Alta, Norway
Details
People have been attracted to the community of Alta for thousands of years, and prehistoric rock carvings discovered in 1973 can be seen at the Alta Museum. Situated at the head of the Altafjord, it is a lush, green and hospitable shelter in the otherwise cold and windswept Finnmark landscape. Halfway between the grim, barren mountain plateau and the wet, stormy coast, Alta offers tree-clad valleys, pleasant temperatures and no more rain than the Sahara. However at 70 degrees North it is quite a different story in winter, when heavy snowfalls and sub-zero temperatures are the order of the day, and clear dark night skies become the arena for dazzling displays of the elusive Aurora Borealis, also referred to as 'the temperamental lady' by Laplanders. The world’s first Northern Lights Observatory, which played an important role in the development of geophysical and meteorological research during the first half of the 20th century, is located just 12 miles from Alta. Perched atop Haldde Mountain, it towers almost 3,000 feet above Kafjord, where the battleship Tirpitz was based during the Second World War.
Resting on the stunning shores of Altafjord, Alta is the gateway to some of Europe’s most magnificent natural beauty. With its frequent clear skies, it is an ideal place from which to see the northern lights. Alta is perhaps most known as the site of ancient rock carvings dating back as far as 4200 BC. These fascinating depictions of hunters, gatherers, rituals, animals and geometric symbols are Norway’s only primitive UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Alta Museum was built around the largest concentration of the carvings.
The small town of Alta lies in Norway’s largely unspoiled county of Finnmark and is considered one of the world’s northernmost cities. Here, pristine woodlands spill into the stunning Altafjord, which stretches some 24 miles. Perhaps, however, one of Alta’s most striking sights is not natural at all; the boldly designed Northern Lights Cathedral in the center of town is a vision in titanium, with its circular exterior spiraling upward into a narrower cylinder and a breathtaking belfry.
Port Info
Schedule
Start Time
Feb 03 at 8:00AM UTC
to
End Time
Feb 04 at 11:59PM UTC