The Lofoten Islands

From around 28 May to 14 July the sun doesn't set in Lofoten, and the long, bright days of June and July are the best time for hiking, beaches and kayaking. They are also by far the busiest, with Norwegian holidays peaking in July. Late August and September bring autumn colour, fewer people and the return of dark nights.

The northern lights can be seen from about late August to mid-April, whenever the sky is dark and clear, most often between about 9 pm and 1 am. For a few weeks around midwinter the sun stays below the horizon, but there are still hours of blue twilight around midday. From February to April the skrei fishery fills the harbours, and the drying racks hang heavy with cod. Winter is mild for the Arctic but windy and changeable, and snow, ice and storms can close roads and cancel ferries.

The fastest way in is to fly. Widerøe flies from Bodø several times a day to Svolvær and Leknes, both small airports. Harstad/Narvik Airport at Evenes, about 170 kilometres from Svolvær, has more direct flights from Oslo and seasonal routes from elsewhere in Europe, and is often cheaper, with bus 300 connecting it to Lofoten. Car ferries also sail from Bodø to Moskenes, near Reine, in about three to three and a half hours on direct sailings, with some calling at Værøy and Røst on the way. Foot passengers without a reservation travel free, a share of space can be reserved for a fee, and every passenger must register their details through a QR code at the quay. The Hurtigruten coastal ships call at Stamsund and Svolvær daily.

A car is by far the easiest way to see the islands, as buses are infrequent, especially outside summer. Book hire cars well ahead, from Svolvær, Leknes, Evenes or Bodø. The E10 is narrow, with single-lane bridges and many cyclists in summer, so take your time and use passing places.

In winter, roads can be icy for months. Hire cars come with winter tyres; in Nordland studded tyres may be used from 16 October to 30 April. Drive slowly, keep a long gap, watch for the dangerous mix of rain on ice, and check road conditions and ferry status before setting off.

• Book accommodation, cars and the ferry early for June to August.
• Fill up and shop when you can: shops and petrol stations are spread out and hours are short on Sundays.
• The weather changes quickly. Pack waterproofs, warm layers and a hat even in July.
• Pull fully into lay-bys to take photos, never stop on the road or on bridges.
• Expect paid parking at popular beaches and trailheads, usually paid by app.
• Wine and spirits are sold only at Vinmonopolet shops, in the larger towns.
• Cards are accepted almost everywhere.
• Bring an eye mask for the midnight sun.

Cod is king. Try fresh skrei in winter, bacalao stewed with tomatoes and potatoes, fish cakes and fish soup, and stockfish, which is soaked and cooked or eaten dried as a snack. Lofoten lamb, reindeer, stockfish pizza in some cafés and fresh halibut also appear on menus. Svolvær and Henningsvær have the widest choice, and many villages have a small café or bakery serving cinnamon buns and waffles. Lofoten has small breweries and distilleries, but alcohol is expensive, so many visitors self-cater.

Staying in a rorbu, a fisherman's cabin standing on stilts over the water, is the classic Lofoten experience. Once used by visiting fishermen during the winter season, many are now comfortable self-catering cabins, from simple to luxurious, in Reine, Hamnøy, Svolvær, Henningsvær, Nusfjord and other villages. Svolvær has the most hotels. Campsites with facilities are spread along the E10, and remote cabins, guesthouses and a few hostels fill the gaps. Base yourself in two places, in the west and the east, to cut down on driving.

Each winter, from January to April, Arctic cod swim down from the Barents Sea to spawn in the Vestfjord, and for over a thousand years fishermen have followed them to Lofoten. The fish are gutted, tied in pairs and hung on wooden racks, called hjell, to dry in the cold wind for months, without salt or smoke. The resulting stockfish keeps for years and was traded through Bergen across Europe from the Middle Ages; it is still one of the region's most important exports, with much going to Italy. The A-shaped racks stand empty for much of the year, but in late winter and spring they're hung with thousands of fish.

Lofoten sits close to the auroral oval, so the northern lights are common on clear, dark nights. Check the weather and aurora forecasts, drive away from village lights to beaches facing north, such as Uttakleiv, Unstad or Gimsøy, and give it time: displays come and go. For photos, use a tripod, turn off the flash, focus manually and bring spare batteries, as the cold drains them quickly. In summer, the sun circles the sky all night, and late evening light on the peaks and beaches is the best of the day.

Norway's right to roam, allemannsretten, lets you walk and camp on uncultivated land, but with duties: pitch a tent at least 150 metres from the nearest house or cabin, stay no more than two nights in the same place, and leave no trace. Open fires are banned from 15 April to 15 September. Camping at large trailheads, in shelters and on playgrounds isn't allowed, and camping on farmland needs the landowner's permission. Motorhomes may stop in lay-bys for up to two nights unless signs say otherwise, but must never drive off the road, and toilets must only be emptied at proper stations.

Lofoten has struggled with these rules in recent summers. Popular beaches and trailheads such as Kvalvika and Reinebringen have suffered from litter, worn paths and human waste where there are few or no toilets, and residents have grown tired of camper vans parked everywhere. Destination Lofoten's own code asks visitors to use campsites where possible, stay on marked paths, never build cairns or stone rings, take all rubbish away, and use proper toilets. Where there are none, dig a hole well away from water and paths, and pack out paper and wet wipes. Give cyclists plenty of room, keep dogs on a lead, don't disturb sheep or nesting birds, and leave the fish on the drying racks alone: they are someone's livelihood.