Where are the Lofoten Islands?

For those wondering where the Lofoten Islands are located It's a tiny dot on the map (see for yourself), around 400km north of the Arctic Circle on the Norwegian coast.

Depart Paris Roissy airport in the late morning, arriving at Narvik/Evenes airport with a stopover in Oslo. Travel time is approximately 6 hours, including the stopover.

Just a reminder: Norway is not part of the eurozone, and has kept its own currency, the Norwegian krone.

Evenes airport near Harstad

Narvik airport may be small, but it is the main airport in the Nordland region of Norway. Norwegians travel by car, of course, but they also travel a lot by plane and boat. Norway is 4,000km long from north to south and includes a large number of small islands, so these means of transport are both understandable and essential.

As soon as you arrive in Evenes, you can already feel a certain calm coming over you. The first thing you notice is the mountains on the horizon, with woods and tundra all around.

We get off the plane on the tarmac and take a short walk inside the airport. You can fill your lungs with fresh air. There's no crowd in the airport and a single baggage reclaim conveyor belt, so there's very little waiting time, whatever car hire counter you choose. (Having said that, there's nothing missing: 4 different car rental companies, restaurants, etc.).

Nevertheless, this airport has regular traffic and services to all of Norway's major cities and regions.

Pick up the car and we're off to Harstad and its port, another 50 km to the north-west, this time in the Troms region.

Harstad, Clarion hotel

Harstad is the region's largest town, with around 24,000 inhabitants, before entering the multitude of small Lofoten & Versteralen islands.

45 minutes later, we checked into our room at the Clarion Hôtel opposite the port. It's still 7pm and we're getting tired.
After a bite to eat, a stroll through the town at sunset.

In Harstad, 4 gourmet restaurants, several historic sites, nature walks, nature sports, summer and winter sports, shopping, it's all possible.

Harstad is also a departure point for cruises lasting several hours to discover the Fjords, aboard speedboats or on maritime safaris.

Day 2: Departure for Andenes in the north of the Lofoten Islands.