Lofoten islands - a must-see place above the Arctic Circle
Lofoten – Norwegian islands enriched with beautiful sceneries, dramatic peaks, typical fishing villages or an ideal place for chasing the Northern lights. In the winter, it offers the real arctic atmosphere, and in the summer, the tourists enjoy numerous hiking trails. This article presents the best locations to visit in the winter.
How to get to Lofoten?
There are multiple ways how to reach Lofoten islands. The first one is to fly to a town Bodø where you take a ferry to Mosknes. The voyage lasts 3,5 h and costs around 20 euros per adult. Click here to book the ferry and read more information about the schedule. The second option is a flight to Narvik. You will rent a car there and drive for a couple of hours to Lofoten. We picked this option, as it was cheaper and more convenient in case the ferry would be cancelled due to bad weather.
As the days were short in the winter, we decided to stay in Leknes (in the middle of the islands). Then, we organised day trips to explore the beauty of the islands. There are a lot of places to visit in Lofoten, and the biggest advantage is their close location to each other. It means that you can collect numerous experiences in a very few days.
What places should you visit in Lofoten?
Reine
This village is considered to be the most famous in Lofoten because of its location. It’s set in a spectacular fjord, surrounded by majestic peaks and the Arctic Ocean. You can find typical fishermen cabins in the heart of the town, which create an authentic Nordic atmosphere. There is one fascinating place – Reinebringen, that offers an amazing view and you should definitely go for this hike. However, it’s quite dangerous to climb it in the winter, so we took some drone pictures instead.
Sakrisøy
This little village is located only a few kilometres from Reine. The funniest fact is that the majority of its houses are pained in yellow and are owned by a single-family. The village is also known for its traditional fish burger that can be found in the restaurant called Anita’s Sjømat. Pay attention to the opening hours, especially in the winter season.
Hamnøy
The view from the bridge will definitely catch your attention, as it offers an interesting composition of a giant rock in a combination with the village of Hamnøy. You can take a typical postcard picture here.
Ryten
A hill you can hike during the whole year. The whole hike offers numerous stunning views on the surrounding peaks, ponds or fjords. Once you’re at the top of the mountain, you can see the whole Kvaløya beach. The hike is quite easy and it’s absolutely worthy!
Nusfjord
This village is hidden in a beautiful fjord of the Northern Sea. It’s considered to be one of the oldest fishing towns in Norway.
Henningsvær
Most of the journey from Leknes to this town is epic, as it leads along the coastline. The surrounding mountains also add beauty to this scenery, so you’ll most definitely enjoy the drive. This town is a well-known harbour, but also famous for its football pitch located on the edge of the cliffs.
Uttakleiv and Ramberg
These are the two beaches with wonderful sceneries. If you’re planning to hunt for the Northern Lights, these are the most popular places to visit.
All in all, the Lofoten islands are full of attractions for the tourists to enjoy. Due to the short days in the winter, we visited only the most famous places. However, if you’re planning to get there in other seasons, you may want to do more hikes, as they offer really fascinating views.