Cruising to Alta, Norway

Alta tourist information.

Alta, NorwayAlta is largest town in Norway’s Finnmark offers winter adventures, midnight sun, mountains, Sami culture, reindeer and World heritage rock carvings. The location of Alta, in the inner reaches of the Alta Fjord, means that municipality is able to offer forests, mountain plateaux and coastal and mountain landscapes. This provides numerous opportunities for anyone interested in the outdoor life and activities such as hiking, biking and fishing.

The city of Northern Lights

In Norway, Alta is known as the ‘City of the Northern Lights’ because it is uniquely located directly under the northern lights oval and due to the good weather providing many clear nights, essential for aurora viewings. The world’s first Northern Light observatory was built here at the end of the 19th century and has earned Alta the name The Town of the Northern Lights.

Alta tourist attractions

Prehistoric rock carvings

This group of rock carvings bears the traces of a settlement dating from around 4200 to 500 BC. Rock art is found in five separate areas in Alta, the largest being at Hjemmeluft/Jiepmaluokta, where Alta Museum is situated. This is the only area available to the public. In the summer season, groups are offered guided tours to the rock carvings.

Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel

Once you have first taken the trouble to travel all the way to northern Norway, you might just as well go the whole way: put on your thermals and your woolly hat, climb into a sleeping bag and sleep like an angel in a room constructed of snow. Because Sorrisniva has a 2,500m2 igloo hotel, located just outside the Northern Lights city of Alta, where you will be ideally positioned for seeing the Northern Lights.

Port order and/or content may vary, please check specific sailing date for details at official cruise line website. Port arrival and departure times are approximate and subject to change without notice. For more information please visit the official cruise line website.