Arctic Circle Center- Souvenir shop and bistro by the Arctic Circle

The Arctic Circle Center is situated right next to the Artic Circle monument on Saltfjellet, making it a natural stopping point for everyone who wants to mark crossing this special border into the Arctic.

Souvenir shop and Arctic Bistro
Inside the Center, you’ll find the Arctic Bistro, where you can pick between a large selection of dinners mainly made with reindeer meat, like a reindeer burger, flat iron reindeer steak, reindeer stew, or souvas. In addition, they also serve classic family favorites like hamburgers, loaded baked potatoes, and salmon pasta.

They also have a large souvenir shop, with loads of nice gifts, locally made products and a good selection of clothes fit for the Nordic weather. It’s just perfect for the one that might’ve forgotten something at home, or if you spontaneously decide you want to go on a mountain hike while you’re there. You can also send postcards home to loved ones, sporting the Artic Circle postmark, you can also purchase your own exclusive certificate as proof that you have crossed the border into the Arctic regions.

Mark your crossing of the Arctic Circle, but don’t build cairns
Many appreciate marking their crossing of the Arctic Circle, this somewhat mystical gateway to the Arctic. Most do so without disturbing the fragile natural environment. They take photos, send a postcard stamped from the Arctic Circle, or enjoy a short walk in the beautiful mountainous landscape.

Among the hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, a few choose to commemorate their crossing by building cairns. While this may seem harmless, the plant and animal life in the mountains is highly sensitive, and even minor disturbances can lead to significant damage. Where one person builds a small cairn, others often do the same. As more stones are removed from the ground and piled into small and large cairns, the surrounding plants die, leaving only sand behind.

Even small stones on the ground in the mountains create shade, retain moisture, and provide shelter for plants and grasses that are crucial for mountain wildlife. This includes mice and lemmings, Arctic foxes and birds of prey, as well as grazing animals like reindeer and sheep.

Fortunately, most visitors are considerate and mark their crossing more gently, thus helping us preserve the fragile mountain ecosystem. Thank you for doing your part as well.