The National Tourist Road Atlanterhavsvegen in Norway connects Averøy with the mainland over islands, islets and reefs with the help of eight bridges over a stretch of 8,274 metres. The stretch of road is referred to as the world’s most beautiful road trip. Begun in 1983, the road was finally opened in 1989. The construction of the section was a major challenge and the road workers experienced as many as 12 hurricanes during construction. In 2005, the Atlanterhavsvegen was named the building of the century in the 20th century.
The Atlantic Road in Norway is known as the “road in the sea” and is referred to as the world’s most beautiful road trip. With its eight bridges, it meanders like a sea serpent from Kårvåg on Averøya to Vevang on the mainland.
National tourist road Atlanterhavsvegen
There is nothing as powerful as the great ocean. And there are few places that bring you as close to the sea gap as the Atlantic Road. Here you become part of the natural elements. A journey along this national tourist road is a great visual experience, where nature, architecture and modern engineering meet to create a very special driving experience.
The National Tourist Routes offer beautiful and varied drives, and give you unique impressions along Norwegian roads. These are stretches of road that not only aim to get you there as quickly as possible. The trip between Bud and Kristiansund is a connected experience of the coast, culture and history – which lives between polished islets and island formations, between lush cultural landscape and heather.
The world’s most beautiful road trip?
The sea has been our main transport route for centuries. It is our source of income and the starting point for endless activities and recreation. And it was precisely here in the Atlantic that the fish and the wealth were found. There was a strong need for better communication routes that could strengthen trade and exports at the far end of the sea gap.
The spectacular viewpoints
The Atlanterhavsvegen svesti and service center are two exciting attractions located on Eldhusøya in Averøy. Eldhusøya is the largest rest area, beautifully situated in the sea gap. It is well worth a stop here. The service building has an exciting architecture and houses a cafe, tourist information and toilets. There is also a large car park here.
A gliding path winds around Eldhusøya, which partly goes on top of the service building. Here you get an impressive view of the ocean and “the rest of the world”. The design of this particular path is by Ghilardi+Hellsten Arkitekter. The floating track is made of a grid that almost floats over the terrain, founded with piles. The tour is designed for all ages.
In Askevågen you will find a small but tough viewing veranda. This was designed by the architectural firm 3RW and architect Jakob Røssvik, in collaboration with Smedsvig Landskapsarkitekter AS. The viewing veranda is built in untreated steel with rust, which gives a distinct structure in the steps and green-coloured thick glass in the shielding against the breaking sea.
Unforgettable nature experiences
In addition to being an important communication artery and a wonderful road trip for travelers, the Atlantic Road is well suited for those who like cycling and walking. If you want to get close to coastal nature and experience the marine animal kingdom, this is a fantastic place to explore. The area around the Atlanterhavsvegen is rich in seabirds and seals. Fishing enthusiasts will find a number of nice places to fish with a rod.
The sporty guest will find challenges in wind and wave surfing among rushing surf. For divers, there are good opportunities for diving to the ship cemetery in Hustadvika and other exciting places. This is the area for experiences in all kinds of weather. A close contact with the Atlantic Ocean where it is located at the end of the breakwater and opens up your own personal experience with a panoramic view of the sea and archipelago.
Accommodation by the Atlantic Road
Do you want to spend the night by the world’s most beautiful road? On the Atlanterhavsvegen itself and nearby, you can choose from many different overnight accommodations. At Geitøya, which is part of the Atlanterhavsvegen, is the charming and high-standard hotel of Classic Norway, Håholmen Havstuer. The island is an old fishing village that has been converted into a hotel. To get here you have to take a boat for 10 minutes. Here you can be lucky enough to see both sea eagles and seals on the way! You can also stay in cabins or camping on Atlanterhavsveien Sjøstuer or Strømsholmen Sjøsportsenter, both of which are located right along Atlanterhavsvegen. Both Hustadvika and Averøy offer several, small and good accommodation options with camping, cabins, rorbues and some hotels. Or you can visit the charming towns of Kristiansund and Molde , both of which are within a short driving distance of 30 and 40 minutes from the Atlanterhavsveien. Fiskeværet Bud is located at the far end of the coast and has the well-known stretch of sea Hustadvika as its nearest neighbour. Here there is bustling life in the summer, good fish food to buy and a coastal fort and museum with a great view.