Vardø

Vardø is the gateway to the North-East passage and Barentshavet. Vardø municipality has approximately 2.200 inhabitants and covers a area of 600,3 km2. Vardø town is the only town in Norway situated in arctic climate zone, this means that the average temperature per mounth exceeds 10 degrees celcius. This of course means a lot for vegetasjon and animal life. The worlds most northern fortress village. One of Norways oldest townstatus from 1789.

The summer is traditionally the big touristseason in Vardø and Finnmark County. This is not strange as the sun shines all day and night, people hav no time to sleep and nature shows itself from it`s best side. You should also consider a visit during the time of darkness. Vardø gets wind from all directions, waves splashing over boats and dock, snow in large amounts and in clear weather a truly fantastic nothern light. If you like skiing and ice fishing you should visit Vardø in April. The sun has began to warm the landscape and there is still a lot of snow left.

17. July 1789 King Christian Vll of Denmark / Norway signed the document that gave Vardø rights. The town celebrated its 200 year jubilee in 1989. Vardø has a very good and easily availabie hiking terrain accessible directly from the freeway. Good possibilities to combine hiking and fishing in different fishing waters around the Varangerhalvøy.

Dark period from 21. november to 21. january. Midnightsun from 18. may to 28. july.

The Coastal Steamer (Hurtigruten) has daily departures. See the pictures from the Coastal Steamer taken by one of our passengers.

A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

The World´s Most Beautiful Voyage is a voyage like no other. Nothing can compare with it. Nothing about this journey will resemble anything you have ever experienced before. A ticket for the Coastal Express is a ticket to the theatre, an 11-day drama in which new acts constantly unfold all around you.

HORNØYA

Norways most eastern nature preseration area for seabirds, breeding ground. Reference area for the development of the limited areas to travel in, only specific areas may be used. (for transportaiton).

HAMNINGSBERG

This road is an experience to travel on with it´s mountain landscape, an attraction in it self. On the way to the aboundoned fishing village at Hamningsberg you can see geological traces of the earths crust movements, the icemass work under the different iceages, former and shoreline and soon. Hamningberg is Europes ending point towards the north.

VARDØ HEKSA

A village of the witches, where you can see, amongst other things, "The Devils cave" situated under the Witch mountain, "Domen". The witches met the "Devil" in the cave and on "Domen" where they held seanced together. This happend during the dark period of the middleages. The largest witchhunt in Norway went on around Vardøhus festning. From 1621-1692, around 80 women were executed by burning at the stake.

VARDØHUS FORTRESS

Vardøhus Festning, the worlds most nothern fortress, still in use. Now it has no militairy purpose but an exiting story to tell.

VARDØ MUSEUM

Main exhibition on Lushaugen, a peculiar stone bulding right outside of center of Vardø. The exhibition is marked by nature- and cultural history form Vardø and the surronding area.

VARDØ CHURCH

The first church in Vardø was inaugurated in 1307. The present church, the forth one built, was inaugurated in 1958.

VARANGERHALVØYA NATIONAL PARK

The Park is approximately 1.804 km2. Established in in 2006 in the municipalities of Båtsfjord, Nesseby, Vadsø and Vardø.

The area gave the name to the Varangian glaciation episode. A large part of this peninsula, including the town Vardø located on an island just east of the mainland, has an arctic tundra climate. However, on the south coast, including the town Vadsø, there is sufficient summer heat for birch trees to grow.

The landscape is formed before the Ice Age, when the entire country was covered by ice. The ice have marked the landscape whith a quite unique landscape forms. The flora and fauna have species from the Arctic and East Sibir (Russia).

Sami culture and tradition has left behind a wealth of traces and stories linked to the region. In old Sami culture, plants, animals and places all possessed souls and had considerable significance for day-to-day life.

FISHING

Komagværelva, is one of Norways best fishing river when it comes to fishing for salmon and the many ashing waters and trout. Just make sure that you have paid the fishing license.

Seafishing in Barentshavet for coalfish and zo cod is an overwheling experience for those who have never met the ocean before. Sea fishermen who want larger fishes such as halibut have excellent conditions an hour walk form Vardø. If you are lucky you can even see seals or small whales.

In the sea around Vardø the conditions for diving are incredible. Due to small amounts of plankton the water are incredibly clear. The only way you will get clearer water is if you travel to the Caribbean.