Dreaming of visiting the most northern spot in continental Europe? Nordkapp? I highly
Do take the trek up to northern Norway but before you get close to Nordkapp, which is commonly promoted as “the most northern settlement in continental Europe”, stay over for a night or two in the small town of Bodø, and then rather take the ferry to the Lofoten Islands. You won’t regret it!
Get to Bodø via plane, or via the coastal voyage, the Hurtigruta boat, which should be a great trip. I took the plane from Bergen on the southwest coast to Bodø and then the ferry over to Moskenes.
From Bodø the ferry takes about 4 hours to Moskenes in the southern part of the Lofoten Islands. Once you get to Moskenes, take the 30-minutes walk down the scenic and winding road to the small fishing village simply called Å (pronounced “O”, with a population of about 150 people). Alternatively, hitch a ride which should take 10 minutes by car.
Å lies comfortably at the southern end of Moskenes Island of the Lofoten Islands, about 150km north of the Arctic Circle.
There are a few small fishing villages around the islands, some of which have been abandoned since the 1950s. Inhabitants are mainly fishermen (and increasingly tourism) living off their exports of dried codfish (“stockfish”) which are exported to Italy and Portugal. Stockfish is unsalted fish dried by the sun and wind on wooden racks on the foreshore called flakes, or in special drying houses. Apparently, the heads are sent down to Africa where they are regarded as a high priced delicacy.
Much of the land area of the Lofoten Islands is uninhabited due to the high snow-covered mountains.
Most people on the islands live in small red-painted Rorbu (fisherman’s cabins) at the foot of the mountains. However, during the warmer months of
No less than 2.5 million nesting birds make Lofoten Islands a bird watcher’s and photographer’s paradise. These include nesting colonies of cormorants, grey herons, Atlantic puffins, and white-tailed eagles. I spent one rainy afternoon for about 3 hours just waiting to photograph a nesting American
Hire a bicycle and cycle all over the islands. Roads are excellent and where it ends, take a boat, or pitch your tent. Lovely small-boat day trips leave from the village of Reine, just north of Moskenes, around the nearby lakes which offer spectacular views of the lakes, mountains, and tiny communities along the turquoise waters.
Go in summer, and you will see the midnight sun (or midnight fog). Go in winter, and its a very dark place – of hours on end! Lofoten Islands is an amazing place and a true gem! You will never regret your decision to visit.
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.