Åndalsnes works best as a base. The Golden Route to Geiranger is the obvious one — it can be done as a long day with an early start, or split with an overnight at the far end. Ålesund, the art-nouveau coastal city, is about 120 km west and combines naturally with a stop in Molde. Molde, an hour up the fjord by road and bridge, is best known for the "Molde panorama" — 222 peaks visible across the fjord on a clear day.
Closer to home, the Mardalsfossen waterfall (one of Europe's tallest at over 700 m) is around two hours' drive east via Eikesdal. A boat trip on the Romsdalsfjord is the easy option — several operators run from the harbour, including silent electric craft that get close to the cliffs without engine noise.
