Atlanterhavsveien
Atlantic Ocean Road
Length
8.3km
Elevation
Sea level (with bridge crests to ~12m)
Hairpins
8 bridges across islands and skerries
The road that goes to heaven.
The Map
The Atlanterhavsveien connects Kårvåg on Averøy island with Vevang on the mainland across 8.3 kilometres of the Norwegian Sea. The road crosses eight bridges over the skerries — small rocky outcrops — of the Hustadvika bay, a stretch of the Norwegian Sea notorious for severe weather. From above, it appears to be drawn on water with casual confidence. From within a car driving it in a November storm, it appears to be attempting to launch itself into the ocean with equal confidence.
The Approach
The approach from Kristiansund along the coast road offers no preparation for the Atlantic Ocean Road — this part of Norway is beautiful in the understated Norwegian way, fjords and fishing villages, but nothing extraordinary. Then the road reaches Kårvåg, the last town, and the perspective shifts entirely. The sea opens. The bridges begin. The scale of the Norwegian coast declares itself. You are either driving into the ocean or across it. The distinction stops mattering.
The Ascent
There is no ascent — this is a flat road across water. But the Storseisundet Bridge, the largest of the eight, curves in its horizontal plane and rises to 23 metres above sea level — in approach, particularly from the north, it appears to end in the sky with no visible descent. The illusion is total and designed: the bridge was specifically curved and profiled to create this effect. At storm conditions, waves break across its deck. In very severe weather, the road closes. On most days it is merely the most dramatic flat road in the world.
“Some roads cross landscapes. This one is the landscape.”
— Architectural Review, Atlantic Ocean Road feature, 2006
History
The Atlanterhavsveien was built between 1983 and 1989 during the construction of the Norwegian National Tourist Routes — a government programme to develop scenic roads as economic infrastructure for tourism. It opened August 4, 1989. It was immediately recognised as a design achievement: it won the Norwegian Construction of the Century award in 2005. It appears in international car advertisements with such frequency that its form has become generic — a curving road above water that everyone associates with Norway even if they cannot name the road.
What to Drive Here
Practical Notes
Open year-round; hurricane-force winds can close it temporarily. Peak storm season (October–March) offers the most dramatic experience but also closed-road risk. Nearest town is Averøy; Molde and Kristiansund are the closest cities. The road is short — 8.3km — and is best combined with the surrounding tourist routes (Trollstigen, Geiranger) for a full Norwegian driving day. Photography from the pullout points at each bridge is mandatory.
Best Season
Year-round (storms: October–March)
Access
Open year-round
Surface
Concrete and asphalt, two lanes
Country
Norway, Møre og Romsdal