See the northern lights in the Lofoten Islands, Norway

The famous archipelago of Lofoten

The wild nature of the Lofoten Islands is just as beautiful in winter as the rest of the year, especially when the northern lights come out at night. Every outing in the region is framed by rugged mountain tops that rise straight from the sea.

Winter in the Lofoten Islands comes in thousands of colours that present a visual enjoyment of contrasts, hues and tones. The experience is even stronger at night, when the flickering northern lights in the sky are reflected in the sea.

For a thousand years, fishermen have come to Lofoten from near and far to take part in the renowned cod winter fishing. It is a living history that is confirmed by the numerous typical fish drying racks in the villages.

Lofoten is situated just beneath the auroral oval, a belt of light that encircles the geomagnetic poles and provides some of the best chances for seeing the northern lights.

Get to know Lofoten’s colourful fishing villages with the characteristic “rorbuer” (fishermen’s cabins), local handicrafts, and rich history that dates back to the Vikings. It is easy to get to the Lofoten Islands.

Show More Show Less

Northern lights over Hamnøy, Lofoten.
Photo: Alex Conu / Visitnorway.com

Northern lights over Henningsvær, Lofoten.
Photo: Vidar Lysvold / Visitnorway.com

Boating in Lofoten.
Photo: CH / Visitnorway.com

Hiking in Lofoten.
Photo: Alex Conu / Visitnorway.com

Moskenes, Lofoten.
Photo: Christian Bothner / www.nordnorge.com

Skiing in Lofoten.
Photo: Espen Mortensen / www.nordnorge.com

Boat safari in Lofoten.
Photo: CH / Visitnorway.com

Svolvær, Lofoten.
Photo: Making View / Visitnorway.com

Campaign: northern lights offers

Experience the northern lights

Dynamic Variation:

Svinøya, Lofoten.
Photo: Svinøya Rorbuer

Enjoy the Lofoten peninsula

Dynamic Variation:

Lofoten.
Photo: Johan Mikkelsen

Other winter activities in Lofoten

Where to stay in Lofoten

Northern lights forecast

With the Norway Lights app you can check out the best times to see the northern light in your area.

Getting here and around

Get in-depth travel information on Lofoten’s official website.

By train

There are daily trains all year between Stockholm, Kiruna, and Narvik. From there, you can catch buses to the Lofoten Islands.

There are also trains from Oslo via Trondheim and Fauske to Bodø. From Trondheim, the train takes around 10 hours to Bodø. From Bodø, you can take a ferry or speedboat to Lofoten.

Ad: Check out NSB’s website for prices and timetables.
By boat

There are daily scheduled express passenger boats operating all year between Bodø, Svolvær, and Værøy.

There are car ferries from Bodø to several places in Lofoten and between some of the islands in the archipelago.

The Norwegian Coastal Voyage Hurtigruten calls at daily Stamsund and Svolvær in Lofoten.

Ad: Hurtigruten – “The World’s Most Beautiful Sea Voyage”
By bus

There are public buses every day from Narvik, Bodø, and Harstad to Svolvær.
By car

If you choose to go by car, there are several options of getting to and from Lofoten.

A boat-free connection in the north of the archipelago takes you between the mainland and Lofoten.

Ad: AutoEurope – always a smooth rental experience
Local travel

The E10 (King Olav V’s road) is the main road connecting the Lofoten archipelago from west to east. Travelling by public transport requires some planning, especially if you want to go anywhere off the E10, so check the timetables carefully.
By plane

There are frequent and regular flights to Bodø Airport, Harstad/Narvik Airport, Svolvær Airport, Leknes Airport, and Røst Airport.

Flight time from Oslo to Bodø is approximately 1,5 hours and an additional 20–30 minutes from there to Lofoten.

There is also a helicopter service between Bodø and Værøy.

Ad: Widerøe – the largest regional airline in Scandinavia