Narvik
Norway · Nordland · 20 m
Description
Narvik exists because Swedish iron ore needs an ice free harbour, and the railway built to carry it over the mountains from Kiruna is the reason to come. The Ofoten Line climbs from the quay through tunnels and along cliffs to the Swedish border, and the daily train still runs it. In April 1940 the town was fought over in two naval battles and a two month land campaign, which the war museum tells without flattering anyone. A cable car lifts from the centre to Narvikfjellet, where the ski season runs into May and the midnight sun replaces it.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: July – August
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Ofoten Line railway to the Swedish border
- Narvikfjellet cable car and its viewpoint
- Narvik War Museum (Narviksenteret)
- Rombaksfjord and the Ofotfjord narrows
- Narvikfjellet skiing (December - May)
- Ore quays and the loading terminal
- Northern lights over the Ofotfjord (September - April)
- Rallarveien navvy road walk (July - September)
- War cemeteries and the memorials of 1940
- Midnight sun over Narvikfjellet (May - July)
- Polar Park arctic wildlife centre(Day trip)
- Harbour promenade and the town quays
- Skjomen fjord and its suspension bridge(Day trip)
Getting there
- Airports:
- EVE
- Train stations:
- Narvik
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry