Bodø is the regional capital of Nordland County, and has a population of 46000. This makes it the second largest town in Northern Norway, after Tromsø.
Bodø is easy reachable both with airplane, train and by ships. The Hurtigruten calls at Bodø Harbour every day, and smaller and bigger coastal communities in the region are well connected to the town by ferrys and boats.
By decision of the Norwegian parliament both Norwegian Civil Aviation and Military Aviation History are presented in what is now
The Norwegian Aviation Museum
Many would call this town the aviation center of Norway, both on background of the mentioned museum, and the fact that Bodø has a modern airport, one of the main Air-Force stations in Norway, and the fact that you will find an active aviation sport community here.
Bodø Coat of Arms
The Bodø Coat of Arms is a yellow sun on a red bottom, symbolizing the Midnight Sun and the fact that this is the first town north of the Arctic Circle.The Coat of Arms was approved by the Norwegian government in 1959 and is made by Hallvard Trætteberg.
Bodø University College
With a goal on developing new commercial activities in the northern region, the Bodø University College makes an important and interesting part, together with the Center for Business in the High North.
The University College has more than 5,000 students, and is a significant institution for education and research in the North.
The Culture Life
The Number One cultural meeting place is the Bodø Cultural Hall, which has about 45,000 visitors every year.
The town has an active and interesting cultural activity, with major music festivals, art exhibitions as well as intimate club concerts.
One of the most recent established events is the Parkenfestivalen music festival attracting more than 10,000 participants.
The Nordland Music Festival takes place in the late summer of every,as open-air concerts on the Keiservarden mountain peak.
Photo by Sverre Magnus Bjørset/Nordland Fotobank
Other major cultural locations include Bodø Cathedral, Bodin Church, Salten Museum and the Nordland Heritage Centre, all presenting high quality events.Situated by the yacht marina, a new cultural quarter is planned completed in 2012, housing concert auditoria, art galleries and a new main library.
Photo by Ernst Furuhatt /Nordland Fotobank
In Bodø we also can find one of Scandinavia's largest indoor activity centres, the
Bodø Spektrum
which is consisting of an area of 25,000 square metres, including a water sports centre with its own fitness department, a conference hall and football arenas.
A short distance north of Bodø is the well-preserved historical landscape of Kjerringøy.This is where one of the most famous Norwegian author, Knut Hamsun, got the inspiration to several of his famous novels.
Photo by Terje Rakke /Nordland Fotobank
The Nature
The city offers a wide range of spectacular natural experiences, such as Scuba-diving in the absolute amazing maelstrom Saltstraumen. Saltstraumen is the Worlds strongest tidal current, where 400 mill. m3 of water passes through every 6 hours.
The nature can from time to time be quite overwhelming, and on a stormy day you will get an experience that tells you about the power of nature.
Photo: Ernst Furuhatt/ Nordland Fotobank
About 2 1/2 hours drive south of Bodø is another important landmark, the Svartisen Glacier. Svartisen is the largest glacier in the whole of Scandinavia. One of the nine National parks of Norway, the Saltfjellet, is also in the neighbourhood.
Our last presentation is Lofoten, the archipelago in Nordland County. Also take a look at our presentations of Svolvær, Stokmarknes and Sortland. Svolvær is the capital of Lofoten, while Sortland is known as the Blue Town of Vesterålen. Stokmarknes is recognized as the "Home of the Hurtigruten", and here you also find the Hurtigruten Museum.