Vikings, Vesterålen, and the Vestfjorden

In the harbor of Harstad, you'll step on board our sailing ship, the Baltic, in the late afternoon. You can settle into your comfortable cabin, and we'll show you around the ship so you'll quickly feel at home. While enjoying a drink and a delicious meal, you can then get to know your fellow travelers and the crew. After dinner, it's time for a safety briefing, and you'll hear what the sailing plans for tomorrow will be.  

In the Viking Age, Harstad was a place of prestige, where trade was conducted and justice was administered. The first settlements date back to the Stone Age, but the city also played an important economic role in the 19th century. History buffs would do well to come to Harstad a day early and book a nice hotel. You'll then have plenty of time to visit the Trondenes peninsula and the historic center before stepping on board.  

We sail out of Harstad harbor toward the small island of Bjarkøy. This was once—in the 11th century—the seat of the Viking chieftain Tore Hund. According to legends, Tore Hund not only led Viking raids west of Norway but also undertook trading voyages to the White Sea. From the island, the Bjarkøy clan had easy access to the larger islands of Hinnøya and Senja. It was also strategically located along old trade routes that ran along the entire Norwegian coastline up to the North Cape.

After our visit to Bjarkøy, we set course for the south. As we take the winding route toward Lødingen, the waterway quickly becomes narrower and narrower. Halfway through, we cross the 'border' between the Troms region in the north and the Nordland region, which includes the Lofoten, Vesterålen, and Ofoten island groups.

On the other side of the wide Vestfjorden, we first want to explore the Ofoten. We'll dock in a small harbor or anchor in a bay. Perhaps in the late afternoon, we'll all hop into the dinghy for a tour through the fjord, or you can take a walk in the surrounding area.

From the Ofoten, we head westward. We can visit one of the small harbors on the south side of the Vestfjorden, or if we have good wind, we might sail on to the island of Skrova, which is called the Hawaii of the Lofoten due to its tropical-looking beaches and turquoise waters (but without the tropical temperatures). In any case, it has the most sunshine hours and the least rainfall of the entire island group.

The next day, we sail north toward the famous Trollfjord with its sheer rock walls rising hundreds of feet. If we can dock at the small pier at the back of the fjord (provided no other ships are there), you can take a strenuous mountain hike toward the glacial lake. But perhaps you'd rather stay on the deck of the Baltic to enjoy the impressive surroundings, or hop in the dinghy to photograph it from (even) closer up.

We cross the Vestfjorden again toward the Norwegian mainland. If things go well, we can visit another harbor or island there before setting course for the final destination of this trip: Bodø, which in 2024—as the first city above the Arctic Circle—was named the European Capital of Culture. Here, in the Stormen Cultural Quarter, you'll find one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, and you can take a walk across the city to see various murals.

On the last day of this trip, you'll enjoy one last delicious breakfast on board. Then it's time to pack your things and say goodbye to your fellow travelers, the crew, and the ship. You might still have time for a cup of coffee or lunch in one of the city's charming spots before catching your train or flight back home.