Islands & Fjords of Ålesund

Norway’s spellbinding west coast
 

Holiday Highlights

Ålesund itself | Your beautiful base boasts thriving cultural and dining scenes.
Runde Island | Where the cliffs teem with sea birds, and puffins and kittiwakes wheel overhead.
Remote countryside | Enjoy relaxed walks on Ålesund’s neighbouring isles accessed using our included local travel pass.
Fjordland views | Proximity to both the Geirangerfjord and Hjørundfjord leave you spoiled for choice.
Price from
£1720pp
Islands & Fjords of Ålesund. 7 nights
Price from
£1720pp
Islands & Fjords of Ålesund. 7 nights
Price from
£1720pp
 

Holiday information

 

A walking holiday on Norway’s west coast

Featuring a stylish waterfront hotel, this self-guided, single-centre walking holiday promises a truly Norwegian experience amid iconic fjord scenery. Enjoy a variety of relaxed yet fantastic walks on nearby islands, and perhaps join a fjord cruise.
Nestling on a cluster of granite islands against a backdrop of mountains on the northern fringes of Norway’s fjords, Ålesund promises a truly Norwegian experience amid archetypal scenery.

Given its proximity to the Sunnmøre Alps, whose lofty peaks reach heights of 1,700 metres, Ålesund is known as the adventure capital of the fjords, but there are some equally rewarding routes which command sublime views without involving such strenuous ascents. Combine these with boat trips along the fjords, city touring by kayak, bird watching, museum visits and discovery of the town’s emerging foodie scene, to enjoy a very varied week in what is arguably Norway’s most picturesque town.
 

Gallery


 

Walking & more

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice and, since there’s no fixed itinerary, you can take your pick of our suggested walking routes and cultural visits according to the weather and your mood.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

    Norwegian weather is changeable. You should always be prepared for wet weather.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 2 3 4 6 11 14 15 15 12 9 5 3
    mm 127 104 105 82 62 74 96 117 190 186 171 168
  • An introduction
    There is such a wealth of varied and beautiful scenery within a short distance of Ålesund, that you can easily fill a week exploring the fjords and walking on the nearby islands following our suggested routes. Getting about is easy – the local network of buses and boats runs like clockwork, and we include a 7-day local area bus pass. English is widely spoken.
  • 6.5km to 10.5km

    Linear walk from Aksla to Sunnmøre Museum: 6.5km, 2.5hrs; ascent 200m / descent 205m
    Easily combined with a walking tour of the town if you would prefer a longer route, this is an enjoyable stroll from the Fjellstua viewpoint at the top of the 418 steps from the town centre. After admiring the superb vistas over Ålesund and the surrounding islands, you follow a path across the spine of the town’s ‘mountain’, Aksla, before descending to the Sunnmøre open-air museum.

    Sula out-and-back coastal route: 10.5km, 4hrs; ascent / descent 160m
    This coastal route features sections through woodland and along the shoreline. As you retrace your steps to your starting point, you enjoy views across the water to Ålesund, a 10-minute boat ride away.

    Circular walk in Roald Nature Reserve: 8km, 3hrs; ascent / descent 190m
    It’s a 35-minute bus ride between Ålesund and the start/finish point of this peaceful waterside route on the northern tip of Vigra island. You pass through a small nature reserve before finishing at a superb local bakery (open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday).
    Sunnmøre open-air museum
    Aksla to the Sunnmøre Museum: 6.5km
    Sula out-and-back coastal route: 10.5km
    Circular walk in Roald Nature Reserve: 8km
  • 6.5km to 10km

    Sula out-and-back high-level route: 10km, 4hrs; ascent / descent 390m
    From the start/finish point (reached by a 10-minute boat ride), you head uphill across moorland to the summit of Blåfjell for astonishing views of the Sunnmøre Alps.

    Linear walk from Godøy to Alnes: 6.5km, 3hrs; ascent 530m / descent 1000m
    Accessed by a 40-minute bus ride, this route on the island of Godøya starts with a stiff initial ascent through woodland in which occasional clearings provide views across the water and towards Ålesund. After emerging from the trees, you walk around the shores of a lake and then descend to the village of Alnes, whose pretty red-and-white striped lighthouse is famed for its delicious homemade cakes. Return by bus (50mins).

    Runde island circular walk: 7.5km, 3.5hrs; ascent / descent 565m
    Travel like the locals by boat and bus (2hrs 20mins each way; pay locally) to the bird island of Runde, where our panoramic walk circumnavigates the island, culminating at the top of cliffs teeming with seabirds from where you can gaze over the surrounding archipelago and distant peaks as puffins and kittiwakes wheel overhead.
    Runde Island
    Sula out-and-back high-level route: 10km
    Godøy to Alnes: 6.5km
    Runde island circular walk: 7.5km
  • Emblemsfjellet circular walk: 13km, 5.5hrs; ascent / descent 560m
    Though longer and more strenuous than the other suggested walks, this route rewards with stunning views back over Ålesund and its islands, as well as south towards the Sunnmøre Alps.
    Far-reaching views
    Emblemsfjellet circular walk: 13km
  • The city, its canals & museums
    As good as the walking is, you shouldn’t neglect Ålesund itself, which is a wonderful celebration of Art Nouveau, having been rebuilt after a fire which ravaged the wooden town in 1904. Strolling through the cobbled streets of pastel-coloured houses adorned with turrets and ornate gables provides a fascinating insight into its history (we provide notes for a self-guided walking tour).

    For something even more special, we recommend that you take to the city’s canals in a kayak, a very serene way to appreciate the elegant architecture, particularly if you choose the early evening tour.

    In addition, Ålesund offers three museums: the Norwegian Aquarium, which is home to otters, seals and penguins; the open-air Sunnmøre Museum, whose collection of old buildings and boats from the area give insights into local life in days gone by; and the Aalesunds Museum, where you can learn about the history of the town, including the fire of 1904 and the Nazi occupation during WW2.
    Ålesund
  • Geirangerfjord, Hjørundfjord & Runde Island
    To complete your Norwegian experience, you’ll probably want to join at least one fjord cruise (pay locally).

    The most famous is the Geirangerfjord cruise, a three-hour trip which passes through three fjords, taking in impressive waterfalls and sheer-sided cliffs along the way. There are daily departures in June, July and August, and departures on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday during the rest of the season.

    If you prefer to avoid the crowds, another option is the much quieter – and utterly bewitching – Hjørundfjord in the heart of the Sunnmøre Alps. If you like, you can alight at Christian Gaard for lunch on the restaurant’s panoramic terrace; its signature dishes are venison burger and brown-cheese ice cream. Those with a head for heights can even have a go on the swing above the fjord before rejoining the cruise. The boat runs daily from the start of June to the end of August.

    For a different waterborne experience, you can explore the coastline in a RIB bound for the island of Runde, which is home to the widest range of seabirds in Scandinavia, including a colony of some 100,000 puffins which nest here between April and August.
    Geirangerfjord
    Boat leaving Christian Gaard, Hjørundfjord
 

Accommodation

The Brosundet is a great base for exploring. We include three dinners: a three-course tasting menu in the hotel’s own restaurant, and a further two dinners in nearby restaurants, leaving the remaining nights free for you to take your pick of the other restaurants. As you’d expect, fish and seafood features widely on menus.
Hotel Brosundet

Bedrooms

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 7 nights: 15 May 2025 - 30 September 2025

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    15 May - 7 Jun 2025 £1840 £905
    8 Jun - 30 Jul 2025 £1865 £905
    31 Jul - 24 Aug 2025 £1720 £905
    25 Aug - 23 Sep 2025 £1840 £905
    3rd & 4th person discount £0
    Single traveller supplement £0

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Hotel Brosundet, Ålesund
    Junior suite double (no twins): 15 May - 31 May 2025 £64
    Junior suite double (no twins): 01 Jun - 31 Aug 2025 £89
    Junior suite double (no twins): 01 Sep - 30 Sep 2025 £64
    Sea view double (no twins): 15 May - 30 Sep 2025 £19
    Superior double (no twins): 15 May - 30 Sep 2025 £34

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Hotel Brosundet, Ålesund (B&B) Double room Single room
    15 May - 31 May 2025 £101 £174
    01 Jun - 31 Aug 2025 £130 £229
    01 Sep - 30 Sep 2025 £101 £174
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Ålesund (via Oslo Gardemoen or Copenhagen)
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Oslo. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Ålesund (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Ålesund (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Ålesund (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Ålesund (via Oslo Gardermoen) Norwegian 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Ålesund (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Heathrow - Ålesund (via Bergen) Wideroe 
    Heathrow - Ålesund (via Oslo Gardemoen) SAS 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Ålesund (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Manchester - Ålesund (via Copenhagen) SAS 
    Manchester - Ålesund (via Oslo (Gardermoen) SAS 
    Manchester - Ålesund (via Oslo Gardermoen) Norwegian 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Oslo. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Ålesund

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    own travel arrangements from airport to hotel (bus 0h25; taxi 0h15) pay locally flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    own travel arrangements from hotel to airport (bus 0h25; taxi 0h15) pay locally flexible
What is included
  • 7 nights
  • 3 dinners
    7 breakfasts
  • route notes and maps
  • GPS navigation
  • local-area bus pass
 
Reviews

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We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Norway, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). There is no need to apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) as this (and still-current EHICs) is not valid in Norway. However, should you need medical help, you can show your UK passport at the medical facility and treatment will be provided on the same terms as for Norwegian nationals. It is important that, if you already have travel insurance in place, the terms do not exclude medical cover, especially for existing conditions, in the absence of an EHIC.
  • The most widely spoken language is Norwegian. The currency is the Kroner. Norwegian time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
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