Postcards from Nordkapp
Nordkapp, or the North Cape, is located at 71 degrees north and is the furthest north you can drive while staying within continental Europe. We’ve had this location on our bucket list for years and we recently had an opportunity to see it for ourselves! The northern-most point of continental Europe sounds like a very remote place, but it’s surprisingly accessible and absolutely worth the drive to get there! We had a blast exploring the North Cape, it’s a remote and stunning region, looking for wildlife and chasing the Midnight Sun!
People gathering to watch the sunset on the coast at the northern-most point of continental Europe
What is Nordkapp?
Nordkapp, or North Cape as it’s known in English, is the furthest north point that you can drive to on continental Europe. The roads to get there are paved and well maintained, just like most other roads in Norway. People have lived in this area for thousands of years, but it wasn’t known to the outside world until 1553, when a British expedition was searching for a North East passage to Asia. The sailors encountered this remarkable piece of land and gave it the name North Cape. It was then added to sea charts and maps and became known to sailers around the world. The Nordkapp cliff is 307 meters tall and plunges into the icy water below.
How do you get there?
Getting to North Cape is surprisingly easy! The roads to get to Nordkapp are paved and well maintained, just like most other roads in Norway. We used a rental car to get here and had no problems. If you have an RV or camper, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to camp at the North Cape. We wish we had a camper van with us so that we could camp out and watch the Midnight Sun. The North Cape is also an incredibly popular place for cyclists and motorcycles, and you’ll see a lot of both on the road as well. The day we visited, we also saw lots of runners - there was an organized race taking place. If you don’t want to drive yourself, and you don’t feel up to biking or running, you can also take guided tours or catch a local bus. So there are plenty of ways to access the North Cape!
Arctic Landscape dotted with snow and sparse vegetation
What can you do at the North Cape?
There are so many great ways to pass the time at the North Cape, and on the island. We were only there for a day trip, so our time was limited, but we were still able to see a lot! So what can you do?
Keep an eye out for wildlife!
Explore the northern-most fishing village
Go on a bird safari in Gjesvær
Check out the Welcome Center at Nordkapp
We had a blast exploring the North Cape and we would absolutely go back to see more! For our one-day trip to the North Cape, we started with a Bird Safari in Gjesvær. Then we headed to the Welcome Center at the North Cape to watch the Midnight Sun and learn more of the history of the area. We also saw a bunch of local wildlife along the way!
Bird Safari in Gjesvær
It was a last minute decision to go on a bird safari, but we are so glad we did! We saw thousands of birds including Razorbills, Guillemots, Puffins, Eagles, and so many more! We even saw some seals sunbathing on rocks! We had excellent weather, the sun was out, the waters were calm, and the birds were quite literally chirping! We wouldn’t consider ourselves birders, but we definitely have a newfound appreciation for bird watching! If you have spare time on your trip to the North Cape, we highly recommend joining a local bird safari, and if our words don’t convince you, maybe these photos will!
Spot Wildlife at Nordkapp!
The North Cape is a nature-lovers paradise! You don’t have to go on a bird safari to see wildlife - though we highly recommend going anyways - just keep an eye out as you’re exploring the region and you’re sure to see some animals! As soon as we arrived on the island of Magerøya, where the North Cape is located, we immediately started seeing tons of local animals! There were so many different types of arctic birds flying around. Out at sea, we kept seeing blips in the water, so we pulled over at a scenic overlook on the side of the road, and spotted whales, more birds, porpoises, and otters! And of course, we saw TONS of reindeer! If wildlife viewing is on your list of things to do at the North Cape, be sure to bring binoculars and a telephoto camera lens.
Reindeer eating grass on the island of Magerøya
Visit the Welcome Center at the North Cape
The North Cape is free to park at, and the scenic views are also free, but if you want access to the Welcome Center at the North Cape, you’ll have to pay to enter. The Welcome Center has a lot of great amenities, making it very worthwhile to purchase a ticket to get in. There’s a restaurant and bar, a museum, a theater showing a 30 minute film of Nordkapp, a massive gift shop, a post box, clean toilets, and plenty of seating with excellent views so you can warm up inside. One of the best parts is that your paid entry is valid for 24 hours! So you can hang out all day, or even overnight! This comes in very handy if you’re camping at the North Cape, chasing the Midnight Sun views, or hunting for the Northern Lights.
The North Cape Welcome Center, a spaceship-like building, with a huge ball on top that detects the weather
Midnight Sun at the North Cape
Of course, our main reason for visiting this incredible area wasn’t the bird safari, the wildlife, or even the spaceship-like Welcome Center - it was the Midnight Sun! We’re no strangers to the Midnight Sun, having spent time in arctic areas previously, but we really wanted to be in a place with an epic view of the horizon so that we could finally watch the sunset. Or rather, not set! If you’re not familiar with the Midnight Sun, it’s a period of time in summer in Arctic areas, where you experience 24 hours of daylight. The sun literally never sets! But it does get close to the horizon, and it is incredibly beautiful! We knew it was going to be a long day, but in the end, it was so worth it to witness this bucket list experience in person!
As the sun approached its lowest point, people started gathering at the monument on the cliff. We all stood there in silence as we watched the sun get low in the sky. Once it got to its lowest point, and then began to rise again, there was a cheer that swept through the crowd and the energy was infectious!
It gives us goosebumps just thinking about it all again! What a thrill to be there and see it in person! We would love to go back in winter during the period of 24-hour darkness, and maybe see the Northern Lights as well. Of course while we were at the North Cape for the Midnight Sun, we had to take some photos! We setup a tripod for a time-lapse and it might just be one of our all-time favorite photos we’ve ever taken!
Time-lapse of the sunset at North Cape during the period of Midnight Sun
Is a visit to the North Cape worth it?
We had a blast exploring the North Cape and experiencing the Midnight Sun! It’s definitely a long journey to get here, but if you like unique experiences and you’re up for a stunning road trip, it’s absolutely worth it!
Want to see more of the North Cape?
Be sure to check out our video about our visit to Nordkapp and chasing the Midnight Sun! We show you everything we did, and tell you more of the history of the area.
On this episode of Mapping It, we're spending one day exploring the North Cape of Northern Norway. We start our day with a long drive from Alta to the North Cape and we see a lot of wildlife along the way including many birds, whales, otters and reindeer! Our first stop is Gjesvær to go on a BIRD SAFARI and it was amazing! Then we head to NORDKAPP to explore the northernmost point of continental Europe! We learn about the history of the North Cape of Northern Norway and of course, we WATCH THE MIDNIGHT SUN at the NORTH CAPE! The sun never sets during the period of the midnight sun and it was so cool to see it in person!
Midnight Sun at Nordkapp
So, did we convince you to visit the North Cape? Let us know in the comments!
