Karl WP Beyer The city of Ålesund, located north of Bergen, is one of Norway's most visited tourist destinations. No wonder: Ålesund is the gateway to the world-famous Geirangerfjord. But that's not all. The city is particularly appreciated for its Art Nouveau architecture and the spectacular landscapes in the surrounding area. It's no wonder that cruise companies are planning more than 200 ship calls in Ålesund next year. In addition, there are the regular scheduled ships of Havila Kystruten and Hurtigruten.
A city tour is a must
We are visiting Ålesund again on a cruise ship. As with the previous ship calls, we wander through Ålesund's center and enjoy the many buildings built in the Art Nouveau style. We see the Ålesundet estuary and walk along previously unused paths to the old harbor. There we have a view of the fishing museum, the pier with the old Molja Fyr and the residential area above. We continue to Kystrutekai, the terminal for the Havila and Hurtigruten ships. There we can watch the Havila Castor depart.
Ålesund - Kystrutekai terminal
Havila Castor leaves Ålesund
The independent city tour is the first part of our daily program. In the second part we will visit Atlanterhavsparken, Ålesund's large aquarium complex, which we have not yet seen before.
Ålesund - Atlantic Ocean Park
Atlanterhavsparken – Ålesund’s Aquarium
The Atlanterhavsparken Foundation has operated one of the largest saltwater aquariums in Northern Europe since 1998. In 2019, the facility gained the status of Norway's first marine research center. The main attraction is a huge saltwater tank in which cod, catfish, conger eels and halibut swim.
Ålesund - School of fish in Atlanterhavsparken
Other, smaller aquariums are home to schooling fish, crustaceans and other species. Seals, otters and penguins live in a huge outdoor area.
Equipped with a cafeteria and souvenir shop, the modern facility aims to showcase animal life along the Norwegian coast and in the North Atlantic to the more than 200.000 visitors each year.
The aquarium landscapes
Different species are exhibited in several aquariums on an area of 4.000 square meters. The most impressive tank is the aforementioned "Atlantic tank". This is where the cold-water fish of the North Atlantic live. The display tank is 36 meters long, 17 meters wide and seven meters high. The acrylic glass walls are 26,5 centimeters thick due to the water pressure. The tank has a capacity of four million liters.
Technically speaking, the facility is not covered because of the desired incidence of light. The sea water is constantly exchanged. To do this, water is sucked in from a depth of 42 meters, approximately 800 meters off the coast. Eight to ten thousand liters flow into the pools every minute.
Atlanterhavsparken - Outdoor area
Atlanterhavsparken - Halibut
Seal Bay
Seals have been living in Seal Bay, an area of 6.000 square metres, for ten years.
Atlanterhavsparken - dozing seals
Atlanterhavsparken - Seal Pool
When they are not dozing on land, they frolic in the spacious water basin. An underwater observatory allows you to watch the animals swimming. We are not lucky; the seals are taking a siesta.
The otter enclosure
The predominantly nocturnal and solitary predators are widespread in northern Norway. Otters are excellent swimmers thanks to their hind legs and strong tail. They dive for up to five minutes, covering distances of almost 400 meters. Contrary to our expectations, we are able to observe an otter on land.
Atlanterhavsparken - otter enclosure
Atlanterhavsparken - Otter
Humboldt Penguins
The penguins, named after the naturalist Alexander von Humboldt, are threatened with extinction in the wild. Their habitat is the coastal areas of Peru and Chile. In Ålesund, the medium-sized penguins receive a lot of attention and the best care.
Atlanterhavsparken - Humboldt penguins
Atlanterhavsparken - Humboldt penguins
Conclusion
We particularly recommend the detour to Atlanterhavsparken for repeat visitors. As we have already explained elsewhere, Ålesund is a place for individual excursions. The small town does not require any guided tours - with a little preparation. It opens up to visitors on their first visit like a picture book. Atlanterhavsparken is ideal for subsequent visits to Ålesund. The facility is exemplary in design and there is no shortage of information about the sea creatures on display. A visit to the aquarium is educational and no time is wasted.
Useful information
Visitors can reach Atlanterhavsparken by car, taxi or hop-on hop-off bus. Taxi rides have a fixed price. Taxi drivers currently charge the equivalent of 21,50 euros for a ride from the city center, which is four to five kilometers away.
Aquarium entrance fees:
Adults currently pay 250 NOK, which also corresponds to 21,50 euros.
September 2024