Nordkapp

Nordkapp is the one attraction in northern Norway that everybody seems to visit. It is a tourist trap, however – billing itself as the northernmost point in continental Europe, it sucks in visitors by the busload – some 200,000 every year.

Nearer to the North Pole than to Oslo, Nordkapp sits at latitude 71°10'21" N, where the sun never drops below the horizon from mid-May to the end of July. Long before other Europeans took an interest, it was a sacrificial site for the Sami, who believed it had special powers.

Yes, it's a rip-off, but Nordkapp is a stunning, hauntingly beautiful place. Even after the novelty wears off, it's the view that thrills the most. In reasonable weather you can gaze down at the wild surf more than 300m below, watch the mists roll in and simply enjoy the moment.