The Lofoten Islands (Norway) have attracted the attention of tourists from all over the world for many centuries. The nature here is so picturesque and has such magical powers that novels were written about the islands, poems, music were dedicated, paintings were painted and sculptures were sculpted.

There is hardly a place in the world where you can go snowshoeing and surfing, visit a whale safari and see the most dangerous whirlpool in the world, climb the mountain peak, relax on the beach and admire northern lights. Even a long flight, unstable weather and high prices will not spoil your holiday on the Lofoten Islands.


general information

Lofoten (Norway) is an archipelago located in the Norwegian Sea. The islands are located in northwestern Norway and cover an area of ​​more than 1220 square meters. km. The population of the archipelago is almost 24 thousand people.

Lofoten consists of many islands, the coastline of which is indented by bays and comfortable beaches. The main feature of a holiday in Lofoten is privacy, silence, tranquility and wild, untouched nature.



Despite the geographical location of the islands, the weather here is relatively warm. This is due to the close proximity of the warm Gulf Stream.

It is important! You can stay on the islands in a hotel or in a rorb - a private house owned by local fishermen. However, the majority of Lofoten residents are wealthy people and rent their homes at prices that are higher than hotel prices.

Things to do and see

Whale Safari



Whales are incredible animals and have long been considered magical creatures. In addition, whales are the largest animals on the planet. Judge for yourself - the weight of a whale’s heart is 700 kg, and the weight of its tongue is equal to the mass of an elephant.

Interesting fact! Another name for whales is sea canaries. They are called that because whales are the only mammals that can and love to sing.

Since 1986, there has been a worldwide ban on commercial whaling. Since then, whales have become the object of an amazing safari, during which you can admire the beautiful and intelligent animals and photograph them.



The best place for a whale safari – Lofoten Islands. Killer whales and sperm whales hunt here from spring to early autumn. Huge animals swim next to the boats, and in the winter months they are clearly visible from the shore.

In the city of Annenes there is a Whale Center and a thematic museum. It is from here that boats and yachts depart for whale safari. It is enough to move a few kilometers away from the shore and the whales will be a few meters away from you. In winter there is a chance to even see sperm whales.

This is interesting! According to statistics, in 96% of cases tourists manage to see whales jumping out of the water. If vacationers experience 4% of unsuccessful cases, the organization that conducts the safari takes tourists to a repeat event at any convenient time or returns the money.

Cafes and restaurants in Lofoten are serving whale meat because Norway has not signed a ban on whale fishing.

Fishing in Lofoten Islands



Fishing in this part of Norway is attractive because good catches are possible throughout the year. The fjords located off the coast do not freeze even in winter. The most favorable conditions for fishing occur in the second half of April and persist until mid-October.

In spring, cod descends to the coast of the islands to spawn. At this time, you can catch fish weighing from 15 to 20 kg. The Lofoten Islands are an ideal place for deep sea fishing. At a depth of 30 meters, pollock, salmon, flounder, haddock and lure live. If you fish at a depth of 80 meters, you can catch monkfish, moth and sea bass.

Advice! The most productive fishing occurs during high tide and about 30 minutes after low tide.

Fishing by month:



  • April-May is an excellent period for fishing for cod, catfish, and haddock;
  • in summer there is a good catch of pollock, stingray, mackerel, moth, halibut, flounder, salmon, trout, herring;
  • in the fall they catch trophy, large fish, but you should take into account the severity and unpredictability of the northern weather - storms begin to rage from the end of September.

For fishing on the islands, you can stay in one of the many fishing bases, rent a watercraft vehicle and necessary equipment.

This is interesting! The warm Gulf Stream provides ideal conditions for fishing. In winter, the air temperature varies from 0 to +10 degrees, and in summer the air warms up to +30 degrees. From late May to mid-July there is no night on the islands because the Sun does not set below the horizon.

Surfing in Lofoten Islands



Cold water skiing is rapidly gaining momentum around the world. This is largely due to the development of technology and the use of special wetsuits.

Features of surfing in Lofoten:

  • the water is cold throughout the year;
  • the climatic conditions here are as comfortable as possible for surfing;
  • After surfing you can warm up in the sauna.

Waves are characteristic of everything here northern hemisphere– small in summer, and tall in winter. Newcomers come here in June, July and August. In winter you can meet real professional surfers here.

This is interesting! There is a surf school on the Lofoten Islands where you can rent a comfortable cottage or come with your own tent, but in this case you will have to pay for tent accommodation. The school is located in Unstad. Cottages are of any size, with a sauna and kitchen, shower and toilet.





  • Viking Museum Lofotr. This is a unique, impressive reconstruction of a Viking Age settlement. Plunge into the cruel, brutal world of the Vikings and feel how the last Viking leader Olaf Twennumbruni lived. The 83-meter-long dwelling has a bedchamber and a honey room. Restored here with maximum accuracy appearance premises and decoration. In addition to the leader’s house, you can walk around the farm, visit the forge, and admire the Viking ships. Tours are conducted by guides dressed in historical costumes. The museum is located in the small village of Borg, near Båstad.


  • Museum of dried fish. Founded at the end of the last century and is part of a colorful, authentic fishing village in the style of the 18th century. All events organized in the village take place in national traditions and depict the life of Norwegian fishermen for two hundred years. The museum is located in the westernmost part of the archipelago, in the village of O, Moskenes municipality.
  • Museum of fishing villages. It is located in the same village and reflects the peculiarities of the life of Norwegian fishermen. The exhibition consists of many interesting objects, a blacksmith's shop, a residential fisherman's house, a rorbu - a house on stilts, a bakery and much more.

Hiking



Best time for hiking - summer, when the polar day lasts on the islands. Night hiking in the mountains is a special, incomparable adventure. There are many organized events on the islands tourist routes, each of which will give a lot of impressions and emotions. The most spectacular routes on the island of Eustvogøy. In the center of the island there is Mount Runnfjellet, with incredible views from its top.



You can also climb other mountains:

  • Fløya – the climb is difficult, from the top you can see the entire capital – Svolvær;
  • Reinbringen - the climb is quite steep, from the top you can see islands up to the island of Hamnøy and the village of Reine;
  • Stolva – the lifting height is 750 meters.

This is interesting! Mountaineering is well developed on the Lofoten Islands.

Many tourists test their endurance while climbing to the icy peaks. Optimal routes developed on the islands of Austvogøya and Moskenøya. Cycling is common in these places, and there are special routes. cycling routes. Every year on the summer solstice you can take part in cycling competitions, but be prepared that you will have to travel through all the islands of the archipelago.

Fascinating natural phenomena



Near the farthest island of Moskenøya there is a unique a natural phenomenon- Maelstrom whirlpool. It was formed as a result of the meeting of several rapid currents. The first mention of Maelstrom is found in the studies of the Greek scientist Pytheas 2 thousand years ago. Since then, the whirlpool has been marked on all nautical charts.

The Northern Lights Extravaganza is another natural light for which tourists from all over the world come to the Lofoten Islands. The northern lights belt begins from the archipelago. When choosing an observation location, consider several factors:



  • optimal conditions for observing the northern lights are dry air, clear sky and the absence of the Moon in the sky;
  • The best time to go on a trip is from 22-00 to 00-00;
  • you will need to move further out of the city and away from electric lighting.

In Lofoten, in the town of Laukvik on the island of Austvågøya, tourists are welcomed by the Northern Lights Center.

Another unique natural phenomenon that you can admire on the islands is the hunting of eagles. Ships take tourists to a place where eagles hunt fish. Birds are at arm's length from you. It is an impressive sight when a bird with a wingspan of more than 2.5 meters flies towards you.

Attractions



  • The capital of the Lofoten Islands is the city of Svolvær. Founded in the 8th century and located near Goat Mountain. During the summer months, Trolfjord tours depart from here.
  • The village of Reine is one of the most beautiful places Norway - located in the western part of the archipelago, on the island of Moskenøya.
  • Kolhelleren Cave. Drawings on rocks dating back 3 thousand years have been preserved here.


  • Oceanarium. Introduces tourists to the underwater world of Lofoten and all of Norway. There are pools with otters and seals, and an aquarium with cod. To remember your visit to the aquarium, buy a souvenir in a small shop.
  • Beach in the town of Blake. The shore is covered with snow-white sand, which looks like snow. The beach is perfectly clean, and the color of the waves resembles lush, green grass. The length of the beach is 2.5 km, from it you can clearly see the island with the Bleiksøy rock, where amazing puffin birds nest, which are called sea parrots because of their bright plumage.


  • Nusfjord is the oldest fishing village. A whole complex of buildings built in the 19th century has been preserved here. The architecture of the village is unique - as a result of excavations, settlements built in the 5th century were found.
  • Ice sculpture park Magic Ice. This is a real theater, woven from ice, color and music. The design of the park introduces the nature and life of Lofoten, traditions, legends about trolls and nymphs. There is an ice bar in the park.

Weather and climate

Considering that the archipelago is located above the Arctic Circle, it may seem that the climate here is harsh and very cold. However, the winter months in Lofoten are quite warm, this is possible due to the fact that the warm Gulf Stream passes near the islands. In addition to it, smaller warm currents flow here - the North Atlantic and Norwegian.

If you prefer warmer weather, head to the islands of Røst or Värøy. Even in winter, the air temperature does not drop below 0 degrees. In summer the air temperature averages +15°C. The ocean water in shallow waters warms up to +17 °C in the hottest months, but, as a rule, the temperature reaches +10...+12 °C.

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How to get to Lofoten Islands

If you decide to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, go to the Lofoten Islands, of course, the path is not the easiest and closest, but it is one of the most wonderful places not only in Norway, but also in the world.

By plane



There are several answers to the question of how to get to the Lofoten Islands (Norway). The first of them is by plane. There are several airports here that receive flights daily, but flying to the capital Svolvar is inconvenient as it requires two transfers. From the capital of Russia you need to fly to Oslo, then to Bodø and from there you can fly to the capital Lofoten. The journey takes at least 8 hours. The flight time from Bodø to Svolvár is 20 to 30 minutes.

Trains depart daily from Stockholm and Kiruna and arrive in Narvik. From Narvik to many settlements Buses depart from Lofoten.

Trains also run from Oslo to Bodø, passing through Trondheim and Fauske. The journey takes approximately 10 hours.

Of course, the distance from Oslo to the archipelago is almost 1,400 km, but the path is so beautiful and picturesque that it simply must be done by car. A trip by car to Lofoten will allow you to enjoy the beauty of the islands, stop along the way, take photos, feel the endless world of mountains, the depth of the fjords, and stroll through dense forests. This adventure will not leave anyone indifferent and will leave a lot of memories and emotions.

It is important! The main route that passes through the islands of the archipelago is E10 or the King Olaf V route. The road runs from west to east. If you are planning to travel around Lofoten on your own, research the route and routes, especially if you want to get away from the main road.

  • The name of the archipelago means lynx foot. Most likely, this is due to the shape, which resembles the paw of a predator.


  • Cod fishing on the islands of the archipelago has been going on for thousands of years. Fishing is most active in winter, when cod migrate to Lofoten. The catch is transported to many countries around the world.
  • Lofoten are the oldest rock formations, more than 3 billion years old. The usual appearance of Lofoten was formed about 10 thousand years ago after the end of the Ice Age.
  • The most visited islands of the archipelago are Austvogøy, Flakstadøy, Moskenøya, Vestvågøy. Creative people - artists, writers - often come here for inspiration. Residents of Norway love to fish and just relax here.
  • There are so many fish near Norway that, in addition to oil, it is thanks to fishing that the country is now considered one of the richest and most successful. Lofoten cod is transported to Italy, Spain and Portugal, to best restaurants. The main principle of fishing in Norway is to preserve nature and not harm it. To preserve the unique underwater world, commercial fish are raised in special enclosures.


  • The most convenient transport on the archipelago is a bicycle; the only inconvenience is narrow roads and a lot of cars.
  • There will be no problems with accommodation in the Lofoten Islands. Here you can stay in a campsite, hostel, hotel, or rent a rorba from local fishermen.
  • According to National Geographic, Lofoten is the third most beautiful island in the world. beautiful islands. The video below is a clear confirmation that Lofoten is not in vain in the top three most beautiful.

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The Lofoten Islands are an archipelago located in the Norwegian Sea off the northwestern coast of the country. They are separated from the mainland by the Westfjord Strait. They belong to Norway, are its pride and attract a huge number of tourists from all over the planet.

The archipelago consists of seven large islands and numerous small ones, which are separated from each other by straits. The distances between them are relatively small. The territory of the Lofoten Islands covers a total of 1227 square kilometers. About 24 thousand people live on the islands of the archipelago.

Despite the small population, the rocky islands of the archipelago have rich history and many worldwide famous objects– here is the Maelstrom whirlpool, the largest deep-sea coral reef on our planet, the largest surviving feast hall, which dates back to the majestic Viking era. The beauty of the Lofoten Islands is sung by artists, poets and writers.

History of Lofoten Islands

In the past, the islands of the archipelago were dotted with the apartments of wealthy Vikings, the ruins of which have survived to this day. A local population has long been engaged in fishing and raising sheep.

The first inhabitants settled here approximately six thousand years ago. Living conditions here were very favorable - mild climate, access to fresh fish and meat. At that time, the rocky islands were drowned in the thick of coniferous and deciduous forests, where a huge variety of wild animals lived.

In addition, the Lofoten Islands have always been dotted with fishermen's houses. Fishing was so important to local residents, that in 1103 King Oystein ordered the construction of a church in Wogan that would patronize local fishermen.

Where did the name of the archipelago located near the coast of Norway come from? Whole group islands borrowed the old name of the island of Vestvågøya - it was previously called Lofoten, which, translated from ancient Scandinavian, forms the phrase “lynx” and “leg”. This phrase probably meant that the island was shaped like a lynx's foot.

Geography of the islands

The archipelago settled north of the Arctic Circle. The seven largest of the Lofoten islands are: Austvågøy, Vestvågøy, Värøy, Gimsøy, Moskenesøy, Flakstadøy, Røst. The southern part of Norway's largest island, Hinney Island, is also part of the archipelago. In general, the islands stretch 60 kilometers in length.

Climate of the Lofoten Archipelago

The Gulf Stream plays a huge role in shaping the climate of the archipelago. As mentioned above, the Lofoten Islands are located beyond the Arctic Circle, however, thanks to the warm current, the climate here is very mild, maritime, and temperature changes are very small.

In winter, the temperature here rarely drops below zero. Summer on the islands of the Lofoten archipelago is quite cold but dry, with the average temperature of the hottest months, July and August, being about 15 degrees above zero. The coldest months on the islands are January and February.

The Lofoten Islands are also characterized by the phenomenon of polar day and polar night. During the period from May 27 to July 17, the sun does not fall below the horizon. It is worth noting that these months are the driest of the year. But from December 6 to January 6 the polar night begins.

The water off the coast of the Lofoten Islands is generally quite cold, but in the summer it sometimes warms up to +17 degrees.

Animals and vegetation

The islands of the archipelago are populated by the most different types seabirds, here you can meet cormorants, sea eagles and colorful puffins. The forests are home to moose and otters. As for vegetation, the trees here are dominated by birch and rowan, and there are a large number of coniferous forests.

Sights of the Lofoten Islands

Lofotr, a Viking museum, is located in the town of Borge. It was founded on the site of the largest surviving feast hall built by the Vikings. This majestic building stretches 83 meters in length! The width of the structure is eight and a half meters.

The islands of the Lofoten archipelago are particularly popular among mountaineering and cycling enthusiasts. There were even specially designed routes on the islands for those who like to pedal and enjoy the beautiful scenery. And during the Summer Solstice, competitions are held annually among bicycle enthusiasts - participants in such an event are given the opportunity to ride their favorite transport through all the islands of the archipelago.

It is noteworthy that the islands of the Lofoten archipelago are famous for their dried cod. For more than a thousand years, residents have been supplying their signature fish to different parts of our planet.

How to get to the islands?

There are several airports on the islands. In addition, the E10 road was built relatively recently, which connected the largest of the islands with mainland Norway. An element of this road is the famous Raftsundet Bridge - one of the largest frame-cantilever bridges on the planet. There is a regular ferry from Bodø to Mosknäs.

The Kingdom of Norway is located in Northern Europe. It occupies the western part of the Scandinavian Peninsula and many small islands that are adjacent to it. The islands of Norway are also located in the Arctic Ocean (Bear, Jan Mayen). The country owns the large archipelago of Spitsbergen. Her overseas territory in the Atlantic is Bouvet Island. Norway lays claim to Queen Maud Land and Peter I Island - Antarctic territories covered by the 1961 convention. In total, this country includes at least 50 thousand islands of various sizes. The most famous and largest are the islands of Senja, the Lofoten Islands, and the Spitsbergen archipelago.

a brief description of

The Lofoten Islands are located above the Arctic Circle. The nature of those places is distinguished by its unique beauty. The islands are located one after another in a chain, forming a barrier between North Sea and the mainland. Near their eastern shores passes the North Atlantic Current, which interacts with tidal waves and forms the most dangerous whirlpool on the planet - the Maelstrom. The population of the Lofoten Islands is 24 thousand people. The climate is mild due to the Gulf Stream. This segment of the sea never freezes. The largest land areas of the archipelago are considered to be Outsvagey, Westvogey and Mosknesey. Ferries run between them. The main city of the archipelago is Svolvær.

When considering the islands of Norway, special attention should be paid to Spitsbergen. It is located at a great distance from the Scandinavian Peninsula, in the Norwegian Sea. This is a huge reserve where representatives of the northern fauna are preserved. Walruses, polar bears, deer, seals, and arctic foxes live there. Whales come right to the shores, and large bird colonies are located on the rocks. Only Western Spitsbergen is an inhabited island. About 3.5 thousand people live on it, half of them have Russian roots. Svalbard annually welcomes at least 2,000 tourists, who are attracted by sea rafting and dog sledding.

The second largest island in the country is Senja, famous for its stunning nature. Created on its territory national park Enderdalen.

To the north of Lofoten lie the Vesterålen Islands. Tourists go there to see the seals. On the border of the Norwegian and Greenland Seas is the island of Jan Mayen, which is of volcanic origin. He has active volcano Berenberg. The nature of this landmass is tundra, interspersed with rare meadows.

Climatic conditions

The country is characterized by a not very harsh climate, despite its northern location. Many of Norway's islands have a maritime climate with mild winters. The reason for the relatively warm weather is the action of the Gulf Stream.

Islands of Norway: Lofoten Islands, Spitsbergen Island, Senja Island of Norway.

  • Last minute tours to Norway

Norway owns about 50 thousand islands, islets and simply huge stones, brazenly sticking out and claiming the loud status of an independent piece of land. The largest and most popular are the Svalbard archipelago, the Lofoten Islands and the island of Senja.

Lofoten Islands

They are a chain of islands with a population of 24 thousand inhabitants, which are famous for their mild climate (thanks to the Gulf Stream) and amazing underwater life. The sea never freezes here. The archipelago consists of many islands, the largest of which: Moskenesey, Vestvogey and Austvagey - are connected by ferries. Main city archipelago - Svolver.

Lofoten has preserved unique traditions of northern culture. Here you can, for example, visit a traditional fisherman's hut "rurbu", learn how cod is dried, take a boat trip on the sea or visit Trollfjord.

Lofoten Islands

Spitsbergen Island (Svalbard)

A nature reserve where seals, polar bears, walruses, owls, deer and arctic foxes live. Here are the largest bird colonies in the world, whales splash near the shores, and the only inhabited island- Western Spitsbergen has no more than 3.5 thousand inhabitants, half of them are Russian.

Today, about two thousand tourists come to the island every year to enjoy unique sea rafting, go to glaciers, kayaking and dog sledding.

Senja Island

This is Norway's second largest island, famous for its amazing nature and the Enderdalen National Park, which is surrounded by fantastic mountain peaks.

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And of course we looked at the rocky island of Haya rising on the horizon. They say that it was she who inspired the architect Jan Inge Hovig to build the Arctic Cathedral in Tromsø, about which
I told you last time.

The cloudy sky and light rain were not conducive to walking around this tiny island, so we decided to go to the neighboring island to the ferry pier. However, it cost us
overcome these few kilometers and stand in line for the ferry, as the blue sky appeared, and the gloomy rainy clouds turned into picturesque clouds. It's good from our parking spot
the island of Sommaroy itself was visible, and the bridge to it (by the way, so narrow that cars move only in one direction - first there, then back, following the traffic lights), and the Haya rock in the background.

They did not return, since there were clearly more cars waiting for the ferry than it could take on board. There, in this line, one funny meeting took place. Past
A man passed us and, seeing the license plates on the car, greeted us in Russian:

Greetings from St. Petersburg!

We hardly met any Russians in northern Norway (there are few Norwegians there either), so we were happy to see a compatriot. We started talking. He asked where I got the information from
when planning a route around the country. I said the name of the forum. And suddenly this man extended his hand to me and introduced himself:

And then it dawned on me that this was the same Troll, the guru of the Norway travel forum, with whom I had been consulting for the last few months about the upcoming trip and route.
We knew each other in absentia, and then unexpectedly we met in person in the very country we were discussing!

Soon our ferry appeared - the first of fifteen (!) on our way.

We boarded it and set sail.

Behind us was the sail-rock Haya, and Senya was waiting ahead of us.

Senja is one of the largest Norwegian islands. Apart from distant Spitsbergen, it is the second largest island. At the same time, for diversity natural landscapes her
sometimes called "Norway in miniature".

Senya greeted us with bright sunshine. It was one of the few sunny days on the entire trip, so we took full advantage of it - we stopped and walked often,
enjoying the views.

The mountains on Senja are extraordinary. For example, this one looks like a piece of plasticine with prints of a hand grabbing it from above:

Snowy glades on the slopes of the mountains do not allow us to forget that we are in the Arctic:

The road constantly dives into tunnels, which often stretch for several kilometers:

And the coastline is indented by fjords that jut deep into the island - because of them, on the map Senja looks like some kind of bizarre coral.

On Senya we found wonderful sandy beaches, as if straight out of pictures about tropical islands:

The only difference is that the water temperature, even in the middle of summer, is close to freezing. And the very first step, burning our feet, reminded us that we were not in the Caribbean, but even in the Norwegian Sea.

But it was on this Arctic beach that we understood why the Norwegians are so harsh, and the Vikings from this country at one time caused a stir throughout Europe. Norwegian children, small toddlers
They frolic naked in the icy water, getting used to the harshness of the North since childhood! This picture impressed us.

Sigurd, impressed by the kids, also decided to go into the water. However, he was not even knee-deep - he walked a few meters, stood thoughtfully in the water and retreated to the shore.

Natasha only had to go up to her ankles:

However, she happily posed, depicting a sultry beach holiday:

The sharp rocks framing this bay are called "Devil's Teeth":

This is what this island of Senja is like - cliffs, bays and breathtaking landscapes.

However, as soon as we drove away from coastline deep into the island - and the landscape instantly changed. Suddenly everything became flat, familiar birch and aspen trees appeared
and somehow there was a whiff of the native Central Russian strip. It suddenly seemed to me that we were suddenly back in Leningrad region, but we only dreamed of mountains and seas. Turns out,
Norway can be so flat.

Among other things, the island of Senja is famous for its largest troll in the world. To understand from the photograph how big he is, take a closer look at his right hand - there is a troll in it
holding a real fishing boat:

His smaller relatives also live next to the giant troll:

Actually, it's something like theme park under open air. No fences or barriers. We reached it late in the evening, although on a sunny polar day, according to photographs of it,
Of course you can't tell. There was not a soul in the entire park - just us and huge strange figures. Moreover, if the big-eyed tractor also evoked some associations (yes, I watch a lot of cartoons
with son!)...