Varanger · Norway
Åpenvik rest area · south shore of the Varangerfjord
Rest area with toilets on the E6 where it runs along the south side of the Varangerfjord: a wide, low northern horizon over the water.
See tonight's live score and best time to go for Åpenvik rest area in Aurora Atlas
Why it works for the aurora
- View
- North across the Varangerfjord to the low Varanger peninsula, 10–15 km away..
- Darkness
- Very dark sky, grade 0 on a scale from 0 (darkest) to 5. No towns or road lights nearby; the faintest aurora shows.
- Aurora
- Under the auroral oval: aurora can be overhead even on quiet nights.
Getting there
- Distance
- About 28 km by road from the middle of Varanger (estimate), roughly 32 min by car.
- Parking
- Rest area with toilets; room for 10 cars and 1 lorry.
- Coordinates
- 70.0076, 29.2023 · Open in OpenStreetMap
Before you go
E6 traffic; park inside the rest area.
Dress for standing still in the cold, bring a head torch with a red light, and park only where parking is allowed. A forecast is guidance, not a promise: check the road and weather warnings for Norway before a night drive. See our winter safety note.
Spot information from openstreetmap.org.