The last city in Norway on the coastal-steamer route, the town of Kirkenes, 880 mi/1,415 km northeast of Oslo, is the beginning or end point for anyone taking the entire coastal voyage.
If you have time, take a 5-mi/8-km cab ride through Norway's "lake country" tundra to the border with Russia and step across the once-forbidden crossing point. At a small tourist shop there you can buy old Soviet stamps.
In the town itself, stop by the Grenseland Museum (http://www.sor-varanger.museum.no), with displays on the history and geography of the region. Kirkenes lies far enough north to observe the midnight sun. At the right time of year, you can take a midnight stroll through the local graveyard ... in broad daylight.
