Norway Northern Norway

Tromsø is a city in Troms county, Norway. Most of Tromsø, including the city centre, is located on the island of Tromsøya. The Arctic Cathedral, a modern church from 1965, is probably the most famous landmark in Tromsø. Tromsø is in the middle of the Aurora Borealis zone, and is one of the best places in the world to observe the aurora. The city hosts many music festivals year round. Some of the notable ones are Nordlysfestivalen, Insomnia Festival and The Bukta Tromsø Open Air Festival. Other popular cultural summer events are the Karlsøy festival and the Riddu Riddu festival.

Holmstad is a village in the municipality of Sortland in Nordland county, Norway. The village is located along the Eidsfjorden on the island of Langoa, about 12km west of the town of Sortland. Indre Eidsfjord Church is located in this village.

Bodø is a town in Nordland county, Norway. Bodø, located just north of the Arctic Circle, is the largest urban area and city in Nordland county, and the second-largest in North Norway. The municipality of Bodø has lots of wilderness to offer hikers. Sjunkhatten National Park is partly located in Bodø municipality, and there are also 17 nature reserves in the area. Bodø is host to the cultural festivals Nordland Musikfestuke and Parkenfestivalen every summer, as well as the free and volunteer based Bodø Hardcore Festival in early winter.

Henningsvær is a fishing village located on several small islands off the southern coast of Austvågøya in the Lofoten archipelago in Norway, mostly on the islands of Heimøya and Hellandsøya. Due to its traditional fishing village architecture, Henningsvær draws many tourists. Climbing and diving/snorkeling are also popular tourist activities.

Svolvær is the administrative centre of Vagan Municipality in Nordland County, Norway. It is located on the island of Austvagoya in the Lofoten archipelago. It is a favourite starting point for tourists visiting the Lofoten islands. Whale watching tours depart from Svolvær in late autumn and winter with a focus on Orcas. Boat excursions to nearby Raftsundet strait and its famous branch Trollfjord is also arranged from Svolvær.

Alta is the most populated municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Alta. The Rock carvings at Alta are on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Alta is based on the mainland of Norway, but it also includes parts of the islands of Stjernoya and Seiland. Seiland is the home of Seiland National Park where the Seilandsjokelen glacier and the mountain Seilandstuva are located. Several of the notable lakes in Alta include Iesjavri, Juovvajavri, Kovvatnet, and Stuorajavri.

Harstad is a town in the municipality of Harstad in Troms county, Norway. The town is also the administrative centre of the municipality of Harstad. It is the second-largest town in Troms, after Tromso, and it is the largest town in Central Halogaland. The town is located on the northeastern part of the large island of Hinnoya, along the Vagsfjorden. The town is made up of several areas including Gangsas, Gronnebakkan, Kanebogen, Medkila, Sama, Seljestad, and Stangnes.

Mo i Rana is a town and administrative center of the municipality of Rana in Nordland county, Norway. It is located just south of the Arctic Circle and in the Helgeland region of Nordland. Some of the outlying areas of the town include the suburbs of Basmoen and Ytteren in the north and Selfors in the east. The town is called "Mo i Rana" to distinguish it from other places named Mo (including the town of Mosjoen, also in Helgeland) though locally the town is usually just called Mo. The population density is 1,467 inhabitants per square kilometer. This makes it the largest town in Helgeland and the second largest (after Bodo) in Nordland.

Honningsvag is the northernmost city of Norway. It is located in Nordkapp Municipality in Finnmark county. Honningsvag is situated at a bay on the southeastern side of the large island of Mageroya, while the famous North Cape and its visitors center is on the northern side of the island. The town is a port of call for cruise ships, especially in the summer months.

Narvik is the third-largest city in Nordland county, Norway. Narvik is located on the shores of the Ofotfjorden, inside the Arctic Circle. The town has access to numerous outdoor activities: Wreck diving attracts divers to Narvik, as there are many wrecks near the harbour and more spread out in the fjord. Fishing in the fjord, lakes and streams, Mountain hiking and skiing are also popular. Narvik is known as the best location in northern Norway for alpine skiing. There are lifts, and several of the slopes are floodlit. Narvik Winter Festival takes place in early March.

Kirkenes is a town in Sor-Varanger Municipality in Finnmark county, in the far northeastern part of Norway. The town lies on a peninsula along the Bokfjorden, an arm of the large Varangerfjorden. Tourist attractions in town include Grenselandmuseet (The Border Area Museum) and Sami art exhibitions by the artist John Savio. Every last Thursday of each month the Russian Market takes place on the central square where traders from Murmansk sell their merchandise. In the city centre of Kirkenes is Andersgrotta, a vast underground bunker built during World War II which provided shelter to the town's residents. Tours of the bunker are available.

Hammerfest is one of the northernmost towns in the world. It is located on the northwestern coast of the island of Kvaloya, just north of Rypefjord and southwest of the village of Forsol. The town has an ice-free harbor, including the nearby island of Melkøya which is home to a natural gas processing station. It processes gas from the Snohvit gas field in the Barents Sea. Rypefjord is a suburb to the south of the town. The main church for the town and municipality is Hammerfest Church. The "midnight sun" is above the horizon from 15 May to 31 July, and the period with continuous daylight lasts a bit longer. Polar night, on the other hand, lasts from 23 November to 19 January.