Here, you will embark on two dedicated Northern Lights … The Arctic Circle Train follows a unique round-trip route with 13 stops in Sweden and Norway, allowing day and overnight passengers the chance to enjoy this scenic route where, depending on the season you can experience the Northern Lights or Midnight Sun. It was sad saying goodbye to our incredible fjord views but we were ecstatic to have finally ticked the Arctic Circle off our bucket list. We’re huge fans of road trips and have driven rental cars in over 40 countries so we have a lot of experience renting cars in foreign countries. When is the best time to visit the North Pole and Arctic Circle? Required fields are marked *. Our GPS was predicting a 14 hour drive including some sightseeing stops. Learn what its like to visit Tromso, Norway in winter. The only noise was the occasional passing car and the chirping of birds as they played in the eternal sunset. It was still very much daylight and the birds were still singing in the trees. At the Arctic Circle it can be seen for about a month, whereas at the North Pole itself, the sun can be seen continuously for 6 months, weather permitting. Cutting through the middle of Nordland, the road runs the length of Norway and we were on this road for the majority of our final 3 days in Norway! It was great visiting the the northernmost tip of continental Norway and experiencing 24 hour long days. Watching whales and porpoises at 2am in the morning was very unique. Although it is the main road to Northern Norway, the E6 snakes north slowly, twisting and turning to the contours of the rugged, yet immensely beautiful countryside. One place I’d always wanted to visit in Norway was Tromso. In general, modifications to your car such as snow tires and other cold-weather adaptations are necessary in order to ensure your safety. From May through the beginning of October, you can also visit the famous Arctic Circle Centre by traveling on the E6 highway and exiting at the town of Saltfjellet. It was great visiting the the northernmost tip of continental Norway and experiencing 24 hour long days. There are two places in Helgeland where you can easily cross the Arctic Circle your self, by the mainroad, and by the costal road north from Mo i Rana. There is no direct connection from Tromsø to Arctic Circle Centre. By late morning we reached the outskirts of Trondheim and stopped for some snacks and a quick power nap. A line of rock pillars stretched into the horizon on either side marking the invisible Arctic Circle line of latitude. Since leaving Bud four days previous we had driven over 2,000 km, visited the Arctic Circle, seen two amazing and lesser known UNESCO World Heritage sights and had a crazy amount of fun. The Centre also has its own post office, where all postcards are franked with the Arctic Circle postmark. Book your car now with RentalCars.com, where you will find the best rental car prices, Click here for the best rental car prices. What is the Arctic Circle anyway? Our route took us from Bud in the Northern Fjordland region of Norway, across the magnificent Atlantic Road, through Trondheim and then up the long and winding road north to the Arctic Circle. On the trip back to Oslo we visited two amazing UNESCO world heritage sites: a 12 hour detour to the Vega Islands archipelago and a stop at the historic mining town of Røros, both unplanned but hey, it worked out well for us! The polar night and the midnight sun phenomena can be observed to the north of the Arctic Circle. Because of the harsh climate, areas above the Arctic Circle are low-populated, with the majority of people living along ice-free coastal areas. An adventure story including tips and insights. Visit royalcaribbean.com to get information on Arctic Circle (Cruising), Norway cruises, including things to do, dining, ports of call, cruise ships, shore excursions We could have spent hours at the Arctic Circle simply staring at the sky with its rich and never ending sunset however by 1am we both knew that we needed to leave and get some sleep! The scenery did change but it was for the better and we passed many picturesque villages and houses as we cruised on northwards. The highlight of the drive was the road itself. The relentless twists of the road meant we had to take frequent breaks to rest and snack but we continued on for the afternoon. We were aiming to reach the town of Mo I Rana, just south of the Arctic circle, by early evening and arrange a cabin for the night. Arctic Fjords & Coastal Highlights Extensive Cruise package, with 4 nights Hurtigruten cruise from Tromso to Bergen, the Trollfjord, land excursion across the Lofoten Islands, the spectacular Helgeland coast, land excursion across the amazing Atlantic Ocean road, the Norway in a Nutshell trip from Bergen to Oslo, with Fjord cruise on the UNESCO Naeroyfjord, Flam railway and Bergen line. 2am at our cabin in Mo I Rana. For more Norway adventures check our our Norway page here! The entire journey takes approx. Driving conditions are really good with extremely good quality roads throughout the entire country. It’s worth setting aside a few hours to marvel at this amazing structure which was voted Norway’s engineering feat of the century! Great article, wife and plan to do similar. The stunning UNESCO inscribed Vega Islands, A step back in time at Roros, a UNESCO Mining Town. This one most definitely led to an amazing adventure! The Arctic Circle Centre is along the E6 Highway, which runs from Malmo in Sweden through to the Norwegian-Russian Border. Copyright © 2020 ALL IMAGES AND CONTENT ON THIS WEBSITE ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT © BY THEWHOLEWORLDISAPLAYGROUND.COM. The Arctic Circle Monument at Vikingen, north of Tonnes in Rodøy municipality, is a well-known navigational aid for marine traffic along the shipping lane, and is very visible and well lit up. You can cross the Arctic Circle at Saltfjellet in Rana municipality, by following the E6 from Mo i Rana for about 80 kilometres (50 miles). In Norway, you can find the line of the Arctic Circle 50 miles north of Mo i Rana, and 43 miles south of Fauske. a quick 12 hour detour to the UNESCO inscribed Vega Islands, a 12 hour detour to the Vega Islands archipelago, ALL IMAGES AND CONTENT ON THIS WEBSITE ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT © BY THEWHOLEWORLDISAPLAYGROUND.COM. We'll send you our newsletter with lots of tips, travel and inspiration as we make our way around the globe! Pictures of steep mountains, deep fjords and the midnight sun have made people want to drop everything and book a ticket to the archipelago located far above the Arctic Circle. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The plan was to take shifts of driving, swapping when the other got tired and repeating this system until we made it to the Arctic Circle. Note that the Acrtic Circle Centre is closed during winter. You can also get your own Arctic Circle certificate. Up and back by car, might go up by train or bus or maybe fly and drive back, on the other hand round trip sounds fun. In its cinema, you can watch the multimedia show 'Welcome to the Arctic', which presents fantastic images and music from the Arctic Circle region. Terje Rakke, Nordic Life - Visit Helgeland, 66°33' North, and referes to where the sun doesn't set mid summer and doesn't rise mid winter. The Arctic Circle in Norway: the Magical Frontier Stunning adventures await above the Arctic Circle in Norway! Cross the Arctic Circle and hunt the Northern Lights in winter, or enjoy 24 hours of daylight under the Midnight Sun in summer Spring and Autumn voyages showcase the brilliant colours, magical light and fascinating culture of Arctic Norway Book today! Re: road trip to artic circle 6 years ago Trondheim - Mo i Rana is a 7 hours non-stop drive and the Polar Circle Centre is a further 1h 15m drive onwards. It takes approximately 20h 47m to drive from Bergen to Arctic Circle. How did that happen? by David | Sep 14, 2016 | Blog, Europe, Latest Posts, Norway, Road Trips. The Earth 's surface copyright © 2020 all IMAGES and CONTENT on this self drive across,... Rock pillars stretched into the horizon on either side marking the invisible CircleÂ! 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