The West Coast: Places to Explore
Geirangerfjord
The Geirangerfjord made the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2005 and is Norway's most spectacular and perhaps best-known fjord. The 16-km-long (10-mi-long), 960-foot-deep Geirangerfjord's most stunning attractions are its roaring waterfalls—the Seven Sisters, the Bridal Veil, and the Suitor. Perched on mountain ledges along the fjord, deserted farms at Skageflå and Knivsflå are being restored and maintained by local enthusiasts.
The village of Geiranger, at the end of the fjord, is home to only 300 year-round residents, but in spring and summer its population swells to 5,000 due to visitors traveling from Hellesylt to the east. In winter, snow on the mountain roads means that the village is often isolated.
Trollstigen. The most scenic route to Geiranger from Åndalsnes is the two-hour drive along Route 63 over Trollstigen (the Troll's Ladder). After that, the Ørneveien (Eagles' Road) to Geiranger, which has 11 hairpin turns and was completed in 1952, leads to the fjord.
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