Things To Do in Alta
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Alta Attractions
A series of prehistoric rock carvings at Hjemmeluft, about 1km (1/2 mile) southwest of Alta, dates from 2,000 to 5,000 years ago and is the biggest collection of prehistoric rock carvings in the north of Europe. These pictographs, discovered in 1973 and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, form part of the Alta Museum (tel. 78-45-63-30). It is believed that the rock carvings were originally painted in red ocher. They have been repainted in the same color to make them stand out better. The rock carvings from both the Stone Age and the Iron Age are linked to the museum by a series of 3km (1 3/4 miles) of boardwalks, the best place for a walk in Alta. The carvings depict hunting scenes, with clear likenesses of moose, bears, and reindeer. One stunning carving shows an ancient boat carrying a crew of 32 hunters. The paintings aren't visible during snowfalls.
The museum itself shelters an array of exhibitions related to Finnmark and its history, going back 11,000 years. It is open June to August daily 8am to 9pm; May and September daily 9am to 6pm; and October to April Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 4pm. Admission is NOK85 ($17/£8.50) for adults, NOK20 ($4/£2) for children 11 and under.
From Alta you can take a riverboat excursion along the Alta River up to the Sautso-Alta Canyon, which, at 400m (1,312 ft.), is the "Grand Canyon" not only of Scandinavia, but of northern Europe. Despite the protests of environmentalists, the canyon has been dammed, but it and the region around it still offer massive scenic beauty. (Historical note: Some historians claim that the controversies that surrounded the dam's construction between 1979 and 1986 eventually led to some degree of government autonomy for the Sami people. At least in theory, they benefited from the many changes that the spotlighting of the dam and the region introduced.)
To hook up with a tour, contact Alta Riverboat Service (tel. 78-43-33-78). From June 5 to September 5, 2 1/2-hour tours to the outer canyon cost NOK575 ($115/£58) for adults or NOK375 ($75/£38) for children 11 and under.
Alta Shopping
Within Alta's town center, the best inventories of local handcrafts are located within the Håndverkshuset, Løkkeveien 55 (tel. 78-44-22-33), where stacks and stacks of knitted sweaters, hats, gloves, scarves, as well as Sami (or Sami-inspired) carvings in wood or bone, jewelry, and gift items are presented in abundance. It's open Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, and Saturday 10am to 4pm. During midsummer it remains open later, depending on the weather, business, and the mood of the shopkeepers.
A bit farther outside of town, an equivalent and perhaps even more esoteric collection of merchandise is for sale at Manndalen Husflidslag (tel. 77-71-62-73), lying at Løkvoll in Manndalen and reached along the E6 15km (9 1/4 miles) west of Alta. The Sami often make marvelous weavings on their vertical looms, some of which are suitable as wall hangings. You can also purchase such clothing as knitwear. Open Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 3pm.
Alta Nightlife
The chief hot spot in town is Alfa-Omega, Markedsgata 16 (tel. 78-44-54-00), attracting a crowd whose average age is from 30 to 40. There is no cover, and the place is definitely inspired by Cuba, with recorded salsa music, pictures of Havana, and Cuban cigars de rigueur. There are seats for 40, but often 70 to 80 patrons crowd in here. One section is a very laid-back bar; the other's a contemporary cafe. It's open Monday to Thursday 11am to midnight, and Friday and Saturday 11am to 2am. Its only drawback, according to some of the young and restless clients we met here, involves its lack of facilities for dancing.
If you want to go dancing, the town's only disco is Panella, which is situated on the lobby level of Alta's Rica Hotel, Løkkeveien 61 (tel. 78-48-27-00). Sporting a color scheme of black, red, and blue, and describing itself as a grown-up place for adults (most of the clientele is over 30), it allows guests of the Rica Hotel to enter free but charges nonresidents between NOK50 and NOK150 ($10-$30/£5-£15) each, depending on the musical venue (live or recorded) on the night of your arrival. It's open nightly from 8pm to between midnight (Sun-Thurs) and 2am (Fri-Sat).
