Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Romsdalmuseet (Romsdal Museum)
A 10-minute walk, north-
west of the center, this open-air museum consists of some 40 buildings, all
moved to the site. Buildings range from a 16th-century
aarestue
(log cabin) to a
medieval-style chapel. Walk down Bygata, the main street, taking in a compos-
ite church constructed from remnants of wooden stave churches that had to be
razed. On rare occasions, children in regional costumes perform free folk dances.
Romsdal Park.
&
71-20-24-60.
Admission 40NOK ($5.70) adults, 30NOK ($4.25) children. Mid-June to mid-
Aug daily 11am-6pm; mid-Aug to mid-June daily 11am-3pm.
NEARBY ATTRACTIONS
Part of the previously explored Romsdal Museum, the
Fiskerimuseet
(
Fisheries
Museum;
&
93-42-54-06
) lies on the island of Hjertøya. Its collection consists
of more than two dozen buildings moved here from the western coast of Roms-
dal, including dwellings, boathouses, a mechanic's workshop, and other mar-
itime buildings. There's a number of authentic old fishing boats and gear, and
you can see how the Norwegian coastal fishermen, sealers, and whalers lived in
olden times. A water taxi leaves from the marketplace, Torget, in the center of
Molde during the museum's open hours. The round-trip fare is 40NOK ($5.70)
for adults and 30NOK ($4.25) for children. Trip time is 10 minutes. The Fish-
eries Museum keeps the same hours as the Romsdal Museum (see above); your
ticket to the major museum entitles you to visit this attraction as well.
Another attraction,
Trollkirka (Troll's Church)
, near Eide, is a natural
wonder with seven underground caves and grottoes. There's also a 14m (45-ft.)
waterfall. Going through these grottoes, with their subterranean streams, is a
mystical experience. To reach the gateway to the cave, you have to walk up from
the signposted main road, a distance of 2.5km (1
1
⁄
2
miles). Since it's a scenic
walk, it's most pleasurable. Allow about 1 hour to make the trip, and wear sturdy
shoes. Bus no. 241 goes to the site two to seven times per day. The area is an
open site and can be explored at any time.
To wander back into the past, you can visit
Vey Stone Church,
dating from
the 11th century, on
Vey Island.
The little village of Kaupangen on the island
was the center of Romsdal until the 14th century, and has a rich Viking past. If
you'd like to visit, make your request through the Molde tourist office, which
will give you a key to the church. You're taken here by a boatman for a cost of
60NOK ($8.50) per person; although each boat must have at least four people.
Finally, motorists, armed with a map and directions from the tourist office,
can drive 2 hours up Langfjorden and along the lake Eikesdalsvatneet, to the
waterfalls at
Mardalsfossen
. At one time this was the highest waterfall in
the world, a two-level cascade dropping 655m (2,149 ft.). Its greatest single drop
is 297m (975 ft.). Mardalsfossen only flows between mid-June and mid-August.
(How did Mardalsfossen lose its status among the top waterfalls of the world? Its
power was extinguished by a hydroelectric project in the 1970s that was con-
structed in spite of massive protests by Norwegian environmentalists.)
WHERE TO STAY
EXPENSIVE
Quality Hotel Alexandra Molde
This is the town's choicest hotel
address, named for Princess Alexandra of Wales, who checked in here in the
1880s. After being destroyed and reconfigured over the years, it consists of three
different structures from the '50s, '70s, and '80s, all facing a common grassy
area. This is the major venue for guest artists appearing in July at the jazz festi-
val. The hotel stands on the main street of town, overlooking the public gardens
Kids
