White Christmas in Norway

The Port of Tilbury is located on the River Thames at Tilbury in Essex, England. It is the principal port for London, as well as being the main UK port for handling the importation of paper.

Seven hills and seven fjords frame Hanseatic Bergen, a city steeped in maritime heritage. Of Bergen’s many attractions, the 900-year-old UNESCO-listed Bryggen Wharf is a standout highlights. A delight to explore, the Bryggen's cobbled stairways are lined with traditional half-timbered buildings and climb away from the waterfront, leading to curious open spaces that are often overflowing with colourful flowers that perfume the air. 

Bergen has a vibrant fish market and hosts one of Norway's biggest cultural events of the year, the Bergen International Festival.[ReadMoreMob] The city was once the home of Norway's most famous composer, Edvard Grieg, and the Troldhaugen Museum is devoted to his life’s work.

Not to be missed is a chance to ride the Funicular Railway to the top of Mount Fløyen, offering spectacular panoramic views of Bergen and its scenic surroundings.

Crossing the Arctic Circle takes you into the lands of prolonged days and midnight sun. It is visible on a map - north of which the sun can be seen above the horizon even at midnight during the summer months. However, during the winter the sun stays below the horizon for most of the day. During the cold winter months, light is provided by the moon and stars in addition to the elusive but spell-binding Northern Lights.

As one of the best places on earth to witness the Northern Lights in winter, and experience the sensation of the Midnight Sun in summer, Alta is a truly magical destination. Originally inhabited by the indigenous Sami people, the area has a fascinating cultural history. Rock carvings in nearby Hjemmeluft are believed to date from around 4,200 to 500 BC. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the carvings on display in the Alta Museum are evidence of the existence of human activity in the far north during prehistoric times.

Alta needed rebuilding after World War II, so the buildings of this northern Norwegian port are relatively new; notable architecture includes the Northern Lights Cathedral.  [ReadMoreMob]A particular highlight in the winter months is the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel. Everything inside and outside the hotel is made of ice, and is open to visitors from January until it melts away in spring.

The head of the Altafjord, where the Altaelva runs through the town, is said to have the best salmon fishing in the world. It’s still possible to see the fish leaping up the river, despite the construction of the 100m Altadammen in the 1970s.

As one of the best places on earth to witness the Northern Lights in winter, and experience the sensation of the Midnight Sun in summer, Alta is a truly magical destination. Originally inhabited by the indigenous Sami people, the area has a fascinating cultural history. Rock carvings in nearby Hjemmeluft are believed to date from around 4,200 to 500 BC. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the carvings on display in the Alta Museum are evidence of the existence of human activity in the far north during prehistoric times.

Alta needed rebuilding after World War II, so the buildings of this northern Norwegian port are relatively new; notable architecture includes the Northern Lights Cathedral.  [ReadMoreMob]A particular highlight in the winter months is the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel. Everything inside and outside the hotel is made of ice, and is open to visitors from January until it melts away in spring.

The head of the Altafjord, where the Altaelva runs through the town, is said to have the best salmon fishing in the world. It’s still possible to see the fish leaping up the river, despite the construction of the 100m Altadammen in the 1970s.

Honningsvåg, on Norway’s North Cape, a fishing community characterised by its charming, pastel-shaded wooden buildings, attracts tourists from all over the world. Often referred to as the top of Europe, Honningsvåg is framed by dramatic rugged mountains and the remoteness of the Arctic Ocean.  

Honningsvåg is the gateway to the Nordkapp (North Cape), Europe’s most northernmost point. Its rocky coastlines, picturesque villages, endless cliff faces and vast snow-capped mountains are a joy to explore.[ReadMoreMob] For two months of summer, the sun is visible 24 hours a day from Nordkapp, and when the sun does set on this extraordinary landscape, the Aurora Borealis lights up the Polar sky. More on these wonderful seasonal changes can be experienced in the North Cape Hall visitor centre, which offers wide-screen film presentations about this Arctic region.

Honningsvåg was completely destroyed during the Second World War, but rapidly rebuilt. The Artico Ice Bar in the city centre – made entirely of ice sourced from the natural lakes of Norwegian Lapland – is worth a visit. While the sea views from the Kompasset Restaurant, and the freshly baked waffles of the Grotten Bar – a huge cave cut into the face of the Cape cliff, both need discovering. 

Honningsvåg, on Norway’s North Cape, a fishing community characterised by its charming, pastel-shaded wooden buildings, attracts tourists from all over the world. Often referred to as the top of Europe, Honningsvåg is framed by dramatic rugged mountains and the remoteness of the Arctic Ocean.  

Honningsvåg is the gateway to the Nordkapp (North Cape), Europe’s most northernmost point. Its rocky coastlines, picturesque villages, endless cliff faces and vast snow-capped mountains are a joy to explore.[ReadMoreMob] For two months of summer, the sun is visible 24 hours a day from Nordkapp, and when the sun does set on this extraordinary landscape, the Aurora Borealis lights up the Polar sky. More on these wonderful seasonal changes can be experienced in the North Cape Hall visitor centre, which offers wide-screen film presentations about this Arctic region.

Honningsvåg was completely destroyed during the Second World War, but rapidly rebuilt. The Artico Ice Bar in the city centre – made entirely of ice sourced from the natural lakes of Norwegian Lapland – is worth a visit. While the sea views from the Kompasset Restaurant, and the freshly baked waffles of the Grotten Bar – a huge cave cut into the face of the Cape cliff, both need discovering. 

Laying claim to being the world’s most northerly ‘town’, Hammerfest in Norway is also one of the country’s oldest, but has undergone extensive modernisation, resulting in a colourful town on the island of Kvaløya.[ReadMoreMob] Thanks to its location within the Arctic Circle, Hammerfest experiences the ‘midnight sun’ phenomenon between May and July, during which the sun never sinks below the horizon. These long days throughout summer provide the perfect opportunity to explore the region’s rugged landscape, with hiking and fishing popular activities to enjoy.

The town itself has some interesting sights, including The Museum of Reconstruction for Finnmark and Northern Troms, which details the town’s colourful history, and The Polar Bear Society, which, in addition to housing stuffed polar bears, provides information on the town’s early life. Hammerfest is also home to one of 10 monuments that form the Struve Geodetic Arc, a chain of markers that stretch from Norway down to the Black Sea. These UNESCO-recognised monuments helped astronomers Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve to work out the size and shape of the planet.

Ålesund is Norway’s popular, art-nouveau epic of towers and turrets, ornaments and balconies, steeples and spires. The city’s delightful pedestrianised streets, offer a diverse mix of art galleries, shops and lively cafés, and lead to the 418 steps that climb Mount Aksla. The Fjellstua restaurant and café at the summit is the perfect place to sit and soak up panoramic views of this attractive city, the archipelago, and the Sunnmore Alps.

Virtually destroyed by fire in 1904, Ålesund was rebuilt within three years and is regarded widely as one of Europe’s true visual experiences.[ReadMoreMob] The port is home to the Jugendstilsenteret – The National Art Nouveau Centre –, which has a well-preserved art nouveau interior and regularly features exhibitions and displays.

Gateway to the fjords of Northern Norway

Ålesund is the gateway to the iconic northwestern fjords and this seaport is the home base for Norway's largest cod-fishing fleet, which, unsurprisingly, provides the city's visitors with some superb seafood to try.

Ålesund is Norway’s popular, art-nouveau epic of towers and turrets, ornaments and balconies, steeples and spires. The city’s delightful pedestrianised streets, offer a diverse mix of art galleries, shops and lively cafés, and lead to the 418 steps that climb Mount Aksla. The Fjellstua restaurant and café at the summit is the perfect place to sit and soak up panoramic views of this attractive city, the archipelago, and the Sunnmore Alps.

Virtually destroyed by fire in 1904, Ålesund was rebuilt within three years and is regarded widely as one of Europe’s true visual experiences.[ReadMoreMob] The port is home to the Jugendstilsenteret – The National Art Nouveau Centre –, which has a well-preserved art nouveau interior and regularly features exhibitions and displays.

Gateway to the fjords of Northern Norway

Ålesund is the gateway to the iconic northwestern fjords and this seaport is the home base for Norway's largest cod-fishing fleet, which, unsurprisingly, provides the city's visitors with some superb seafood to try.

The Port of Tilbury is located on the River Thames at Tilbury in Essex, England. It is the principal port for London, as well as being the main UK port for handling the importation of paper.