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Visit Hammerfest
Join us on a tour of the sprawling municipality of Hammerfest and get to know the idyllic islands, towns and fishing villages that surround the city. All points can be played remotely or experienced when you are on site.
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Sørøya is known as the “Green Island in the North” due to its intense greenery in the summer. The few roads here go through a magnificent landscape, and should you choose to set out on foot, you will find good fishing lakes, idyllic small places and “lagunes” with white beaches with shells and coral sand. Throughout time, boat has been the only way to get to the islands, and to this day the road network on the island is modest. Sørøya is split between two municipalities, the north part belongs to Hammerfest municipality and the southern part to the municipality of Hasvik. Today the island stands out as an oasis for nature and outdoor enthusiasts who can find several tour companies on the island offering a broad spectrum of activities and experiences. In addition, Sørøya is a haven for wildlife, with amongst other things birds, hares, sheep, and yes, hold on, a family of arctic camels! The island is also known as the kingdom of big fish, the world's largest cod weighing in at a whopping 47 kilos was caught here off the island with a rod. So, all that is left to do is get your fishing rod out and cast into the water!
Welcome to Rypefjord! This small idyllic suburb of the Finnmark metropolis Hammerfest boasts ancient history, enterprising people and an active business community who have been very involved in the northern Norwegian oil adventure. Humans had already settled here in the Stone Age, and they lived off what nature had to offer. And that was a lot! There were fish, seals, birds, game, plants, and berries virtually outside the front door, or should we say outside the ‘gammene’ which were the first homes in Rypefjord belonging to the Sami people. Today, outdoor enthusiasts flock to this beautiful place in search of exciting experiences, and there are good opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking and skiing. Both fjord and mountain offer spectacular yet affordable experiences, for both young and old.
Now you have reached the traffic hub, Skaidi, which in Sami means “place where rivers meet”. And it is aptly named, this is where the Repparfjord river meets the Skaidi river and runs out further into the Repparfjord. The European Route 6 and the national road 94 meet here, and they can take you further on to Hammerfest, Havøysund, Alta, Lakselv, Nordkapp or Rome for that matter. Many rush past this small village, but many also choose to take a short or a long break here. The short stops are usually a pitstop at the Skaidisenteret, where both cars and people can get some care, rest, and refuel. Skaidi is nevertheless best known as Finnmark’s prime destination in both summer and winter. In the area there are around a thousand cabins and holiday homes which are regularly used, especially by the busy townspeople of Hammerfest. In fact, there are more holiday homes in Skaidi than there are inhabitants. With its fantastic scenery, Skaidi is a popular area for other visitors. In the summer many come to hike in the beautiful terrain or fish in the lakes, rivers, and fjords, whilst the area’s alpine slopes attract downhill and cross-country skiers along with snow scooter drivers in the winter. Every year cycle enthusiasts from around the world come here to take part in the popular mountain bike race, Skaidi Xtreme, with extreme classes for children, juniors, amateurs, and professionals.
Welcome to the fresh and beautiful fishing village of Forsøl. The small community of a few hundred permanent residents has a strong cohesion which is strengthened by voluntary work. The active boat association both maintains and upgrades the harbours keeping them in the best condition for both locals and tourists, and they do an excellent job! Here you can find fish practically on the doorstep, much to the delight of professional and hobby fishermen alike. The nationwide group Lerøy also run a fish receiving factory here. Forsøl is the starting point for many great hikes, one of them is the beautiful Forsøl Lake, with its rich diversity of species. Here you can find along with other things, bathing seagulls preening their feathers in the clear mountain water. By the way do you like to swim? Forsøl has possibly two of the country’s finest beaches. Both Ytter Forsøl and Kirkegårdsbukt are extremely popular outlying areas, both for locals and visitors. Around both beaches, archaeologists have found traces of house tufts and artifacts from the early Stone Age, Iron Age and Middle Ages. you can find information boards describing these findings on both beaches. In the wintertime it is popular to hunt for the northern lights along the road to Forsøl, because there is little light pollution here.
Welcome to Kvalsund! This small idyllic village was previously the centre of the municipality of the same name, but is now a part of Hammerfest municipality. Here you can find nature experiences in abundance, whether you want to explore the area’s wild nature and diverse landscapes or visit some of the spectacular mountain tops that embrace the settlement and the fjord. For those of you who want to take things a little more leisurely, you can take a stroll around the harbour and Kvalsund church. It was built in 1936 and is the only building that survived the Second World War. In the centre of the town, you will find two large stones with engravings which are said to be around 2 500 years old. Here you can also cross the Kvalsund bridge, either on foot, by cycle or with a car. The beautiful suspension bridge connects Kvalsund with Kvaløya and Hammerfest. The settlement was originally a sea Sami community founded around the primary industries. In recent times both public and service sectors and not least the mineral company and copper mine Nussir, have contributed to growth in the area and created jobs.