The cape & Globe monument
Nordkapphallen visitor centre, viewing platform, Globe monument, panoramic film. Entry NOK 330. Allow 2 hours. Cruise-ship crush 11:00 to 15:00 in July. Visit at 22:00 or 03:00.
Destination Guide
North Cape
71°10' North. The northernmost point of mainland Europe. Midnight sun from mid-May to late July. A winter drive that runs as a convoy.
−20°C to +12°C Best: May–Jul (midnight sun) / Mar–Apr (aurora) 2–3 days recommended
Latitude
71°10′ 21″ N
Basecamp
Honningsvåg (2,500)
Tunnel
Nordkapptunnelen 6.9 km
Midnight sun
May 14 – Jul 29
Polar night
Nov 20 – Jan 22
Entry fee
NOK 330 (2026)
About Nordkapp
Nordkapp sits at 71°10' 21″ North on the island of Magerøya, in Finnmark. The cliff stands 307 m above the Barents Sea. It is marketed as the northernmost point of mainland Europe, which is almost true — the actual northernmost point is Knivskjelodden, the promontory 1 km west and 18 m further north, reachable by a 9 km hiking trail in summer.
200,000 people make it to the cape every year. Most arrive in the midnight sun window between mid-May and late July. The visitor centre (Nordkapphallen) has a panoramic hall, a short film, a restaurant, and a bar. The entry fee is NOK 330 in 2026 and includes access to the plateau, the iron Globe monument, and the facilities. There is no cheaper way to reach the viewing platform.
Honningsvåg, 34 km south, is the logistics base — a town of 2,500 people, the administrative centre of Nordkapp municipality, and a Hurtigruten stop. In winter, the E69 from Skarsvåg to the cape runs as a convoy only — scheduled escorts, usually twice daily. The tunnel to Magerøya (Nordkapptunnelen, 6.9 km and 212 m below sea level) removed the ferry in 1999. The cape is now a road destination year-round — but winter is nothing like summer.
Key facts
- Latitude
- 71°10′ 21″ N
- Basecamp
- Honningsvåg (2,500)
- Tunnel
- Nordkapptunnelen 6.9 km
- Midnight sun
- May 14 – Jul 29
- Polar night
- Nov 20 – Jan 22
- Entry fee
- NOK 330 (2026)
Best time to visit
Late May to July for midnight sun, the headline experience. March to April for daylight with snow still on the ground and active aurora. Avoid November to mid-December — polar night plus early winter storms on the Barents Sea is the worst-value window.
What to do at North Cape
The plateau itself, plus three reasons to stay more than one night on Magerøya. The midnight sun runs May 14 to July 29. The aurora window opens mid-September. The king crab boats run year-round when the Barents Sea lets them.
Knivskjelodden hike
The actual northernmost point. 9 km one-way, mostly flat, 4 to 5 hours round trip. Free. No entry fee, no crowd, and a sign-in book at the end. June to September only.
King crab safari, Honningsvåg
RIB boat out into the Barents Sea, crabs pulled live from the sea, eaten immediately. 3 to 4 hours. Year-round, though winter trips depend heavily on weather.
Aurora over Magerøya
Very low light pollution, but heavy coastal weather. Cloud is the main enemy. Mid-September to late March. Book 3 to 4 nights. One clear-sky night is not guaranteed.
Where to base yourself
Three bases on Magerøya. Honningsvåg for services and the Hurtigruten call. Skarsvåg for the closest approach to the plateau. Gjesvær for the bird-cliffs at Gjesværstappan.
Honningsvåg
Magerøya's main town and Hurtigruten stop
The functional town on Magerøya and the island's only proper service base. Hurtigruten calls here every day in both directions. Hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, cruise-terminal infrastructure. Busy in summer when two cruise ships share the harbour — genuinely quiet by October.
~2,40034 km / 45 min south of Nordkapp plateau
Best for
- Self-drive travellers needing full services
- Hurtigruten passengers extending a stopover
- Cruise-avoiders staying outside the June–August window
Not ideal for
- Travellers wanting a remote or scenic base
- Anyone in peak cruise season looking for quiet mornings
Accommodation
Scandic Nordkapp
Chain hotel1,400–2,200 NOK/night
On the hillside above town, direct Nordkapp plateau views. Scandic breakfast, conference scale. The default for self-drive travellers.
Arran Nordkapp
Boutique rooms1,600–2,600 NOK/night
Small boutique hotel on the harbour. Quieter than the Scandic, better bar.
Nordkapp Turisthotell
Hotel1,100–1,700 NOK/night
Central, straightforward rooms. The budget option in town.
Dining
Corner Spiseri
Harbourfront restaurant with an honest seafood menu. King crab, halibut, stockfish. Reliable dinner.
Sarnes Seaside Restaurant
20 min outside town at Sarnesfjord. Set menu, king crab focus, fjord-view dining room. Book ahead.
Riccos Kaffebar
Central coffee and cake. The morning-briefing spot before the Nordkapp drive.
Practical services
Grocery
Coop Extra and Joker in town.
Fuel
Circle K. Fill up before the Nordkapp drive — no fuel past Skarsvåg.
EV charging
Rapid chargers at the Scandic and by the Coop.
Hurtigruten
Daily calls, both directions. Southbound 06:15, northbound 11:45.
Airport
Honningsvåg (HVG). Widerøe regional flights.
Hospital
GP only. Nearest A&E: Hammerfest. Emergency: 113.
Local tip
Drive to the Nordkapp plateau at 23:00 in July for the midnight-sun hour. The cruise coaches leave by 21:00, the Thai community fishermen at Skarsvåg have stopped work for the night, and the plateau is largely empty for a window of about 90 minutes.
When to visit
The cape delivers a radically different experience across the year. Pick the season deliberately.
May – Jul
Midnight sun
24-hour daylight from May 14 to July 29. The plateau is busy — 200,000 visitors per year, concentrated in this window. Cruise ships dock in Honningsvåg.
Aug – Sep
Autumn shoulder
Midnight sun gone, first auroras back by mid-September. Crowds thin. Weather is volatile — Mageroya gets hit hard by Barents Sea storms.
Nov – Feb
Polar night & winter convoy
Sun does not rise November 20 to January 22. E69 to the cape runs as a convoy only — scheduled escorts from Skarsvåg, twice daily weather-permitting.
Mar – Apr
Light returns
Full daylight back by late March, snow still on the ground, aurora still active. King crab safaris out of Honningsvåg and Kirkenes are running. Best all-round window.
How to get here
Hurtigruten to Honningsvåg
Nordkapp is one of the headline port calls on the Bergen–Kirkenes coastal route. Northbound arrivals are timed to allow the optional cape excursion. The most common way visitors reach the cape — and the easiest in winter.
Browse sailingsFly to Honningsvåg (HVG) or Alta (ALF)
Widerøe flies to Honningsvåg with connections from Tromsø. Alta is the larger airport — 240 km south of Honningsvåg, 3 hours 30 minutes by road. Most self-drive travellers route Oslo–Alta–Nordkapp.
Search flightsDrive the E6 and E69 — winter convoy applies
Alta to Nordkapp: 240 km via E6 and E69. The Nordkapptunnelen (6.9 km, 212 m below sea level) connects Magerøya to the mainland. In winter, the final 14 km from Skarsvåg to the cape runs as a convoy only — twice daily escorts, weather-dependent. Studded tyres mandatory.
Compare car rentalsItineraries that include Nordkapp
3-day Nordkapp add-on from Alta: Alta – Honningsvåg – Nordkapp – back via Hammerfest
5-day Finnmark coast loop: Alta – Hammerfest – Honningsvåg – Nordkapp – Kirkenes
12-day Hurtigruten round trip Bergen–Kirkenes–Bergen: Nordkapp on day 6 northbound
7-day summer midnight-sun trip: Tromsø – Alta – Nordkapp – return by Widerøe
Ready to book Nordkapp?
Hurtigruten segments, king crab safaris, and aurora weeks — with commission-transparent affiliate links.