Northern Calm – A Business Trip to Harstad
There’s something about arriving in the far north that slows you down.
Maybe it’s the light, maybe it’s the silence. Or maybe it’s the fact that even when your flight lands late, the airport bus still waits – as if everyone up here knows that time moves differently.
By the time we rolled into town, darkness had already settled over the harbor. I had secretly hoped for northern lights, but the sky stayed quiet. The app said 3 %, which in northern terms means: not tonight. I had booked a room at Home Hotel Arcticus and was welcomed with an upgrade, lucky me! Dinner was included at the hotel – traditional Norwegian meat patties, simple and hearty, not much for the camera but comforting after a long day of travel.
I had planned a run afterwards, just a few intervals to shake off the travel fatigue. The hotel gym was close to my room, but motivation somehow didn’t make it that far. Instead, I stayed in, watched a bit of TV, and enjoyed the small pieces of chocolate someone had placed on my nightstand. The app later nudged me again – 6 % chance of aurora. Tempting, but the bed and my book won.
I was lucky enough to get an upgraded room.
It can be hard to concentrate on work with a view like this.
Tuesday morning came early. I woke up before sunrise, read the news for a while, then decided to give the running plan another chance.
The gym, just a few doors away, turned out to have a surprise: a sauna with a view straight across the fjord. While running intervals, I could see the Hurtigruten slowly passing by, framed by the first rays of light hitting the snow-covered mountains.
Afterwards, breakfast – and what a breakfast.
The pictures tell most of the story: smoked salmon, eggs, crisp vegetables, pickled herring, fruit, and fresh bread. The only disappointment was the croissant – small, dry, and a reminder that not everything can be perfect.
The lounge was calm, wrapped in candlelight and the quiet hum of coffee cups.
My colleague and I met there for a short morning meeting before heading out – the kind of meeting where even business feels a little more human when the view stretches across cold blue water.
Much better than the office meeting rooms.
On our way to the day’s first meeting, we made a quick stop at Bakerinnen @bakerinnen, the local bakery run by a familiar face from Hele Norge Baker and her long-running blog. The place smelled of butter and coffee, and through the window we could see croissants being hand-rolled in the morning light. Oh, how I wish the hotel could get their pastries from this place….
Bakerinnen - worth a visist.
Their signature pastry – the Bollemus (don´t ask anyone what that means in Norwegian) – drew smiles from everyone in line. A mix of good humor and great baking, perfectly northern in its unpretentious charm.
Bollemus – Sweet and warm as it should be.
Travel Notes:
Home Hotel Arcticus, Harstad
• Great location right by the water
• Excellent breakfast buffet
• Warm atmosphere, soft lighting, unbeatable view
• Bonus: sauna overlooking the fjord
• Don’t miss Bakerinnen downtown for pastries, gelato and a good laugh
