Our visit to Loften Islands during Europe summer was one of the best weeks we have had on holiday! This little archipelago is bursting with beauty and things to do. Due to the remote nature of the islands, it’s a little bit ‘underrated’, and isn’t as busy as many other European destinations in summer.
The natural beauty is incredible
You probably know this already, it’s likely why you’re considering a visit to the Lofoten Islands. We had seen many photos and videos prior to arriving on our trip, however we were still blown away by the landscapes. Soaring jagged mountains melt into crystal clear arctic waters. Tiny fishing villages perch on the rocky cliffs. Wildflowers line the streets. The Lofoten Islands are definitely one of the most beautiful locations we have every visited!
The weather is unpredictable
Visit the Lofoten Islands in Europe summer is definitely ‘peak time’, and for good reason, it’s the best time to visit this beautiful archipelago. However, despite it being Norwegian summer, the weather can still vary considerably, often ranging between 11-20 degrees. During our week stay is was around 12-18 degrees, and the temperature is very heavily dependent on the sun being out. Be prepared for cooler weather, rain, and wind, even in summer. It will likely rain one at least one of the days you visit. However, positively, the rain often passes and if you have a rainy few hours don’t be surprised if the sun comes out afterwards. Be prepared to prioritise your outdoor activities around the good weather, or accept that you might have wet conditions.
The Lofoten Islands are expensive
The strong Norwegian Kroner (NOK) combined with the remote location of the Lofoten Islands means unfortunately, your stay won’t be cheap. There are a variety of ways to ‘cheapen’ your stay, however you need to prepare for food, parking, accommodation and even supermarkets being costly. Coming from Australia, we found things were around 30-50% higher than back home. Positively, many of the best attractions, particularly the nature and hikes, are free. This allows you to save a fair bit of money during the day on activities. Shopping at supermarkets for meals can help, and there are a range of accommodation options, including camping, camper vans, mid range accommodation and luxury stays. Research, prepare and save in advance. Despite the cost, we think it’s definitely worth it!
The hikes are hard
We both consider ourselves quite physically active and fit, running weekly and going to the gym back home. We can happily walk 20-30k steps on holidays, however we aren’t avid hikers outside of holidays. We arrived at Lofoten Islands expecting tough hikes, and read up online about some of the ‘easy’ and ‘moderate’ hikes. What we didn’t expect was the ‘easy’ rated hikes we more of a moderate effort, and the ‘moderate’ hikes were pretty damn tough. We were able to get through, and absolutely loved the hikes despite the effort, however it is important to consider. You will need good hiking shoes, hiking supplies, decent physical fitness, and some hikes may not be appropriate in certain conditions. We think it is better to be forewarned, but please don’t let this stop you from doing some of the best hikes we have ever done!
You need to hire a car
Okay, maybe controversial for the back-packers and budget travellers out there. The Lofoten Islands are spread out over 100kms of distance, and many of the best attractions are 20-60minutes apart driving. There are bus services, but this won’t take you to many of the hikes, beaches or smaller towns. There are no trains and limited taxi options. We observed people hitch-hiking, but we’re not huge fans of this personally. The other option would be cycling around the island which seems a popular summer activity. The roads would be very cycling friendly however be prepared for the guaranteed rain. Our recommendation is hire a car. It’s easy to drive, and the car hire was quite affordable considering the price of everything else on the islands.
Bring an eye mask
One of the incredible bucket list things you will witness during Lofoten Islands summer is the ‘midnight sun’. This is a phenomenon where the sun does not set during the arctic circle during summer months. This is literally what is sounds like.. daylight at midnight. It’s a beautiful, otherworldly experience, however it comes with it’s challenges. In particular.. sleeping when it’s always light can be hard. The accommodation in Lofoten Islands often doesn’t have blackout blinds, meaning light can still enter the rooms. We think it’s vital that you bring along good eye masks to help block out the light. This can make a massive difference to you’re ability to sleep, something we had prepared for in advance and were very thankful that we did.
The Lofoten Islands are hard to get to
This is the price you pay for visiting one of the most remote European destinations. The Lofoten Islands are located in the arctic circle, in the far north of Norway. There are no direct flights to Lofoten Islands internationally, meaning you’ll likely have to take a connecting flight from the nearby Bodo, catch a ferry across, or drive around (which takes considerably longer). We think the effort is worth it, however this is a definite consideration when planning your trip to Looften Islands. For reference, we had to fly from Bergen to Bodo, then take a small plane from Bodo to Svolvaer. Getting out of Lofoten we had to drive back 2 hours to the airport, fly from Svolvaer to Bodo, then Bodo to Oslo, then take our flight to Stockholm. It’s a few big travel days.
You need at least a few days
We don’t think Lofoten Islands is a 1 or 2 day destination. Due to the effort required to get there, the amount of attractions, the hikes which take up often half a day, and the length of the archipelago, we think you ilikely need minimum 3 days, and up to 1 week is excellent. If you are trying to ‘squeeze them in’ to your summer vacation, we would advice you consider if it’s worht the effort.
Keen to travel more around Norway? See a few of our guides below..
- Our guide to the colourful seaside town of Bergen
- Our guide to Oslo, a great Scandi city break!
- Our road trip from Bergen to Odda and Aurland through Vestland fjord country!
- See why the Woodnest in Odda is one of the best accommodation stays in the world!
- Our road trip stop at the picturesque Stalheim!
- Enjoy the natural beauty of Odda.. here’s what to do and why you should visit!
- A road trip stop in Norheimsund – why you should visit!
- See impressive drone shots from our visit to the Woodnest in Odda
- Aurland is one of the best fjord towns in the region – see our guide here!
- See our road trip stop in Gudvangen here.
- Laerdal is a cute spot for a coffee on your road trip in Norway!
- See why we loved Henningsvaer and think it’s a Lofoten MUST visit.
- Want to watch the Midnight Sun in Lofoten? See our guide and experience!
Enjoying our free guides & travel advice? Subscribe to our blog!
Jump your email into the list below. We won’t spam you! It’ll just keep you updated whenever we post another travel-related adventure, memory or tid-bid!
Pingback
Pingback