The charming fjord town of Molde, Norway has to be on your travel wish list. Read on to find out why this beautiful town – with its amazing 360 fjord vistas, music, and soccer scene – is a must-see spot during your Norwegian adventure. Also – learn why it’s, quite aptly (and perhaps unusually), called the “Town of Roses”!
Molde offers an array of classically Scandinavian attractions, such as fantastic fjord views, Norwegian architecture, and mouthwatering seafood.
It’s also known for a few not-so-typically-Scandi things, such as jazz music and rose gardens.
We’re bringing you all the authentic and extraordinary aspects of Molde, along with a guide to the city’s location, weather, and more.
Molde, Norway: Things to do and sights to see
Go hiking in Molde, Norway
Picture-perfect Molde is surrounded by 222 mountain peaks. The most popular viewpoint of the town and beyond is called Varden, which sits just over 400 meters above sea level.
From Varden hill, you can experience the so-called “Molde Panorama” which includes views of the town and all of its surrounding mountain peaks.
Find the Varden viewpoint an hour’s walk, or a 10-minute drive, away from the town’s center.
One of the most popular hikes in all of Norway is located just 60 km (about an hour and a half driving) from Molde.
The Romsdalseggen hike is made up of sweeping views (that’ll stop even the most experienced of hikers in their tracks).
Imagine panoramas of fjords, hills, snow-capped peaks, and waterfalls, all along the way.
You’ll even get views of Molde and the Norwegian Sea beyond the mainland. Hikers can choose from three route options: easy, moderate, and difficult (the last one requires an expert mountain guide).
This trail, in total, lasts between five and seven hours and spans ten km. It’s open from July to September each year.
Explore the area
Molde tours offer avid adventurers endless opportunities to explore the area outside of town.
The Molde cruise port is full of life and traffic all year long. From the port, you can embark on a guided kayak tour down the town’s stunning home fjord of Romsdalsfjord.
Alternatively, you can explore the surrounding region on two wheels; with either a self-guided or expert-led cycling tour down the fjord’s waterfront or, alternatively (and a bit more difficultly) through the mountains.
Stop and smell the roses
Molde, Norway is known as the “Town of Roses”. Surprised that a Scandinavian town is associated with this warm weather-loving flower, usually associated with tropical or Mediterranean landscapes?
Molde’s unusual nickname dates back to the early 20th century.
Since then, and even earlier, colorful rose gardens have dotted the entire town.
Molde’s roses are very carefully cared for and add to the town’s unique charm.
Catch a jazz show
Here’s another Molde fastball: the town hosts the oldest annual jazz festival in all of Europe.
The Molde International Jazz Festival draws thousands of jazz enthusiasts and musicians to the town each year. This groovy festival usually lasts an entire week, to all attendees’ delights.
The town solidifies its love for jazz through a statue known as Jazzgutten (“The Jazz Boy”), which sits in the center against a backdrop of mountains and fjord.
This bronze sculpture depicts a young saxophone player and was created by Nina Due. The statue was raised in the town in 1992.
Have a ball at Aker Stadium
Aker Stadium is a Molde architectural icon – and also one of the entire country’s best soccer stadiums.
Aker Stadium was designed by local architect Kjell Kosberg and features a trademark granite and glass exterior.
It was completed in 1998 and inside, it seats 11,200, along with housing a restaurant, cafe, press tribunes, commentary boxes, a press conference room, and more.
You’ll find the stadium right by the water on the west side of Molde’s center.
Bonus points if you can catch a Molde, Norway FC game! The stadium’s (and town’s) resident football club is called Molde Fotballklubb.
The team was founded in 1911 and today takes part in Eliteserien, the top soccer competition in Norway.
Introducing Molde, Norway: Weather and location
The marvelous town of Molde makes its home on the banks of winding Romsdalsfjord. The Molde population is just around 25,000.
Molde, Norway is located on the 59th latitude north. It’s situated a bit too far south for anyone to experience the northern lights and the midnight sun there – but it’s full to the brim with myriad other natural delights.
December is the month during which Molde experiences its coldest weather. In December, the sun sets around 3:00 PM and rises around 10:00 AM, making for about five hours of daylight per day. December temperatures in the town average between -1 and 4 degrees Celsius.
In July, the sun sets around 11:30 PM and rises around 3:30 AM; that’s around 20 hours of daylight every day (which, isn’t quite the midnight sun, but is still quite the experience). July is also Molde’s warmest month with temperatures averaging between 12 and 20 degrees Celsius.
To sum things up: the Molde weather definitely varies from season to season, but it’s more temperate than other areas that sit at the same latitude – this is due to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream.
Molde, Norway transportation: How to get here
Planning a road trip around Norway and want to make a pit stop in Molde? We’ve got you covered with all of the distance information on other Norwegian cities you might be traveling from or to.
The distance from Molde to Ålesund is 82 km, from Molde to Trondheim 220 km, from Molde to Flam 370 km, from Molde to Oslo 490 km, from Molde to Stavanger 710 km, from Molde to Kristiansand 782 km, from Molde to Bodø 1000 km, from Molde to Henningsvær 1120 km, from Molde to Tromsø 1400 km, and from Molde to the North Cape 1600 km.
Looking for flights to Molde, Norway, instead? There are numerous nearby airports that meet that need, as well.
The closest airport to Molde is Molde Airport, located 7 km from the city center. Molde Airport has flights to and from Oslo and Bergen. The closest international airport to Molde is Ålesund Airport, located 18 kilometers outside of the Alesund city center, and 95 km from Molde.
Alesund Airport is internationally connected to the following cities: Alicante, Spain; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Copenhagen, Denmark; Gdansk, Poland; and Kaunas, Lithuania.
Alesund Airport is also domestically connected to Bergen, Kristiansund, Oslo, and Trondheim.
Next-closest is Trondheim Airport, a 33-kilometer drive from the Trondheim city center, and 250 km from Molde.
Trondheim Airport has international flights to the following cities: Alicante, Spain; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Copenhagen, Denmark; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Gdansk, Poland; Krakow, Poland; London, United Kingdom; Malaga, Spain; Murcia, Spain; Nice, France; Riga, Latvia; Split, Croatia; and Stockholm, Sweden.
It also has domestic flights to and from Bergen, Bodø, Bronnoysund, Harstad/Narvik, Kristiansand, Kristiansund, Mo i Rana, Mosjøen, Namsos, Oslo, Rørvik, Sandefjord, Sandnessjøen, Stavanger, Tromsø, and Ålesund.
To make your trip even easier, you can find the full lowdown on all of Norway’s airports here.
No matter your choice of transportation – once you get to town, get ready to ooh and aah at the endless marvels of Molde, Norway.
Source: Norway Today
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