Finnmark is vast and barren country—it's the coldest and least populated region in Norway. The Finnmarksvidda Plateau dominates the interior, while the coastal areas on the Barents Sea are mostly rugged fjords and inlets. All in all, Finnmark has five national parks and a wealth of opportunities to get off the beaten path (far off).

The most visited tourist attraction in Finnmark is the North Cape (Nordkapp), often referred to as the northernmost point on mainland Europe. Travelers flock to the viewpoint perched 300 meters over the Arctic Ocean and imagine nothing but the North Pole in front of them (and Svalbard). In reality, the neighboring point to the west Knivskjellodden is 1,500 meters farther north, but this distinction isn’t important (or known) to many of those taking in the beautiful surroundings.

For adventure seekers, Finnmark's Seiland National Park (on an island near Hammerfest) has fjords and the two northernmost glaciers in Scandanavia. Stabbursdalen National Park is home to the world's northernmost pine forest. The Pasvik Valley in Øvre Pasvik National Park has Norway’s largest population of brown bears (other Finnmark wildlife includes reindeer, lynx, wolverines, and the endangered Arctic fox). Varangerhalvøya National Park is part of the largest area on the Norwegian mainland within the Arctic climate zone. And Øvre Anarjohka National Park borders Lemmenjoki National Park in Finland to form a massive swath of undisturbed northern terrain.