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ALTA MUSEUM

ANCIENT ROCK CARVINGS

/ Photo: Lacey Johnson

The town of the Northern Lights is the natural starting point for an arctic adventure. Only two hours flight from Oslo, you can experience fjords, northern lights, mountains, North Cape, wilderness, quietness, sami people, reindeer and the hospitality of the people in Finnmark.

Adventures

There is a world of adventure awaiting you in Alta - all framed against the brilliant blue light and contrasts which are so distinctive of Finnmark in the middle of winter. The world\\\\\\\'s first Northern Light observatory was built here at the end of the 19th century and has earned Alta the name of the town of Northern Lights.

Alta has three centers: Bossekop with old trading and market traditions, Elvebakken in the east, with an airport and harbor, and the city of Alta itself, the newest of the three, with pedestrian shopping precincts and malls.

The town is one of North Norway\\\\\\\'s largest educational and research centers and is home to Finnmark Municipal University, with approximately 2,000 students.

The administrative center of Alta spans 3,840 km2 from east to west, and is located at the head of the Altafjord by the mouth of the Altaelva river. The borough of Alta encompasses the isle of Stjernoya rich in minerals, the beautiful Langfjorden and the cozy fishing villages on the banks of the Altafjord.

There are 17,350 (1th of January 2003) inhabitants in the entire borough, of which 15,000 live in the town itself. Alta is a center of commerce and services serving all of western Finnmark and northern Troms.

There is a world of adventure awaiting you in Alta. Try some of the activities with daily departures such as a guided tour to Alta Museum and Paeskatun slate quarry, sami adventures, riverboat trips, exploration of husky life,or the Alta canyon.