Located above the Arctic Circle, this small fishing town is Norway's northernmost city. Its harbor sees cruise ships in summer, while winter brings views of the Northern Lights.
Honningsvåg, Norway's northernmost town, sits on Magerøya island at 70.5 degrees north. From this small fishing community of 2,245 people, you can watch the midnight sun at the North Cape plateau, join local fishermen on king crab safaris, explore the 19th-century wooden church, and spot puffin colonies at the Gjesværstappan cliffs. Each day, cruise ships and fishing boats fill the harbor, bringing fresh catches to the town's seafood restaurants.
Transport Options to Honningsvåg
You can reach Honningsvåg by air through daily flights connecting to Tromsø, with further connections to Oslo. The Hurtigruten and Havila coastal ships dock at the harbor daily. By car, take the E69 road through the North Cape tunnel, which connects Honningsvåg to mainland Norway year-round.
Weather and Natural Phenomena
The sun stays above the horizon from May 13 to July 31, creating 79 days of continuous daylight. Winter brings polar night from November 21 to January 21, when the sun remains below the horizon. The North Atlantic Drift moderates the climate, keeping winter temperatures around -3°C (27°F) despite the town's location at 70.5 degrees north.
King Crab Fishing and Local Food
Local fishermen take visitors on three-hour king crab safaris where you'll help pull up crab pots from the Arctic waters. After catching the crabs, you'll learn traditional preparation methods and eat your catch on board. In town, restaurants serve fresh cod, saithe, and salmon brought in daily by the fishing fleet.
North Cape Visitor Center
At the North Cape plateau, 37 kilometers from town, you'll stand 307 meters above the Arctic Ocean. The visitor center screens films about local wildlife in its theater, and you can walk through exhibition rooms documenting the area's maritime history. The viewing areas give you unobstructed views across the Arctic Ocean.
Bird Watching at Gjesværstappan
From April to August, you can take boat tours to the Gjesværstappan cliffs to see nearly one million puffins nesting in the rocky outcrops. The two-hour trips bring you close to colonies of northern gannets, cormorants, kittiwakes, and guillemots. Local guides help you spot and photograph the birds.
Museums and Art
At the North Cape Museum (Nordkappmuseet), you can examine photographs and artifacts from 10,300 years of local fishing life. Local artists display their Arctic-inspired paintings and sculptures at the West of the Moon Gallery. The wooden Honningsvåg Church from 1885 survived World War II when German forces burned down the rest of the town.
