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The Far North

Why Go? Tromsø ...... 316 Norway’s northernmostt counties of Troms and Finnmark Senja ...... 324 arc across the very top of Europe, where broad horizons Alta ...... 326 share the land with dense forest. Like most of the relatively few visitors who make it this far north, come in summer to Hammerfest ...... 329 enjoy Tromsø, the region’s only town of any size. The muse- Nordkapp & Magerøya ...332 ums of this sparky, self-confi dent place will orient you for Stabbursnes ...... 336 the Arctic lands beyond. You’ll probably respond to the call Berlevåg ...... 337 of Nordkapp (North Cape), the European mainland’s most Båtsfjord ...... 337 northerly point. But to really feel the pull of the north, you Tana Bru ...... 337 need to push beyond to explore the sparsely populated pla- Vadsø ...... 338 teaus of Inner Finnmark and its wild northeastern coast, Vardø ...... 340 the Norwegian heartland of the Sami people. For alternative adventure (say, scudding aboard a snowmobile or behind Kirkenes ...... 341 a team of yapping huskies), plan to return in winter, when Pasvik River Valley ...... 345 soft blue light envelops the snowy lands, outsiders are even Karasjok...... 346 fewer and the northern lights streak the sky. Kautokeino ...... 348

Best Places to Eat When to Go Tromsø » Arctandria (p 322 ) °C/°F Te m p Rainfall inches/mm » Gapahuken (p 344 ) 40/104 12/300 » Aunegården (p 321 ) » Emma’s Drømekjøkken 20/68 8/200 (p 321 ) 0/32 4/100 Best Places to Stay -20/-4 0 » Engholm Husky Design J FDNOSAJJMAM Lodge (p 348 ) » Park Hotell (p 326 ) Early February Easter Week Mid- to late June Lots of snowy ac- The Sami party in Hotels and sights » Arran (p335) tivities and, with Kautokeino before reopen, and the » Thon Hotel Vica (p327 ) luck, the northern dispersing to their crowds have yet » Bungalåven Vertshus lights on tap. summer pastures. to come. (p 335 ) 314

A R C T I C O C E A N THE FAR NORTH Hurtigruten Coastal Ferry

Kvæn

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Sommarøy n Mefjordvær Kvaløya d Andenes r Brensholmen fjo Tromsø n Botnhamn Lyngen Ullsfjorden Alps ge E6 Gryllefjord Tromsdalen n y Senja Svensby L Ånderdalen Storslett Reisadalen National Finnsnes Alta Park E8 865 93 Skrolsvik Jiekkevarre Furuflaten TROMS (1837m) Buktamoen Skibotn Bilto Sarelv Nordkjosbotn Reisa Bardufoss

E6 Hi Dividalen k ing Bieddjuvaggi Setermoen Kilpisjärven Tr ai l Máze Polar Reisa Reisevannhytta Narvik Zoo Innset National Park 896

Øvre Dividal Kautokeino Riksgrensen National Park

Abisko 93 E8 Abisko National Park Tornetrask FINLAND SWEDEN E10 To Karesuando To Enontekiö

Far North Highlights 1 Reach dramatic 2 Learn about the 3 Explore Alta’s Stone Nordkapp (p 332 ) after the unique culture of the Sami Age rock carvings (p 326 ), a long haul northwards, then in Karasjok (p346 ) and Unesco World Heritage Site, leave the crowds behind Kautokeino (p348 ) and learn more at its award- to hike to Knivskjelodden winning museum (p 332 ), continental Europe’s northernmost point