Making the most of Hammerfest
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Hammerfest is the world’s northernmost town.
The dock is walkable from town, or ships may use Fuglenes, about a mile away. Instead of berthing at Fuglenes, ships occasionally anchor and tender passengers to the dock in the town centre.
The name “Hammerfest” means “mooring place”, referring to the natural harbour formed by mountain crags; thanks to the Gulf Stream, it remains remarkably ice free all year.
Bring a printable map.
Hammerfest, the world’s northernmost town, is among North Norway’s key travel destinations and welcomes over 250,000 tourists each year. Its borough has approx. 9200 inhabitants and covers about 844 km2, including parts of Sørøya, Kvaløya and Seiland. Since gaining city status in 1789, it has been the region’s natural centre. Fishing, fish processing, the Snøhvit field (LNG), service industries and tourism characterise local trade and industry.
The Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society (Isbjørnklubben) explains Hammerfest’s Arctic hunting and trading past. Visitors can join the society and receive a certificate.
- The Meridian Column is a handsome memorial in Hammerfest’s Fuglenes area, erected in 1856 to mark the first project measuring the earth’s exact size and shape.
- Music pavilion: this example of old Hammerfest’s fine architecture was built by local artists Eva and Knut Arnesen.
- The reconstruction museum presents a modern, engaging exhibition about the forced evacuation and “scorched earth” policy in Finnmark and north Troms during World War II, and the counties’ post-war reconstruction.
Money
Norway’s currency is the Norwegian crown (norske krone), abbreviated kr. An øre is 1/100th of a krone. 1.00 EUR = about 8 NOK.
Norwegian ATMs are known as Minibank.
Almost every store takes major credit cards, including Mastercard and Visa. Carry your passport/driver’s license, as identification is required when paying by credit card.
Staying connected
Norwegian is Norway’s official language. It is very close to, and mutually intelligible with, the other two Scandinavian languages; English is widely spoken.
Most Norwegian homes have some form of internet connection, often broadband, so Cybercafés are difficult to find outside larger cities because the market is relatively small. Most public libraries provide free public internet access. WiFi is available in many places, but not free.
Opening Hours and
Norwegian opening hours have improved, although many smaller shops still shut early on Saturday, typically at 1 PM or 3 PM, and almost everything closes on Sundays. Door signs often show “9-21 (9-18)”, which means 9 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 6 PM on Saturday.