Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
in the Lofotens to the famous
Trollfjord
(p. 413).
If You Have 2 Days
Based in the
little port of Kabelvåg, you can pay
morning visits to the Lofoten
Museum (p. 416), which will give
you a useful insight into the people
of the islands. You might also visit
the
Lofoten Aquarium
(p. 416).
For some Lofoten thrills, try to sign
up for an adventure trip for the
afternoon. See “The Best Adventure
Trips” on p. 416.
If You Have 3 Days
Head south to
Henningsvaer,
the largest and
liveliest of the Lofoten fishing vil-
lages. You will find good hotels and
restaurants here if you want to
spend the night. We suggest a
morning visit to the
Lofoten Hus
Gallery
(p. 418) to see the largest
and best collection of north Nor-
way art. An even more exciting idea
is to take one of the
mountain
tours
or
Sea Eagle Safaris
offered
in the area (p. 418). The Sea Eagle
jaunt will take only an hour, allow-
ing you time to do some mountain
climbing even if it's getting late. If
you arrive in midsummer, the sun
never sets.
If You Have 4 Days
Continue
south to explore
Vestvågøy,
the sec-
ond-largest island. You can visit the
hamlet of
Borg,
where the biggest
Viking Age chieftain's homestead in
Scandinavia has been excavated. A
full-scale replica of the chieftain's
house has been reconstructed.
Stramsund,
with its 1,500 inhabi-
tants, makes a good base here, as it
is one of the largest fishing villages
in West Lofoten.
A mountainous region lies both
north and south of Stramsund. You
can spend most of the afternoon
walking and exploring at random,
perhaps climbing one of the steep
mountains. For our favorite walk in
the area, see p. 420.
If You Have 5 Days
Another day
can be spent on the island of
Flak-
stadøy
visiting fishing hamlets such
as
Ramberg,
which lies next to a
lovely white beach facing the Arctic
Ocean. Drop in at the
Flakstad
Church,
built in 1780 of wood
(p. 421). In 1 day you can visit our
favorite island fishing ports, includ-
ing
Sund
with its fishing museum,
Fiskerimuseum (p. 421), and also
Nusfjord,
which is justifiably the
most famous of the little ports
because of its agglomeration of fish-
ermen's huts. These are used by
fishermen in the winter and visitors
in the summer.
If You Have 6 Days
While still
based at Flakstadøy, perhaps in the
village of Ramberg, you can explore
the island to its immediate south:
Moskenesøy
(p. 422). For a true
adventure and a chance to capture
the spirit of the Lofoten Islands—
and its people—we consider this
the most evocative island. Sculp-
tured by glaciers, the landscape is
far more savage than what we'd vis-
ited so far.
The most dramatic experience
you can enjoy here is a 5-hour tour
over often turbulent waters to the
Moskestraumen,
the treacherous
strait separating Moskenesøy from
the offshore island of Vaerøy to the
south. These are called “the world's
most dangerous waters,” and could
be the highlight of a trip to the
Lofotens. They even inspired Edgar
Allan Poe to write a nautical tale.
Marine mammals and thousands of
seabirds can be seen here.
We'd vote
Reine
as one of the
most charming and typical of the
Lofoten villages. You can even
spend the night here if you wish in
a rented fisherman's hut. What we'd
recommend is to explore the
Moskestraumen one day, then go
on a Midnight Sun cruise the fol-
lowing day.
