Norway
Molde, Norway
Molde, Norway: The Town of Roses, a Fjord Panorama and Moldejazz
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The Romsdalsmuseet, the regional open-air museum on Bjørnstadneset 2 kilometres from the city center, is one of the better regional collections in western Norway: 40 historic buildings relocated from across the Romsdal district and reassembled in a coastal setting, including farmsteads, a schoolhouse, and traditional wooden town buildings from the nineteenth century. The maritime section covers the history of coastal trade and fishing along the fjord, and the collection of traditional Romsdal boats — the flat-bottomed færing rowboat and the larger seksæring — represents construction techniques that changed very slowly over five centuries. The museum is set in gardens with views of the fjord and the Fannefjord bridge; in summer the rose garden flanking the approach path is typically in flower.
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Trollstigen ('Troll's Ladder'), the mountain road climbing 850 metres through 11 hairpin turns up the face of the Romsdal Alps 25 kilometres southeast of Molde, is Norway's most visited mountain road and one of the most technically demanding paved roads in Scandinavia. The road was built between 1916 and 1936 with hand tools and dynamite by workers who were lowered down the cliff face on ropes; the construction is documented at the visitor center at the summit, which opened in 2012 with a cantilevered viewing platform extending over the valley below. The Stigfossen waterfall drops 320 metres alongside the road's upper section; the viewing platform at the top is directly opposite the waterfall at eye level. The road is open only from May to October; access by car or organized tour from Molde takes about 90 minutes each way.
The Atlantic Road (Atlanterhavsveien), 60 kilometres northwest of Molde along the coast, connects a series of small islands via a series of bridges and causeways with no topographic pretense that land and sea are separate — the road crests one bridge, descends to a causeway, rises over the next island, and repeats for 8 kilometres, with the Atlantic Ocean visible on all sides. The most photographed section is the Storseisundbrua bridge, which curves and drops to a vanishing point that appears from the approach to lead directly into the sea. The road is on most lists of the most beautiful drives in the world; it is at its most dramatic in storm conditions, which are not infrequent. The surrounding islands have fishing village infrastructure — cafés, harbors, rental boats — that is accessible from the road.
The Molde International Jazz Festival, held annually in July since 1961, is one of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe and has hosted performers from across the spectrum of jazz and related genres since its founding. King Olav V attended every year for decades; the festival has a specific Norwegian royal association that distinguishes it from most jazz gatherings. The festival venues are spread across the city, including outdoor stages on the waterfront. For a cruise call that coincides with the festival (typically mid-July), the combination of the music, the fjord setting, and the summer light (which barely darkens in July this far north) is unusual.
Good to know
For Families
Moldebadet, a water park with two slides, a children's pool and a climbing wall, is the simplest choice with children in poor weather.
- Høyt & Lavt, a treetop climbing park at Tusten about 4 miles (6 km) from the center, has routes for children from age three.
- The outdoor part of the Romsdal Museum has about 35 old buildings from the region to walk among.
- The Fisheries Museum on the island of Hjertøya is a small open-air fishing village, reached by a boat from Molde that runs in summer.
Culture and Sights
Moldejazz fills the town in week 29 each July, with around 120 concerts.
- Moldejazz is based at Plassen, the town's cultural center, which also houses a jazz club with concerts through the year.
- The Romsdal Museum, founded in 1912, is one of Norway's largest folk museums. Its main building, Krona, is open all year.
- The Royal Birch at Glomstua marks where King Haakon and Crown Prince Olav took shelter from German bombers in April 1940. A Peace Grove stands beside it.
- Molde Cathedral, on the walk up from the market square, opened in 1957.
Tipping & Money
Visit Norway, the national tourist board, says tipping is mostly not customary in Norway except in bars and restaurants, where locals leave 5 to 15 percent for good food or service.
- Whether to tip is entirely up to you.
- The currency is the Norwegian krone (NOK). Cards are accepted almost everywhere, and foreign currency rarely is.
- On some regional buses around Molde you can pay by bank card on board, but tickets are best bought ahead in the FRAM or Entur app.
Overview
Ships dock at the harbor in the middle of Molde, and the town's sights are within walking distance.
- A marked trail leads from the quay to the Varden viewpoint, 407 meters (1,335 feet) up. Allow about an hour and a half for the climb.
- In summer you can also reach Varden by road, about 10 minutes by car from the center.
- A walk from the market square takes in the cathedral, the Romsdal Museum, Reknes Park and the waterfront boardwalk past the football stadium.
Where to Eat
Café Mali, in the Krona building at the Romsdal Museum, serves light lunches, cakes and coffee.
- Café Moldebadet, at the water park, serves meals and snacks.
- There is a café at the Varden viewpoint, so the climb can end with something to eat.
- Around 60,000 people come to Molde during the jazz festival week in July, so book a table ahead if your call falls then.
Beaches & Swimming
Kringstadbukta, a bay about 2.5 miles (4 km) from the center, is Molde's beach, with sand, rocks and a swimming raft.
- Kringstadbukta has a toilet and parking, and a walking and cycling path leads there from the center.
- Nausta, a floating sauna in the center of Molde, is open all year for a sauna and a dip in the fjord.
- Kringstadbukta is signposted from the main road.
Accessibility
Molde's harbor is in the middle of town, but the road up to the Romsdal Museum climbs steadily and the marked trail to Varden is a forest hiking trail.
- The road up to the Romsdal Museum is paved.
- In summer the Varden viewpoint can be reached by road, about 10 minutes by car from the center.
- If you need a taxi that takes a wheelchair, arrange it before you arrive.
- Ask your ship whether the gangway will be step-free in Molde.
Getting Around
Molde itself is walkable, and the well-known drives outside it, the Atlantic Road and Trollstigen, need a tour, a car or careful bus planning.
- Public buses run to the Atlantic Road from Molde on some services. The nearest stops are Vevang and Kårvåg, and the buses do not stop on the road itself or wait for photographs.
- Trollstigen, a mountain pass with eleven hairpin bends, is normally open from mid-May until the first snow of autumn and can close at short notice when heavy rain is forecast.
- FRAM runs the regional buses. Check times at frammr.no or entur.no against your ship's departure.
A Brief History
Molde began as a port shipping timber to the Netherlands in the late 1500s and received its royal charter in 1742.
- In the late 19th century Molde was a fashionable resort, and Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and the Prince of Wales were regular summer visitors.
- A fire on January 21, 1916, destroyed a third of the town.
- German air raids in April and May 1940 destroyed about two thirds of Molde, including its wooden church.
- King Haakon, Crown Prince Olav and members of the government arrived in Molde on April 23, 1940, and for about a week the town was in effect Norway's capital.
Shopping in Molde
Molde is a small town, and its shops are in the center beside the harbor.
- The museum shop in the Krona building at the Romsdal Museum sells gifts by local artisans, and a workshop there makes the district's traditional costume, the Veøy bunad.
- Visitors from outside Norway can reclaim sales tax on purchases, but you must show your passport or ID card in the shop when you buy.
- Most shops in Norway are closed on Sundays and public holidays, so check opening hours before you plan a shopping stop if your ship calls on one.
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