Our experience of the Atlantic Road Norway
This particular road was a ‘must-see’ for us as we took a Norwegian road trip from Bergen, north to visit places in the Arctic Circle during summer.
So, what is so special about this road you might ask?
The Atlantic Road (in Norwegian called Atlanterhavsveien or Atlanterhavsvegen) is a road that runs through an archipelago just off the mainland that offers wonderful views of the Atlantic Ocean and coastal landscape as you hop between a series of small islands and skerries, driving through several causeways, viaducts and 8 bridges.
In total, the road only goes for 8.3 kilometres (5.2 miles) but is such a famous stretch of road because of the beautiful sea and coastal views that surround it. It even has its own website.
Described as The most beautiful journey in the world, this particular stretch of road has featured in multiple top travel publications, where many impressive photos and film have been shot. Whether on a calm summer’s day with bright sunshine or during a storm or even a winter’s day with all the islands covered in snow, there are many stunning photos you can take here.
Where is The Atlantic Ocean Road Norway?
Situated in the Hustadvika and Averøy municipalities in Møre og Romsdal county, the Atlantic Road is a section of Route 64 running between the villages of Vevang in Hustadvika and Kårvåg in Averøy.
The two major towns that are on either side of the Atlantic Road are Molde (on the southern end) and Kristiansund on the northern side.
We approached the Atlantic Road from the south and our destination for where we would stop and rest was very close by, just before reaching Kristiansund.
Be careful when driving
A word of caution to be very aware of the road conditions here and to watch the weather.
It can be extremely treacherous particularly during a storm. Sizable waves can hit this unprotected area straight from the North Sea and sweep right across the road. Icy conditions during winter also need to be taken into consideration, particularly where there are steep climbs and descents on a couple of the bridges.
If you are planning a trip to take in the amazing sights here, you may want to check out the information published on the Dangerous Roads website just to be aware of the potential dangers, even though most of the time it is fine.
An impressive engineering feat
Due to its location and impressive construction, the Atlantic Road Norway has won several awards including “Norwegian Construction of the Century”– awarded in 2005.
In particular, the Atlantic Road construction is remembered for the Storseisundbrua: The longest bridge, being a curved architectural feat and is regarded as the symbol of the road.
From some angles as you approach it can look quite scary as if it rises up as a launching pad for cars! Depending on the road conditions and the amount of traffic you really need to be careful. The number of motorhomes, caravans and trucks you see along this road during the day is amazing and you can imagine how you need to slow down to be safe.
Similar to Trollstigen which we had just visited earlier, the road is an engineering marvel built amongst magnificent natural surroundings.
The construction of the Atlantic Road from beginning to end took 6 years.
Our experience
We visited here in summer which is a really good time to do a road trip up to the northern regions of Norway for two reasons. Firstly, (barring unforeseen circumstances) all the roads are usually open. Secondly, the closer you move north toward the arctic circle and beyond, it stays light for much later and therefore you can drive and explore for longer each day.
For our trip, we were both lucky and unlucky. Lucky because it was great weather and being late, there were very few cars and people around. Unlucky because even though there was plenty of light to see the beauty of this place, there was not enough light to produce great photographic shots.
So, while we loved spending time here and went up and down the entire stretch a couple of times, our photos did not come out half as well as we would have liked. Nevertheless, I share some of these below so you can have some idea of how stunning this place is, especially during the middle part of a sunny day.
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Bear in mind that these were taken around 10.00 pm at night. We did have the option to return early the following morning but we had already had such a long day, so we decided instead to grab a bit more sleep and then push on toward the Arctic Circle the next day.
Activities
Aside from a number of parking areas on either side of the road where tourists pull over to take scenic photos throughout the archipelago, there are also other things you can enjoy here.
There are various sections of trails you can hike along, the most popular place to start being on Eldhusøya island. This is where the visitor centre is located where there are also toilets and a café.
You can also visit Askevågen viewpoint which is a small platform located at the tip of the breakwater. It is walled in by glass panels to protect you from the ocean spray and gives you yet another gorgeous view. This whole area is another photographer’s paradise.
Fishing enthusiasts can find many great spots around and also have the option of taking a boat excursion out onto the water.
The end of our day
We arrived very late to a gorgeous Air BNB that we had booked right next to the Atlantic Road. It was a two-story, 2-bedroom home with a generous living and dining area, modern kitchen and a wonderful outlook to a cove with boats you could all see from the front windows. The host was so lovely to drive out there to meet us so late and she made us feel very welcome as we settled down to rest there.
More information
Aside from the links included above on various aspects relating to the Atlantic Road there are also other good pages to see on Visit Norway as well as Fjord Norway.
Have you visited the Atlantic Road Norway?
If not, what are your impressions?
Would you also ensure to include this on your Norwegian itinerary?
Please do share your thoughts below and stay tuned for more articles within this series on Norway.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed seeing this little piece of beautiful Norway.
This article is part of the Natural Beauty Travel Series, authored by travel writer Nicole Anderson.
Outdoor adventure enthusiast that loves nature having travelled locations across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
Passionate Travel Writer, Blogger and Influencer.
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