We invite you on a trip to the farthest reaches of Europe – starting from the Lofoten archipelago, through Tromsø and up to the North Cape.
Paying a visit to the Lofoten archipelago
Due to the warm Gulf Stream, the climate on the Lofoten archipelago is mild and relatively warm. You can visit it between the end of May and the middle of July to enjoy the Polar day, or between September and the middle of April to be enchanted by the Northern Lights. The Lofoten archipelago can be traversed using high-speed passenger boats, or by car using the main E10 road, which crosses it from the west to the east and facilitates local and vehicle transport. Among the places worth visiting some noteworthy examples are Viking Museum in Borg or the Polar Light center in Laukvik.
Lofoten is also a paradise for fishermen (you can find some of the biggest fisheries in Europe there). A walk on the island of Moskenesøya or the fishing village of Henningsvær will also give you an unforgettable experience. Villages located on rocks where you can still find traces of the Vikings, old fishing huts refitted into comfortable residences, sandy beaches (e.g. on Flakstadøya Island) and Stockfish (I.e. dried cod) – all of this makes Lofoten “a must see” place for every globetrotter.
Welcome to Tromsø
The next stop on the trip towards the North is Tromsø, the biggest city in Norway located behind the Arctic Circle. In the 19th century, the city became the base of Arctic expeditions and until now it has been called “the Arctic Gates”. It is also a perfect spot for tourists who want to observe the Northern Lights. It offers a variety of activities, like fishing tours, canoeing, dog sledding and even a whale safari!
The town has an oceanarium and The Northern Norway Art Museum. For those who like spending time in the city, Tromsø – also called “The Paris of the North” – will be an ideal place, as it is famous for its numerous cafes, clubs, and restaurants whose menus include local dishes and beer brewed in the northernmost brewery of Macks Ølbryggeri.
The end of the North – Nordkapp
After a stay in Tromsø, it’s time to go further North. Magerøya is a 440 km2 island dominated by rocks very scarcely overgrown with tundra, and with only one tree – a dry bough attached to the rock in Gjesvær, which is a settlement founded in the Viking age. Despite heavy rains and fog, in the summer the sun shines for two and a half months without going down. The island is also the place where the famous North Cape (Nordkapp) is located, which is connected to the mainland with an undersea tunnel.
Every year it is traversed by several thousand tourists wanting to reach the top of the steep cliffs, see the endless waters with their own eyes, feel the gust of arctic wind, and find themselves at the northernmost point of Europe. The truth is, however, that the northernmost point is Knivskjellodden, which lies 1.2 km further. It cannot be reached by car – you have to walk 9 km to reach the world’s end.
