The last city in Norway on the coastal-steamer route, the town of Kirkenes 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 Russian border 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, 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.
880 mi/1,415 km northeast of Oslo.