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The Magical Islands of Norway
It’s a shame that the gorgeous islands located at the Northwestern part of Norway are pretty well unknown to most people- so let’s fix that together. In a nutshell, I would like you to Picture this: Exotic Tahitian Islands fused with spectacular New Zealand landscapes. It’s truly Magnificent, there just isn’t a better descriptor I can think of. My husband had always dreamed of taking the “Land of the Midnight Sun” cruise operated by Princess, and so it was that I was introduced to such a surprisingly beautiful place.
This cruise is offered only once a year, coinciding with the summer solstice—the longest day of summer. Sure, other cruise companies offer a 10-12 day Norwegian Fjord cruise, but Princess Cruises offers the best 17-day itinerary. Trust me, we have looked at them all and I can surely tell you that it is worth every penny.
The Most Important Advice
This is my best advice that can make or break your trip to the Lofoten Islands, especially if you only have one day to explore. Rent a car from Expedia.com or any rental company that offers the option to pick you up at the cruise port. We booked through SIXT and had an amazing experience. The cruise ship makes port at Gravdal, which we learned is kind of in the middle of nowhere with nothing to see or do. These ships dump thousands of people with no transportation miles away from anything you would want to see. So: arrange a car to meet you there and you’ll be the smartest person on the ship!
The weather in Norway even in the summer is very fickle. So, it was a bit chilly and rainy the day we arrived to the Lofoten Islands. We learned that the weather can change throughout the day, so it’s important to be prepared with raincoats and warm gear that you can take off if the sun comes out. Rent a car and explore, do not be afraid. It was so spectacular. We talked with people who did not have a plan before getting to the Islands and instead spent a couple of hours waiting in line in the rain to get right back on the ship.
Not going to lie: the car rentals are expensive, but it is a must. WHEN are you going to make it back to these gorgeous islands??? Just bite the bullet and get the car, you’ll thank me a million times over! Also, be sure to check out this beautiful interactive map before traveling (which you can download for a fee too, if you wish.) TRAVEL GUIDE TO LOFOTEN MAP OF BEST PLACES
The Most Spectacular Beaches
Car keys in hand, we were off on an adventure of a lifetime! We had a map, our rental car, and a plan to drive to the most scenic places the islands had to offer. The first stop was Haukland beach. Lonely Planet voted this beach the most beautiful beach in Europe in 2021, and it’s easy to understand why! There were beautiful sheep grazing along the mountains situated next to the cerulean waters of a Tahitian-like lagoon, with rugged mountains covered in fairytale pasture grasses.
We then headed to Kvalvika Beach next. Again, nothing about this place will disappoint, even on a foggy/rainy day. We were in utter awe as we drove through its great beauty. We stopped so many times to take photos and just soak it all it.
Next Stop – Nusfjord – Instagram Village
Our stop to this amazing village was the highlight of our trip. This is the one place I would not skip out on. We came upon this adorable fishing village with a bakery, general store, art galleries, and a few restaurants. This place was so romantic and lovely. Luckily, it wasn’t crowded since there weren’t many people there at the same time.
It began to get foggy when we arrived to this little gem. We started our adventure at the incredibly adorable Hansines Bakeri (The only one town). We bought a coffee and a delicious cheese danish, both of which were sooo fantastic by the way.
Lunch in Nuisfjord
We chose the Karoline Restaurant for lunch, and wow were we impressed! We ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and pear cider (Kopparberg). May I just say that Norway and Sweden make the best burgers I have EVER eaten, it must be how the cows are fed and raised that make them so tasty. If you prefer your meat cooked a bit more, you might want to order your burger medium-well instead of medium, as they tend to cook it a little less than you might be used to. A final note: if you like cider do NOT pass up the pear one on offer here! Overall, this stop was such an amazing experience and one you should not miss.
We continued our journey down the E-10 (Norway Tourist Route) and our next stop was Reine.
The Atlantic Highway to Reine
With less than a day in the Lofoten Islands we saw enough to know that we wanted to come back to this gorgeous place to spend at least 10-12 days next time in summer or winter. Reine is another one of those famous places that appears on desktop computer backgrounds and evokes an instant desire to be transported there. Winding through these beautiful roads was so magical, and just seeing the Lofoten Island by highway through the window of a car was nothing short of amazing in itself!
Be sure to check out our new History and Travel Youtube channel documenting the drive down the Atlantic Coast:
The Fishing Village of Reine
Reine is located on the Southern part of the islands. Sadly the fog began to become pretty thick as we drove down so it was hard to see its total beauty, but every now and then a colossal mountain would emerge from the rolling fog and leave us in awe. By the time we made it into town most of the shops were already closed though, so we wandered around and soaked up the vibes. This village is the most photographed and well known places among the Lofoten Islands, for good reason.
By far we enjoyed our quick visit to the Lofoten Islands. One of the reasons I love to cruise is that you can get a feel for places before you commit to a whole trip dedicated to one location. I really have to love a place to spend time and money to go back, and cruising gives me the opportunity to determine if the juice is worth the squeeze so to speak. When it comes to the Lofoten Islands, it definitely is!
And Now For Your History DEEP DIVE…
The Lofoten Islands are located within the Arctic Circle and boast 70 miles of Island chains from North to South. People have lived in these islands since 1122 AD, and King Oystein of Norway was integral in building a church and lodging for fishermen in those early years. Norway’s main export is fishing: cod, haddock, the production of fish oil, and fertilizer made with fish parts. People of Lofoten have also used Stockfish for centuries, which supplies them with imperative vitamins and minerals required to live in a climate with such little annual sunlight.
The Lofoten Islands became a very popular place to travel near the end of the 19th Century, and these islands now see up to one million visits per year. The Atlantic Road is what makes the islands more accessible to locals and tourists. It is an engineering marvel, and took sixteen years to build due in part to enduring the wrath of twelve hurricanes. (1)
