Capitol of the province (fylke) of Møre og Romsdal,
Norway. Population ca 40000, depending on whether the students are in or not.
The city burned to the ground during a hurricane in 1904, but thanks to generous gifts from Kaiser Wilhelm II and others, the city was rebuilt - this time in stone. Instead of copying the typical architecture of Norwegian coastal cities, the new city was built in the popular style of that time, Art Nouveau (or "Jugendstil"), and has since been viewed as "the most beautiful city on the coast of Norway."
A big hill, known as Aksla, rises up from the middle of the city. To get to the top, you get to walk over 400 steps. At the top, you're rewarded by a beautiful view of downtown and the surrounding area. But on your left, you see an even bigger hill, Sukkertoppen ("the sugar top"), named after the similarly shaped mountain in Rio de Janeiro, Sugarloaf. The city might not boast the same climate, but can surely boast equal beauty.