North Cape: A Trip to Europe’s Northernmost Point

North Cape or Nordkapp is known to be the Northernmost Point in Europe. It’s located on the Island of Magerøya, in the Troms og Finnmark county. Every year about 200.000 tourists go there to enjoy the beauty of Norway and to go on an adventure with a group of friends or with family. If you’re a true adventurer at heart, you can’t miss doing this experience at least once in a lifetime.

No matter what kind of trip you decide to take, the whole experience is always incredibly rewarding. You will get to see beautiful places and do amazing things. Seeing the Midnight Sun or the Northern Lights, camping in the middle of stunning landscapes. Watching the best sunset in the world on the Barents Sea, seeing the reinders, eating great food… Here’s some tips and things to know if you want to plan your trip to this wonderful site!

1. When and How To Get There

When to go? The best season definitely is summer. The temperatures are milder and will make your trip easier. North Cape it’s a site which is fully immersed in nature – but worry not, there are many ways to get there, and each one will give you a different kind of experience that is worth to try! Here are only some of the recommended ways to travel to the site.

1.1 Roadtrip

Reaching North Cape on a roadtrip one is probably the most common choice. It will give you the opportunity to visit many other places. Indeed, it’s a great way to help you check more destinations off your travel list all at once!

Depending on where you leave from, there are many possible stops that you could make. Going by car or by camper means that you will need to stop very often and sometimes spend the night camping or in a hostel. Be sure to always have all the right equipment for the amount of days in which you plan to do your trip, and of course be sure to have enough money with you to be ready to face any kind of emergency or inconvenience.

1.2 Plane

If you come from too far or don’t have enough days to plan a long roadtrip with many stops, then the best way to shorten your travel is taking a flight to a place which is closer to your final destination. The easiest way is to fly to Oslo and then rent a car or a camper to reach North Cape while still being able to enjoy some great sights on the road. The closest airports are the ones of Honninsvag, Alta and Lakselv.

1.3 Other routes

Another common thing to do is to take cruises or ferries to move through Norway or go there from neighbouring countries. The Hurtigruten is a ship that travels from Bergen to Honninsvag. The ferries will also allow you to transport your car, if you travel with one. Usually people take ferries from Denmark and then move with others once they have made it to Norway.

2. Equipment

2.1 Clothes

A trip like this requires a good equipment to be ready for any kind of situations that may occur. Of course make sure to have the right clothes to face the weather variations and to be comfortable in activities like hiking, bathing, walking long distances and also to be in the rain. Take a reasonable amount of changes, proportional to the duration of your trip. Also take the opportunity to wash them at laundry services during your stops, so that you won’t risk remaining without anything to wear during the days on the road.

2.2 Food

For what concerns food, the best advice is to stock up your supplies whenever you find a supermarket and make sure to have enough for the duration of the travel to the next stop. Of course when you stop for the night in a city or a village you can also opt for some local food in the restaurants. Alternatively, go eat some fast food if you need to save some money.

2.3 Camping and medical equipment

Also remember to have all the necessary equipment for camping. It may be necessary to set up a tent and stop for the night during your trip, especially if it’s a long one. Camping will make you save a lot of money and will also grant you to be fully in contact with the beautiful nature around you. Make sure to bring a professional and resistant tent and warm sleeping bags and covers. A good advice would be to get a dark tent: it will help limiting the sunlight during the night and help you sleep better.

Las but not least, don’t forget to bring a good stock of medicines and other medical equipment. This way you’ll be able to meet all your needs and to avoid finding yourself unprepared in case of any sicknesses or injuries.

3. Recommended Stops

There are many recommended routes that you could follow to reach North Cape. The official website offers trip and activity packages and also recommends some accommodations. In the case of a roadtrip, the most common stops when going to or returning from Norway are in Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Lapland. Here are a couple of recommendations from us. Note that there are so many more! You can choose the ones you prefer and that best suit your route.

3.1 Hamburg, Germany

This lovely Dutch port city is a good place where to stop for one night and rest before hitting the road again. You can also have a quick tour of the city centre and stop at a restaurant for a good dinner based on local food.

3.2 Munich, Germany

Another city in Germany where you could stop, along with the capital Berlin, is Munich. You can take a picture at the famous town hall, Neues Rathaus. Find a good hostel where you can have a well deserved warm shower and rest.

3.3 Stockholm and Malmö, Sweden

If you stop by Sweden, the capital Stockholm and the city of Malmö are a great choice for a quick tour and to refresh a little bit. Another way to check another European capital from your list and also be able to see another city full of beautiful architecture and culture!

3.4 Bergen, Norway

One of the best stops in Norway definitely is Bergen. Here you can see the famous architectures of the city and try its specialties at the well known fish market. But it’s worth it to try some good restaurants here as well! An unmissable opportunity is to take a stroll by the Bryggen, which consists in a series of colourful houses by the sea and also is a World Heritage Site.

3.5 Oslo, Norway

Of course you can’t skip a visit at the capital. The 2019 European Green Capital Award winner will offer you great views. Norwegian fjords, the Royal Palace, Vigeland Park, lots of museums, restaurants and pubs that make the city vibrant with culture, beauty and a lively spirit.

3.6 Artic Circle Centre, Norway

You can’t miss visiting the place where the most northerly of the circles of latitude touches Norway’s lands. The current exact position is at 66°33′48.8″ north of the Equator. Once you get to the site you will see that there isn’t actually anything there but a symbolic souvenir stand. But it’s still worth visiting and taking the opportunity to bring a little memoir of the trip with you!

3.7 Reine, Lofoten Islands, Norway

This beautiful Norway landscape on the way to Tromsø is definitely worth a stop. The best is to arrive in Reine, an island of fishermen, where you can admire beautiful flower camps and other typical landmarks. Also don’t forget to take stunning pictures of the views from the mountains.

3. 8 Knivskjellodden, Norway

Last but not least, the peninsula of Knivskjellodden is visible and reachable right from Nortkapp. Once you’re at your final stop, you’ll soon realise that this is actually the northern extremity of Europe and of Norway’s mainland. Even if it’s not a touristic site, it’s a 9 km walk away from Nortkapp and reaching it is definitely worth it. The view from it is breathtaking, and it will also be the best way to end your first part of the adventure before leaving again for the return trip.