Finnmark is Norway's largest, least densely populated and northernmost region. It covers the areas behind the Arctic Circle, where it is night in winter and polar day in summer. It is a great place to admire the northern lights, as well as a center for reindeer husbandry and Sami culture.
The capital of the region is Alta, a city recognized as Norway's best northern lights observation point. The aurora observatory has been operating here since 1899, where you can also find out everything about this extraordinary phenomenon. The city's attraction is also a modern cathedral, whose shape refers to the aurora appearing in the sky.
The district has a harsh climate and landscape. The coast is highly developed, full of larger and smaller fjords, rocky islets and capes. The most famous of them is the North Cape (Nordkapp) on the island of Magerøya, which is considered the northernmost point of Europe, although in fact this right point is located 4 km away. However, it is hardly accessible enough that most tourists reach Nordkapp to take a picture of themselves with the characteristic obelisk.
The curiosity of the region is the town of Karasjok and its surroundings. It is inhabited by the Sami, Finno-Ugric people mainly engaged in reindeer husbandry. There is a Sami culture center in the town, as well as their parliament. The area has interesting hiking and skiing routes, and you can watch herds of reindeer while hiking.
