In 60 seconds
The Town of Roses on the Moldefjord, famous for the 222-peak Molde Panorama, Europe's oldest annual jazz festival and the eight wave-swept bridges of the Atlantic Ocean Road (Atlanterhavsveien).
Best for
Known for
Skip if
You are solely focused on deep enclosed gorges and do not wish to combine mountains with wide coastal ocean horizons.
Your match
Choose a few travel interests and we will show how well Molde & The Atlantic Road fits them. Choose interests
See
The things that would make the trip incomplete without them.
8.3-kilometre National Scenic Route crossing eight low bridges and causeways over the turbulent Hustadvika ocean
Drive from Vevang to Kårvåg and stop at Eldhusøya visitor centre to walk the circular cantilevered viewing path.
407-metre scenic hilltop overlooking the Moldefjord and 222 identifiable alpine peaks of the Romsdalsalpene
Walk the forest trail from town or drive 10 minutes to the summit restaurant for the classic panoramic view.
Large open-air museum holding 40 historic timber farm buildings, turf-roofed cottages and the award-winning Krona cultural centre
Stroll through the heritage folk hamlet and browse regional folk costume and silver exhibitions.
Eat
A short list, kept short on purpose. Each entry answers one question: when is this the right choice?
Too few picks yet for their own heading, so they share this list.
Contemporary glass-walled waterfront bistro on the Molde harbour promenade serving fresh fjord fish
Dine on pan-seared halibut or Romsdal lamb with sweeping fjord views.
Warm museum restaurant serving traditional regional husmannskost, potato balls and fresh pastries
Stop for lunch during your visit to the open-air folk village.
Fireside dining in an 18th-century fish warehouse on the offshore island of Håholmen
Book ahead for Atlantic klippfisk, cod tongue and aquavit.
Artisanal sourdough bakery and coffee shop on Storgata
Grab freshly baked cardamom knots before setting out for the Atlantic Road.
Beyond the obvious
Less obvious, rarely queued for, and usually the part people remember.
Restored 18th-century cod-fishing and whaling hamlet on an offshore island near the Atlantic Road
Take the 10-minute passenger boat crossing from Geitøya to explore historic rorbuer, dry-cod storehouses and Viking-ship replicas.
Three limestone and marble caves with an underground waterfall nestled high in the mountains above Hustadvika
Hike the steep 90-minute mountain trail with headlamps to discover the subterranean cascades.
Norway's southernmost traditional fishing community perched on a tiny exposed skerry out in the Atlantic
Take the scenic ferry from Hollingen via Aukra and Sandøya to visit the red 1867 cast-iron lighthouse and pottery studios.
After dark
Specialty craft beer and wine bar in central Molde with an extensive rotating tap list
Unwind with regional Norwegian microbrews.
Orientation
How the city is actually divided, and what each part is for.
Harbour promenade, rose-planted town hall gardens and central shopping street
The core walkable area for hotels and dining.
Coastal island archipelago traversed by the Atlantic Ocean Road 40 minutes north-west
Best for dramatic ocean scenery and maritime excursions.
Stay
Areas rather than hotels — pick the right one and the rest follows.
Modern maritime hotels including the sail-shaped Scandic Seilet on the fjord edge
Convenient for views, city dining and Hurtigruten steamers.
Historic fishermen's cottages on an isolated ocean skerry along the Atlantic Road
Unforgettable overnight island retreat.
Practical
Plan this trip — useful links
Context
Enough to make what you are looking at legible.
Molde receives royal commercial charter as a timber and fish trading town.
King Haakon VII and the Norwegian government escape German forces to Molde, making it the temporary wartime capital before being evacuated by the British.
The Atlantic Ocean Road opens, quickly becoming one of Norway's most visited engineering landmarks.
Further out
Worth a day if you have one to spare.
The mountaineering capital of Romsdal and the dramatic hairpin hair-raising Trollstigen road
Combine Molde's coastal drive with Romsdalen's vertical mountain cliffs.
Historic dried-cod port and tiny offshore island village with an ancient stave church
Follow the scenic ocean route north toward Kristiansund.
