Narwik

Winter, from about December to March, brings snow, skiing and the best chance of northern lights. The sun does not rise at all from early December to early January. Spring skiing continues into April and May, when the days get long fast. Summer is cool and often rainy, but the midnight sun shines from late May to about 20 July, which is the best time for hiking.

The biggest event is the Winter Festival (Vinterfestuka) every March. It celebrates the navvies who built the railway, with about 200 events and many locals in old work costumes.

Narvik's sights are mostly about the mountains, the railway and the war. The centre is compact, and the gondola is a short bus ride away.

• Narvikfjellet is the mountain right above the town. A gondola takes about four minutes to the upper station at 656 m, with a restaurant and a wide view over the Ofotfjord. It runs all year: for skiing in winter, and for hiking and the midnight sun in summer.
• Narvik War Museum tells the story of the 1940 fighting for Narvik and of life under German occupation. It shows weapons, models, films and personal objects, and has texts in Norwegian and English.
• Narvik Museum is in the former railway head office from 1902. It covers the building of the Ofoten Line, the iron-ore company and the growth of the harbour.
• Hålogaland Bridge crosses the Rombaksfjord just north of town. Opened in 2018, it has the second-longest bridge span in Norway, and it looks best from the fjord shore or the gondola.
• Narvik kirke is a stone church from 1925, a short walk west of the centre. It is the town's main church and seats about 700 people.
• The ore harbour is the reason Narvik exists. You can watch long ore trains unload and large ships load from the streets near the station.

Narvik's best moments happen outdoors, and many depend on the season.

• Northern lights from the mountain: On clear winter evenings, ride the gondola up Narvikfjellet and watch the sky away from the town lights.
• Ski with a fjord view: The slopes on the mountain drop towards the sea. Narvik will host the Alpine World Ski Championships in 2029.
• Ride the Ofoten Line: The train climbs from the fjord to the Swedish border through tunnels and along steep slopes. In summer, a tourist train, the Arctic Train, also runs round trips to Bjørnfjell at the border.
• Hike the Navvies' Road (Rallarveien): This old construction road follows the railway down from the border. Take the train to Riksgränsen or Bjørnfjell and walk about 16–19 km down to Rombaksbotn, at the end of the fjord. From July to mid-September a boat and bus bring you back to Narvik.
• Midnight sun hike: From late May to late July there is daylight all night, so you can walk the mountain trails at midnight in full daylight.

The Ofoten Line makes the Swedish mountains an easy day out. Book train seats with SJ, and check the timetable first, as there are only a few trains a day.

• Riksgränsen — about 45 minutes by train. This ski resort sits right on the border, with skiing into early summer and wide views over the mountains.
• Abisko — about 1.5 hours by train. The village is the gateway to Abisko National Park, with easy trails, a canyon and the famous U-shaped valley of Lapporten. It is also known for clear skies and the northern lights.
• Kiruna — about 3 hours by train. The town has a huge iron-ore mine, where the ore on Narvik's trains is mined. It makes a long day trip, so many visitors stay a night.

Narvik sits between the islands of the Norwegian coast and the mountains of Swedish Lapland.

• Along the coast: Harstad shares Narvik's airport, and Vesterålen lies beyond it.
• Lofoten: Svolvær is the main town of the islands, and the fishing villages Henningsvær and Reine are further out.
• Further north and south: Tromsø is the largest city in Northern Norway, and Bodø is the gateway to the south.
• Across the border: Riksgränsen, Abisko and Kiruna are on the railway into Sweden.

• By air: Harstad/Narvik Airport Evenes is about 1 hour away. The Flybussen airport bus meets most flights and stops in the centre and at some hotels; pay on board or at flybussen.no.
• By train: Narvik has no rail link to the rest of Norway. SJ trains on the Ofoten Line run once or twice a day to Kiruna (about 3 hours) and on to Luleå. SJ also runs a night train between Narvik and Stockholm; at times the service needs a change in Boden, so check SJ when booking.
• By bus: Regional buses leave from the bus terminal in the Amfi Malmporten shopping centre. Bus 100 runs to Tromsø two to four times a day, and bus 300 runs to Svolvær in Lofoten in about 4 hours. Reis Nordland

• On foot: The centre is small and easy to walk, but the streets climb steeply from the harbour. In winter, wear shoes with good grip or ice spikes.
• Bus: City buses run to the gondola and the suburbs. Buy tickets in the Reis app, or pay by bank card on board. Reis Nordland
• Taxi: Taxis are available but expensive; a taxi is handy for the gondola station on a cold evening.
• Visitor information: Visit Narvik

• Is a car worth it?: Not for the town itself, which you can walk, and the railway covers the Swedish side. A car helps for the coast, Vesterålen and Lofoten.
• Winter roads: Snow and ice are normal from autumn to spring. The E10 mountain pass to Sweden at Bjørnfjell can need convoy driving or close in bad weather, so check road status before you go.
• Tolls: The Hålogaland Bridge on the E6 north of town has a toll. Payment is automatic by number plate.
• Parking: Parking in the centre is mostly paid. Hotels often have their own parking.

Narvik eats like the rest of Northern Norway. Look for fresh cod in winter, Arctic char, and reindeer on many menus.

Most cafés and restaurants are in the centre, along Kongens gate and around the Amfi shopping centre. For a meal with a view, eat at the mountain restaurant at the top of the gondola, especially at sunset or under the midnight sun.

Narvik is very safe, and crime against visitors is rare. The real risks come from the weather and the terrain.

• Cold and ice: Winter days are dark and cold, and pavements are often icy. Dress in warm layers and use ice spikes on your shoes.
• Mountains: Weather on the mountain changes fast. Stay on marked trails, and never ski off-piste without avalanche gear and local advice.
• Tap water: Safe to drink.

Narvik was a small settlement until the Ofoten Line opened in 1902. The railway was built so that Swedish iron ore from Kiruna could reach an ice-free port. The town grew up around the harbour, and Narvik Museum now fills the old railway head office. Navvies built the line largely by hand, and their road through the mountains is still a popular hike.

The ore made Narvik a target in 1940. German troops landed here on 9 April, and British warships attacked in two naval battles on 10 and 13 April. Ten German destroyers were sunk, and some wrecks still lie in the fjord. Norwegian, British, French and Polish troops retook the town on 28 May, the first major Allied victory on land in the war. They left again in early June, because the Allies needed their troops in France. Narvik War Museum tells the full story, including the hardship of the occupation that followed.

Quick practical facts for Norway at a glance: