NARVIK

Between mountains and fjords

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Biking under the midnight sun at Narvikfjellet .
Photo: Narvikfjellet / Visitnorway.com

Fantastic views in the middle of the night without any legwork? Yes, please!

Catch a ride with the cable car to the top of Mount Narvikfjellet and watch the midnight sun in the summer …

Narvik .
Photo: narvikfjellet.no

… or the northern lights in winter.

Narvikfjellet cable car .
Photo: Jan Arne Pettersen / Visitnarvik.com

With one of Scandinavia’s largest drop heights and excellent conditions for off-piste skiing, the ski resort at Narvikfjellet offers some of the best alpine skiing in Norway.

In fact, this resort in Northern Norway is one of the 10 best undiscovered ski resorts in Europe, according to the magazine Outside Online.

Skiing in Narvik .
Photo: Narvikfjellet.no

Narvik has achieved the certification Sustainable Destination. Although this does not mean that the destination is sustainable, it does mean that it has made a commitment to work systematically to reduce the negative effects of tourism, while strengthening its positive ripple effects.

Here above the Arctic Circle, nature is your playground all year round.

Get a bird’s eye view of the region on a family-friendly hike to Verdenssvaet …

Hiking the Verdenssvaet hill in Narvik .
Photo: Michael Ulriksen

… or join a local guide and climb to the top of Mount Stetinden.

The peak is crowned the National mountain of Norway by the Norwegian Broadcasting Company’s radio listeners.

Climbing to the top of Stetinden in Narvik .
Photo: Johnny Haglund / www.nordnorge.com

Other popular activities include mountain biking, eagle safari, and dog sledging.

If you visit Narvik in May, you can also sign up for an owl safari along the Fjellkysten coast.

Mountain biking in Narvik .
Photo: Kristin Folsland Olsen / Visitnorway.com

One of Norway’s most beautiful train journeys, the Ofoten Line, starts in Narvik, too. All you have to do is find a comfortable seat and take in the scenery.

Hop off at Riksgrensen and hike across Norway along the navvies’ road, from the Swedish boarder in the east to the fjords in the west.

For a shorter version of the hike, disembark at Katterat station.

The Ofoten Line is a magical journey, but the story is far more dramatic.

The Ofoten Line in Narvik .
Photo: Josu Media

The Ofoten Line was built by the navvies to transport iron from Lapland in Sweden to Narvik, so that it could be exported from there. Sounds harmless, right?

But during the Second World War, the Ofoten Line was one of the reasons why Narvik was on the Germans’ map of places to conquer in Norway – they wanted control of the iron ore railway.

They invaded the region on 9 April in 1940 and, for two months, the battle was fought in what was a faraway place at the time.

The troops did not only face each other but also the harsh weather conditions, steep mountains, and a lack of provisions.

The Battle of Narvik left traces around the region, which you can see on the journey with the Ofoten Line or learn more about at the Narvik War Museum.

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Mother and daughter in traditional Sami clothing .
Photo: Michael Ulriksen

Another important part of Narvik’s history is the Sami culture.

The Sami were the first to settle here and have been practising reindeer husbandry in the region ever since.

From the sounds of the joik to the strong connection they have with nature – let the family running Njalasouka Adventures tell you more about their traditions and culture. Or experience it at the annual Isogaisa Festival.

If you get the chance, try the traditional Sami dish bidos, a stew with reindeer meat and vegetables.

Mother and daughter in traditional Sami clothing .
Photo: Michael Ulriksen