Sights Around Åndalsnes
The Romsdal valley packs a lot of famous scenery into a short distance from Åndalsnes. Some sights are a short walk from the station, others are a drive or a train ride away. Prices are in Norwegian krone (NOK).
Trollveggen
Trollveggen is Europe’s tallest vertical rock wall, roughly 1,000 m high, and it rises beside the E136 in Romsdalen. Trollveggen Besøkssenter at Horgheimseidet shows a 14-minute film and has a cafeteria and a shop. It is a summer attraction, so check opening dates before you go. BASE jumping from the wall has been banned since 25 July 1986.
Trollstigen
Trollstigen (Fv 63) is the road of 11 hairpin bends, opened by King Haakon VII on 31 July 1936. The plateau at the top sits at about 700 m, and the Stigfossen waterfall falls about 320 m beside the road. The road is closed every winter and normally open from mid-May to October or November. Rockfall has closed it at short notice in recent years, so check vegvesen.no or the Vegvesen trafikk app before driving. When the hairpins are shut, the plateau and its viewpoints can still be reached from the Valldal side.
Rampestreken and Nesaksla
Rampestreken is a steel viewing platform at 537 m. Walk up Romsdalstrappa from town in about 1.5 hours, or descend from the gondola top in about 15 minutes. The Romsdalsgondolen rises to 708 m on Nesaksla in about 5 to 7 minutes. Its station is directly across the street from the railway station, and adult return tickets cost roughly NOK 460 to 625 depending on season. Walking on from Rampestreken to the Nesaksla summit adds 15 to 30 minutes.
Kylling Bridge
The Kylling Bridge is a stone arch on the Rauma Line, 76 m long and 59 m above the river. It was built in the 1920s, and the line opened in 1924. Summer tourist trains pass over it. The Rauma Line also appears in a train sequence of the film Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning.
Rødven Stave Church
Rødven Stave Church lies about 34 km from Åndalsnes by Rv64. It dates from around 1300, and Fortidsminneforeningen owns it. Guided visits run in summer, and stavechurch.com lists hours.
Norsk Tindesenter
At Havnegata 2, Norsk Tindesenter contains Norsk Tindemuseum. The building also has a climbing wall with 60 routes, a shop and the Tindestua restaurant. Entry is from about NOK 90. It is also the visitor centre for Reinheimen National Park.
Getting around
Åndalsnes itself is compact, and the gondola, the museum and the station are all within a few minutes’ walk. For the other sights you need a car, a bus or the train. The Rauma Line runs the 114 km to Dombås in about 1 hour 17 minutes. Mountain weather changes quickly, so carry warm and waterproof layers for any viewpoint.
Read more: walking tours in Åndalsnes cover the Romsdalstrappa steps and the ridge. Sightseeing tours can be searched on GetYourGuide .