Visiting the Nordkapp / North Cape in November

The North Cape in Norway is the most northern point in Europe. Well, some think that, but no, it’s actually not. But still, the North Cape has been the northernmost point in Europe since connecting to the road network via today’s E69 in 1956, which can be reached on roads from the European mainland. Nevertheless, the North Cape is a touristy point to celebrate it as the most northern place you can stand on, on an Island close to the European mainland. I imagined visiting the North Cape in November to be quite a challenge, as November is the start of the season when the sun doesn’t come out at all, and obviously, it’s winter with freezing temperatures and amounts of snow. During my own visit to North Cape, I was overwhelmed and even fell in love with the landscape of Western Finnmark, northern Norway. Views for kilometres, idyllic sceneries and all the people I met were so friendly. Not to mention the great infrastructure and all over 4G mobile internet connectivity. But more on my Roadtrip to the Nordkapp, as they say in Norwegian, in another Article.

Situated on a 307 m high cliff the famous Globe of the North Cape is both a tourist attraction and a crossing point. In a smooth transition, the Norwegian Sea meets the Barents Sea, parts of the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. But high above that all you can enjoy never-ending views. Right now in Winter Season the sun rises shortly before midday and sets right a bit after. In the upcoming months, it’s getting even more extreme, with no direct sunlight at all. In return, the sun is never setting for two and a half months in summer, from the middle of May until the end of July.
When arriving at the North Cape in November, there weren’t that many other Tourists. In the summer months, about 200.000 tourists visit the Cape in total. You now may pass some other Cars on the E69 Route, but it is far from calling it proper traffic. On the last few meters, after driving up some final hills, there is a Gate and then the Nordkapphallen, the North Cape visitor centre. To the left, there is another plateau with an obelisk that celebrates the visit of King Oscar II on July 2nd, 1873. Right in front of the Visitor Centre, there is what every visitor looks for, the Globe. Due to the Cliffs, it was so windy, and cold, there, even though the Temperature was just around 0 degrees celsius. Actually, the North Cape is pretty similar to Cabo da Roca, the most western point of central Europe. Windy, but so nice.

A special place for Visitors is the North Cape Visitor Centre. Including panoramic views, you can find there a Café, Restaurant, a souvenir shop, a Post Office and even a Chapel. The World’s northernmost ecumenical chapel, St Johannes Kapell, which is a popular venue for weddings. Of course, the building is well-tempered and there is WiFi available. If you decide to send postcards from the North Cape, there is a special stamp that you get nowhere else on your post.
More Information on the Activities in the area (ice fishing, ATV driving, hikes to Cape Knivskjellodden,…) can be found on the visitnorway.com website.
My visit to North Cape in November hasn’t just been a tick off my bucket list, of things I want to visit and see, I also really enjoyed the Journey and the endless views. Once I stepped on the plateau for the first time, I already knew that I need to come back (in another season). My Tip on visiting Nordkapp / North Cape in November / during Winter Season is to plan your stay wisely as it is pitch-dark before the sun rises and after it sets, which happens within minutes. In addition to this, the Nordkaphallen have limited opening hours during the winter season.