Far to the north and furthest to the east in Norway, where the sky meets the sea, the road follows the coast towards the ice-cold Barents Sea. The road along the Varanger peninsula begins among the sheltered birch forests and bogs of Varangerbotn and ends in a lunar landscape of jagged cliffs at the world's end.

In the Arctic there is no space between the sea and the mountains. During the short summer Siberian heat can suddenly replace freezing sea fog and the days never end. Raging storms ravage the winter nights.

Fishing, migrations and trade have made Varanger an Arctic melting pot of peoples and cultures. The proximity to Russia with the Pomor trade, Finnish immigration and Sami traditions are evident in contrasting expressions and an exciting cultural history.

In the 17th century, witches were being brought to trial all over Europe and Vardø was the part of Norway where most condemned witches were burned. To commemorate these dark deeds, a memorial will be built here in which Louise Bourgeois' art and Peter Zumthor's architecture will convey the history of the 91 victims and their gruesome death.

National Tourist Route Varanger runs between Gornitak and Hamningberg and is 154 kilometres long.