Norway's most remote and northern town to visit in winter
The small town of Kirkenes in Norway’s arctic region of Finnmark is the northern end of the Norwegian coastal voyages, Havila and Hurtigruten. It’s also home to the SnowHotel, a unique winter accommodation.
As Kirkenes lies just a few kilometres from the Russian and Finnish borders, the Russian Revolution, Finnish immigration and World War II have all left permanent marks here. To learn more about these fascinating periods in Kirkenes’ history, visit the Border Country Museum (Grenselandsmuseet), which tells the story of war and peace along the border, or the Andersgrotta Cave, a vast underground bunker that sheltered the town's residents during WWII.
Surrounded by fjords, mountains, forests and lakes, this area is a haven for nature lovers, especially wintersport enthusiasts. Guided snowmobile tours into the Pasvik Valley – where the three countries meet – and king crab safaris on the Barents Sea are among some of the most popular activities here.
The Kirkenes area is also a great place for short breaks to experience the northern lights in wintertime as it’s located in the middle of the “aurora zone”, an area of the Northern Hemisphere with the most aurora borealis activity.
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