Harstad is a city and municipality in the county of Troms in Northern Norway. Harstad is situated on Norway's largest coastal island, Hinnøya. The region is very varied, with coastal mountains, fjords, some agriculture (dairy farming, sheep and the northernmost strawberry farming on the planet) and even a national park on the island itself - Møysalen National Park. Svolvær in Lofoten is only 2h 20 min drive south of Harstad.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]The closest airport to Harstad is Evenes Harstad/Narvik Airport (EVE IATA), which lies 45 kilometres away. This airport sees multiple daily flights from Oslo and some other Norwegian airports, as well as seasonal flights from some airports abroad. Multiple buses run daily from the airport and reach Harstad in about an hour.
The only other major airport in the vicinity is Tromsø Airport (TOS IATA), which requires a ferry to reach Harstad (see By boat below).
Evenes Airport has been ranked as having one of the top 10 airport approaches in the world. With jaw-dropping mountain views, landing or taking off at this airport is a unique experience. Stetind, Norway's national mountain is easily viewed from the aeroplane.
By boat
[edit]An express ferry (Hurtigbåt, line 2) links Harstad and Tromsø (3 hours), and takes several stops along the route, including Finnsnes. As of 2025, a ticket between Tromsø and Harstad will set you back 672kr, 295kr on Saturdays. There are 2 departures each day, except for Thursdays and Fridays when there are 4. Check with Svipper for ferry information.
Another express ferry, line 6, connects Harstad with some surrounding islands, including Kjøtta, Bjarkøy, and Krøttøy. Departures are more infrequent and for some stops they only stop by request.
The coastal route (Hurtigruten) between Bergen and Kirkenes calls in at Harstad.
By car
[edit]Driving in and around Harstad gives you flexibility in travelling around the region. Keep in mind, however, both the significant distance to Harstad from other major cities and that roads in winter can be covered in ice. If you rent a car in winter, ensure that it is equipped with winter tyres. If you plan to hire a car, Evenes Airport has a number of choices, as does Harstad city (although slightly less).
By train
[edit]The Norwegian train network does not reach Harstad. The nearest stations are that of Narvik, which is connected to the Swedish train network, or Bodø, which is the northern terminus of the Norwegian train network. From Narvik, a bus can be booked to Harstad. From Bodø, public transport is not great but possible, e.g. one can take a ferry to Lofoten, and then a bus to Harstad, or several buses via Narvik. For buses in Nordland, check the official website.
Get around
[edit]
On foot
[edit]The centre of Harstad is very walkable. Important locations such as the ferry terminal, primary bus station, and the majority of the town’s cafes and restaurants all lie within easy walking distance.
By public transport
[edit]Harstad has a surprisingly extensive bus network for a small town. Operated by Troms County’s public transport authority, Svipper. Through their app, you can search for bus timetables, stops, and purchase tickets.
Route maps are found on the official website.
By taxi
[edit]Harstad Taxi is the main taxi provider in town. Taxis can be ordered, by the app Taxifix, online or by calling. The easiest way to see the price is to input your trip either online or in the app. As of Jan 2025, the app states that you need a profile to order, but you can check the price without making a profile.
See
[edit]Aurora
[edit]Harstad lies at an optimal northern latitude for viewing the Aurora Borealis, and it can often be viewed overhead or even to the south from Harstad. To reach places with less light pollution it is most convenient to have your own car or join a tour.
- 1 Elgsnes. A village on a peninsula about 30 min drive from Harstad downtown. This is one of the best places near Harstad with limited light pollution. There is also an excellent view of the picturesque Grytøy mountains. It is easy to walk all the way out to the tip of the peninsula. The temperature here will be higher than on Aunfjell.
- 2 Aunfjellet. On the way to Elgsnes, you’ll have to go over Aunfjell, this is an elevated mountain plateau with mountain ridges blocking the light from Harstad. The temperature will be colder than on Elgsnes. On the other hand, it is only a 20min drive, and arguably even darker.
- Crossing the Swedish border to avoid clouds. Northern Norway is occasionally cloudy, and when it is cloudy, the whole coast tends to be covered. Luckily Harstad is fairly close to Riksgrensen (a 2-hr drive) and Abisko (2½ hr) in Sweden, where the weather patterns tend to be a bit different. Thus a dedicated northern lights enthusiast can make their way there in the case of cloud cover in Harstad. Note that the temperature in Riksgrensen and Abisko is significantly lower than in Harstad.
Midnight sun
[edit]A staple of the arctic in summer. As the sun tends to shine all night, a special experience can be to see the sun head down towards the horizon, touch it, and start heading back up again. The best place to see this near Harstad is Nupen.
3 Nupen. With a clear view towards the open sea towards the north, and a 25 min drive from Harstad, Nupen offers an excellent place to view the midnight sun at midnight. It has been named Norway's most romantic spot.
Town centre
[edit]- 4 Rikard Kaarbøs plass. Harstad’s town square. Named after Harstads founder Rikard Kaarbø, this square has been at the heart of the town since its founding. Most buildings here are from the early 20th century. Including the Bank building (Harstad Sparebank), which features Art nouveau and gothic architectural styles.
- 5 Galleri Nord-Norge. Art gallery which claims to present world-class thought provoking and challenging art from both Norwegian and international artists. The building was originally built in 1958 as a swimming pool and community centre, and in 2001 rebuilt to an art gallery.
- 6 Harstad Kunstforening. A small art gallery run by volunteers. They display local artists. Opening hours depend on exhibitions.
- 7 Selsbanes Seil. Norway’s tallest fountain. The fountain is named after Asbjørn Selsbane, one of the region's famous Vikings. In the dark winter months, it is lit in northern light colours.
Trondenes
[edit]The Trondenes peninsula is a protected historical area with multiple attractions covering a continuous history from the Bronze Age, including the Viking Age, up to the Cold War. It is easily reachable with a 15 min bus ride from the city centre, or a 45 min walk (see ‘stien langs sjøen’ below).
- 8 Trondenes church. The northernmost medieval stone church of Norway and the world's northernmost surviving medieval building. The area had wooden churches from 1100, and the current church was probably finished in 1440.
- 9 Trondenes historical centre, Trondenesveien 122. A museum and history centre, covering more than 2,000 years of history of the region, which was a Viking power centre. Here you can learn about the powerful local Viking king Tore Hund, who turned the tide of Norwegian history. There is also a small recreated medieval village next to the centre.
- 10 The Adolf gun. A 40.6-cm cannon, part of the WWII coastal defences, built during the German occupation. Originally designed as a naval gun, it was used as coastal defence, as the battleships it was intended for were never built. With a max range of 56 km, it could theoretically hit Narvik. Tours must be booked 48 hr ahead.
- 11 World War II prisoner camp ruins and memorial (next to the church). During world War II, about 1000 soviet prisoners were sent here. The foundations of this camp remain, and there is a memorial.
Do
[edit]- 1 Folkeparken. The town’s dedicated recreational forest. The area is full of marked trails, that are excellent for a walk through the woods. There are several lean-to shelters which serve as great places to picnic. In summer it’s nice to swim in the Grunnvannet pond. In winter the area has several prepared cross country ski trails, some of which are lit, an important detail during the polar night months. The park is easily accessible by walk (30 min) or by bus (10 min) from the town centre.
- 2 Harstad Bike Park. Claims to be a world class bike park. It includes 10 km of flow trails, a pump track, skills park and a freestyle park. There is a dedicated area for kids with a pump track and a mini skills park. If you want even more, head to the mountains, Harstad has some of the best trails for mountain biking in the country.
- 3 Harstad Kino. Harstad Cinema. Build in 1955 and designed by architect Jan Inge Hovig (most known for the Arctic Cathedral in Tromsø). Everything from the lamps to the floor pattern was designed by the architect himself. This resulted in a holistic art piece of a building. It is well worth a quick peek inside the lobby. If you wish to watch a movie there, note that there are two halls, and hall 1 has a much bigger screen than hall 2. Most movies in Norway are shown in English with Norwegian subtitles; movies for kids are dubbed.
- 4 Grottebadet. An underground water park offering tropical swimming inside the Norwegian bedrock. Includes a water slide, a wave pool, and hot tub among other things.
- 5 Stien langs sjøen (the start of the trail is found next to the dock below the Trondenes historic centre). "The trail along the sea" is a trail going from Trondenes historic centre towards Harstad. This is a pleasant coastal walk. It can be combined with walking between Trondenes and Harstad.
- Vågsfjord. The Vågsfjord area outside Harstad is a wide and fairly sheltered bay with many small and large islands, some with mountains up to 1,200 m (4200 ft) above sea level, and with a view to Senja island as well as to the mainland. The fishing is usually excellent.
- Anna Rogde. An authentic sailing schooner, which makes out on the fjord.
- Golf course. Play golf in the midnight sun, if you time right.
- Gamnes Gård.
Buy
[edit]- Smoked salmon is a good local product
- Strawberries, if you are here in the season (roughly mid-July to mid-August). The locals claim that these strawberries are the sweetest there is due to the unique environment – slow ripening in mostly not to warm summer temperatures in 24-hr daylight.
Eat
[edit]- Peppe's Pizza – popular pizza chain in Norway
- Dolly Dimple's – popular pizza chain in Norway
- Milano. You can try pizzas, hamburgers and kebabs at this Italian restaurant.
Drink
[edit]There are several pubs which get quite lively Friday and Saturday nights, and also some places with dancing floor.
Sleep
[edit]There are several hotels in Harstad, as well as camping facilities.
- 1 [dead link] Gullhaugen pensjonat, St Olavs gate 83 9406 Harstad, ☏ +47 77 06 64 66. Double: from kr 600, Single: from kr 400, discount for students.
- 2 [formerly dead link] Harstad Camping, Nessevegen 55, ☏ +47 77 07 36 62. Tent: kr 190, Cabin: kr 450-1200, Bed linen: kr 80-100.
- 3 Rica Hotel, Strandgata 9, ☏ +47 77 00 30 00.
- 4 Thon Hotel, Sjøgata 11, ☏ +47 77 00 08 00, [email protected].
- 5 [dead link] Clarion Collection Hotel Arcticus, Havnegata 3, ☏ +47 77 04 08 00.
Go next
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