ARCTIC LIVING IN KIRKENES

Kirkenes, at the northernmost tip of Europe, will surprise you. The small town, with its artic location, is colorfully scattered right on the fjord. Although we have just under 10,000 residents in the municipality and around 6,000 in Kirkenes, you will find a surprisingly good selection of shops, restaurants, hotels and private accommodation. Our excellent infrastructure makes life easier for both us residents and all visitors: there is a modern airport (direct connections to Oslo and Tromsø), a hospital, cinema, concerts and much more. Nevertheless, Kirkenes has retained its charm and here you can take part in the “Arctic life” directly and without make-up.
In just 10 minutes you can reach the breathtaking nature and wilderness that surrounds Kirkenes. Here you can take part in various activities, either on your own or with an organized excursion.
Anyone interested in our history can take part in a guided tour of the Andersgrotta or visit the Borderland Museum.
Kirkenes has been a professional destination that has warmly welcomed you for over 30 years. It all started with summer tourism and the Hurtigrute, which docks with us every day at 9 a.m. We have also been a popular winter destination for 15 years, and we are now an exciting travel destination no matter what month you choose.
Kirkenes impresses with its 100% reliable and magical winter, the many northern lights, guaranteed snow and untouched nature. The distances are short and make traveling locally very easy.
In summer and autumn you can go hiking and enjoy the midnight sun.
I like to call Kirkenes an insider tip because we don’t have any direct flight connections to other countries. This has the disadvantage that you always have to travel via Oslo. The advantage, however, is that we are not as crowded as other northern Norwegian destinations. Kirkenes is definitely worth a visit and here you will still experience the original Northern Norwegian charm.
WELCOME

BEST TRAVEL TIMES

Do you want to experience the wonderful summer? Then visit us between June and August. Anything can happen during this time: there are summer days with 25 C or warmer. But it can also get cold. Please be prepared for anything. Luckily, I have never experienced snowfall in summer. But it has probably already happened. Summer is suitable for hiking, visiting the Pasviktal and the national park. There are boat tours. Or would you like to go swimming in our idyllic mountain lakes? A visit to the beach in Grense Jakobselv with the midnight sun is recommended.
The midnight sun can be seen from mid-May to mid-July. More information about midnight sun check here: Midnightsun in Kirkenes
More information about our summer check here: Summer in Kirkenes

Late summer and autumn from the end of August to October are an insider tip. During this time you can admire the fantastic autumn colors, pick berries and enjoy nature in all its splendor. And if you’re really lucky you can see the northern lights.
More information about Northern lights check here: Northern lights in Kirkenes
More information about our autumn check here: Autumn in Kirkenes

Our big star is winter. Here we can guarantee snow and winter, usually from November to mid-April. Winter is dry and magical. The coldest times are December, January and February. The sun can be seen again from mid-January. If you want to experience a real cold winter, you should visit us during this time. And of course this is also the best time to see the famous Northern Lights.

More information about Northern lights check here: Northern lights in Kirkenes
More information about our winter check here: Winter in Kirkenes

WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT US? Check here:
How to travel to Kirkenes

SOME FACTS ABOUT CLIMATE, NATURE AND POPULATION

• Kirkenes has 3500 inhabitants, the municipality of Sør-Varanger has 10.000 inhabitants
• Sør-Varanger shares a border with both Russia and Finland
• Our main business sectores: Tourism, Kimek Ship Yard, business with Russia, hospital, military base (GSV)
• The Midnight Sun shines in Kirkenes is from 17 May to 21 July.
• The Polar Night season in Kirkenes is from 21 November to 21 January.
• Compared with other costal destinations in Norway, Kirkenes has a dry climate with low precipitation year-round.
• Northern lights can be seen from September until end of March. If you are lucky they will appear but it has to be dark and clear sky.
• The municipality is important from a geological perspective as the place in Norway with the oldest bedrock (approx. 2.8 billion years old).
• The area around Kirkenes has Norway’s largest brown bear population with around 40 individuals registered (2015).
• The average temperature in July is 10 °C, while the average temperature in January is -13 °C.
• The record low temperature in Kirkenes is -42 °C, while the record high is 30.3 °C.
• Sør-Varanger has a National Parc in the upper Pasvik Valley: Øvre Pasvik Nationalparc. The Visitor Center for the Parc is located in Svanvik

WEB CAMERAS IN THE KIRKENES AREA
https://www.svk.no/web-kamera.419569.no.html

WHERE TO SLEEP IN KIRKENES

Kirkenes and the region offers a ranch of different accommodations: hotel, guesthouse, cabins or private accommodation. We are happy to help you to find a nice accommodation in and around Kirkenes. You can also check https://www.visitkirkenes.info/en/sleep/ for more information.

Thon Hotel Kirkenes www.thonhotels.com
Scandic Hotel Kirkenes www.scandichotels.no
Private accommodation www.airbnb.no
Cabins at Snowhotel Kirkenes Winter (Dec-March)
Cabins at Snowhotel Kirkenes Summer (April-Nov)
Sleep at Snowhotel Kirkenes Winter (Dec-March)
Sleep at Snowhotel Kirkenes Summer (April-Nov)
Monikas private apartment house in Kirkenes with space for 4 persons:
Be my guest in Kirkenes! Our home is only 5 min from the center town in a calm and cosy area. House has an own entrance and our guests have the place on their own. In any case of questions we live right beside and will help. Otherwise you can stay there undisturbed. House has two floors with 2 bed rooms and Bathroom/WC upstairs. Well equipped kitchen and living room with TV downstairs. In total app. 90 m2.

WHERE TO EAT IN KIRKENES

Good food and local ingredients are something you get to experience in Kirkenes: reindeer meat, king crab, fish and much more.
You can get the freshest and best king crab meat on one of our excursions, which all include a king crab dinner. The tours run all year round.
Please check here for our king crab tours: www.bookingkirkenes.no/shop/

Aurora Restobar (menu added) in Dr Wesselsgate. Open every day, Sundays closed
Surf & Turf (menu added) in Dr Wesselsgate. Open every day.
Thon Hotel Restaurant
Scandic Hotel Restaurant
China Restaurant, Dr Wesselsgate 3
Thai food at Bangkok Restaurant. Dr Wesselsgate 9. Open every day until 21.00
Snowhotel Restaurant Kirkenes.
For more information you can check: www.visitkirkenes.info/en/eat

Useful web pages you can check

For booking of tours and accommodation at Snowhotel: www.bookingkirkenes.no/shop/
More info about Kirkenes and the region: www.visitkirkenes.info
Info about the National Park “Øvre Pasvik”: www.pasvik.no
Interesting film about the region, 45 min, in German language: www.youtube.com/Kirkenes Ostseereport NDR