Havilla 6-19 January 2024, 11 January

This morning we arrive in Harstad. It is the economic centre of the region. Many jobs in the municipality are in the military and public administration. In the private sector, retail, tourism and gastronomy are the largest employers. Several oil and gas companies are based in Harstad. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Trondenes, about three kilometres north of Harstad, is the northernmost medieval stone church in the world. The church was built between the 13th and 15th centuries. The church was built in the 18th century, but the exact construction date is unknown. We continue to Finnsnes, Thromsø. The landmark of Tromsø is the Arctic Cathedral, the most striking and modern church in Norway. It was built in 1965 at the end of the Tromsøbrua in the Tromsdalen district and has the largest glass mosaic window in Europe. Not far from this church is the valley station of the Fjellheisen cable car to Storstein, Tromsø's local mountain. At 418 m above sea level, the summit of the mountain offers an impressive view of the city, the fjord and the surrounding island and mountain landscape. During dinner the ship leaves Tromsø, heading for Skjervøy, Øksfjord and Hammerfest.