The Lofoten Islands are an archipelago in the Northern part of Norway, about 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle. A beautiful, otherworldly destination that has enormously steep mountains rising out of the ocean.
There is much to experience and do here in the islands, but it does require a bit of work to explore and see the islands. Below is a list of things to know before planning your visit to the Lofoten Islands.
For a week-long itinerary of the islands of activities to see and do, make sure to check out my post: Discover Lofoten: Legendary things to do in Lofoten Norway.
When to go
Summer
The Lofoten Islands are beautiful anytime of the year. In the summer you will have temperatures as high as 15℃ and lows at night of 10℃. Of course you may get the occasional rare day where temperatures might reach 20℃.
If you are interested in hiking Lofoten, summer is the best time to go. While some trails are doable in the winter time, many may not be accessible and become very dangerous. And because the sun does not set in the summertime, you can spend more time hiking, kayaking or doing other activities longer in the day.
Summer is also the peak time to experience the midnight sun in Lofoten. From 27th of May to 17th of July, the sun does not set below the horizon. Many adventurous hikers like to set out in the evening to experience the midnight sun up close and personal at the peaks of the Lofoten mountains.
Winter
While visiting a destination 150 miles inside the arctic circle during the winter may not be the top of your list….let me convince you. Winters in Lofoten are extremely mild considering Lofoten’s location north of the arctic circle.
There is something truly magical about Lofoten during the winter time. Seeing the snow covered mountains adds a level of other-worldly landscapes to experience.
Because tourism has exploded within the last couple years in Lofoten, many activities, restaurants and shops are remaining available and open during the winter season. It is always good to double check certain restaurants and shops hours before going.
Visiting Lofoten in the winter is also a great time to try and catch the northern lights! Of course, the longer you stay in Lofoten the greater chance you have of catching the northern lights.
If you visit during the months of January-March you will also get to experience the signature smell of Lofoten: drying stockfish! Large cod swim down from the Barents Sea during winter to spawn in the waters around the Lofoten islands between January-March.
Throughout history fishermen from all over Norway would travel to the Lofoten Islands during this time to make money fishing the waters.The weather during January-March provides the perfect temperature to dry the stockfish without them rotting. Once bone dry, the fish are exported to Europe and Africa.
Lofoten weather and what to bring
The weather in Lofoten is unpredictable and can become dangerous fast if you are not properly prepared. In the summertime it is always good to bring waterproof and water resistant clothing. Dressing in layers, even in the summer, is always a good idea.
Clothing to bring in the summer:
- Sweaters/light jacket
- Base layers (especially if you are hiking, it can be much cooler the further up the trail you go).
- Hat and beanie
- Rain jacket
- Waterproof pants
- Rain boots
- Good waterproof hiking boots if you plan on hiking in Lofoten
- Jacket- it can be quite cool in the evening
Clothing to bring in the winter:
- Wool! Wool sweater, heat, base layers!
- Thermal base layers
- Winter coat/parka
- Wool scarf and beanie
- Waterproof, warm gloves
- Waterproof winter boots
Where to stay
The Lofoten Islands has many places to see and activities to do among the 5 main islands. You may want to choose a location that is central among the archipelago, nea the town of Leknes. Or you may want to stay in an iconic fishing village like in Reine.
Lofoten has historical fishing villages everywhere along the archipelago. Many of these fisherman’s cabins, rorbuer, have been restored and are available to rent for your stay in Lofoten.
While staying in an authentic fisherman’s restored cabin has it’s unique charm- the increased tourism in Lofoten has increased the prices to stay at an authentic rorbu. Therefore, AirBnB may be a great option for you to consider, as well.
Below are Lofoten accommodation options
Centrally located Rorbu
Lofoten Havfiske & robu: https://www.lofotenfiske.com/
Statles Rorbu: https://www.statles-rorbusenter.no/
Hemmingodden Lodge: https://hemmingodden.com/en/accommodations
Hattvika Lodge: https://hattvikalodge.no/
Centrally located AirBnB:
Unique fishing village Rorbu:
Nusfjord Arctic Resort: https://nusfjordarcticresort.com/
Lofoten Cottages: https://www.lofotencottages.com/
Å Rorbuer: https://www.arorbuer.no/
Lofoten Rorbuhotell: https://www.lofotenrorbuhotell.com/
Reinefjorden Sjøhus: https://www.reinefjord.no/
Eliassen Rorbuer: https://eliassenrorbuer.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral
Closer to picturesque fishing village AirBnBs:
Vanlife in Lofoten
Vanlife culture and camp Lofoten is real and thriving in the islands! Because Lofoten is easier to see when you have a car, why not have that car be your accommodation for your stay in Lofoten too?!
One of the unique things about Norway is the concept of allemannsrett, translated as everyman’s right. This means, everyone has a right to roam in Norway. So you can park your camper or van anywhere along a pull-off on the side of the road or beach to spend the night.
This truly gives you the freedom to go anywhere you wish in the Lofoten Islands and to stay as long as your heart desires in your favorite spots.
Below are some options to rent a camper or van for your stay in Lofoten:
Vans of Norway: https://www.vansofnorway.com/
Arctic Campers: https://www.arcticcampers.no/
Lofoten Vanlife: https://www.lofotenvanlife.no/
Touring Cars: https://www.touringcars.eu/en
How to get there
You’ve planned your accommodation, your activities and now how do you get to the Lofoten Islands? There are few airports you can choose to fly into.
Harstad/Narvik Airport (EVE) has direct flights from Oslo. It is about a 1 hour and 20 minute flight from Oslo and all the major Norwegian airlines fly in there: Norwegian Air, SAS, Wideroe.
If you fly into EVE, you will then have a 3-4 hour drive to your stay, depending on where you have chosen your accommodation.
Solvær Helle (SVJ) Airport will bring you into the largest town in Lofoten. There are no direct flights; therefore, you will fly from Oslo to Bodø Airport (BOO). From Bodø you will then catch a flight on Avinor to SVJ.
Leknes Airport (LKN) will bring you into the most centrally located town in Lofoten. Same as flying into Solvær, you will have a pit stop in Bodø Airport before catching a flight into LKN.
There are two ferry options for you that will get to the Lofoten Isands. Both depart from Bodø, so you will need to get yourself to Bodø first.
Car Ferry: The car ferry to Lofoten sails from Bodø to Moskenes. The ferry takes 3-4 hours and there is a cost per passenger, as well as your car. https://lofoten.info/en/Ferry-and-expressboat
Passenger Express Boat: The passenger ferry sails from Bodø to Svolvær (3.5 hours). https://lofoten.info/en/Ferry-and-expressboat
You can rent a car at the airports in Lofoten to help you along your journey. You can find major car rentals: Hertz, Avis and Europcar. We used Europcar and they were great!
What to expect while you are there
Traveling among islands
There are 5 major islands in the archipelago. It is easier to get around the islands if you have a car. There are plenty of car rental options in the major towns and airports in Lofoten.
There is a bus system to help you get around if you prefer to not rent a car. There are buses that run a few times during the day between Å and Svolvær: https://www.reisnordland.no/
Northern lights
If you visit Lofoten between early September and early April you likely have a good chance at spotting the northern lights! Though the weather is unpredictable and often cloudy and rainy, it can make the northern lights hard to spot. Of course, the longer you stay in Lofoten, the better chance you have of seeing the lights!
Money
It is extremely rare to ever need physical cash or coins in Norway. They prefer credit cards and using the Vipps app. You can learn about Vipps here. So no need to worry about exchanging currency- just have a credit card that won’t charge you for foreign transaction fees, and download Vipps!
Tourism
Thanks to social media, the Lofoten Islands has exploded with tourism! This is a popular destination for adventure and outdoor seekers. It is also a popular destination for tourists from France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
Because of this, your summer months are likely going to be your busiest. Winter is becoming more popular for tourists, as well. Especially the photographers that want to capture the magic of the mountains in the snow.
Seafood
Be prepared to eat LOTS of seafood. You can’t get any closer to the source than eating freshly caught seafood from the Lofoten arctic waters. Be sure to try fiskeburger, fiskesuppe, salmon, cod, smoked whale, seaweed, and cod tongue!
If you visit during January-March you will also see the hanging stockfish all over the islands drying in the winter weather. You will get the signature Lofoten smell- stockfish!!
