Where the stays are
Destinations in Norway
Introducing Norway
Norway runs up the Atlantic for well over a thousand kilometres, and above the Arctic Circle its coast breaks into islands: the Lofoten, with granite peaks rising straight from the sea, and the archipelagos of Nordland. The Gulf Stream keeps the coast milder than the latitude suggests, and winter brings the northern lights, the skrei cod and snow on the summits. We begin with two MICHELIN Key stays — sea cabins on an island and a historic fishing village — and a lodge in Ballstad.
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Your travel notes
Currency
The Norwegian krone, not the euro. Cards are taken everywhere, and prices are among the highest in Europe.
Food and meal times
Cod above all — fresh skrei in late winter, and stockfish dried on the racks — with lamb, king crab and cloudberries.
Getting around
Fly to Bodø and on to Leknes or Svolvær, or take the Bodø–Moskenes ferry. A car is the easiest way around the islands.
Tipping
Not expected; service is included. Rounding up is enough.
When to go
February to April for skrei, snow and the aurora; the polar night darkens December and early January. Late May to mid-July for the midnight sun.
Tips for travel in Norway
Can you see the northern lights in Lofoten?
Yes, from September to early April, on clear nights. The coastal weather changes fast, so stay several nights.
What is skrei?
The Arctic cod that comes down from the Barents Sea to spawn off Lofoten in late winter; the fishing season and the drying racks define the islands from February to April.
Is it very cold?
Less than you would think: the Gulf Stream keeps the Lofoten coast near freezing in winter, though the wind can make it feel much colder.