Lofoten Islands Travel Guide

Introduction

Svolvær (southernmost point of the Lofoten): 280km (174 miles) N of Bodø; 1,425km (884 miles) NE of Bergen; 1,250km (775 miles) N of Oslo

The island kingdom of Lofoten, one of the most beautiful regions of Norway, lies 197km (122 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. Its population of 35,000 spreads over large and small islands. Many visitors come just to fish, but the area also offers abundant bird life and flora. The midnight sun shines from May 25 to July 7.

Hans Olsen, a local guide, told us, "If you are not already a poet by the time you come here, you will be by the time you leave." He was referring, of course, to the area's beauty, the remoteness of the archipelago, and the mystical Arctic light.

The Lofoten Islands stretch from Vågan in the east to Røst and Skomvaer in the southwest. The steep Lofoten mountain peaks -- often called the Lofotwall -- shelter farmland and deep fjords from the elements.

The major islands are Austvågøy, Gimsøy, Vestvågøy, Flakstadøy, Moskenesøy,...