Åndalsnes is a small town that punches way above its weight, because of what's around it. The Romsdalen valley, the Troll Wall and the Trollstigen road are all close, and the gondola leaves a couple of minutes from the gangway. You can have a mountain view before your shipmates have finished breakfast.
Eleven hairpin bends up a mountain wall, a waterfall halfway, and viewing platforms hanging over the drop. The road is only open in summer, so check before you book.
About 6 h 30 min of sightseeing. Works from every quay.
What's worth seeing, and why
The big one
Romsdalen gondola and Rampestreken
120 min
The gondola goes from the town centre to the top of Mount Nesaksla, 708 metres up, in just over five minutes. At the top is the Eggen restaurant with huge windows. Walk about 15 minutes down the path to Rampestreken, a platform sticking out over the edge with the whole valley below. A return ticket was 460 kroner for adults, 560 in high season.
Local tip
Outside peak summer it doesn't run every day, and the hours vary. Check before you plan the morning around it.
The famous mountain road climbs 11 hairpin bends at about 10 percent up to a plateau at 700 metres. On the way you pass the Troll Wall, the tallest vertical rock face in Northern Europe. The road is closed in winter and sometimes for maintenance, so check the status on the day.
A three-hour scenic trip up the Romsdalen valley, past the Troll Wall, the Verma waterfall and the Kylling bridge. Lonely Planet once called it Europe's most scenic rail journey.
In the centre, with exhibitions about climbing, an indoor climbing hall, a 3D cinema and a café. Also the visitor centre for the Reinheimen national park. Good if the clouds are sitting on the mountains.
Book these before you arrive
Trollstigen and the Troll Wall
Check that the road is open on your date, and that the trip is back well before all aboard.
Most shops in Norway close on Sundays and public holidays. Museums, cafés and restaurants in the centre usually stay open, often with shorter hours. Here are the public holidays for the next twelve months:
Friday 25 December 2026: Christmas Day
Saturday 26 December 2026: Boxing Day
Friday 1 January 2027: New Year's Day
Thursday 25 March 2027: Maundy Thursday
Friday 26 March 2027: Good Friday
Sunday 28 March 2027: Easter Sunday
Monday 29 March 2027: Easter Monday
Saturday 1 May 2027: Labour Day
Thursday 6 May 2027: Ascension Day
Sunday 16 May 2027: Whit Sunday
Monday 17 May 2027: Constitution Day and Whit Monday
Ship excursion or on your own?
The gondola, Rampestreken and the town are easy on your own. Trollstigen and the Rauma Railway need transport and timing, so book a tour or the ship's excursion, and make sure it's back before all aboard.
Practical tips
Look at the weather before the gondola. If the top is in cloud, start with the Mountaineering Centre.
Check whether Trollstigen is open before you book anything up there. It closes in winter and sometimes in autumn for work.
Bring a warm layer for the top of the mountain, even in July.
