Ålesund and the Fjords: A Journey into Nordic Wonder

Night flights have a way of making the world feel both impossibly vast and intimately small. From my window seat over the English Channel, the city lights of London flickered faintly beneath me, a soft sparkling map of what I was leaving behind. The direct flight to Ålesund with Norwegian was smooth, the darkness outside giving way to a quiet hum of anticipation. By the time I landed, it was close to midnight, and the city welcomed me with that deep Scandinavian quiet where the air feels thick with stillness.

 

 

I arrived at Hotel Brosundet, an elegant boutique retreat perched over the harbour. The lobby glowed with amber light, the open fireplace radiating warmth that reached through me almost instantly. The scent of woodsmoke, the gentle murmur of the reception, the faint creak of the old beams—it was a welcome that asked nothing of me except to exhale. By morning, the world outside had transformed. The crisp, salty air of Norway hit me like a gentle reset as sunlight danced across the docks. Each wave caught the pale winter light as if the fjords themselves were winking hello. Over breakfast, flaky pastries, an assortment of cheeses, fresh breads, and coffee brewed with the precision only Norwegians seem to master set the tone; the day stretched ahead with quiet promise.

 

 

Meeting Helen from visitalesund, who had meticulously organised the trip, felt like a serendipitous bonus. Her warmth and quiet humour set the tone for the days ahead, and I knew immediately that this journey would feel effortless in her company. Our first wander took us to Dale, a family-run store championing Scandinavian and international designers with exceptional customer care. The ethos that “the garment should adapt to the person” felt present in every corner, a philosophy as comforting as the soft O.A.D wool sweaters folded neatly on the shelves. Nearby, Hotel 1904’s Green Garden Café served coffee brewed by an award-winning barista, a perfect pause before continuing through the city.

 

 

The afternoon brought an education in pleasure. Vino Bar, run by local sommelier Øyvind Tveit, boasts over 2000 wines, each bottle a story waiting to be uncorked. A crisp Riesling paired with a cheese board of Comté and Parmesan was effortlessly transcendent. As we passed by the heated benches along the dock, Helen explained that they were designed not to repel but to invite —a small, elegant example of Norway’s design philosophy: comfort, function, beauty, and community, all working in harmony. From the Aksla Viewpoint, the city unfolded like a model of color and geometry, a delicate puzzle of Art Nouveau architecture and icy water. Helen pointed out the most surprising detail, a sunshine-yellow house that turned out to be Ålesund Prison, Norway’s most scenic maximum-security facility. Later, coffee at Racoon, with a perfectly sticky cinnamon bun, became our sweet intermission before a candlelit dinner at Sjøbua: scallops with yellow beetroot, turbot with wild ramson, and white tea mousse with rhubarb, all paired with Mineral Chardonnay and an easy, unhurried kind of elegance.

 

The next morning began with rain, not the kind that spoils a day, but the kind that makes things lightly cinematic. A taxi carried me to the port for my voyage aboard Havila Kystruten, one of Norway’s award-winning, sustainable ships. These vessels run silently on the world’s largest battery pack, capable of emission-free sailing for up to four hours at a time. As we drifted through the Hjørundfjord, the mist clung to the peaks of the Sunnmøre Alps, revealing tiny villages along the shore. It was the kind of scene that makes you reach for your camera repeatedly.

 

 

At Hotel Union Øye, I was greeted by Samee, whose historically accurate uniform bore her name badge proudly, as did every member of the staff. The attire, formal and timeless, mirrored the hotel’s 19th-century heritage: suits for men, elegant dresses for women, all echoing Norway’s classic design sensibilities. But it was their warmth that brought history to life. I stayed in one of the newly built minimalist suites, sleek glass-roofed houses nestled in the gardens, designed to complement the hotel’s timbered grandeur. Rain tapped gently against the windows as I unpacked, the scent of fresh earth drifting through the open window. I brewed tea, reached for the homemade biscuits left as a welcome treat, and slipped on my Nothing headphones, transparent design, KEF-engineered sound, and an 80-hour battery life, the perfect travel companion, letting my playlist blend with the rhythm of the rain.

 

 

Evening arrived with a touch of magic. Union Øye is famed for its candlelit storytelling sessions, where the hotel’s rich history unfurls in a tapestry of romance and mystery. The tale of Phillip and Linda, the star-crossed lovers of the Blue Room, still lingers in the air: a lost brooch, a tragic promise, and the kind of heartbreak that refuses to fade with time. Morning light revealed the fjord in all its untamed beauty. I found myself alone at the sauna at the end of the dock, a five-minute walk from the hotel, a minimalist wooden structure with a vast window framing the still water beyond. There’s a ladder leading straight into the fjord for a cold plunge. It was, without exaggeration, the most beautiful sauna I’ve ever seen.

 

 

After a wonderful buffet breakfast of Norwegian pancakes, fresh breads, local meats, cheeses, and fruit smoothies, Helen and I set off again, crossing by ferry toward Kilsti Compact Lodge in Eidsdal. Snow began to fall as we arrived, soft, cinematic flakes settling over four minimalist cabins, each a 22-square-metre ode to Nordic architecture. Perched high in the mountains, they offered panoramic fjord views that felt almost like a secret between you and nature.

 

Our next stop, Juvet Landscape Hotel, blurred the line between architecture and wilderness. Its detached glass-walled cabins, clad in matte black, dissolve into the surrounding forest, a striking contrast to the wild river running below. Juvet’s cinematic credentials precede it: it was the filming location for Ex Machina and later appeared in Succession, serving as Lukas Matsson’s luxurious hideaway. Dinner here is communal, served at a long wooden table in a restored barn, a three-course menu built entirely around local, seasonal ingredients. That night, conversation flowed between couples from Denmark, the U.S., Asia, and London, each of us drawn together by good food, curiosity, and the soft crackle of the fire. The bathhouse by the river later offered quiet reflection, the perfect punctuation to an evening of connection and stillness.

 

 

The following morning brought a visit to Lingebakken, a generational farm now run by Elida and Peje. Their daughters’ drawings cover the walls of the farm shop, and charmingly, each daughter designed her own cider label, blending family, art, and agriculture into something deeply personal. The rain made everything glisten: crates of freshly picked apples, crisp and wet from the orchard, and bottles of cider that tasted like liquid sunlight. I’d had a glass the night before at Juvet, and knowing its story made it all the more special.

 

 

Back in Ålesund, a final stop at Jacu Coffee Roastery felt like closing the loop on the trip’s sensory thread. Founded in 2011 by Anne Birte Hanken, Oliver Hanken, and Gunnar Lillevold, Jacu takes its name from the South American Jacu bird, known for picking only the best coffee berries. Their approach is meticulous and artistic, sourcing ethically and roasting with precision. We sampled an Ethiopian blend, its bright acidity a fitting farewell. The return flight from Ålesund via Oslo offered a final gift: snow-capped mountains unfolding beneath a clear blue sky. I leaned back, grateful for legroom, sunlight, and the quiet privilege of witnessing Norway’s beauty from above one last time.

 

Helen had guided me through fjords, mountains, and ghost stories, but what stayed with me most was her warmth, the laughter during car rides, the comfortable silences, and the knowledge that this country rewards curiosity. Ålesund and the Norwegian fjords aren’t just destinations. They’re moods, shifting, layered, deeply transcendent. From candlelit dinners and misty landscapes, to historic uniforms and hillside orchards, this trip was a reminder that wonder hides in the details, and in the people who help you see it. I returned home with clearer lungs, a richer palate, and the knowledge that Norway lingers in the heart, in the crisp air, the soft rain, and the warmth of every human connection, and that sometimes, all it takes to create magic is rain, Riesling, and a truly unforgettable sauna.

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Plan your trip to Ålesund with http://visitalesund.com/

Book your flight to Ålesund with Norwegian, fly LGW to Ålesund from spring until the end of Oct at http://www.norwegian.com

Purchase your Nothing headphones at http://www.nothing.tech