Winter fishing, whale safari, and sleep-over in small fishing villages at the mouths of the fjords. There are few places tourists will get closer to nature than in Lofoten.
09/11/2007 :: Lofoten is first and foremost known for its fantastic winter fishing (Lofotfiske) in February through March. Then the Norwegian Arctic cod migrates from the Barents Sea to Lofoten to spawn. Tourists can hop on one of the organised trips out to the fishing fields. Although, the Lofoten Winter Fishery is yet months away, the fall has ample experiences to offer, such as killer whale safaris.
The Lofoten Winter Fishery in February and March. Photo: Pål Bugge/ Innovation Norway
In the fall the Tysfjord fills up with killer whales, and there are organised safaris from November to January to experience them.
Killer whales. Photo: Sara Wennerqvist.
Fisherman’s holiday
Sleep-over in one of the fisher’s cabins, literarily located on the ocean, is an experience few fail to remember. Although nature is the key attraction in Lofoten, the archipelago has several cultural and historical attractions.
One of the many cabines,"rorbu", in Lofoten. Photo: Marta B. Haga/ MFA Norway.
Rich on culture
The Lofoten museum provides an exhaustive summary of the archipelago’s history since the eight century. The Aquarium gives the tourists an opportunity to see different fish and sea species in the area from a close angle. The Lofoten cathedral in Kabelvåg from 1898 is the largest wooden church in the northern part of Norway.
Skiing at Reinebringen in Lofoten. Photo: Johan Wildhagen/Innovation Norway.
- Third best preserved archipelago
The islands in Nordland are popular tourist attractions. Recently, Lofoten was ranked as the third best preserved archipelagos out of 111 islands in total by the National Geographic traveler magazine.
"Deep, placid fjords, jagged, rocky peaks—a historic and geologic masterpiece. Many of the tiny fishing villages rent out cozy rorbu, the historic cabins where workers were housed in-season, and there are several excellent museums and art galleries,” one of the international experts said.
Facts about Lofoten
Lofoten is located on the west cost of Norway, north of the Arctic Circle. The archipelago consists of seven principal islands, Austvågøy, Gimsøy, Vestvågøy, Flakstadøy, Moskenesøy, Værøy and Røst.
Stockfish in Lofoten: Photo: Marta B. Haga/ MFA Norway.
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs