Ålesund

We watched the AIDA docking in Geiranger and then drove leisurely over the mountain pass to Ålesund. We found an overnight spot near a historic bridge. However, it was quite cold and windy here, so we spent half the day in bed. In the evening, Ronny went picking blueberries. They are a bit smaller and more sour here compared to our cultivated ones.

Early next morning, we went into the city. But before that, we had a look at the city from the Aksla hill. You can climb up this hill from the city using steep stairs. 479 steps, so you need to be quite fit. We preferred to drive up. There was a magnificent view of Ålesund from the top.

The city completely burned down in a firestorm in 1904 and was rebuilt afterwards. Kaiser Wilhelm II played a significant role in the rebuilding process by sending 4 ships with construction materials to help. To prevent the city from being destroyed by fire again, all the houses were built with stone instead of wood. The entire city center consists of Art Nouveau buildings.