Lofoten Islands Travel Guide
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Lofoten Islands Travel Guide
The Lofoten Islands have been on my bucket list for SO long, and I finally got the chance to visit last March. I really wanted to visit Lofoten in the winter, although I’d love to see it in summer too, and see the snow covered mountains, the epic winter sunsets, and hopefully the elusive Northern Lights.
Lofoten delivered in every way and more. It’s the perfect place for outdoor lovers, adventure seekers, or roadtrippers. I cannot recommend a trip there enough. Keep reading for my full guide on getting there, where to stay, the towns of Lofoten, best things to do & more
Jump To:
- Lofoten Islands Map
- How to Get to Lofoten Islands
- Getting Around Lofoten
- Towns of the Lofoten Islands
- Where to Stay in Lofoten Islands
- Best Things to do in Lofoten
- Best Restaurants Lofoten
- Safety for Solo Female Travel Lofoten
- Lofoten – Top Blog Posts
Planning a trip to Norway? See my complete Norway Travel Guide here.
Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!
Lofoten Islands Map
This map shows the 3 main airports serving Lofoten, the 7 main towns of Lofoten, Lofoten’s best hotels. best beaches, restaurants and more. Click the arrow on the left to explore each section of the map!
How to Get to the Lofoten Islands
Lofoten is not the easiest place to get to, but it’s so worth the trip! Lofoten is far north in Norway, and requires a flight from most other major cities in Norway. There are three different airports you can fly to to get to Lofoten, and a fourth you can fly to then take a ferry to Lofoten.
Leknes Lufthavn (LVN) or Svolvær Lufthavn (SVJ)
If you can I highly recommend flying into Leknes or Svolvær, these two airports are smaller, so they tend to have less flights and can be more expensive, but they are by far the most convenient. Leknes and Svolvær are two of the main towns of Lofoten, so this will save you a lot of travel from landing to whichever part of Lofoten you choose to stay in.
Harstad/Narvik Airport, Evenes (EVE)
Harstard/Narvik is where I flew into, it had way more flight options than Leknes or Svolvær, but it’s a FAR drive from Harstad to the most popular towns in Lofoten, particularly in the winter. I was staying in Leknes and the drive is meant to be 3 hours and 45 minutes, it probably took closer to 5 hours in the winter. If you opt to stay in Svolvær it’s about an hour shorter.
Bodø Airport (BOO)
Another option is to fly to Bodø and then take the car ferry to Moskenes (one of the farthest southern towns of the Lofoten Islands) The ferry is about 3-4 hours long, so this is a longer option, and is more convenient if you’re going to be spending time in Bodø and then want to get to Lofoten.
Getting Around Lofoten
To explore Lofoten you really need a rental car. The region is fairly remote, and the main sites and towns are not easily accessed via public transport. Driving was fairly straighforward in Lofoten, and the roads were well maintained even in the winter. You can rent a car at any of the four airports noted above.
A few things to note about driving in Norway
- headlights must always be on, it’s the law
- speeding fines are some of the highest in Europe and there are speed traps everywhere
- the legal limit for drinking and driving is .02% – this is super low and even one drink at dinner can put you over the limit
- use of phones while driving is also subject to high fines
- gas stations are really sparse on the stretch between Harstad until you get deep into the Lofoten islands, make sure you fill up before you leave Lofoten or before you leave Harstad
Towns of the Lofoten Islands
The Lofoten Islands are long and narrow and dotted with small towns and neighborhoods. There are 7 towns that I would consider can’t miss as you’re driving through Lofoten, starting in Svolvær, the norternmost of the main towns in Lofoten and ending in Å, the southernmost town in Lofoten. It takes 2 hours and 19 minutes without stops to drive from Svolvær to Å.
Svolvær
The unofficial “capital” of Lofoten, Svolvær is the largest city in Lofoten. I had read on many websites that it is the least picturesque, but I couldn’t disagree more. I found the harbor to be quite stunning.
Henningsvær
The next major town south of Svolvær is Henningsvær. Henningsvær is a unique mix of an old, traditional fishing village and a trendy area of Lofoten with chic cafes, art galleries, boutique hotels and great restaurants.
Leknes
Leknes is roughly the midpoint of the Lofoten Islands, and after Svolvær has the most options in terms of restaurants, stores, accommodations, etc. The town itself is fairly small and not overly picturesque, but the views driving around Leknes are absolutely stunning. The sunsets and Northern Lights were unreal here!
Nusfjord
Nusfjord is one of the most famous, and picturesque villages in Lofoten. It’s an open-air museum, and to wander around you do need to buy a ticket. It’s filled with traditional red and yellow rorbuer (fisherman’s cabins) They have a traditional sawmill and factory that makes cod liver oil.
Hamnøy
Tiny, charming Hamnøy was my personal favorite of the Lofoten island villages. I thought this stop had some of the best photo spots. There are mountains everywhere and the water is SO blue. I loved this place
Reine
One of the most popular (and instagrammable) towns in Lofoten is Reine, another picturesque fishing village with tons of refurbished rorbuer. Reine is also the starting point for many popular Lofoten hikes, making this area quite busy!
Å
One of the southernmost points of Lofoten is the fishing village of Å, pronounced aw, after this point Lofoten is not accessible by car. This tiny town has a Norwegian Fishing Village Museum and a great bakery!
Where to Stay in Lofoten Islands
Leknes – Lofoten Basecamp
Personally, I’d choose to stay in Leknes again if visiting Lofoten. It’s central location allows you to explore south or north each day in a reasonable amount of time. Plus, Leknes had a dowtown area with grocery stores, gas stations, a series of restaurants and cafes, etc.
I absolutely loved my stay at Lofoten Basecamp, these converted fishing cabins were so cozy, had ocean & mountain views, were a great place to see the Northern Lights, but also were only 5 minutes from Leknes center where the shops and restaurants were. It really was the best of both worlds!
This was also so not expensive! I paid $335 for 3 nights in March.
Svolvær
Staying in Svolvær is convenient if you’re looking for the most restaurant optoins, proximity to the airport (if you’re flying into Svolvær), it’s also closest to many activities and tours. Plus, it offers the most accommodation options as the biggest town in Lofoten.
Anker Brygge
Want to stay in a traditonal fisherman’s hut but still be Anker Brygge has the best of both worlds. These traditional cottages are refurbished and upscale on the inside, while retaining their traditional look on the outside. You’ll be on an archipelago in Svolvær’s harbor that feels quiet and secluded, but you’re only a 500 foot walk from the main harbor.
Thon Hotel Lofoten
If you’re looking for a more modern hotel and are all set on sleeping in a fishing cabin. Thon Hotel Lofoten is modern, upscale, and located right on the harbor right near all the popular bars and restaurants! This hotel features an on-site bar and upscale seafood restaurant.
Hamnøy – Eliassen Rorbuer
If you’re ok with staying in one of the more remote, but insanely picturesque areas of Lofoten, I’d opt for Eliassen Rorbuer in Hamnøy. This town was so incredibly stunning. This hotel offers renovated fishing cottages with private kitchens, but also conveniently offers an on-site restaurant (there’s not a ton of other options in Hamnøy for restaurants)
You could also opt to stay in Reine, another picturesque town nearby. They offer a variety of different fishing cabins as well!
Best Things to do in Lofoten Islands
Roadtrip & Enjoy the Views
Lofoten is absolutely breathtaking, and one of the very best ways to experience that is exploring via car. You’ll want to pull over constantly. You can drive from Svolvær all the way down to Å to experience some of the best views.
Visit the Charming Fishing Villages of Reine, Hamnøy & Sakrisøya
These three fishing villages are the most scenic and Lofoten and are all located in a row. Spend some time exploring each and taking in the views!
Cruise to the Trollfjord
Exploring Lofoten by water was one of my favorite experiences. Taking the silent cruise from Svolvær to the Trollfjord was one of the highlights of my trip. The views of the mountains and the fjords from the water were unreal, and the remote trollfjord feels like something out of a Lord of the Rings movie.
I did an afternoon ride that ended with sunset and it was some of the best views I had on my Lofoten trip. The sunset was incredible. The cruise is about 3 and a half hours and cost $120 per person.
Wander Historic Nusfjord
Nusfjord is a preserved fishing village that’s been turned into an open-air museum for visitors to explore. It’s small and can be explored in an hour or so, but it’s worth the trip. The drive into the village is stunning and the harbor nestled in the mountains is so picturesque! It’s only a few dollars to visit!
Explore the Stunning Beaches of Lofoten
I was not expecting Lofoten to have so many gorgeous beaches! Lofoten is super popular for surfing (summer and winter) and in the summer the beaches almost look tropical, although the water is still freezing! Some of the best beaches to visit in Lofoten:
- Ramberg Beach
- Skagsanden Beach
- Haukland Beach
- Eggum Beach
- Unstad Beach
- Kvalvika Beach – requries a 90 minute hike in!
Visit Trendy Henningsvær
Henningsvær is filled with amazing cafes, trendy art galleries, a few great restaurants, and boutique hotels all while managing to retain it’s old-school fishing village town. This is a great place to spend a morning and exploring and grab lunch.
Discover Lofoten’s Scenic Hikes
Lofoten is a hikers dream! I visited solo and in the winter, so I didn’t do too much hiking. I’m not comfortable enough hiking solo to do any long winter hikes! I did tons of reasearch in advance in case I ever go back for a summer trip, and used a list one of my favorite creators put together here to narrow down the hikes I’d want to do.
Lofoten BucketList Hikes:
- Reinebringen
- Hermannsdalstinden
- Helvetestinden
Chase the Northern Lights
If you’re visiting Lofoten between October and April you have a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Lofoten sits above the arctic circle, giving you a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights. I saw them all 3 nights I was in Lofoten, it was incredible!
Tips for Chasing the Northern Lights
To see the Northern Lights you need two things 1. active solar activity & 2. a clear sky. There are 2 apps that were super helpful for Northern Lights Chasing:
- Hello Aurora – this will give you a % chance of seeing the aurora, cloud covet details, aurora strength (you want low clouds, high strength!) plus more technical details. BUT the best part is others nearby can share photos of the aurora with their general location on a map! You may be able to drive only a few miles and see the lights!
- Aurora – this app is similar it will give you a chance of seeing the lights by time frame (I found this app easier to understand than Hello Aurora) but recommend having both for the others sharing photos in the Hello Aurora app!
Best Restaurants in Lofoten
Lofoten is fairly remote, but there are still some good restaurants in the larger towns. Some of my favorites below!
Leknes
- Digg Lofoten
- Lille Milano Pizza
- Lofoten Bakeri
- Makalaus
Svolvær
- Paleo Arctic
- Fellni
- Bacalao
- Restaurant the Kitchen
Henningsvær
- Vind Brasserie
- Klatrekaféen
- Fiskekrogen
Safety for Solo Female Travel Lofoten
5 out of 5
Lofoten Islands(and all of Norway) are incredibly safe. I never felt remotely unsafe. This is a great place for a solo trip. One thing to note if you’re visiiting the more remote areas of Norway are more general safety tips – make sure you have gas, download offline maps, have water etc!
Lofoten – Top Blog Posts
- Ultimate Lofoten Islands Itinerary: A Dreamy, Arctic Adventure
- 15 Best Restaurants in the Lofoten Islands – Where to Eat on Your Arctic Getaway
- 10 Best Things to do in Lofoten Islands: Fjords, Fishing Villages & Arctic Adventures
- Getting to the Lofoten Islands: A Picturesque, Remote Escape
- Where to Stay Lofoten Islands – 7 Dreamiest Towns in Lofoten
