Geiranger
Geiranger | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Geiranger and Geirangerfjord | |
| Country | Norway |
| Region | Western Norway |
| County | Møre og Romsdal |
| District | Sunnmøre |
| Municipality | Stranda |
| Elevation | 40 m (130 ft) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Post Code | 6216 |
Geiranger is a small tourist village in Sunnmøre in the municipality of Stranda in Møre og Romsdal county, in the western part of Norway. It lies at the head of the Geirangerfjord, which is a branch of the Storfjord. The nearest city is Ålesund. Geiranger is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in the world, and has been named the best travel destination in Scandinavia by Lonely Planet. Since 2005, the Geirangerfjord has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Seven Sisters waterfall is located just west of Geiranger.[2] Norwegian national road 63 passes through the village.
This third biggest cruise ship port in Norway receives 140 to 180 ships during the four-month tourist season. In 2012 some 300.000 cruise passengers visited Geiranger during the summer season.[3] Several hundred thousand people pass through every summer, and tourism is the main business for the 250 people who live there permanently. There are five hotels and over ten camping sites. The tourist season stretches from May to early September; in the off-season the pace and activity are reduced to that of a normal small Norwegian town. Tours of the nearby historic farms of Knivsflå and Skageflå are available from Geiranger.
Each year in June, the Geiranger – From Fjord to Summit event occurs. It comprises a half marathon run and a bicycle race, both starting from the sea level at the fjord and ending at the 1,497 metres (4,911 ft) summit of Mount Dalsnibba, near the lake Djupvatnet. Since there is still a lot of snow left in the mountains at that time of year, the race could also be called "From Summer to Winter".
Geiranger is under constant threat from the mountain Åkerneset which could erode into the fjord. A collapse could cause a tsunami that could destroy downtown Geiranger.
Media gallery
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The seven sisters waterfall over Geirangerfjord -
View of the village of Geiranger -
Geiranger Church -
Cruise ship at Geiranger
References
- ^ "Geiranger" (in Norwegian). yr.no. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
- ^ Store norske leksikon. "Geiranger" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2010-10-10.
- ^ Dagens Næringsliv 12.oktober 2012, p.26.
