Things To Do In Lofoten | Norway’s Breathtaking Archipelago

Norway is beautiful, brimming with majestic fjords, mountains, and waterfalls, but the Lofoten Islands, up in the Arctic Circle, are truly next-level stunning! Lofoten captures your heart, with its dramatic peaks, azure waters, white sandy beaches, and charming fishing villages. Whether you’re an adventure seeker, a photographer, or simply looking for tranquility in a breathtaking setting, Lofoten offers an unforgettable experience. From kayaking in the fjords, hiking to stunning summits, enjoying its gorgeous beaches, searching for the Northern Lights, or savoring fresh seafood, there’s no shortage of things to do in Lofoten.

Hamnøy Viewpoint

One of the most beautiful and iconic views in Lofoten is at the Hamnøy viewpoint. Hamnøy is a small fishing village on the Moskenes Island of the Lofoten archipelago (which is its southernmost island). The viewpoint overlooks the Festhelltinden and surrounding mountains rising from the Reinefjorden, and the iconic red fishing cabins, or rorbuer, sitting picturesquely before them. It’s breathtaking.

The best viewpoint is easy to find, as you can see it crossing over the Hamnøy Bridge on the E10. To get a better view, it’s best to park across the street and walk along the pedestrian lane of the bridge.

I stayed in one of the old fishing cabins nearby, just a short walk from the viewpoint, so I saw this view multiple times a day. In fact, I walked by it every morning to get my coffee and a pastry at Eliassan Bakery. Which, of course, I ate outside admiring the view. I don’t think it would ever get old.

Hamnøy was historically the site of the annual “Lofotfiske”, which has been celebrated for over 1,000 years. This is when fisherman from all over Norway arrived to take part in the annual cod spawning migration. While this tradition continues today, it is smaller in scope. Once the world’s largest cod fishery, the village’s red iconic rorbu , or fishing huts, have now been updated to accommodate tourists.

You can kayak here or enjoy a Norwegian sauna experience at Hamnøy Sauna. There are also a few restaurants in Hamnøy: Gadus, for dinner (make reservations), and Maritime Munchies, which is a casual fish and chips place and cozy bar.

One thing to note on the restaurants in Lofoten, they are all quite expensive.

Sakrisøy

Sakrisøy is another small fishing village. It’s tucked between Hamnøy and Reine, connected by single lane bridges. It’s only a 10-minute walk west of Hamnøy, so shares much of the same incredible view.

What’s different about Sakrisøy is that its rorbuer are bright yellow rather than red as in Hamnøy and Reine.

I kayaked here with a group and our guide told us the legend of the yellow rorbuer of Sakrisøy. She told the story of a man trying to woo a young lady that lived nearby. To try to impress her, he ordered the most expensive paint for his rorbuer. When the paint arrived, it was bright yellow. A sharp contrast to the red rorbuer in Reine and Hamnøy. According to her story, he eventually succeeded and won her heart.

Sakrisøy is so small, there’s not much to do other than admire the view, but there are two great restaurants here: Anita’s Seafood and Underhuset.

Anita’s Seafood is a must, as it offers great food with a stunning view. They make an incredible fish soup, smoked salmon, sashimi, sushi, and whale tataki, as well as pastries and desserts. They also have a small store with local food delicacies to take home. I adored this place and ate here several times during my stay.

Underhuset is a great Mexican restaurant. It’s run by a family from Mexico, so the quality is excellent. To eat here, it’s best to make a reservation. Especially on weekends.

Reine

Reine is another picturesque fishing village on the island of Moskenes. In fact, Reine is often called one of Norway’s most beautiful villages. It’s a 10-minute drive southwest of Hamnøy between Hamnøy and the Moskenes ferry port. And while it may be the largest village in Moskenes, it’s still quaint, with a population of less than 300.

Top things to do in Reine, aside from enjoying its beauty, include kayaking in the Reinefjorden, hiking Reinebringen for its stunning panorama, and hiking to beautiful Bunes Beach.

There’s also a lovely viewpoint in Riene, the view below of Gravdalbukta Bay. Another view that I don’t think I would ever get tired of. To get here, turn off of E10 towards Reine Harbor and find a place to park. This may mean parking at the harbor, but it’s worth the walk. There is a small pull-off down the road a little, but it’s not the same.

Note that if you hike to Reinebringen (below), you will walk by this view on your way to the trail.

Hike Reinebringen

For a restaurant in Reine, try Gammelbua. It’s located in a 200-year-old fishing cabin. Reservations required.

Hiking up Reinebringen is another one of the top things to do in Lofoten. The view from the summit is breathtaking. And despite the 1,974 steep granite steps up, made by Nepalese Sherpas, it’s accessible to anyone with determination, good balance, and no fear of heights. The view is spectacular and 100% worth the effort.

The best place to park to access the trail is at Reine Harbor, which requires a walk to the trailhead. There’s another small lot that’s south of the trail, with a slightly shorter walk, but there are very limited spaces here.

For full details, see my post Hiking Reinebringen | Spectacular Summit Above The Fjords.

Kayaking in The Reinefjorden

Kayaking is an excellent way to experience the landscape of Moskenes up close.

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There are several places that offer kayak tours during the day and at sunset. Two great options are Explore Reinefjord by Kayak and Kayaking in Reinefjorden. Trips fill up in advance during peak season, so it’s best to book ahead.

I took the sunset kayak tour and really enjoyed it. Our guide kept our attention with stories and legends from the area while we paddled around and admired the view.

Ferry/Hike To Bunes Beach

There’s an easy, scenic hike to picturesque Bunes Beach, which is a white sand beach framed by mountains. The beach is remote and only accessible by foot or by boat, which adds to its allure. To access the trail, take the ferry from Reine to Vinstad.

The most challenge part of this excursion is getting tickets for the ferry. It’s best to arrive in advance to queue for a ticket. I suggest arriving an hour before the ferry leaves to get a seat. I wanted to do this on my last day here, but I arrived 20 minutes before departure and it was sold out already. So sad.

Kvalvika Beach Hike & Rytan Hike

The Kvalvika Beach hike and Rytan hike are located in Lofotodden National Park, near Fredvang on Moskenes Island. I did not get a chance to do either of these hikes, but the white sandy beach surrounded by dramatic mountains looks stunning.

According to AllTrails, the start of each trail is the same. It’s about a 30-minute drive northeast of Reine. The parking area is listed on Google maps as parking for Kvalvika trail. There are not many spots, so arrive early.

The short trail is noted as 2.6 miles (4.18 km) round trip with 1,299’ (395 m) of elevation gain. It’s moderately difficult with a combination of wooden walkways, some areas noted as muddy, and some steep sections with beautiful coastal views.

For a more challenging hike, you turn off the Kvalvika Beach trail, not far from the beach, and hike up the mountain for a dramatic view down to Kvalvika Beach. This second trail is called Rytan Trail. Details for this trail are also listed in AllTrails, which notes it as a hard trail of 5.4 miles (8.69 km) round trip with 2,939’ (895 m) of elevation gain.

Uttakleiv Beach

Uttakleiv Beach is another stunning beach surrounded by dramatic mountains, but one that you can drive to. It’s on the island of Vestvågøy, which is the next island north of Moskenes on Lofoten, about an hour drive northeast of Reine. The drive itself, as you cruise along the winding coastline, is also a beautiful to experience. I found myself stopping at multiple pull-offs along the way to take photos.

This beach is enchanting, with white sand and some large rocks to climb around on, and the mountains beyond. When I was here, it was a warm sunny day and sheep “bleating” up in the mountains. This beach faces west, so it would be a good place to watch the sunset. It’s also noted as a good place to watch for the northern lights as it’s away from the cities.

There is a large parking lot here (although it is not free). There’s also a coffee shop/cafe that has some decent options and an incredible view. There are also restrooms here.

There’s also an interesting natural phenomenon to look for here, called the “Eye of the Dragon”. It’s on the southern end of the beach and best at low tide. Look for the a hole in the rock with a rock inside it, along with algae, that looks like an eye. Google maps calls it Devil’s Eye.

Haukland Beach

Haukland Beach is one more beach here. It’s south of Uttakliev by about 2.5 miles (4 km), but still on the island of Vestvågøy. This beach is also accessible by car.

This beach is probably the busiest of the beaches noted in this post, but I thought that Uttakleiv Beach was the prettier of the two. Possibly as it felt a little more remote. Since they are close, and there is a walkway between them, you can easily visit them both in the same day. The walk is about 2.5 miles (4 km), taking about an hour each way.

Kayaks are available to rent, as well and life vests and wetsuits (as the water is cold) and they sometimes have yoga on the beach. Ask at the cafe for more details.

There is ample parking (also for a fee), as well as a cafe with a variety of options and restrooms.

Å

The village of Å sits near the southern tip of Lofoten, south of the Moskenes ferry port. It’s knows for its incredible landscape, but probably most popular to tourists for its two museums: the Norwegian Fishing Village Museum and the Stockfish Museum.

The Norwegian Fishing Village Museum, or Norsk Fiskeværsmuseum, showcases traditional village life in a collection of authentic 1800s buildings. These include a traditional fisherman’s cabin, a boathouse, a bakery, a cod liver oil factory, and more. You can walk around the buildings for free, or buy a ticket for small fee to enter them. There is also a guided tour at set times if you want the stories behind them.

The Stockfish Museum, or Torrfiskmuseum, is across the lake from the Village Museum. It covers the history of stockfish, which was a vital part of life here.

There are also hiking trails in Å. There’s Lake Ågvatnet Loop, which is mostly flat hiking around a scenic Ågvatnet Lake. This trail is 4.2 miles (6.7 km). the other trail is Tindstinden, which is more challenging. This hike is 3.2 miles (5 km) with 1,500’ of elevation gain. Some sections are steep. It’s noted to have incredible views from its summit.

See The Northern Lights

Since Lofoten in within the Arctic Circle, it’s not unusual to see the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis here. While your best chance of seeing them is on a clear night in the winter, from late September to April, it is possible to see them as early as late August.

There are several places offering tours, especially up in Svolvær, but, honestly, you can see them anywhere away from broth cities. Make sure to search for them during the hours closest to midnight. To access the best dates to look, check the Northern Lights forecast at norway-lights.com.

Experience The Midnight Sun

Between the end of May to mid July, you can experience the midnight sun in Lofoten, as it never sets. My trip was in late August, so I didn’t experience this directly, but I’ve read the best places to experience it include Kvalvika, Bunes Beach, Fredvang, Romberg, and Vikten.

How To Get To Lofoten

The best way to get to Lofoten is to fly to Bodø, then take the ferry to Moskenes (near the southern end of Lofoten) or Svolvær (northern end). Crossing the Vestfjord via ferry from Bodø to Moskenes takes 3-4 hours, but can be a beautiful ride, especially if you take the last ferry and watch the sunset behind the islands as you approach. To book the ferry, visit torghatten.no. The ferry also accepts vehicles.

To get to Bodø, I found reasonably priced flights to and from both Bergen and Oslo (I flew up from Bergen and retuned to Oslo). Note that your flight may make a stop midway between the two cities. If it does, stay in the plane until your final destination.

Alternatively, you can fly to Leknes or Svolvær, which are in Lofoten. Leknes is a little over an hour northeast of Moskenes, while Svolvær is a little over two hours northeast of Moskenes. I found flights to these small airports to be expensive, but maybe only because I was booking a few days in advance. Car rentals are available at both airports.

Since my plan was to stay in and explore Moskenes, it made the most sense to take the ferry there. Plus watching the scenery unfold along the cruise was lovely. I was very happy with my choice to take the ferry. I booked my car in advance and it was waiting for me at the ferry, which was nice as I arrived after dark. If you do not rent a car, there is a bus that runs parallel to ferry times.

If you want to know the details of my car rental, message me.

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