Lofoten Islands, deep inside the arctic circle are blessed with extraordinary nature and incredible beautiful fishing villages all over the islands. Over the years, the popularity of the Lofoten Islands has skyrocketed due to widely spread images of its stunning nature on social media. Over the years I have visited Lofoten islands a few times during winter and summer and absolutely love this incredible place. There are a number of stunning must-see fishing villages and my five absolute favourites are probably on the list of every tourist visiting the Islands.     

Reine, Hamnøy and Sakrisøy 

​The fishing villages of Reine, Sakrisoy and Hamnoy in the western part of Lofoten surrounded by jaw-dropping peaks and the Arctic ocean are probably the most beautiful villages in Norway. All three villages are very close to each other on separate small islands connected to each other by beautiful bridges. Reine is probably the best-known village among the three and the biggest one.  

Things To Do 

Sunrise At Hamnoy Bridge  

​The most famous photo spot in the Lofoten islands and probably the first image of the Lofoten islands that you might have seen on the social media. The photo spot is at the Hamnoy Bridge overlooking the village of Hamnoy with Lofoten peaks in the background. Any time of the day, you will find here a lot of tourists taking pictures so it will be hard to miss. The sunrise is the most popular time to take pictures when the peaks are lit up with golden light. There is a parking lot on both ends of the bridge and usually enough space to park. 

Best Photography Locations

Apart from the Hamnoy bridge, there are many other incredible photography spots in all 3 villages. In Reine, you can roam around the small harbour and capture incredible fishing huts with mountain background. 

One of my favourite spots is in the village of Sakrisoy along the main road. Driving towards Reine, you will see a small yellow hut on your right side. You can park your car in the parking lot of the nearby restaurant. 

Northern Lights

​Between September and mid-April, Lofoten is a perfect place to see the Northern Lights. The Hamnoy bridge is again very popular spot for Northern Lights photography and one of my favourite as well. 

Reinebringen Hike

Reinebringen with its stunning views of the fishing villages is the most popular hike in the Lofoten Islands. Due to the new stairs pathway, it is now an easy 1-hour hike. Read my separate blog for Reinebringen hike

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Read More: How to Hike to Reinebringen in Lofoten

Nusfjord 

Nusfjord is one of the oldest and best-preserved fishing villages in Lofoten and one of the most beautiful villages in Norway. The 6.5km long drive towards Nusfjord from the federal highway is spectacular. The village is very small and can be seen in a couple of hours. Don't forget to go to the small hill at the end of the village which has a perfect view of the fjord and the harbour. There are rental cottages and a small restaurant. 

Henningsvær

​The pictures of Henningsvaer village football ground has been widely shared on Instagram and you probably have already seen them but its not the only thing about it. The village is located on several smaller islands off the coast of the large island of Austvågøya. The nearby mountain of Festvågtind is an easy hike and offers stunning views. 

Where to Stay 

​During our visit we stayed in Eliassen Rorbuer in the village of Hamnoy. It is a great place with stunning views of the Reine Fjord. We stayed there for 4 nights and visited all the places on day trips by driving around the islands.