Unusual sight: Palm trees and tropical atmosphere in Central Norway. (Photo: Tariq Alisubh / NRK) 

 Palms from Gaza, sun beds, parasols and a white sand beach. In Steinkjer in Central Norway, citizens do not need to travel to the Caribbean to experience a tropical paradise.

– There are palm trees and parasols, and we have nice weather. It is beautiful, although palm trees in the Norwegian landscape is a bit unusual. I am looking forward to the summer, says inhabitant Elly-Synnøve Røtting to NRK.

The city of Steinkjer is located in the middle of Norway at the 64th parallel north, and 3347 miles (5596 kilometers) from the North Pole. With its 21.000 inhabitants, it is the administrative place of Nord-Trøndelag County.

Last summer, residents of Steinkjer got a white sand beach right in the city center – just between the European route 6 and the railroad station. Two hundred cubic meters (approximately seven thousand cubic feet) of white tropical sand were taken from the coast of Namdalen and placed in a thick layer on what previously used to be a non-appealing area. Now, however, visitors can make themselves comfortable in lounge chairs and take a bath in the Steinkjer River.

Recently, developer and gardener Finn Rossing and his work team received palms from Gaza in order to create additional tropical atmosphere in the city. These can withstand temperatures down to minus seventeen degrees Celsius (zero degrees Fahrenheit).

– We look forward to when people start using the area. For us who have worked on the project such a long time, it is a great accomplishment, says Rossing.

The newly arrived palm trees has also created great excitement among residents.

– It looks so beautiful; it is actually a real tropical beach. It is great that the municipality have taken the initiative for a better environment in Steinkjer, says inhabitant Kari Anne Kvarving.

How to get to Steinkjer:

One option is to take a plane to Trondheim Airport Værnes. From there, you can take the local express bus to Steinkjer, approximately a two-hour drive.

Another option is to take the train from Oslo to Steinkjer, approximately a nine-hour ride.

Text by: Anette Broteng Christiansen, ThorNews

Categories: Central Norway, Nature, Travel