The Lofoten Islands are a group of 4 islands joined by bridges and underwater tunnels that spring out from the Norwegian mainland on the north west coast.

We began in Svolvaer, the capital of the islands, where due to the limited choice of accommodation we stayed in a grand hotel located on its own island but overlooking the main harbour and docks. Breakfast was a buffet of local delights including fresh smoked salmon! Fantastic considering fish first thing in the morning is not the most appetising.

The following day we picked up our second rental car and over the course of the day, made our way towards the end of the Lofoten Islands where we were to stay at one the most west bound towns for 2 nights.

The road follows one main highway with the numerous small fishing villages just a turn off away. To our surprise, in contrast to the south of Norway, the islands had beautiful white sand beaches with sapphire blue water. The surrounding cliffs and mountains are a draw for professional rock climbers and hikers. Every fishing village was quaint and picturesque with their standout red fishing huts (known as a rorbuer, many are now renovated and the stereotypical accommodation for tourists), providing the traditional Norwegian charm.

We spent 2 days driving between these fishing villages, lapping up some sun at the beach and taking on a local mountain for a 2.5 hour hike with incredible views. The only attraction in the area is the Lofoten Viking Museum, located on an archaeological site, where the largest Viking home in Norway was discovered. A full reconstruction of the house and its interior, where visitors were free to touch and explore, finally gave us some insight into the Viking era we had been looking for. A cruise on a reconstructed long boat and lesson in archery and hammer throwing added to the experience and provided some entertainment.

Long days of sunlight we ave never experienced provide us with hours to explore. On our final night the sun was still visible at 1130.

Our next stop is the largest northern city of Tromso, unfortunately over a 7 hours drive and we have one day to do it.