At the far northeastern edge of Norway, surrounded by Arctic country.
The snowstorms are fierce here, but hearts are big, even towards the town's only tree which is wrapped and cared for throughout the winter.
The town is known for its colourful houses and frequent festivals. One of them is Yukigassen, a snowball-fighting festival with teams from the four neighbouring polar countries that border each other in the North Pole.
In Vardø, they have fought against many forces, and you will find the world's northernmost fortress here. From the star-shaped Vardøhus fortress, you can see far beyond the Barents Sea over to Russia. This is where Domen (The Witches' Mountain) is.
The fishing fleet passes on its way to and from the open sea here, and the island of Hornøya, which is within rowing distance of Vardø, has one of Norway's largest seabird colonies. You can get close to the bustling birdlife either on foot or by swimming in the Arctic Ocean.
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