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Norway is arguably best equipped with the infrastructure necessary to provide tourists with relatively easy access to visitor attractions located within the Arctic Circle. In fact, one of the most famous of all Arctic Circle landmarks is Nordkapp, or North Cape (pictured), a headland on the northern coast of the island of Magerøya in Northern Norway. A monumental globe marks the northernmost point of the European continental mainland.
The Lofoten archipelago lies within the Arctic Circle. The islands, set in sheltered bays, are surrounded by some truly majestic mountains and peaks.
Senja Island and the Øyfjorden seen from the summit of Grytetippen. Senja is the second-largest island in Norway (outside of the Svalbard archipelago) and sits above the Arctic Circle.
Incredibly, this tropical-looking beach is located far above the Arctic Circle, at Bleik Bay on the island of Andøya in Vesterålen.
Blåisvatnet Lake is one of the most spectacular bodies of water in Norway. It's found within the Arctic Circle hiding away in the country's remote Lyngenfjord region.
Sommarøy Island is another Arctic Circle destination that thinks it's in the tropics! Located about 36 km (22 mi) west of the city of Tromsø, the island and its powder-like beaches are a popular summer hotspot.
Tromsø is the third-largest city north of the Arctic Circle anywhere in the world (following Murmansk and Norilsk, both in Russia). In mid-winter, Tromsø enjoys just three hours of daylight, from 10am to 1pm. In fact, it's known as the Norwegian town where the sun doesn't rise.
Two-thirds of Greenland lies within the Arctic Circle, and the island's northern extremity extends to within less than 800 km (500 mi) of the North Pole. The largest town in western Greenland, Ilulissat is the Kalaallisut word for "Icebergs."
Ilulissat Icefjord is a spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Site. But this beautiful natural phenomenon is in danger of being someday lost forever. According to World Heritage Outlook: "Climate change will seriously affect the site's values in the future and will result in significant changes in the glacial landscape, as well as in vegetation and animal habitats."
Finland's Lapland enjoys an enchanting reputation as the home of Santa Claus, at least for Europeans. It's also called the land of the midnight sun and the polar night. The region's Arctic Circle credentials extend to boasting some of the most spectacular displays of the aurora borealis, or northern lights, seen anywhere.
The 1,029-m (3,376 ft) summit of the Saana fell is a well-known natural wonder. It stands over Lake Tsahkaljärvi in Finland's Lapland, and is reached by following the Arctic Trail.
Murmansk is the world's largest city north of the Arctic Circle, and is a major Arctic Ocean port. Visitor attractions include the mighty Alyosha Monument, erected in 1974 to commemorate the Soviet soldiers, sailors, and airmen who fell during the Second World War.
Similarly, Murmansk's Lighthouse Monument serves as a memorial to all those lost at sea.
Located in the Murmansk area is the Kandalaksha Nature Reserve. The reserve was created in 1932 to protect the marine habitats and waterfowl of the region, particularly the common eider (pictured), a sea-duck. Eiderdown has long been harvested for filling pillows and quilts, but in more recent years has been largely replaced by down from domestic farm geese and synthetic alternatives.
Much of Alaska's Seward Peninsula is part of the Bering Land Bridge Preserve, administered by the National Park Service. The northern edge of the peninsula, where it dips into the Beaufort Sea, falls within the Arctic Circle.
Fancy an Alaska road trip into the Arctic Circle? Then follow the 666-km (414-mi) Dalton Highway from Fairbanks to Deadhorse near the Arctic Ocean.
The Arctic Circle passes through Selawik Lake, which is adjacent to the Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, a haven for wildlife species including caribou, the Canadian lynx, mink, and roving wolf packs.
Canada's only all-season public road to cross the Arctic Circle, the Dempster Highway is 740 km (458 mi) of unpaved road that traverses some of the most beautifully stark and forbidding landscapes to connect the Canadian road network with the Arctic Ocean.
The lake's name originated from the indigenous Chipewyan language word satudene, meaning "grizzly bear water people." And yes, bears do frequent its clear, alpine fresh waters.
The northern edge of Great Bear Lake in Canada's Northwest Territories is set within the Arctic Circle.
Baffin Island's splendid Auyuittuq National Park is an Arctic wilderness of fjords, glaciers, and ice fields. Pictured is the awe-inspiring Akshayuk Pass.
Sources: (The Atlantic) (Smithsonian Magazine) (Britannica) (World Heritage Outlook) (Carbon Brief)
See also: The best Rocky Mountain selfie hotspots
Kangerlussuaq offers easy access to the Greenland ice sheet, but this too is on the brink of a tipping point, with new models suggesting faster melting of this, the second-largest mass of ice on Earth, holding enough water to raise global sea levels by 7.2 m (23.62 ft).
This small Icelandic island straddles the Arctic Circle, a feature of interest to many visitors as the entirety of mainland Iceland lies south of the polar boundary. The island is home to numerous seabirds, especially auks, puffins, and Arctic terns.
Grímsey has marked its place on the border of the ever-shifting Arctic Circle by using a huge concrete sphere. The Arctic Circle is defined by the tilt of the Earth toward or away from the sun. The theory is that when it does so, the near nine-ton sphere, called Orbis et Globus (which translates to "Circle and Sphere"), will move in tune with the shift.
For its part, the church in Jukkasjärvi, Norrbotten County, built of wood, is the oldest building in the village, dating back to 1607–8.
Kiruna in Norrbotten County is the northernmost town in Sweden. The county lies within the Lapland region, which borders Norway and Finland. The Arctic Circle crosses Lapland, so polar phenomena such as the midnight sun and the polar night can be seen across many areas.
Kiruna is renowned for its church. Consecrated in 1912, the interior features an altar built in the Art Nouveau style. The building is often spoken of as being "the Shrine of the Nomadic people."
The Arctic Circle crosses the northern end of the runway at Rovaniemi Airport, which serves the town of Rovaniemi located 10 km (6 mi) to the south. Rovaniemi is the gateway to the village of Santa Claus in Lapland.
The second-largest city within the Arctic Circle is also the world's northernmost. Indeed, Norilsk sits in a continuous permafrost zone and has experienced winter temperatures as low as -53°C (-63°F).
Stetind near Narvik in Norland County is regarded as Norway's "National Mountain" and is one of the most recognized of all the natural wonders found above the Arctic Circle.
The land within the Arctic Circle is divided among eight countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, the United States (Alaska), Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut), Greenland, and Iceland. This imaginary geographic line that circles the top of the globe encloses some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth, much of it untouched wilderness. So if you're an adventurous traveler, isn't it about time you headed north?
Click through and square the circle with this handy guide of where to go and what to see.
What's to see within the Arctic Circle?
Head north and find out!
TRAVEL World
The land within the Arctic Circle is divided among eight countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, the United States (Alaska), Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut), Greenland, and Iceland. This imaginary geographic line that circles the top of the globe encloses some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth, much of it untouched wilderness. So if you're an adventurous traveler, isn't it about time you headed north?
Click through and square the circle with this handy guide of where to go and what to see.