Love Letter to Lofoten: A Svolvaer Travel Guide

We'd watched Provence change, Autumn falling away and winter cloaking the streets' edges.

By the time we reached Lofoten in northern Norway, after a long journey via four planes, the countryside was a winter wonderland. The snow blanketed everything, including sound. There was a stillness, a quiet, a deep peace to the land whose soft colours stretched out to the horizon. Even the sunrises and sunsets were muted. Instead of fiery brilliance, glowing pinks and golden hues reflected off snow-covered peaks and deep blue waves.

Life in the deep north felt magical, full of glittering snow and possibilities.

Living the Rorbu Life in Lofoten

There is something wonderfully soul-soothing about Svolvær.

We stayed at Svinøya Rorbuer, a collection of traditional red fishing cabins (rorbuer) that have been beautifully preserved. The rustic self-catering cabins are simply adorned, making life feel easier and more relaxing, while fantastic insulation kept us cosy even when temperatures dropped below zero and snow fell heavily above us.

Our Cabin by the Sea

Our picturesque cabin came with a proper living room, a well-equipped kitchen, and two bedrooms with en-suites. And it was right on the harbour with windows opening up onto the water. I'd fling them open first thing in the morning, breathing deeply the sea salt air, and at night, leaning out trying to see if I could spot any telltale signs of the aurora.

We arrived on a Sunday, soaking up the views of the dramatic Lofoten mountains right from our doorstep. The cabin had both harbour and mountain views. We regularly left its welcoming warmth for a brisk stroll where we'd crane our necks in search of the Northern Lights. One evening, we even saw an otter scurry from the harbour, over the bridge near our cabin, and into the ocean beyond.

We spent three wonderful nights there, enjoying breakfast at the Restaurant Børsen Spiseri, part of Svinøya Rorbuer, and housed in one of the best-preserved buildings in the neighbourhood, dating back to 1828. It's also where we had dinner our first night and tried stockfish (traditionally dried cod).

Chasing the Lights

A trip to northern Norway in winter wouldn't be complete without a Northern Lights excursion. So yes, we chased the lights!

We were booked on a Northern Lights tour with XXLofoten for our first night. They picked us up at around 8pm and took us on an hour drive to escape the artificial lights of the city. (In Lofoten, all the lights are soft yellow to create a cosy and warming glow, even for those occasionally bleak winter days).

It was freezing, so wearing woolly layers, a hardy jacket, and good shoes with thick soles is a must. While the lights are never guaranteed, we were extremely lucky. We ended up in two different locations: one with no shelter but more trees to help frame our photos, and one with a shelter, a fire, and dramatic mountains as our backdrop.

Our guide, a local photographer, gave us tips on how to capture the lights on camera. Standing under that vast Arctic sky, waiting for the "Green Lady" to dance, felt like a privilege. On our night, she moved slowly, drawing out her vibrant green – and occasionally faint red and purple – movements.

I couldn't feel my toes, but I didn't care. (Ok, I did, but it was worth it and I knew it). I kept leaving the warmth of the fire – it didn't really help, and I should have worn two pairs of socks from the start – to stare up at the lights and take photos. I'm immensely grateful for the photos I was able to take, and a little annoyed that, while I've never seen a shooting star with my own eyes, my camera managed to capture two trailing behind the Northern Lights.

Winter Kayaking: A Magical Switch

Our first full day in Lofoten was meant to consist of a full-day drive from Svolvær to Reine, visiting five of the seven Lofoten islands. But due to a slight miscommunication, we missed it. Luckily for us, the concierge at Svinøya Rorbuer was fantastic and quickly arranged for our kayaking trip (meant for day 2) to happen that day and the drive the next.

It worked out for the best as the weather was in our favour for kayaking the day we did it. I know, kayaking in the Arctic winter sounds absolutely mad, right? But it was one of the highlights of our trip.

We met our guide at the XXLofoten office and suited up in dry suits over our woolly layers. Pushing fear and nerves aside, we lowered ourselves into our double kayaks and off we went. Gliding through the crystal-clear winter seas, it was pure magic.

The winter light in Lofoten is unique – soft, blue, pink, and ethereal – making the whole experience feel out of the ordinary. I powered our kayak and navigated while my mum helped steer us. As we sliced through the water, which was only choppy when we hit open ocean, we spotted an otter swimming in the harbour and plenty of eagles.

A Road Trip to Remember

The following day, we traded paddles for wheels on a road trip to Reine with Lofoten Insight. While it isn't the most thrilling activity, the drive is filled with one postcard-perfect spot after another and pretty moments that have you whispering, "This isn't real. This place is unreal."

Our guide took us along Nusfjordveien, past towering peaks and deep fjords, stopping first at Nusfjord, one of Norway's best-preserved fishing villages. We continued to Hamnøya, famous for its photogenic red cabins, and Sakrisøya, where the yellow rorbuer contrast beautifully with the water. We ended up in Reine, before taking a final contemplative walk on Ramberg Beach and capturing a solitary red rorbu on the white sand.

It was a lovely day, and when we got back to our cabin, we took a stroll around the island, with one eye on the sky and feeling giddy from the snow.

An Artic Plunge

Our final day was a slow one. After a leisurely breakfast, we packed our bags and had them ready for collection, which we'd organised with the concierge. We then headed into town for some Christmas shopping and a late lunch. Once satiated, we popped in our headphones and headed to the main square where we started VoiceMap's Svolvær tour just as the sun was setting.

We strolled slowly, soaking up the history of the area and seeing corners we hadn't uncovered yet thanks to our audio tour. By the time we finished, just after 4pm, it was dark. We picked up the last of our things and bid farewell to our lovely cabin, with a pang of sadness that this part of our adventure was already over.

But it wasn't over just yet. We'd booked to use Svinøya Rorbuer's sauna and take an Arctic swim before leaving for the ferry terminal. We gingerly traversed the snow-and-ice-covered pier down to the floating sauna where we quickly changed into our costumes.

Once ready, we entered the balmy room where we sweated for ten minutes before heading outside and taking the plunge. The cold – fresh, fierce and invigorating – was both welcome and unwelcome. We stayed less than a minute in its dark icy waters before emerging and re-entering the sauna. We did this twice. The second time, I threw caution to the wind and completely submerged myself, deciding that it didn't matter if my hair didn't dry.

I loved it. I'd do it again. I'd do every part of our magical Svolvær experience again. Walking across Svinøy Bridge to Svinøya, the historic neighbourhood we were staying in, I kept whispering, "This isn't real, this place is unreal."

You think the pictures are too good to be true. They're not. Lofoten is exactly how it looks in the photographs.