Kirkenes
The end of the Hurtigruten route, where Norway, Russia and Finland meet, known for its snow hotel, king crab fishing and husky sledding.
Kirkenes is the main town of Sør-Varanger municipality in Finnmark, Norway, set deep in the Varangerfjord at 69.7°N, about 15 km from the Russian border and 40 km from Finland. It is the northern terminus of Norway's Hurtigruten coastal route. The town was almost completely bombed out in World War II, liberated by Soviet forces in 1944 and rebuilt after the war, so the Andersgrotta air-raid shelter, the Liberation Monument and the Borderland Museum trace a unique history. Winter (Dec–Apr) is high season, with the snow hotel, husky sledding, king crab fishing through the ice and northern lights, and polar night from late November to mid-January; in summer (mid-May to late July) the midnight sun is perfect for hiking and birdwatching in the Pasvik Valley, or visiting Grense Jakobselv to see the Barents Sea and the Norwegian–Russian border river. Sightseeing falls into three parts: the town and its surroundings (the air-raid shelter, museum, snow hotel and Storskog border crossing), one day; the Pasvik Valley and the three-country border marker, one day; and Grense Jakobselv to the east or Neiden and Bugøynes to the west, half a day to a day each. Getting there: fly from Oslo or Tromsø to Kirkenes Airport, or arrive on a Hurtigruten ship. Plan on 2–4 days. Strict rules apply in the border zone: do not cross the border, gesture towards the Russian side or photograph military installations.
Top sights
- Kirkenes Snowhotel – A snow hotel rebuilt every winter from ice and snow, with ice-sculpted guest rooms, a reindeer farm, and husky sledding all in one stop.
- King Crab Safari – Head out with fishermen by boat or chop through frozen fjords to haul crab pots, then feast on freshly cooked Barents Sea king crab, all yo…
- Andersgrotta Bunker – A wartime air-raid shelter dug into the rock beneath the town centre, telling the story of the hundreds of air raids Kirkenes endured.
- Borderland Museum – Exhibits on war, mining and Sámi culture in the border region where Norway, Russia and Finland meet. It houses the woodcuts of Sámi artist…
- Liberation Monument – A statue of a Soviet soldier commemorating the liberation of East Finnmark by Soviet forces in 1944, a historical witness to Norwegian-Russ…
- Pasvik Valley – A river valley of taiga pine forest stretching along the Norwegian-Russian border river, where you can see brown bears and birds and look a…
- Høyde 96 Observation Tower – A wooden observation tower in the Pasvik Valley overlooking taiga forest and the border river, with a view of the Russian town of Nikel.
- Treriksrøysa Tripoint – The tripoint marker where Norway, Finland and Russia meet, the hiking destination at the end of the Pasvik Valley.
- Grense Jakobselv & King Oscar II Chapel – A small village at the mouth of the Norwegian-Russian border river, where a stone church built in 1869 asserted sovereignty, and across the…
- Storskog Border Crossing – The only land border crossing between Norway and Russia, where border tours often stop to see the boundary markers and guard posts of both…
- Neiden St. George's Chapel & Skolt Sami Museum – The only Skolt Sámi Orthodox wooden chapel in Norway, beside a Sámi museum and a salmon waterfall.
- Bugøynes – A fishing village founded by Finnish immigrants that escaped burning during the scorched-earth retreat of World War II, known for its colou…
Where to eat
- Surf & Turf – A homey family restaurant in the center of town, serving king crab, reindeer and whale steak. It's a favorite stop for…
- Thon Hotel Kirkenes Restaurant – A hotel restaurant overlooking Bøkfjorden, where you can pick a live king crab from a tank and have it cooked whole. It…
- Kirkenes Snow Hotel Låven Restaurant – A barn-style restaurant inside the Snow Hotel, open year-round, serving three-course dinners made with local ingredient…
Itineraries
- Kirkenes Snowhotel & Coastal Cruise to Tromsø – Stay in a snow hotel and catch king crabs in the border town of Kirkenes, then cruise south to Tromsø.