Beautiful Geiranger – world renowned

The special climate in Geiranger makes the nature more dramatic. Photo: Audun Skjervøy

Tourism is the main industry in world-renowned Geiranger. More than 500, 000 tourists visit the village every summer.

Every year between 150 and 200 cruise ships dock in the fjord, which makes Geiranger one of the largest Norwegian cruise ship ports. A large number of people arrive by cruise ship or by bus. However, most arrive by car or motorcycle on the roads that come winding down towards the fjord, either along the Geiranger road from the east or on the Ørnevegen road from Eidsdal. Many come along the fjord from Hellesylt and Valldal.

The octagonal church from 1842 lies next to the farm Maråk, below Hotel Union. This church is the third in the same place. The church is decorated by wood carver Einar Flydal. The design is by artist Per Vigeland.

Steep mountain sides and majestic nature have made Geiranger the best-known tourist destination in Norway

The Geiranger Fjord centre holds an information and exhibition centre about the fjord culture in the World Heritage area. There are varied art exhibitions and a permanent exhibition about life on the many mountain and fjord farms along Geiranger and the Sunnylvs fjord.

The organisation Friends of Storfjorden was founded in 1975 to maintain the cultural heritage along the fjords. This organisation has saved many fjord and mountain farms, which created the basis for West Norwegian fjords making it onto the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2005..

In the northern part of the Western Norwegian fjords, Geiranger is alone has the distinction of having its local village centre designated a world heritage site. None of the other towns or villages has this status.

Hotel Union is the only hotel that is open all year round in Geiranger. The family-run hotel plays an important role in the local community and employs many locals in the village where summer and winter are as night and day. In the summer of 2008, the hotel opened a new spa.

Every year there are uphill races and cycling tours from fjord to mountain, with the endpoint being Dalsnibba, 1,497 metres above the sea.