Alta, Norway

Alta is a municipality and town in the county of Finnmark, Norway. Known as the 'Town of the Northern Lights', it is situated in the west of the county, mostly situated along the Altafjord, with large areas of woodlands, as well as parts of the High Plateau of Finnmarksvidda. Most people live in the town of Alta, stretching along the inner part of the fjord.

A feature of the area are the Rock carvings at Alta, dating from circa 4200 BC to 500 BC, which are on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Other attractions in Alta include Alta Museum, Northern Light Igloo, a hotel made in ice, the Northern Lights Observatory called Haldde at Mt. Sukkertoppen, and Sautso - Alta Canyon.

Alta also offers a range of activities and events both summer and winter. It is an excellent starting point not only for excursions to attractions and activities around Alta, but to Kautokeino, Hammerfest, the North Cape and Karasjok as well. Each year in March, the week long Borealis Winterfestival takes place. Other events are the traditional Bossekop Market and the Finnmark College's Students Event Week.

Things to See & Do

* Rock Carvings
* Bird watching at Altaosen
* Alta museum
* Northern Lights Igloo
* Sautso - Alta Canyon

General information

Cruise Season - Feb - Dec
Currency - Norwegian krone (NOK)
Language - Danish
Land Area - 3651 km²
Population - 18,000 approx
Electricity - 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT plus one hour
International Country Telephone Code - + 47

Port Location - Alta's port facilities are located in the town center.

Transport Links - Alta is a communication center in Finnmark. There are direct flights to Oslo from Alta airport.