Top Things to do in Vardo
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The 10 Best Things to Do in Vardo, Norway
Discover the best top things to do in Vardo, Norway including Steilneset Memorial, Hamningberg Old Fishing Village, Vardoehus Fortress, Hornoya, Hornoya Vardo Light House, Wild Varanger, Kiberg Kystfort, The Partisan Museum, Vardo Tourist Information, The Pomor Museum.
Restaurants in Vardo
1. Steilneset Memorial
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 69 reviews
Steilneset Memorial or 'The Witches' Monument" commemorates the victims of the witches' trials in Finnmark during the 17th century. It consist of the House of Flames, with an artwork of French-American artist Louise Bourgeois, and the Memorial Hall designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor. The Memorial was opened by Her Royal Higness Queen Sonja in 2011.
Reviewed By 535family - Brighton, United Kingdom
This is just a short walk from the Hurtigruten stop. The installations are innovative and stunning. There is a free booklet in English that describes the people (mostly women) burned as witches. The landscape is remote and unspoiled. My teenagers found this interesting from an artistic and architectural point of view, but most of all for the social history where so many people were charged with witchcraft from such a small community.
2. Hamningberg Old Fishing Village
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 34 reviews
Reviewed By GiulianaD199 - Genoa, Italy
It's a wonderful site!!! We went there by motorhome! The way to Hamningberg was an adventure! The road is very narrow, with some passages on small Bridges, but it is really spectacular!!! Beautiful landscapes and the small village is very nice ! Some meetings ... with reindeers and ... a fox (looking at us while we were having our dinner)!!!
An unforgettable experience, absolutely!
3. Vardoehus Fortress
Overall Ratings
4 based on 51 reviews
Reviewed By Peter D - Belgium
Old star shaped prison camp from the first half of the 18th century. Today, only 4 soldiers and a commanding officer are staying at the fortress. The Slaveriet with the Royal Beam and the Depot were open for a visit, the Commander's House was closed. The flagpole was the last to fly the national flag in 1940. The fortress trail takes about 45 minutes.
4. Hornoya
Overall Ratings
5 based on 15 reviews
Hornoya is the eastermost protected nature reserve in Norway. Here you can go ashore and experience a plentiful bird life up close. The island has one of the largest seabird colonies in Norway, including Razorbill, Atlantic puffin, European shag, Common guillemot, Brünnich's guillemot, Black-legged kittiwake, Great black-backed gull and Herring gull. Vardo Harbour offers transportation by boat. The passage from Vardo to Hornoya takes about 10 minutes.
Reviewed By Michael G
The small island Hornoya is easly reached from Vardo harbour by a short boat trip. Hornoya is renown for the massive amount of breeding seabirds, like Puffins, Guillemots and other Auks, Gulls, Skuas etc. The birds aren't shy at all and can be seen close up. The sight of the huge number of breeding birds in the cliffs is very impressive. A trip to Hornoya is a must for all nature enthusiasts visiting the area.
5. Hornoya Vardo Light House
Overall Ratings
5 based on 5 reviews
Hornoya – Vardo light house Norway’s easternmost protected wildlife reserve for seabirds, nesting area for 73,000-88,000 pairs. Reference area for bird populations. Traffic restrictions are in force on Hornoya – vehicles are allowed in designated areas only. A recommended trip is on the harbour boat and other boats, approx. 12 min. during the period 1 Apr - 15 Oct. Contact Vardo Port Authority, Tel./Mob.: +47 78 98 72 75/ +47 901 79 585 Vardo Lighthouse Vardo lighthouse is located on Hornoya island, Norway’s easternmost point. Visitors can spend the night in the lighthouse keeper’s house, which has breathtaking views. Contact Tourist Information. For visits out of season, contact Vardo harbour, tel.: + 47 78 98 72 76.
Reviewed By soulprojector - Helsinki, Finland
Getting to and staying at this lighthouse was one of the most unforgettable experiences I've had in all my travels to Norway.
A stay at the lighthouse is only for the real adventurous and those who love birds and secluded nature experiences.
The cost of renting a bed is actually quite cheap for Norwegian prices (300 nok per night ), it's the boat trip to and from the island that costs a bit.
I must advise that you MUST bring enough food to last you for each day you stay, and bring a large bottle of water, or enough to last you for your stay, otherwise you will have to boil your tap water and wait for it to cool. It is not advised to drink the water from the tap but you can use it for cooking, again if it's boiled.
Aside from having to take these essential steps to stay fed and hydrated, a stay on the island is simply unforgettable.
I got to get right next to resting puffins and other sea birds who spend their summers in arctic locations. This was a very nice feeling and I'm not even a bird enthusiast !
6. Wild Varanger
Overall Ratings
5 based on 4 reviews
Providing unique nature and Wilderness experiences in Varanger, Arctic Norway. We create opportunities and experiences that allow you to reconnect with nature, witness wildlife spectacles and immerse yourself in local culture, meet the locals and experience local food.
Reviewed By Daniele C
Fay, Nigel, Arnt where our tour guides and they did an amazing job! The experience was really good and their help and commentary was great throughout the entire trip! Highly recommended!!!! Starting from Vardø harbour its 10 min boat ride to the impressive cliff of Hørnoya, you really feel the force of Nature here. Even if you are not a bird fanatic you will appreciate this spectacular wall of birds: puffins, kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills.
Once we got there we dived into the arctic water whit our special suite that keep you warm and dry. When you put on yourgoggless and your mask and you look under water you will find your self surrounded with hundreds of guillemots swimming round you.Itt's alifetimee experience.
7. Kiberg Kystfort
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
MAB 3./513 Kiberg is a WW2 German coastal fortress, established in 1942. It was the northernmost part of Germany’s Atlantic Wall until 1944, at which point it was abandoned because of the approaching Soviet army. Kiberg was furnished with super heavy batteries – 3 280 mm naval guns. The fortress is situated at Kibergsneset – which is also the easternmost point of Norway’s Mainland.
Reviewed By Sergey K - Naryan-Mar, Russia
В районе деревни Киберг (менее 20 км. от Варде) находится множество оставшихся со времен Второй мировой войны береговых укреплений. Все это подготовлено для туристов, есть дорожки и обозначения - название типа укрепления, какое орудие здесь стояло. Очень интересно, кроме того открываются великолепные виды на море и близлежащие окрестности.
8. The Partisan Museum
Overall Ratings
5 based on 8 reviews
The Partisan Museum is dedicated to the history and memory of the men and women of the WWII resistance in Norway’s far north. The partisans, many of them from Kiberg, escaped across the Soviet border at the beginning of the war, and were educated there and later reported to the Soviets when they secretely returned to Finnmark.
Reviewed By Ingeborg56 - Oslo, Norway
Interessant og fin beskrivelse av en historie som er ukjent for de fleste. Dessuten likte jeg godt at stedet har lange åpningstider for vi har opplevd på mange andre steder i denne delen av Norge at de har svært begrenset åpningstider selv midt i høysesongen.
9. Vardo Tourist Information
Overall Ratings
4 based on 9 reviews
Reviewed By deejayeh - Kent
The tourist information has very friendly staff and a washing machine which, coupled with the very reasonable price for a wash, proved a bonus for us as we were visiting in a motorhome.
Beyond that the information given was excellent and a very good map of the national park was available free of charge.
Do drop in if you are around Vardo; a welcome awaits and the home made waffles were excellent value as well.
10. The Pomor Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 9 reviews
Established in 1894, the museum is the oldest in Finnmark. We have Exhibitions relating to the old pomor trade between Norway and the White Sea region
Reviewed By deejayeh - Kent
We struggled with the museum as the opening hours were definitely a bit hit and miss but, once we had got in, we enjoyed the visit. The downside was that we were rushed out as the museum was about to close again.
What we did discover though was the fascinating history of the interaction of Russian and Norwegians through the "Pomor Trade" which lasted until the Red Revolution caused the trade to end. Fish, wood, flour and other commodities passed through the seas to the north of Norway mainly from the Russian port of Murmansk.
Worth a visit if you can decode the opening hours. English translations are available.
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