Norway
The Lofoten Islands
Discover the breathtaking Lofoten Islands, an enchanting archipelago nestled along Norway's rugged coastline. Characterized by dramatic peaks, golden beaches, and pristine fjords, this natural wonderland offers a picturesque landscape like no other. Travelers can immerse themselves in the vibrant fishing culture, witness the awe-inspiring Northern Lights dance across the sky, and indulge in freshly caught seafood delicacies. Whether hiking through scenic trails, kayaking in crystal-clear waters, or simply enjoying the serene atmosphere, Lofoten promises an unforgettable adventure for all who venture here. Prepare to be captivated by the unspoiled beauty and unique charm of these majestic islands.
Lofoten Travel Video
Check out a short travel edit of traveling through Lofoten to gain inspiration for your trip.
7 Day Itinerary
The following itinerary was how we spent our time in the Lofoten Islands and can be a good guide to help you pick and choose what interests you. Lofoten has so much natural beauty that it can be enjoyed by anyone, but if you’re a photographer there’s nothing better and no shortage of places to explore. There are links next to each day that provide coordinates for some great spots that shouldn’t be missed for some incredible photos.
DAY 1: Arrival in Oslo
After arriving in the Oslo Airport, you need to transfer to the city centre of Oslo, and the best way to do that is hopping on a train. There is a station at the airport (take the escalator down from Arrivals) with trains leaving every 10 minutes, pretty much all day long. The ride takes 19 minutes to Oslo Central Station. Tickets are inexpensive compared to a taxi or Uber transfer, and can be purchased at the kiosks at the gate to the station.
Oslo is the biggest city in Norway, and is located at the end of a fjord so there's plenty of natural beauty in addition to it being a vibrant metropolis. We chose an Airbnb near the City Centre (Sentrum) and Central Station so we were located in a great area to walk to all the main parts of the city. Oslo is separated into various distinct neighborhoods that each have their own character and feel to them. There is also great public transportation with their busses, trams, and ease of calling a taxi or Uber.
For dinner, we went down to the waterfront for a kick-off Italian meal at Olivia Aker Brygge and then headed to the Grünerløkka neighborhood for after dinner drinks.
DAY 2: Exploring Oslo
For breakfast the next day, we went to the Vulkan district. This area has a mix of dining options along a pedestrian only street so you can definetely find something for whatever you're in the mood for. We chose the Mathallen Oslo which is a European Food Court. The area is also along a creek with greenspace around it which we explored and walked across to the main street in Grünerløkka.
The waterfront also has many areas to explore and is a great place to walk around. The opera house is a modern building with a huge slanted roof that you can even walk up to get a view of the whole city. If you keep walking west from the Opera house along the edge of the water, you'll be able to walk up to Akershus Fortress. The fortress was built in 1299 as a defense for the city and now is an attraction for tourists with museums, guided tours, and walking trails along its walls, giving more views of the city. We timed it to where we walked the fortress at sunset (5:30pm in March) and had a great view of the sun going down over the water.
As dark set in, we walked Karl Johans Gate, the city's main thoroughfare that runs from Central Station to the Royal Palace. It's lined with bars, pubs, and restaurants, but with main streets like this it can be a little touristy. For dinner, we went back to Grünerløkka and ate at Delicatessen Grünerløkka, a really good Spanish Tapas restaurant.
DAY 3: Entering Lofoten
Stopping for two nights in Oslo on your way up to Lofoten is a great way to get over your jet lag, and see Norway's biggest city. We had a flight today from Oslo to Harstad/Narvik (EVE). Its a quick 90 minute flight, with awesome views of Norway's mountains and fjords the entire way until you land 100 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Getting off the plane at the remote airport really gets you feeling like you're at the edge of the world.
We had a rental car reserved, which you will need to do to ensure you get the best experience in Lofoten. Harstad/Narvik is located right where mainland Norway starts jutting out on the Lofoten archipelago. Our rental house was in Reine, one of the most famous towns in Lofoten and is about 4.5 hours by car from the airport. The drive will be one of the most incredible and scenic you've ever been on.
Since the area is an archipelago, you’ll be essentially island hopping over the many bridges and tunnels built out along the main highway all the way out to Reine. The scenery is incredible with the jagged peaks shooting up skywards out of the icy cold arctic water. There will be plenty of stop off points along the way to take pictures, and that will be sure to take most of the rest of the day.
For lunch, a good place to stop is Leknes, one of the larger towns which is right along the highway so you can focus on eating and continuing on. There’s also a good sporting good store called Lofoten Sports And Leisure As, where we stopped and picked up crampons that could be used for hiking in some of the more snow and ice covered trails.
We checked into our home that night, Olstind Cabin, a traditional rorbuer style house on stilts over the water, which has become a fairly famous Instagram picture in the past few years. Can’t recommend the place enough, with its huge window looking out toward Olstind Mountain where you can sit and watch the northern lights from the warmth of your couch.
Across the street in walking distance is Underhuset restaurant where we had multiple dinners. Later that night we got back in the car to do some northern lights hunting, and had our first sighting at Skagsanden Beach.
DAY 4: Kvalvika Beach
The town of Reine has a good Coop (Coop Prix Reine) where we bought groceries for the next few days, especially breakfast. For the day we planned to drive back up the main road that we came in on the day before, spend time stopping at scenic spots, and find the hiking trail to Kvalvika Beach.
There’s no shortage of places to stop for pictures, and there are great pull offs that you can pull over safely on when you find an area you like. Before leaving Reine, a great spot is over the bridge looking at the rorbuer (location in the first picture on the left). Another good place on this route is the bridge off the main road toward Kvalvika Beach trailhead is an especially good place to stop before the bridge.
Being March, there was snow everywhere. We wore heavy snow/ski gear that was waterproof for walking as some of the snow banks were pretty deep. The trail leads up from the road, and typically had a defined walkway. As we got higher, it was harder to find, but the general direction was easy to follow as we were heading towards the saddle of two high peaks.
As you crest the saddle, the view down to Kvalvika beach is incredible. It definitely feels remote and is a good place to sit and take in the dramatic cliffs falling into the sea. If you have time, heading up the slope to your right, before heading down to the beach, you can summit the peak of Ryten and have great views looking down the coast.
After a long day of exploring, head into Reine for dinner. There’s not many restaurants, but we found a pizza bar/pub that was a lot of fun that we went to multiple nights. Don’t forget to look for northern lights again.
DAY 5: Haukland Beach and Mannen
The early morning hours around Reine offer lots of photography opportunities, so I’d encourage you to drive and just explore areas you think have good compositions. There’s a good short hike across the main road from the Olstind cabin if you stop at these coordinates and hike up the hill (67.939830, 13.116025).
We drove to Haukland Beach today, which is one that has a sandy beach and the water has a blue turquoise color that makes you feel you’re in the Caribbean. The drive takes about an hour, and there are always places to stop. Once at Haukland, look for a trail head that will take you up to the peak of Mannen, the mountain ridge on the north side of the beach. The trailhead coordinates are here (68.202601, 13.541922), but be careful because the winter the trail gets snowy and covered. You take some switchbacks up to the ridge, then can walk the ridge up toward the peak as far as you want to go. This is definitely somewhere you should have crampons if it’s snowy.
Since you’re up by Leknes, it’s a good place to stop for lunch/dinner depending on the time of day, as they have a few more restaurants than Reine and is a good change of pace. Since it was dark by the time we started back to Reine, the northern lights were all over the sky on the way home.
DAY 6: Reine and Å
Reine also has some good places to grab coffee and breakfast, which is what we did most mornings. It’s a small town, with a lot of charm so you should spend some time walking around and exploring its little streets and wooden houses.
We had planned to kayak in the fjord behind our cabin, but the weather was too windy. You can make reservations to do this with Sakrisoy Guesthouse, next to Olstind Cabin. If you get lucky, you may even see Orcas swimming in the water.
With the other days taking you to the north, spend today taking the main highway south, past Reine and to the very end of the island chain. The road ends at a town called Å. There’s a car park at the end of the highway (67.879415, 12.977020), and from here you can hike up the hillside to get a viewpoint of the town and back into the Fjords. The town also has a museum on the traditions of drying cod. The road between Reine and Å is, of course, incredibly scenic, so spend time pulling over to get different photos along the way.
We spent sunset back in Reine at the pull off of the main highway. The light from the sun back lit Mt. Olstind and created a great place for a time lapse.
DAY 7: Unstad Beach, Henningsvær, and Svolvær
Today we departed our cabin in Reine, and headed back towards the airport. We had a hotel booked in the town of Svolvaer, so we could be close to the airport for our early morning flight back to Oslo, but still be staying in what is considered Lofoten. Since we had all day to leisurely drive the two hours to Svolvær, we could spend time stopping at the places we hadn’t been able to make it to yet.
The first place we stopped was Unstad Beach. It’s been made famous by many surfers who have journeyed all over the world to surf here. There is a surf center there which you could rent surfboards from, if you want to brave the water. Regardless of getting in or not, it’s a scenic beach and worth stopping at.
Next we stopped at Henningsvær, which you’ll see all over Instagram and social media with its soccer pitch set on one large rock at the edge of the ocean. The whole town is built on a series of rocks so it gives you the feel of being in Venice. The heart of Henningsvær is its bustling harbor, where traditional red and yellow fishing huts stand shoulder-to-shoulder along the water's edge, giving the village an authentic maritime charm. As you wander through its narrow, winding streets, you'll encounter a mix of cozy cafes, art galleries, and charming shops, all set against a backdrop of towering mountains
As night was setting in, we arrived in Svolvær, the unofficial capital of the Lofoten Islands. The town also is set on a harbor with dramatic mountains in the background. There are some great restaurants here along the harbor and plenty of places to eat. Since this is your last night in Lofoten, be sure to look for the lights one last time.
DAY 8: Return to Oslo
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Cafe Sor
The drive back to Harstad/Narvik (EVE) is about two hours from Svolvær, so be sure to leave enough time to get back before your flight out. Once you get closer to the airport, the landscape becomes less dramatic, which feels strange after being in the main part of Lofoten for the past few days.
In Oslo, treat. yourself to a great meal after being so far off the beaten path before you prepare for your flight home.