A trip to Molde can mean both experiences in nature and lively jazz. In the "Town of Roses" you can also find numerous museums and historical sites and experience the beautiful coast and Romsdal fjords.
Perhaps you are travelling to Molde by car from the north, and in this case you may be travelling along the Atlantic Ocean Road. This 22-mile-long road is considered by many both in Norway and around the world to be the most beautiful drive in the world, and in 2005 it was also crowned construction work of the century in Norway. The Atlantic Ocean Road takes you all the way out along the mouth of the fjord, and it can be a dramatic and exciting experience to cross the islets and low bridges in rough weather, as wind and waves from the open sea strike the windscreen of the car.
Another famous length of road in the area is the Trollstigen, which is located in Molde's neighbouring community of Rauma. The Trollstigen (Troll's Path) is Norway's most visited tourist route and is visited by innumerable travellers every year. The "path" itself consists of sharp bends that cross back and forth down a long mountainside, making for such a challenging drive that the road is only open in the summer. It's a drive that can take your breath away.
Once you finally make it to Molde, you may hear music from afar. This means that you have come to town during the annual Molde Jazz Festival, where you can see and hear world-renowned musicians together with a large international audience. Molde also holds the annual Bjørnson Festival, a literature festival with lectures, debates, writing workshops and visits from renowned international writers.
To experience a little bit of local history you can travel to Hjertøya, where you will find the Fiskeri Museum – a fishing village with houses taken from the Vestland coast. Here you can learn more about the fishing village and the traditional coastal culture of the Molde region. On Hjertøya you can also see the stone hut belonging to the famous German avant-garde artist Kurt Schwitters, who lived there in the 1930s. Nearby there is also a copy of the column "Grosse Merzsäule", which he erected before having to flee the country due to the German invasion.
Aside from the Atlantic Ocean Road, Hurtigruten is the most spectacular way to travel to Molde, and ships arrive in town daily. Molde also has an airport with daily departures to and from Oslo, Trondheim and Bergen.
