About 10 years ago, I first sailed to Lofoten. Honestly, I had never heard of them. They happened to be on the route to Tromsø.
We docked at the island of Vaerøy, one of the southernmost of what turned out to be a chain of 80 islands. I stepped ashore and looked at the mountains in amazement. The Little Prince flashed through my mind. Or more precisely: the boa constrictor that swallowed an elephant.
Here in the south of Lofoten, the mountains are not pointed and sharp, but steep and rounded. At 3 billion years old, they are among the oldest mountains in the world, some of which have the most bizarre shapes.
Viewed from the mainland, the ancient mountains and peaks form a chain of islands, also known as the Wall of Lofoten. In the valleys and along the coast, you’ll find small, sometimes charming fishing villages with their red houses.
In the same year that I spotted the boa constrictor in Lofoten, National Geographic Traveler published a list of the most extraordinary islands in the world – according to them. Lofoten ranked third. I wholeheartedly agreed with them.
Norway itself has now nominated the archipelago as a UNESCO World Heritage site. UNESCO is still considering it, but there’s a good chance they will indeed be on the World Heritage List in a few years.
Of course, you don’t have to wait for that. Discover this special archipelago by sailboat and sail with us above the Arctic Circle.
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During the Tour of Lofoten and Vesteralen
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