The Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway should be on everyone’s bucket list. With beautiful mountains, small fishing villages, and an unlimited amount of outdoor activities, Lofoten has something for everyone. Renting a car is a must when visiting the Lofoten Islands because much of the attractions are spread out. The views you will experience just from your vehicle while driving are some of the most beautiful in the world. I recommend flying into Harstad/Narvik airport from Oslo and renting a car from there. Below is the most epic road trip itinerary if you have one week to spend in Lofoten.
- Day 1: Svolvaer
- Day 2-5: Reine or Hamnoy
- Day 5-7: Henningsvaer
Day 1: Explore town of Svolvaer
Svolvaer is the main community and town in the Lofoten Islands. Some people will stay here as a home base as it has the most hotels and restaurants and is the main transport hub for all of Lofoten. Day one is really just to recover from the long journey so Svolvaer is the perfect location to begin your trip. I recommend staying at the Anker Brygge Hotel if you are staying multiple nights and the Thon Hotel if you are just staying one night.
For dinner, I recommend dining in at Bacalao. It is located right on the water and had some of the best food in Lofoten. For breakfast, we had coffee and pastries at the charming cafe Kringlas.
Day 2: Visit Lofoten Beach Camp on Drive to Hamnoy/Reine
After breakfast in Svolvaer, it is time for your real trip to Lofoten to begin. Day two you will be driving to Hamnoy or Reine for your next three nights. On the way, I highly recommend stopping at Lofoten Beach Camp at Skagsanden Beach to grab a beer and lunch. It has a beautiful white sand beach and is a base for many surfers and campers.
Next you will head to your home for the next three nights. Hamnoy and Reine are only five minutes apart from one another, so where you decide to stay is up to you. We stayed at Eliassen Rorbuer in Hamnoy and I can honestly say it was the best view from a hotel I have ever seen! If I had to recommend one hotel, it would be Eliassen Rorbuer a thousand times over. Gadus is the on-site restaurant and offers Italian and Norwegian cuisine, but does require a reservation.
Day 3: Kayak tour in town of Reine and Hike Kvalvika Beach
One of the main highlights of our Lofoten Islands trip was doing the Reinefjorden Kayak Tour. It is a 3 hour group kayaking adventure with some of the most amazing views in the world. Seeing the beautiful mountains from the water offers a different perspective and you may get lucky enough to see some orcas! I recommend doing the tour in the morning because the light on the mountains is perfect and you still have the rest of your day to explore.
After the kayak tour, grab some lunch at Tapperiet Bistro before heading out for an epic afternoon hike at Kvalvika Beach. The Kvalvika Beach hike is a 25 minute drive from Reine and the hike takes around 3-4 hours. The hike was tougher than anticipated (always is!) but the views were incredible and it was well worth it. I should mention the trail splits two ways once the beach is visible. You can either hike up for the best view, or hike down to the beach. We chose to hike up for the view as we did not bring any gear for swimming.
Day 4: Hike the famous Reinebringen
Day 4 is when you hike to the most famous view in Lofoten. The Reinebringen hike has gained immense popularity recently, so much so that they had to reconstruct the trail due to damage from foot traffic. Do not let the distance of this hike fool you, it is TOUGH! The trail is 1566 steps straight up and is very steep. The view once you reach the peak are breathtaking and you will never want to hike back down.
Due to the difficulty of this hike, there is a fairly good chance you will be exhausted after which is why Day 4 only has one activity. After the long day of hiking you can enjoy a nice dinner at Restaurant Gammelbua in Reine. This was my first time having a Reindeer steak and it was delicious, highly recommend.
Day 5-7: Visit town of Å and stay in Henningsvaer
On day 5 you will drive to the town of Å, which is the southern most town in Lofoten. It is a charming fishing village with amazing cliffs on its southern most tip. There are a few gift shops, restaurants, and a famous bakery that is still making cinnamon rolls from an oven made in 1878. 1-2 hours is all you will need in Å.
Your final 2 nights will be in the picturesque fishing village of Henningsvaer. Henningsvaer has a trendy vibe with many quaint restaurants and shops. We enjoyed walking near the canals and between all the connected small islands. If you are looking for lodging, I recommend staying at Trevarefabrikken or Tobiasbrygga. Trevarefabrikken is an abandoned factory turned hotel/bar and regularly hosts concerts. Tobiasbrygga is where we stayed and is a quiet apartment complex with very modern rooms.
Don’t forget to visit the famous soccer field in Henningsvaer, which is the most photographed location. After 2 nights in Henningsvaer you will fly back home from Harstad/Narvik airport. Below is also a highlight video from our trip if you would like to see what it looked like!