10 Epic Things To Do in the Lofoten Islands

The Lofoten Islands features some of the most outstanding natural scenery I have ever seen in my life – jagged mountain peaks, crystal aquamarine waters, white sand beaches, and giant fjords….it’s a perfect destination for those looking to add some adventure to their life, and/or get a breath of fresh air. The Lofoten Islands was our last stop as part of a 10-day road trip through Norway, and it was definitely one of the most memorable places we visited on the entire trip. If you are planning a trip to Norway, here are 10 epic things to do in the Lofoten Islands.

Related Post: Our 2-Week Norway Road Trip Itinerary

Getting to the Lofoten Islands

Getting to the Lofoten Islands is no easy-feat. This archipelago is located in the most northern part of Norway above the Arctic Circle and is made up of 7 different islands: Moskenesoy, Flakstadoy, Vestvagoy, Austvagoy, Gimsoy, Vaeroy, and Rost. It takes 5 hours to get from the first island to the last.

We arrived in the Lofoten Islands by taking a car ferry from Bodo to Moskenes (about 10 kilometers west of the popular tourist town of Reine), which was a 3-4 hour ferry trip and cost around $100/car for a one-way ticket. This was a really relaxing way to get to the Lofoten Islands, and allowed us to stretch our feet after several days of long drives, and also witness beautiful ocean views along the way. We left the Lofoten Islands by flying out of the Evenes Airport into Oslo.

When to Visit the Lofoten Islands

The best time to visit the Lofoten Islands really depends on what type of experience you’re looking for. If you’re chasing the green glow of the Northern Lights, then it’s recommended that you visit during the months of December and January when there is literally no sunlight. Orca-spotting typically happens during the spring months of April and May. If you are looking to do more hiking and want to enjoy the outdoors and a bit of sun, then I would recommend visiting during the summer months of June through August.

How Many Days to Visit the Lofoten Islands

I would budget spending 3-4 days on the Lofoten Islands (especially if you’re looking to do a few hikes). We were there for 2.5 days and it felt a bit rushed – while we got to see all the major attractions, I would’ve loved a bit more time to do a couple more hikes in the area. Keep in mind that the weather in the Lofoten Islands can be very unpredictable, so allow for some ‘breathing room’ in your trip schedule if you want to be able to experience the outdoors without rain.

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Things to do in the Lofoten Islands

Stay in a traditional rorbu

A rorbu is a traditional fisherman’s cabin which has been renovated into a lodging option. These small cabins are built on stilts over the water, and are unique to the Lofoten Islands. There are several rorbuers to choose from while you’re on the island, but I would recommend choosing one located in one of the ‘classic’ tourist towns of Reine, Sakrisoy, or Hamnøy for easiest access to hikes, restaurants, and attractions.

We chose to stay at the Hattvika Lodge and I seriously cannot recommend this place enough. Located in Ballstad, these rorbuers from the 1870’s ooze the charm of the past, but have been renovated with the most luxurious modern comforts – heated tile floors, soft cozy beds, fully-equipped kitchens, and views overlooking the Hattvika harbour. We spent one of our nights in the Lofoten Islands taking advantage of the fully-stocked kitchen, and enjoying a delicious meal of cod burgers and salad (with some white wine, of course) that we picked up from a nearby supermarket. Norway is EXTREMELY expensive so this was definitely one of the more budget-friendly meals from the trip (and romantic too!).

Witness the iconic scenery of Hamnøy

Hamnøy is a small fishing village located on Moskenes. To get THAT iconic must-have shot from the Lofoten Islands, make your way to the Hamnøy Bridge where you can capture a photograph of traditional bright red rorbuers, against the backdrop of the surrounding deep blue ocean and majestic rugged peaks. There is an official parking lot a short walk away from the western side of the bridge, and you can get this photo from the pedestrian footpath following the bridge.

Complete the Ryten Hike

The Ryten Hike is located on Moskenesoya in the Lofoten Islands, and the hike starts at the parking lot at the Peat Museum. This difficult 5.4-mile round trip hike is one of Kevin and mine’s favorite hikes we’ve ever done – and getting to the peak is worth the effort. We spent several hours hiking uphill through grassy pastures and bleating mountain goats, crawling up wooden ledges, and savoring every moment. On top of Ryten is a large rock that juts out over the surrounding landscape, providing a beautiful overlook of Kvalvika Beach.

But the most memorable thing from our time on the Ryten trail was the crazy Norwegian weather. The hike took us around 3-4 hours to complete, and in that time, we experienced snow, hail, crazy winds, blue skies and sunshine. At one point, I had 3 layers of jackets on because it was so cold! There was another point on the hike where Kevin and I were burrowed up on the ground behind a rock seeking shelter from the hurtling gusts of winds around us. And then of course, there were extremely warm and sunny moments along the hike where we were sweating bullets. Moral of the story: Be prepared for any type of weather, and pack layers!

Eat seafood

You’re on an island surrounded by fishing villages, so of course you need to have seafood while visiting the Lofoten Islands. The Lofoten Island is especially famous for Norwegian Arctic cod, with high season being during the winter months. Some great options for seafood while on the island include Anita’s Seafood Bar (budget-friendly delicacy shop where you can enjoy fish burgers, smoked salmon, and chowder) and Maren Anna (a quaint romantic restaurant celebrating seasonal ingredients, located in the harbour of Sørvågen.

Go to the beach

Yes, you read that correctly – there are some stunning beaches on the Lofoten Islands! Two of the more famous beaches on the islands include Ramberg Beach and Haukland Beach. Both beaches feature beautiful stretches of white sand and are popular areas for picnics, kayaking, and paddle boarding,

Visit the fishing village of A

Visit the photogenic fishing village named ‘A’, which happens to be the last letter in the Norwegian alphabet (and hence, the name of the last village in the Lofoten Islands). The village is extremely small but still worth visiting, especially for the famous cinnamon and cardamom buns available at the local bakery. We enjoyed some hygge time (Danish and Norwegian word for self-care, coziness, and contentment) while we were there, enjoying the buttery spice of cardamom, hot coffee, and some good conversation.

Hike to the top of Svolvær Fløya

Our original plan when visiting the Lofoten Islands was to hike Reinebringen, which is the most popular hike on the islands. Unfortunately, the trail was closed for maintenance while we were visiting, so we were frantically trying to find a back-up plan. Fortunately, we stumbled upon the Svolvær Fløya hike in our research, and it was an amazing alternative. Fløya is a mountain that towers over the larger town of Svolvær, which has the largest living population in the archipelago. This advanced hike (short but intense) should take around 3-4 hours to complete.

The hike starts at the stairs in Blåtindveien, and there is a parking area nearby (you can also find a lot of parking on the street). The path takes you up what is called the ‘Sherpa Stairs’, then flattens out and splits in two directions. One direction goes to ‘The Goat’ (see below), whereas the other option allows you to continue up Fløya. Be warned – this hike is not for the faint of heart. There were several places which required some major thigh-burning and scrambling over huge boulders, rope climbing up steep hills, and traipsing through muddy pools. My legs were also shaking towards the end of the hike because I’m terrified of heights, and the path takes you through some very exposed terrain along the edge of a cliff.

But oh my, the views from the top of Fløya were absolutely breathtaking. We celebrated our hiking victory by treating ourselves to a Kvikk Lunsj, which is a Norwegian chocolate bar that tastes a bit like a Kit Kat bar, and is now synonymous with the act of Norwegian hiking (the chocolate bar slogan is “Tursjokolden” which means hiking or trekking chocolate). The back and inside of the chocolate bar wrapper features different notable trekkers as well as hiking tips!

Climb ‘The Goat’

As I mentioned in the Fløya section above, another popular thing to do on the Lofoten Islands and hiking option in Svolvær is to take the path towards Svolværgeita for some epic rock climbing. It’s nicknamed ‘The Goat’ for the two horns of rock that jut from the mountain. Although we didn’t have time to do this, it’s a very popular activity on the Lofoten Islands, and suitable for both beginner (make the climb with one of the many tours offered in the area!) and advanced rock climbers.

Visit historic Nusfjord

Nusfjord is a fishing village slash open-air museum where you can visit a local sawmill, general store, and cod-liver oil factory. This secluded village is of protected national park status, and has been preserved to represent life in the village 50 years ago. Note: There is a 75 NOK fee to enter the village during peak season, which helps with the preservation of the site.

Experience the midnight sun

The midnight sun of Norway is really a bucket-list experience – this natural phenomenon occurs north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle, where during a specific period of time in the summer months there are 24 hours of daylight. It felt totally bizarre to experience bright sunshine at midnight (thank goodness that our rorbu had blackout curtains!). Because the weather was extremely unpredictable while we were in the Lofoten Islands and we wanted to do a lot of hiking, we had to be very flexible with our travel plans; the light of the midnight sun made it very convenient for us to be able to fit everything into our itinerary (we slept when it rained). Can you believe that we completed our hike up Fløya at 3am in the morning?!

And there you have it! My list of the top 10 epic things to do in the Lofoten Islands! It really has to be one of the most stunning places on the planet, and I hope this post inspires you to visit. If you have any questions or comments, leave me a note below!

Related Post: Our 2-Week Norway Road Trip Itinerary