Alta lies at the head of a long fjord at 70° north, sheltered from the open sea by islands and mountains. That shelter gives it some of the driest, clearest winter weather on the Norwegian coast, which is why the world’s first northern lights observatory was built on a peak above the town in 1899. With about 21,000 people it is the largest town in Finnmark, spread out among pine woods beside one of Europe’s great salmon rivers.
Hammerfest, 140 km further north on the island of Kvaløya, is a different place altogether: a compact fishing and gas port facing the Barents Sea, where reindeer graze in the streets in summer and the coastal ship calls every day. Together the two make a good, less crowded alternative to Tromsø, and a natural stop on the way to North Cape.
Highlights
- Northern lights from one of the clearest spots on the coast
- Rock carvings up to 7,000 years old at the Alta Museum
- A night — or just a drink — in the Igloo Hotel
- Orcas and humpbacks in the fjords in early winter
- Dog sledding and snowmobiling on the Finnmark plateau
- The Meridian Column and the harbour view in Hammerfest
Alta & Hammerfest: planning your time
Alta rewards two or three nights in winter: one aurora evening, one day with dogs or snowmobiles and a visit to the rock art and the cathedral. Hammerfest takes a few hours and works well as a call on the coastal ship or a day trip by road. In summer, add the drive or a riverboat towards Sautso canyon, and continue to North Cape, a little over three hours from Alta.
