Alta

The "City of the Northern Lights" and gateway to Finnmark, with the UNESCO-listed Alta rock carvings and the Northern Lights Cathedral.

Alta lies on the Altafjord in Finnmark county and is the county's most populous municipality, with a relatively mild climate for the Arctic. Its prehistoric rock carvings are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, presented by the Alta Museum, and the distinctively shaped Northern Lights Cathedral is a city landmark. Winter is a popular time for watching the aurora, dog sledding and staying at a snow hotel, and the Alta Canyon and river are also known for salmon fishing. The aurora season runs roughly Sep–Mar, and summer brings the midnight sun. Alta Airport has flights to Oslo and Tromsø.

Destinations

• Alta

Itineraries

• Tromsø to Alta: 7-Day Winter Aurora Itinerary – Chase the northern lights and go whale watching in Tromsø, then head to Alta for rock carvings and an ice hotel stay.
• North Cape Midnight Sun: 7-Day Summer Road Trip – Drive from Tromsø via the Lyngen Alps and Alta to the North Cape to witness Europe's northernmost midnight sun.