Mt. Aksla

The climb to the Fjellstua viewpoint on Mt. Aksla is a short and very much worthwhile effort: 418 steps from the edge of the city centre, rising to a terrace at 189 metres with panoramic views in every direction. On a clear day you can see far into the island archipelago to the west and towards the mountains inland to the east.

The Fjellstua café at the top sells hot drinks and light food. The steps are illuminated at night and popular with locals who use them as their daily exercise. Start from the Fjellstue trappen steps near Apotekergata in the centre. The whole round trip takes about 30 minutes at a moderate pace. Go at sunset if you can manage it.

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A story
The 418 steps up to the Fjellstua viewpoint were carved into the hillside and opened in 1897, a few years before the great fire. They survived the inferno that destroyed the town below and in the aftermath became a way for the population to look down and comprehend what had happened. Today they are one of the most-climbed sets of steps in Norway, and the panorama at the top — across the Art Nouveau rooftops, the harbour, the islands, and the open sea — is one of the definitive Norwegian views.

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