What's on in Ålesund, Norway through the year

Busy — Christmas holidays in Norway, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in January.

Still on: Atlantic gale season (15 Oct – 28 Feb (usually))

Busy — Winter sports week in Norway, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Season

  Sunnmore Alps ski touring

  15 Feb – 15 May · usuallySki season

  The peaks behind town are skied from the water up, which is why people fly here with skins rather than lift passes. Late February to May is when the snow holds and the days are long enough.

Still on: Atlantic gale season (15 Oct – 28 Feb (usually))

Busy — Easter break in Norway, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Sunnmore Alps ski touring (15 Feb – 15 May (usually))

Busy — Easter break in Norway, school holidays in 6 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: Sunnmore Alps ski touring (15 Feb – 15 May (usually))

Peak crowds — Cruise ships in port, Constitution Day

• Season

  Cruise ships in port

  1 May – 20 Sep · usuallyCruise seasonCrowded

  Alesund is the tender port for Geiranger and the ships tie up right below the town. On a two-ship morning the Aksla steps and the fish restaurants are gone until mid-afternoon.

• Holiday

  Constitution Day

  17 MayNational holidayClosures

  Children's parades through the Art Nouveau streets, everyone in bunad, and the shops and museums shut for the day. It is the one date Norwegians will not reschedule. Source ↗

Still on: Sunnmore Alps ski touring (15 Feb – 15 May (usually))

Peak crowds — Cruise ships in port, Slinningsbalet midsummer bonfire

• Festival

  Slinningsbalet midsummer bonfire

  19–25 Jun · usuallyMajor festivalCrowded

  Teenagers spend two months stacking pallets into a tower on the Slinningen point and light it on the Saturday nearest 23 June. Boats fill the sound and sound their horns when it goes over. Source ↗

Still on: Cruise ships in port (1 May – 20 Sep (usually))

Peak crowds — Cruise ships in port, Summer holidays in Norway

Nothing new starts in July.

Still on: Cruise ships in port (1 May – 20 Sep (usually))

Peak crowds — Cruise ships in port, Jugendfest

• Festival

  Jugendfest

  21–22 AugMajor festivalCrowdedBook early

  Two nights of music at Color Line Stadion in the second half of August. It is the weekend the town's hotel rooms go first, and they go months ahead. Source ↗

• Festival

  Norwegian Food Festival

  20–31 Aug · usuallyMajor festivalCrowded

  Norway's oldest food festival takes over the centre for three days at the end of August, with the fishing and farming side of Sunnmore selling straight to the street. Source ↗

Still on: Cruise ships in port (1 May – 20 Sep (usually))

Peak crowds — Cruise ships in port, Autumn break in Norway

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Cruise ships in port (1 May – 20 Sep (usually))

Busy — Autumn break in Norway, school holidays in 4 of the markets that fill it

• Hazard

  Atlantic gale season

  15 Oct – 28 Feb · usuallyStorm season

  The exposed coast takes named Atlantic lows from mid-autumn, and the first thing they cancel is the ferry and the fjord sailings rather than the flights. Source ↗

Quiet — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its worst months for weather

Nothing new starts in November.

Still on: Atlantic gale season (15 Oct – 28 Feb (usually))

Busy — Christmas holidays in Norway, school holidays in 7 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Atlantic gale season (15 Oct – 28 Feb (usually))