We reached Ålesund in the late afternoon after driving south from Kristiansund. The route followed the outer coast, linking islands by bridges and ferries, including sections of the Atlantic Ocean Road (Atlanterhavsveien), a stretch of infrastructure built to keep communities connected across open water. The journey itself was a reminder of how dependent this region has always been on the sea.

On arrival, we went straight to Mount Aksla to break up the day. My sister Jenni, Padma and I climbed the stone steps from Byparken, a climb of more than 400 steps completed slowly in the July heat. From the Aksla Viewpoint (Fjellstua), the layout of Ålesund was clear: the harbour, the narrow channels, and the dense cluster of Art Nouveau buildings rebuilt after the fire of 1904.

We returned early the next morning, taking the road to the same viewpoint. With softer light, the harbour was easier to read and the Sunnmøre Alps stood out more clearly behind the town. Seeing Ålesund twice, under different conditions, gave a better sense of its geography and history as a coastal city shaped by access, elevation and rebuilding.