The Berkeley Guides:
Berkeley Guide to Europe:
Norway:
Northern Norway
A narrow but immensely long strip of land stretches between Trondheim and Kirkenes in northern Norway. Finnmark, the northernmost chunk, is by itself the size of Denmark, although its population density is more comparable to Siberia's. In the vast northern territory you'll encounter dramatically different ways of life and a great variety of geographical features, from the craggy peaks of the Lofoten Islands to the vast, barren stretches of the Finnmarksvidda. Students dominate the university towns of Trondheim and Tromsø, but elsewhere in the region the nomadic Sami people still rely on reindeer herding and hunting for their livelihood.
A large portion of northern Norway lies above the Arctic Circle, where the sun shines nonstop for two to three months in summer and then disappears for several months in winter. Seeing the midnight sun in the north is a special experience--it's not every day that you descend a mountain at 1 am and find your path illuminated by pink-and-orange sun glow.
Budget travelers usually ignore this northern, thin stretch of Norway between Trondheim and Tromsø. Most people head straight for Lofoten or Nordkapp, stopping only briefly in Bodø, the northern terminus of Norway's rail line. If you get stuck in Bodø, there's a hostel (Siøgate 55, tel. 75/52-11-22; beds 125kr) above the train station. Bodø's major tourist attraction is Saltstraumen, the world's largest maelstrom, where the water from two fjords churns and dashes in a narrow strait at high tide. Even at its most powerful the sight is not that impressive, but if you want to see it, buses (38kr) make the 40-minute run from Bodø to Saltstraumen daily. Check the tide tables in Bodø before you go.
Buses bound for the far north depart from Fauske, about 45 minutes before the Bodø stop. The town's hostel (Nyvegen 6, tel. 75/64-67-06; beds 90kr; closed mid-Aug.May) will do if you're stuck for the night. Narvik, to the north, is also an important transit point, especially for trains from Sweden. If you're staying over, head for the hostel (Havnegate 3, tel. 76/94-25-98; beds 140kr; closed Christmas), about 1 km south of the train station.
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