NORWAY - Scandinavia - page 508

night one) arriving in Flåm connects with a bus or boat to Aurland. Eleven
buses and at least four ferries link the towns daily in summer (bus-33 kr, 10
minutes; boat-85 kr, 20 minutes). The Flåm-Gudvangen boat doesn't have a
scheduled stop at Aurland, but they're usually willing to stop there if you
ask—so it's possible to continue the Nutshell route from Aurland without
backtracking to Flåm. Boat tickets bought at the Aurland TI come with a re-
servation (helpful on the busiest days in July and August, when the boats can
fill up in Flåm). The Bergen-Balestrand-Flåm express boat stops in Aurland
(for details, see here ) .
Orientation to Aurland
From Aurland's dingy boat dock area, walk one block up the paved street into
the heart of town. On your right are the Rimi and Spar supermarkets (handy
for picnic supplies) and Aurlandskafeen, the best restaurant in town (at the
bridge). To your left is the Vangsgården Guest House and, behind it, Aurland
Fjordhotel. To reach the TI, go straight ahead and bear right, then look behind
the white church (800 years old and worth a peek). The bus stop, with buses
to Flåm, is in front of the TI. For attractions near Aurland, see here .
Tourist Information
The TI stocks English-language brochures about hikes and day trips from
the area, offers free Internet terminals, and hosts a small history exhibit
(June-Aug Mon-Fri 8:30-17:00, Sept-May Mon-Fri 8:30-15:30, closed Sat-
Sun year-round; behind the white church—look for green-and-white i sign;
tel. [phone], www.alr.no ).
Sleeping in Aurland
(6 kr = about $1, country code: 47)
$$$ Aurland Fjordhotel is big, modern, and centrally located. While it has
a business-hotel vibe, most of its 30 rooms come with gorgeous fjord-view
balconies (Sb-995 kr, Db-1,490 kr, Tb-1,785, prices lower off-season, check
website for deals, includes breakfast, free Wi-Fi, tel. [phone], fax 57