The Lofoten Islands (Norway) have attracted the attention of tourists from all over the world for many centuries. The nature here is so picturesque and has such magical power that novels were written about the islands, poems, music were dedicated, paintings were painted and sculptures were sculpted.
There is hardly a place in the world where you can go snowshoeing and surfing, visit a whale safari and see the most dangerous whirlpool in the world, climb a mountain peak, relax on the beach and admire the northern Lights. Even a long flight, unstable weather and high prices will not spoil your holiday in the Lofoten Islands.
General information
Lofoten Islands (Norway) is an archipelago located in the Norwegian Sea. The islands are located in the north-west of Norway and cover an area of more than 1,220 square kilometers. The population of the archipelago is almost 24 thousand people.
Lofotens consists of many islands, the coastline of which is cut by bays and comfortable beaches. The main feature of a holiday in Lofoten is solitude, silence, tranquility and wild, untouched nature.
Despite the geographical location of the islands, the weather here is relatively warm. This is due to the close proximity of the warm Gulf Stream current.
It is important! You can stay on the islands in a hotel or in rohrbe, a private lodge owned by local fishermen. However, most of the residents of Lofoten are wealthy people and rent out their homes at prices that are higher than hotel prices.
Things to do and see
Whale Safari
Whales are incredible animals, they have long been considered magical creatures. In addition, whales are the largest animals on the planet. Judge for yourself – the weight of a whale’s heart is 700 kg, and the weight of the tongue is equal to the weight of an elephant.
Interesting fact! Another name for whales is sea canaries. So they are called because whales are the only mammals that can and love to sing.
Since 1986, the world has banned the production of whales on an industrial scale. Since then, whales have become the object of an amazing safari, during which you can admire beautiful and intelligent animals, take pictures of them.
The best place for a whale safari is in the Lofoten Islands. Killer whales and sperm whales hunt here from spring to early autumn. Huge animals swim alongside the boats, and in the winter months they are perfectly visible from the shore.
The city of Annenes has a Whale Center and a theme museum. It is from here that boats and yachts go on a whale safari. Just move a few kilometers away from the shore and the whales will be several meters away from you. In winter, you can even see sperm whales.
This is interesting! According to statistics, in 96% of cases, tourists manage to see whales jumping out of the water. If vacationers fall into 4 % of unsuccessful cases, the organization that conducts the safari takes tourists to a second event at any convenient time or returns the money.
Cafes and restaurants in Lofoten serve whale meat, as Norway has not signed a ban on whaling.
Fishing in the Lofoten Islands
Fishing in this part of Norway is attractive because a good catch is possible all year round. Fjords located near the coast do not freeze even in winter. The most favorable conditions for fishing occur in the second half of April and last until mid-October.
In spring, cod come down to the coast of the islands to spawn. At this time, you can catch fish weighing from 15 to 20 kg. The Lofoten Islands are an ideal place for deep-sea fishing. At a depth of 30 meters, saithe, menek, flounder, haddock and lur live. If you fish at a depth of 80 meters, you can catch a sea devil, moth and sea bass.
A tip! The most” productive ” fishing occurs during high tide and about 30 minutes after low tide.
Fishing by month:
- April-May is a great time for catching cod, catfish, and haddock;
- in summer, good catch for saithe, stingray, mackerel, moth, halibut, flounder, salmon, trout, herring;
- in autumn, they catch trophy, large fish, but you should take into account the severity and unpredictability of the northern weather – storms begin to rage from the end of September.
For fishing on the islands, you can stop at one of the many fishing bases, rent a water vehicle and the necessary equipment.
This is interesting! The warm current of the Gulf Stream provides ideal conditions for fishing. In winter, the air temperature varies from 0 to +10 degrees, and in summer the air warms up to +30 degrees. From late May to mid-July, there is no night on the islands, because the Sun does not set below the horizon.
Lofoten Islands Surfing experience
Cold water skiing is rapidly gaining momentum all over the world. This is largely due to the development of technology and the use of special wetsuits.
Features of surfing in the Lofoten Islands:
- the water is cold all year round;
- the climate conditions here are as comfortable as possible for surfing;
- After surfing, you can warm up in the sauna.
Waves here are typical for the entire northern hemisphere-small in summer, and high in winter. Beginners come here in June, July and August. In winter, you can meet real professional surfers here.
This is interesting! There is a surf school in the Lofoten Islands, where you can rent a comfortable cottage or come with your own tent, but in this case you will have to pay for accommodation in a tent. The school is located in Unstad. Cottages are available in any size, with a sauna and kitchen, shower and toilet.
Museums
- Lofotr Viking Museum. This is a unique, impressive reconstruction of a Viking Age settlement. Immerse yourself in the cruel, brutal world of the Vikings and experience how the last Viking leader Olaf Twennumbruni lived. The 83-meter-long dwelling has a bedchamber and a honey hall. Here, the appearance of the premises and their design have been restored with maximum accuracy. In addition to the leader’s house, you can walk around the farm, visit the blacksmith shop, and admire the Viking ships. Guided tours are conducted by guides dressed in historical costumes. The museum is located in the small village of Borg, near Bestad.
- Dried Fish Museum. It was founded at the end of the last century and is part of a colorful, authentic fishing village in the style of the 18th century. All events organized in the village are held in accordance with national traditions and reflect the life of Norwegian fishermen for two hundred years. The museum is located in the westernmost part of the archipelago, in the village of O, municipality of Moskenes.
- Museum of Fishing settlements. It is located in the same village, and reflects the peculiarities of life and life of Norwegian fishermen. The exhibition consists of many interesting objects, a blacksmith shop, a residential fishing house, a rorbu-house on stilts, a bakery and much more.
Hiking trips
The best time for hiking is in the summer, when the polar day lasts on the islands. Night hiking in the mountains is a special, incomparable adventure. There are many tourist routes organized on the islands, each of which will give a lot of impressions and emotions. The most spectacular routes on the island of Eustvogei. In the center of the island there is Mount Runnfjellet, from its top you can see incredible landscapes.
You can also climb other mountains:
- Fløya trail head-the ascent is difficult, from the top you can see the entire capital – Svolver;
- Tjeldbergtind-the ascent is relatively easy, from the top you can see the islands up to the island of Hamney and the village of Reine;
- Svolva (Svolværgeita) – the ascent height is 750 meters.
This is interesting! Mountaineering is well developed in the Lofoten Islands.
Many tourists test their endurance while climbing the icy peaks. The best routes are developed on the islands of Austvogeya and Moskeneya. Cycling is common in these areas, and there are special cycling routes. Every year on the summer solstice, you can take part in cycling competitions, but be prepared that you will have to pass all the islands of the archipelago.
Fascinating natural phenomena
Near the farthest island of Moscenea is a unique natural phenomenon-the Maelstrom whirlpool. It was formed as a result of the meeting of several rapid currents. The first mention of the Maelstrom is found in the research of the Greek scientist Pytheas 2 thousand years ago. Since then, the whirlpool has been marked on all sea maps.
The Northern Lights Extravaganza is another natural event that attracts tourists from all over the world to the Lofoten Islands. The Northern Lights belt starts from the archipelago. When choosing a place to observe, consider several factors::
- the best conditions for observing the northern Lights are dry air, clear skies, and no moon in the sky;
- the best time to go on a trip is from 22-00 to 00-00;
- you will need to get away from the city and away from electric lighting.
On the Lofoten Islands, in the town of Laukvik on the island of Austvogeia, tourists are welcomed by the Northern Lights Center.
Another unique natural phenomenon that can be admired on the islands is eagle hunting. Ships bring tourists to the place where eagles hunt fish. The birds are only an arm’s length away from you. The sight is impressive when a bird with a wingspan of more than 2.5 meters flies towards you.
Attractions
- The capital of the Lofoten Islands is Svolver. It was founded in the 8th century and is located near Kozya Gora. Trollfjord tours depart from here during the summer months.
- The village of Reine – one of the most beautiful places in Norway-is located in the western part of the archipelago, on the island of Moskeneya.
- Kolhelleren Cave. Here are preserved drawings on the rocks, the age of which is 3 thousand years.
- Oceanarium. It introduces tourists to the underwater world of Lofoten and the whole of Norway. There are pools with otters and seals, an aquarium with cod. As a souvenir of your visit to the aquarium, buy a souvenir from a small shop.
- Beach in the town of Blake. The beach is covered with snow-white sand, which looks like snow. The beach is perfectly clean, and the color of the waves resembles juicy, green grass. The length of the beach is 2.5 km, with a good view of the island with Blakesay rock, where amazing puffin birds nest, which are called sea parrots because of their bright plumage.
- Nusfjord is the oldest fishing village. A whole complex of buildings dating back to the 19th century has been preserved here. The architecture of the village is unique – as a result of excavations, settlements built in the 5th century were found.
- Magic Ice Sculpture Park. This is a real theater, made of ice, color and music. The design of the park introduces you to the nature and life of Lofoten, traditions, and legends about trolls and nymphs. There is an ice bar in the park.
Weather and climate
Given that the archipelago is located in the Arctic Circle, it may seem that the climate here is harsh and very cold. However, the winter months in the Lofoten Islands are quite warm, which is possible due to the fact that the Gulf Stream is warm near the islands. In addition to it, there are smaller warm currents – the North Atlantic and Norwegian.
If you prefer warmer weather, head to the Rest or Way Islands. Even in winter, the air temperature does not fall below 0 degrees. In summer, the average air temperature is +15°C. Shallow ocean water warms up to +15 °C in the hottest months, but as a rule, the temperature reaches +10…+12 °C. In June, the sun does not set below the horizon, it is bright here both day and night. In May and July, the dark time of the day reaches one hour.
In winter, the air temperature on the islands is kept in the range of 0…+3 degrees. At the same time, in December — January, the light day lasts only 2.5 hours. It rains regularly and quite often throughout the year.
How to get to the Lofoten Islands
If you decide to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, go to the Lofoten Islands, of course, the path is not the easiest and closest, but it is one of the most wonderful places not only in Norway, but also in the world.
By plane
There are several answers to the question – how to get to the Lofoten Islands (Norway). The first of them is by plane. There are several airports that take flights daily, but the flight to the capital Svolvar is inconvenient, as it requires two transfers. From the capital of Russia, you need to fly to Oslo, then to Buda, and from there you can fly to the capital Lofoten. The journey takes at least 8 hours. The flight takes 20 to 30 minutes from Buda to Svolvar.
By ferry
Cruise ships run along the entire coast, the route of which passes through 21 settlements, 5 of them are located in the archipelago:
- Svolvar;
- Stamund;
- Stockmarkness;
- Sortland;
- Risoyhamn.
You can go on a trip from any city in Norway. The average cost of a trip will cost from 600 to 750 euros per person. Cruise duration starts from 2 days.
By train
Trains depart daily from Stockholm and Kiruna and reach the important transport hub and port city of Narvik. Buses run from Narvik to many localities in Lofoten.
Trains also run from Oslo to Bude, passing through the major Trondheim and Fauske. Train schedules and current ticket prices can be found on the official website of the Norwegian Railway — www.vy.no.
By car
Of course, the distance from Oslo to the archipelago is almost 1400 km, but the path is so beautiful and picturesque that it is simply necessary to make it by car. A trip by car to Lofoten will allow you to enjoy the beauty of the islands, stop on the way, take photos, feel the endless world of mountains, the depth of fjords, walk through dense forests. This adventure will not leave anyone indifferent and will leave a lot of memories and emotions.
It is important! The main route that passes through the islands of the archipelago is the E10 or King Olaf V highway. The road runs from west to east. If you plan to explore the Lofoten Mountains on your own, study the route and routes first of all if you want to get away from the main road.
Interesting facts
- The name of the archipelago means the foot of the lynx. Most likely, this is due to the shape that resembles the paw of a predator.
- Fishing for cod on the islands of the archipelago has been going on for thousands of years. The most active fish catch is in winter, when cod migrates to the Lofotens. The catch is transported to many countries around the world.
- Lofotens are the oldest rock formations, which are more than 3 billion years old. The usual appearance of Lofotens was formed about 10 thousand years ago after the end of the Ice Age.
- The most visited islands of the archipelago are Austvogei, Flakstadei, Moskeneya, Westvogei. Creative people – artists and writers-often come here for inspiration. Residents of Norway like to fish here and just relax.
- There are so many fish near Norway that in addition to oil, it is thanks to fishing that the country is now considered one of the richest and most successful. Lofoten cod is transported to Italy, Spain and Portugal, to the best restaurants. The main principle of fishing in Norway is to preserve nature and not harm it. To preserve the unique underwater world, fish for fishing are grown in special enclosures.
- The most convenient transport in the archipelago is a bicycle, the only inconvenience is narrow roads and a lot of cars.
- There will be no problems with living in the Lofoten Islands. Here you can stay in a campsite, hostel, hotel or rent a rorba from local fishermen.
- According to National Geographic, the Lofoten Islands are the third most beautiful island in the world. The video below is a vivid confirmation that Lofotens are not in the top three most beautiful for nothing.
