Ålesund

Ålesund is the town a western-Norway loop uses to turn around. It sits on the coast at the outer end of the Geiranger–Trollstigen scenic route, has an airport with direct flights to Oslo and abroad, and is a Hurtigruten call, listed on the operator's port page today, so it works as the point where one traveller leaves the car and another joins, or where a fly-drive begins. Between here and Geiranger the roads are fjord-side and open all year, which makes Ålesund the safe overnight when the mountain passes are closed and the ferry plan has collapsed.

The town itself is a three-hour stop: the Art Nouveau centre rebuilt after the fire of 1904, the harbour, and the walk up the steps on Aksla for the view over the islands. Go up before breakfast or after dinner in summer; the middle of the day belongs to cruise passengers when a ship is in.

Practical line: fuel and large supermarkets on the mainland side of the bridges, cheaper than in the centre; a multi-storey car park by the harbour is the sensible place to leave a car, since the old streets are narrow and metered. The road east to Åndalsnes and the E136 is a long tunnel-and-fjord drive; the Fv60 and Fv650 south towards Stranda and Hellesylt include ferries, and with the Geiranger–Hellesylt car ferry suspended (fjord1.no, read today) Hellesylt is no longer a road into Geiranger.

Not confirmed on an official page today: the number of steps on Aksla, the airport-to-centre distance, and current parking tariffs. Those stay out of the ledger until checked.