Svolvaer (Lofoten), August 15, 2024

Today we arrived in the Lofoten Islands. The harbor in Svolvaer is (at least at low tide) too shallow, so we had to tender ashore.

The weather was so-so. That means it was overcast, with some bright spots in the afternoon and temperatures around 15°C. However, there are white sandy beaches made of coral banks in the Lofoten Islands, where people went swimming.

We then went on a longer boat excursion, which took us to several Lofoten islands. The larger, inhabited islands are accessible by bridges. The bridges are quite high, and they cannot be used in strong winds.

The villages are quite small. The main town has just 4,500 residents, and there are houses along most roads, even far from the villages.

We then visited the Viking Museum in Borg (Lofoten Viking Museum). This place is significant for knowledge about the Vikings. Here, remnants of longhouses, Viking ships, and artifacts (dishes, glassware, weapons, gold items, etc.) were first found. Some of the finds date back to the middle of the first millennium.

After visiting the museum, we went to a local restaurant and were served the typical dishes found here.