Image info
“2010 09 06 Ona Nordøyane 160”. AI-assisted pen-and-watercolour adaptation of a photograph taken on 6 September 2010. Fine detail is simplified. This adaptation is also available under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Museums and maritime heritage
These links lead to the venues’ English visitor information. Check seasonal opening, tickets and accessibility before visiting.
Jugendstilsenteret and KUBE
Art Nouveau interiors in the former Swan Pharmacy and changing art exhibitions in the neighbouring former Norges Bank building.
Aalesunds Museum
The story of Ålesund and its people, including a local wartime exhibition.
The Fisheries Museum
Fishing, processing and the clipfish trade in a historic waterfront warehouse. Explore Storeggen of Aalesund as part of the wider maritime heritage.
Sunnmøre Museum
Traditional buildings and an extensive boat collection introduce life along the coast and fjords.
The Medieval Museum
Archaeology and the history of the medieval trading settlement, near Sunnmøre Museum.
Atlanterhavsparken
An aquarium and science centre devoted to marine life, complementing the town’s fishing and boat museums.
Food and restaurants
Image info
“Klippfisk.jpg”. AI-assisted pen-and-watercolour adaptation of a 2007 photograph. The dark background was replaced with plain light paper; no location was added. This adaptation is also available under CC BY-SA 3.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
A taste of the coast
Klippfisk is salted and dried fish, closely associated with the region’s seafood trade. Try a bacalao dish, then explore its history at the Fisheries Museum.
The Sunnmøre clipfish exhibitionXL Diner
Clipfish is central to this town-centre restaurant’s menu, alongside other dishes.
Apotekergata No. 5
Restaurant, coffee shop, delicatessen and cocktail bar in a former warehouse.
Le Sund
A waterfront bistro combining local ingredients with French influences, at the former Bro location.
Molo Brew
A waterfront microbrewery and informal burger restaurant.
Festivals and cultural life
Follow organisers for the next edition, dates and tickets. For spoken performances, check the language before booking.
Jugendfest
A regular highlight of the summer music calendar.
Den Norske Matfestivalen
Ålesund’s annual food festival, with producers, market stalls and food experiences.
Høstscena
Theatre, music, poetry and performances across the town.
Ålesund Gatefestival
Activities and cultural events in the town’s streets and spaces.
Throughout the year
Find concerts, theatre and comedy at Parken Kulturhus and Arbeideren, concerts from Ålesund Symphony Orchestra, and Viti’s exhibitions and museum events.
Further afield: Nordfjord
Loen, Olden and Briksdalsbreen are in neighbouring Vestland county. Include them in a longer fjord holiday, allowing for travel times, ferries and seasonal roads.
Loen Skylift and valley scenery
The cable car rises to Mount Hoven at 1,011 metres.
Lakes and the glacier landscape
Olden is a gateway to the valley and Briksdalsbreen, an arm of Jostedalsbreen. Use local information for access and current conditions.
Need help during your stay? Police 112 · Ambulance 113 · Fire 110. Medical, passport and British consular assistance.