Beautiful surroundings

Tekst: Tor Mikalsen , Foto: Raul Grau-Ruiz

Located in the heart of Fjord Norway lies the small charming town of Volda. It is surrounded by mountains, forests, lakes and fjords. As a small town of app. 10 000 people, Volda has everything you need within walking distance. A hike to the fjord or the mountain starts directly outside your doorstep.

Foto: Jonas Közle.
Foto: Jonas Közle.

The town centre of Volda is a charming area, located right on the harbour and the fjord. There are many old wooden buildings - both commercial and residential - but at the town’s heart is a beautiful stone church, built in the 1930’s.

 

The Sunnmøre Alps

The beautiful alpine mountain areas around Volda are called the Sunnmøre Alps, and stun nature lovers. Some of the peaks reach as high as 1700 meters straight up from the fjord, of which the best known are Slogen, Kolåstinden, Hornindalsrokken, Skårasalen and Råna. The Sunnmøre Alps offer unique terrain for hiking, and are visited by large numbers of tourists in both summer and winter. Interestingly the local mountain hiking traditions were inspired by british climbers who set out to conquer the alpine peaks in the late 1800s. Even today, climbing routes, rock formations, mountains and cabins hold their name, such as Slingsby's peak and the Patchell cambin. 

The spectacular nature in this region has also been frequently used as a backdrop for block-buster movies such as Mission Impossible 7, James Bond - no time to dy and Marvel's Black Widow.

 

Geiranger

Geiranger is the jewel in the crown of the Norwegian fjords. It is so unique that it has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is a fairytale landscape with its majestic, snow-covered mountaintops, wild and beautiful waterfalls, lush green vegetation and the deep, blue fjord (geiranger.no).

Geiranger
Foto: Diego Delso.

 

Ålesund

Approximately 90 minutes away from Volda, you find the Art Nouveau city of Ålesund. Mount Aksla, with the viewpoints Fjellstua and Kniven, is one of Ålesund’s biggest attractions. The views of the town, the lovely islands and the majestic Sunnmøre Alps further inland, are simply fantastic (visitalesund.com). The city of Ålesund was ruined by a big fire in 1904 and headline news around Europe. The German Emperor Wilhelm II decided to provide aid and engineers to rebuild the city he had visited several times as a tourist. As a result, Ålesund was rebuilt according to the Art-Nuveu (Jugend) style that was popular at this time, and today, Ålesund is in Norway known as Jugendbyen (the Art Nuvey City).

Ålesund
Foto: Vom Berg

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