8 Best Sights in The Western Fjords, Norway

Home to Norway's third-largest glacier, Folgefonna National Park is popular for its kayaking and, of course, hiking on the glacier. From the top of the glacier there are beautiful valleys stretching all the way down to the fjord, and visiting Folgefonna is something you will remember. The National Park has several places of entry, with Odda and Rosendal (with the visitor center) being two popular ones, and several hikes and glacier arms you can explore, in addition to beautiful valleys with waterfalls of melting water from the glacier.

Teeming with aquatic life, this is one of Scandinavia's largest aquariums. Right on the ocean, 3 km (2 miles) west of town, the park emphasizes aquatic animals of the North Atlantic, including anglers, octopus, and lobster. The Humboldt penguins are popular with children. After your visit, have a picnic, hike, or take a refreshing swim at the adjoining Tueneset Park. To get here, take the Aquarium Bus (marked "Akvariebussen") from St. Olav's Plass between April and October.

Named for a friendly cartoon fox, this theme park has a very popular water park, along with ziplines, playgrounds, and plenty of other diversions for the kids.

Suitable for families and experienced hikers alike, this trail takes between two- and four hours, depending on which particular route you choose. Along the way there is information about the local flora and fauna, and from the highest point you get a nice view of the village.

With exhibits that will interest the whole family, this nature center is spread over three floors of a gorgeous glass-and-steel building. Whether you're interested in climate, nature, or the environment, there's plenty to keep you occupied. Don't miss the bird's-eye view of Norway in Ivo Caprino's 20-minute film Fjord Fjell Foss, meaning Fjord, Mountain, Waterfall.

Playwright Henrik Ibsen is said to have been inspired by the natural beauty around Hellesylt, and the main exhibit in this gallery contains wooden carvings inspired by his play Peer Gynt. It's also a visitor center, with information about the nature in the area.

This open-air museum focuses on the traditions and history of the people who make their home on the Norwegian coast. A five-minute drive from Ålesund, it's spread over 50 acres and consists of 55 well-kept buildings ranging from cow sheds to schoolhouses, giving insight into people's lives in this region.