Ørsta is a vibrant small town of 10 000 inhabitants. It is surrounded by fjords and some of the most spectacular mountains in Norway. It is a place for nature and culture loving passengers and can offer a large choice of interesting excursions, attractions and activities. From Ørsta there is only a short distance to exciting tourist attractions like the Geirangerfjord, Ålesund and the bird island of Runde.
The town centre has everything you need. Ørsta’s pedestrian precinct and the three new shopping malls boast a large variety of shops, cafés and places to eat. One of the special features of the centre of Ørsta is that you can simply `walk’ from the main street straight into open countryside. To wonderful vantage points, in woods along the river bank, or you can fish for salmon or pick berries and mushrooms.
Until a planned large deepwater quay in the town centre of Ørsta is ready for welcoming cruise ships up to a length of 330m, Ørsta uses a port 2km from the town centre. Cruise ships can thus already now explore this exiting fjord destination situated close to the main costal fairway between Bergen and Ålesund.
One of Norway’s most beautiful fjords, the Hjørundfjord, is situated in the municipality of Ørsta. The Hjørundfjord is surrounded by some of the most dramatic mountain sceneries in the country – the Norwegian Alps. This landscape is the frame of several excursions from Ørsta. By the Hjørundfjord we also find the Norangdalen Valley – one of Norway’s narrowest valleys, rich in cultural sights and experiences.
We can also present the Viking heritage at the Bjørkedalen valley. Craftsmen here still maintain ancient boat building traditions. Visit the boat builder’s workshop and a collection of old boats. Guests may have a go at rowing a Viking ship themselves!
You can drive through the world’s deepest underwater tunnel (287m below sea level) that opened in 2008 and visit the the island of Runde. In spring and summer the tiny island is invaded by more than 500,000 birds. The bird cliff is home to more species than any other in the country. Join a sightseeing tour by boat around the island or view the birds from the top of the cliff.
Visit an old trading station at Herøy Costal Museum, the Ivar Aasen Centre for language and culture (with spectacular buildings by Norway’s leading architect Sverre Fehn), the tannery museum or the Ørsta Art Gallery – just to mention some of the things you can see in and around Ørsta. There is a large variety of experiences available also for those who want an active approach to their visit: besides from hiking and angling you can go terrain cycling, horse riding, duel paragliding, rock climbing or kayaking.
Welcome to Fjord Destination Ørsta, a small town surrounded by breathtaking nature!
