Vardø is Norway’s easternmost town, sitting on a windswept Vardøya island in the Barents Sea. Connected to the mainland by an undersea tunnel, this small Arctic community feels like the end of the world – remote, raw, and full of history. We were lucky enough to visit it in the middle of the summer with 20+ degrees Celsius to have a great experience and enjoy our time there without the freezing cold. But if you like the cold and love the Northern Lights, it is the place to be in the winter season.
Where is Vardø?
Vardø is located in the far northeast of Norway, in the county of Troms og Finnmark. It sits on Vardøya island in the Barents Sea, just off the coast of the Varanger Peninsula. The island is connected to the mainland by Norway’s oldest undersea tunnel, the 2.9-kilometer-long Vardø Tunnel. Vardø lies further east than Istanbul and Saint Petersburg, making it the easternmost town in Norway and the Schengen Area.
Why Visit Vardø?
Vardø offers a rare mix of Arctic nature, dramatic history, and remote beauty. It’s a place where you can walk through silent tundra, explore haunting memorials, and watch thousands of seabirds nesting on cliffs. The town tells powerful stories – from the dark days of the witch trials to the Cold War era radar stations. Street art covers abandoned buildings, giving the island a strange mix of decay and creativity. If you’re drawn to the edges of the map and want to see a side of Norway that few people visit, Vardø is worth the journey. You don’t come here for comfort. You come for the atmosphere. It’s wild, lonely, and unforgettable.
Top Things to Do
1. Steilneset Memorial
Photo: varangermuseum.no
This powerful memorial, a long wooden hall with glowing lamps honoring the 91 victims of the 17th‑century witch trials. The installation, by artist Louise Bourgeois and architect Peter Zumthor, is eerie and poetic. Includes Bourgeois’s mirrored glass pavilion with a single burning chair – haunting and reflective.
3. Hornøya Bird Cliff & Lighthouse
4. Renøysund batteri
Renøysund Bunker sits on the western edge of Vardøya island. Built by German forces during WWII (1941–44) as part of coastal defense, it forms a hidden network of bunkers, tunnels, and gun emplacements carved into the hill. Inside, you’ll find concrete corridors linking ammunition rooms, command posts, and shelter areas used by roughly 90 soldiers to defend against naval attacks.
5. Vardøhus Fortress
It is claimed to be the world’s northernmost fortress and border guard in the north dating back to the Middle Ages. The fortress is open to the public and houses a museum that conveys Vardøhus’s role in Norwegian defense, administrative and cultural history. Small, but historic, with great views over the sea.
Check out more information on their homepage.
6. Vardø Lighthouse
It sits on the northern tip of Vardøya Island. It marks the end of a picturesque 2.9 km trail from the town of Vardø.
The lighthouse stands at about 36 m above sea level, visible across the Bussesundet strait. It guided coastal traffic and wartime shipping.
Today, you can walk the gravel path, explore bunker ruins, and reach the lighthouse for panoramic sea views. It’s a perfect stop combining history, nature, and seascape mid-walk.
7. The Street Art
The island is seasoned with murals and sculptures. There are some large murals on decaying buildings, commissioned since 2012 via the Komafest project. In town you can spot multiple sculptures like The Walrus or The Fisherman Statue. Town now doubles as an outdoor street‑art gallery.
8. Vardø Church
It was built in 1958 after the original church, dating back to the 1700s, which was destroyed during World War II.
The design is modernist, with clean lines and a tall, narrow steeple. Inside, the atmosphere is calm and bright, with wood details and a large altar painting.
The church is still active and used for local services and events. It stands as a quiet symbol of resilience and community in Norway’s northeasternmost town.
9. Stille Rom
The Stille rom (“quiet room”) on Vardøya Island is a serene retreat tucked away on the Skagen point, it was designed by architect Bodvar Schjelderup. The seven‑sided structure, shaped as a star reflecting spiritual and mathematical symbolism, sits just off the gravel trail. If it is not open, you can still peep inside through the windows. But there’s a phone number you can call if you wish to spend some time in there.
10. Take a walk in the tundra
Practical Info
- How to Get There:You can either drive to Vardø through the undersea tunnel or take a Hurtigruten Cruise.
- Parking:As the island is small, you can park in town and walk everywhere. There are also some parking options outside the town.
- Where to Stay:A few guesthouses and hotels exist. If you are travelling by camper, there are limited options. There are some designated spots for the campers, and this one free camping spot (Google Maps link) just outside the town.
- Best Time to Visit:Summer (June–August) for birds and midnight sun. Winter for snow activities and Northern Lights.
- Food & Supplies:There’s a nice size Rema 1000 and a couple of cafes.
Good to Know
- Vardø is very windy. Always bring a windproof jacket.
- English is widely spoken as in rest of Norway.
- The island is small – you can walk across it in an hour. But there is much to see, so take a day or two to explore it thoroughly.
